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MIT Term 2 speaker cables...Am I nuts???

Recently replaced 12g Original Monster cable with MIT Term 2's to connect Jolida tube amp to Spendor S-100 speakers. Now, I know my system has a warm, round sound without the deepest of bottom ends, but when I hooked up the MIT's (used=broken in)the first thing I did was felt inside my ears to see if there was cotton in them. The sound lacked the punch, dynamics, and the bass of the $3/ft Monster copper. Highs were a noticable improvement, and instruments image better with MIT's, but I am now using the M.C. to drive the woofers as, I swear, they sound better than the MIT's. Am I nuts, or have I simply compounded too many components with a warm sound (Arcam CD player as well = laid-back British sound)?? Is this a common characteristic of MIT's? Would I be better off with a good solid state amp?
hmbrewd
sugarbrie
3,854 posts
 
Do you have dirty AC Power? Do you use a conditioner? They help with muddy bass if caused by the power. A better power cord on the amp will help to if possible?
tkmetz
91 posts
 
Hmbrwd: If the T2's have the terminator boxes(newer versions), possibly your amp doesn't like the more complex load. MIT does make cables that are tube specific. That's my two cents! Tim
kjg
171 posts
 
I had similar problems with T2 bi-wire cables. The mids and mid base were oddly recessed at a variety of frequencies, while the highs and deep bass were highly accentuated, making the system virtually unlistenable. I replaced these cables with simple 12 gauge speaker cable from Home Depot and everything cleaned up perfectly. I'm assuming that the problem was either bad internal assembly that caused it to provide a strange load to the amp, or simply poorly designed terminator boxes. Either way, I'm a bit gun shy about giving the T2's another try. If it provides any insights into the cable's behavior, I am using tube amps, although I did try it out with my old Adcom SS amp and found the same set of problems. Ken
carl_eber
1,425 posts
 
I have these, and they sound warm with my Rogue 88, and even warmer (somehow) with my Krell KAV-250a (Made the Krell sound "closed in" by comparison, but there are other cable factors at play, also). I do notice that the treble and bass are softer, with less attack transient snap, and less detail at the extremes (especially when compared to Harmonic Technology Pro-9). I also notice that there is more dynamic weight to everything in between, which is a good thing. I also have Terminator 3 speaker cable (both 2 and 3 are full range, non-biwire), and have been using these in parallel (the T2 WITH the T3) with the Krell, to good effect. Any drawbacks in performance have been reduced by about 75%, and dynamics have increased. I should add that this is all with small 8 ohm monitor speakers, the Norwex Nisse B-2. I will try this with other speakers, as well, in a few days/weeks.
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