Dont laugh


I have a respectable system and have been using several different balanced IC's in the $500+ range, but I was getting a small bit of noise, so I borrowed a 10 foot Stagg mic cable from the local guitar store, just to see if the the issue was in the cable or in my equipment. With the mic cable the noise went completely away. But I could not believe the improvement in sound. The highs more natural and the low and mid bass more weighty and articulate. So I ordered Stagg's one meter mic cable XMC1XX which they list as their audiophile grade with Neutrik connectors at a cost of $30 a piece. I put them in and crossed my fingers. What I heard was wonderful. I listened at high volume for three hours last night with no fatigue, yet all the detail and sparkle was there. Best I can tell from the diagram on the package the IC uses OFCopper, surrounded by air tubes, wrapped in a copper shielding. Give them a try against your best and see what you think. By coincidence this week Jim Smith of Get Better Sound mentioned using mic cable that he liked better than a $10,000 IC that he had.
128x128gammajo
Guys I have been around and at this hobby long enough to know better. Yes they were all xlr cables. I have a bit more knowledge then some
think :-)

I also know good sound and systems. My comments about the $40 cable besting a well regarded $1100 cable are based on reality and a reasoned and well seasoned Aphile. Sorry.
Almarg, one other thing about the xlr cable shootout. These cables are going from my newly acquired Jensen input transformer into my Aesthetex Atlas amp. All were about the same length of at or just under 3 feet long.

All three were very good sounding and I could live with them all. The Mogami just was more open and smooth. It only cost me $40 to build!
The last xlr cable is a Neotech 3001 cable of the same general capacitance as the Mogami. The Neotech was built with $70 top of the line Furutech connectors. The retail cost of this cable is around $400. It is very nice sounding and compares nicely to the $40 Mogami.

The point of my post is how well the Mogami 2534 cable compares for so little money. I realize this is only in my system and in that position. I have tried other low price cables in the past and have never liked them as much as expensive higher end cables. So this is a first for me and thus my post.

All past cables have been single ended however. It may be that RCA cables are much easier to detect sound differences. I suppose I may also need the wax cleared out of my 50 year old ears.
My apologies, Grannyring. I had misinterpreted the statement that "the other two cables are very well respected and I have had great luck with them single ended in the past," in part because I was aware from our other discussions that the change from RCA to XLR + transformer was very recent.

Thanks for the clarification, and also for mentioning the similarity of the capacitances of the two cables (that being an important variable with the Jensen input transformers, as you realize).

Best regards,
-- Al
No problem Al. I should have been more clear. I love that Jensen input transformer. My system sounds the best it has ever sounded. I think my amp sounds better through the balanced inputs. Not a subtle, but pretty big improvement.