2. cables
  3. 1344166323

Speaker cables comparison chart:: Much Needed

One of the problems in finding speaker cables for a system,is trying to determine first, what manufacturer model lines are approx equivalent in price, performance, and compatibility with speakers. For example, a friend hardily recommends Transparent Audio's Music Link Super, or one step down, Music Link. Nordost offers a similar model line up in their new LS series: Purple Flair, Blue Heaven, and Red Dawn....pricing is almost similar. Last is Kimber Kable speaker cable which offers a 4TC, 8TC, 12TC. Unlike the Red Dawn, the 12TC is much less expensive and equivalent in price to Nordost's Blue Heaven. KK's 8TC, Nordost's Purple Flair and Transparent Music Link are approx in the same price category.

The issue is which model of these brands provides the most bang for the buck, that is, transparency, musicality, and smoothness, and most importantly speaker compatibility. The Cable Company is not a viable outlet to evaluate these products Sometimes, they have neither the correct lenghts or terminations, nor model availablilty. Also,return shipping from Hawaii back to them is not cheap

Therefore, will appreciate comments and advice from members who have done a lot of speaker cable evaluation. Thank you
sunnyjim
sunnyjim OP
927 posts
 
To Elizabeth, Thank you for explaining the make up of your audio system. I am sure it is a righteous sounding rig

To Sgsglx: If anything, you may have rekindled my interested in Mapleshade Audio speaker cable. There online photos and description of the speaker cables suck. If you should come back to the my thread. can you provide me a brief description of the overall quality of sound of the Golden Helix cable, esepcially regarding musicality or drawing one into the music. I am familiar with the sound of the Soliloquy speakers.....Audiogon keeps "promising" to restore the old system of off line communications which worked beautifully in their previous format I would not ask any member to divulge his home e-mail address on line. Thanks again to all, Jimbo
ssglx
203 posts
 
I'll try to post again when I get more time, but if you'll search for mapleshade in the cables forum you'll see some of my other posts about them. Pluses and minuses, but mostly pluses.
Chris
sabai
2,027 posts
 
Sorry if I am stirring up a hornet's nest but in my system I consider wires components -- they are that important. My system -- and this cannot refer only to my system, IMO -- can be brought to its knees by inferior wiring. A system is as weak as its weakest link, IMO. I have spent 6 years researching this but I realize there are lots of people who have spent a lot more time on this. I don't particularly worry about what is "well regarded" although I have experimented with "well regarded" cables and do like some of them. In the end it comes down to what works best in my system. Since my system is unique I need to find out things for myself and not rely too much on the opinions of others.
ssglx
203 posts
 
I've probably had 20 or so pairs of commercially available speaker cables in my system, priced from $85 to well over $1000, all broken in, and of many different geometries.

At their best, when they have not been recently been bent and moved and the ac is clean, the Golden Helix is the most vivid, percussive, dynamic and having the best bass heft, punch and clarity of any of them. My favorite speakers (that I own) are the Soliloquy 5.0's and though the woofers are only 5.25", they regularly pressurize my room and drop into the 30's (based on a stereophile test cd).
With these cables in, my system is also quite sensitive to other things that are changed.
They do tend toward brightness so some of your rocordings may not work and they may not play nicely with all other cables or components.
sunnyjim OP
927 posts
 
Sabai, No need to qualify your opinion, stirring up the pot is one of the functions of the discussion forum So stir with gusto!!!

To Ssglx, Thanks for the follow and brief description of the Mapleshade's Golden Helix speaker cable; I think I might go for "Plus' version of the GH which is only $70 more. My system tends toward brightness so anything that will reduce or cancel any edge will be welcomed.

BTW, you did comment on the GH cable's musicality factor which is possibly the most important aspect of speaker cables which has such a direct effect on the sound. Of course there is the X factor, the speaker cables's synergy with not only other system cables, but the components in the system. Thanks Jim
More to discover