danny, which electro pre do ya have? i have an older ec-1a, & while it's certainly a respectable performer, it doesn't hold a candle to my melos in terms of soundstage depth, dynamics & warmth. electrocompaniet has a discussion-line on their www; i asked about their latest pre's in comparison to mine - i got one answer, which seemed to indicate that the latest wersions are perhaps, even a bit more *toob-like*.
re: cords/cables, i have good results w/tara labs quantum iv from the pre-to-crossover/crosover-to-amps. alpha-core has recently started invading the source-to-pre connections. speaker wires are a pair of tara-labs rsc prime 1000 to my bi-amped speakers, & a pair of 'em to my subs. no fancy power-cords. i feel that i really need to get the equipment to where i like it, before going over the deep-end, budget-wise, w/cabling. i tink cabling should be used to further tweek the system's sound that ya like - not to correct things ya don't like. if ya don't like the sound, change the component. if ya like the basic sound, but feel some minor improvements could be effected, then start playing w/cabling. i'm saving for what i hope will be my *last* speakers. (?!?) then, i will start seriously comparing speaker-wire/i-c's/power-cords.
regards, doug s.
ps - i bought a couple of those vansevers unlimiters that steve bruzonsky had f/s on a-gon - more for protection, than for any hoped-for sonic improvements, but mike v/e sez isle be surprised by the sonic improvements, so who knows! :>)
