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A good start on selecting cables?

Hello there in audio-land.

I am really having difficulty in selecting cables for my current system. It's time to upgrade as it's been years since I touched anything on it when it comes to wires.

The system runs McIntosh MC275 (two of them and may sell one in the future so I may or may not mono/bi-amp), McIntosh MC220 pre-amp, Rega P9 and a series of speakers, to which I will have to play with to determine which ones I keep. Infinity Reference 6's, Magneplanar III's, and Martin Logan Aerius's, oh and an older Paradigm self-powered sub.

In going through the list I was wondering about interconnects for the components and then speaker wires. XLR's, Coaxial or bare wires? After reading and researching many discussions on this I am more confused than I was originally.

I do want to start out simple, and inexpensive (say $500 - $1000) for all wires and see where I go from there.

Any advice, what do you use or what is your experience with certain cables/wires/connections would be very helpful.

Thanks and I do appreciate any comments.
128x128npdoherty
palasr
527 posts
 
The Cable Company seconded; you can go through a lot of cables, listen, and finally decide which you'd like to buy - in a situation like yours, it's the only way to go unless you enjoy spending a lot of money for naught.

Every system is different, as are every listener's expectations; synergy is everything in the world of cables. Blind recommendations are just that: blind. Only you can decide what will work and what won't.
isochronism
2,893 posts
 
Rok2id, I fully agree! The snake epidemic would be horrendous with many not being culled out for their oils:)
isochronism
2,893 posts
 
Not to mention the imposed Charlatan tax break that we would all absorb!!
mceljo
1,357 posts
 
Palasr - Ironically, a blind recommendation plus placeo is probably worth more than we'd like to admit. If I think it should be better, it likely will be better. I have a few tweeks that fit this criteria. The issue is finding a method to make a placebo proof comparison.

My grandpa once told me that he didn't care if something was a placebo as long as it worked. It's difficult to argue with that logic.
palasr
527 posts
 
Mceljo- I agree. In fact blind recommendations (usually via forums, magazine reviews, etc) plus the placebo of 'it costs more so it must be better' have kept many a cable manufacturer in business for a long time. Being purely objective in one's assessment of anything audio is difficult at best.
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