MIT cables vs. Synergistic Research cables?

Wig, I will be very curious to hear your take in your system because I agree with your statement above. I own and have owned many variants of both IC's and speaker cables for years and I just don't quite get what Dave hears. Although, I have no experience with more recent models he is referring to. Over the years I spent the most time with 350 series - reference and EVO Shotgun IC's and several models of SC including Oracle V3 and Magnum M2.

My complaint is the lack of midrange texture in the old reference series, the 330's had that but lacked the dynamics and detail.

The other problem for me at least is the expense of MIT - for the same money depending on the level of entry, I can upgrade a tonearm and/or cartridge.

I'm hoping the shotgun series has improved in two years. My S3 were blown away by the Goertz MI2 and Dynamic Design cables. The S3 had an upper tilted midrange that sounded strange when I done a side by side comparison and this was on my Belles and Vandersteen system. I'm trying them again since the majority of Avalon guys are using MIT.

Remember the obvious, the cables are passing on what's before and after plus the room is 75% of what you hear. I have had several reference systems made up of state of the art components, in rooms I thought were excellent acoustically, that turned out to still have challenges beyond the wires. In other words, a cable change (or more)is not going to solve problems or anomalies inherent to the system. Some cables will lessen the extent to which said anomalies are intruding, but the problem remains. Music should be dynamic, bold and palpable with clarity and accurate tonality. MIT allows this and does it in a 3 dimensional soundscape with a neutral yet musical flare. The older stuff could sound a little fuzzy or lacking in air, but as for a midrange bump or aggressiveness? Methinks that is a system thing.

The anomalies were I believe the MIT cables since removing them solved the problem. I believe, now that MIT has no critical circuits in the path that can add to these strange anomalies but we'll see.

For the level of equipment you own you should be looking at least at Shotgun MA or Magnum range. Try all MIT to assess it properly ie both interconnect and speaker cable.
Good luck.