NBS or Transparent interconnects balance

I have a Krell KAV-250a, and the MIT 330 Shotgun Balanced interconnect is the best I've heard so far, except for 350 EVO. You can get these 330's used for artound $550. I've tried most of the rest, haven't tried NBS.

I haven't tried Transparent but have tried two NBS single-ended cables: King Serpent II and Signature II. Both have a big mid-bass amd a top end which may be a little too bright on some recordings. The Signature in particular has a beautiful midrange. Vocals are to die for. The Signature ever so slightly bright in the upper mids but if this is there, I would say it adds an "aliveness" to the music rather than calling it a fault. The Signature also conveys better than any other cable I've tried, the transparency, detail, soundstage and ambient information in which the recording was made. The King Serpent II, while quite similar to the Signature II in frequency balance, does not do as good a job with soundstage or ambient information and I would rate it well below the Signature II. Overall, I would say that the Signature II is the best interconnect that I have ever heard, although I haven't auditioned that many "expensive" cables. I haven't heard any of the Monitor series. My experience with these two cables makes me feel cautious about extrapolating these experiences to the sound of the Monitor series.

Carl Thanks for the reply. Have you compared the MITs with the Transparent. Looking at Harmonic Tech to lower the price. What do you think?

Ray Interesting comments. I have also heard from others about the extreme retreival of information from the NBS. Would like to know who has heard the new Monitor range especially the 4 which is cost effective for a NBS cable. Have also been told the cable is extremely fast. A friend is using the professional speaker cable and Magnan signature interconnects to balance the system. Have you any thoughts on Harmonic Tech as a low cost option?

I had, heard or compared NBS, MIT, and Transparent. After some experience with the latter two, I would not recommend either (no networked cable, please). The NBS professional and statement are really fine cables. Professional has a bit more midrange bloom and the statement is flatter, more neutral. I have had no experience with the monitor. The only cable that I have heard that beats the NBS is the Kondo Audio Note (Japan) Silver interconnects and speaker cables. At the price range you are considering, give the Kondo Audio Note cables a try (see Sounds of Silence webpage).