Best interconnects 2m for less than 200/pr used


hi-
lex dc-1 pre
krell kav250a
ead pm500
b&w nautilus spkrs

looking for 5 interconnects to run at 2m length each from pre amp (2 to krell, 3 to ead pm). would like to spend <$200/pr for them and am willing to buy used of course. any advice?
bazmataz
Hi Baz,

Believe me, I understand that cables can be expensive. In my system, I have more money in cables than I do components. Silly? Maybe!

Nordost cables aren't shielded, and neither are any of the Audioquest. Infact, I don't know of any interconnects that are shielded. That's why some people use balanced I/C's in areas with excessive interference or near unshielded power cords.

For your Krell and B&W setup, the nordost Blue Heaven would be too splashy in the highs. Blue Heaven is a fast cable and quite detailed but it isn't quite as refined as other cables out there.

Going with Subaruguru's Red Dawn would be a step in the right direction as far as Nordost goes. I'm not sure if the Nordost will fit in your system though.. It's about 1 inch to 1.25 inches in width (going from memory) and doesn't like to be rolled into a tube.

Nordost Quattro Fil is a fantastic cable... Pretty expensive 2m would set you back between 700 and 900 bucks used, depending upon who you purchased from.

I never tried Nordost Quattro Fil on my Krell system but in retrospect, I think it would be a good fit. But.. I'm way above the price target now.

Anyhow... My advice then would be to buy the BEST cables you can for your front L/R channels and get something less expensive for the center and rears.

Okay... Maybe you should try using Audioquest Viper. It's pretty cheap.... Smooth sounding, punchy like the Cardas.. not quite as detailed as Lapis but.. still a decent cable for under 200 bucks.

I hope this helps but I must tell you - in order to find the RIGHT cables for you, you must listen, listen and listen... to as many cables as you can.

Bryan
Hi Baz,

Believe me, I understand that cables can be expensive. In my system, I have more money in cables than I do components. Silly? Maybe!

Nordost cables aren't shielded, and neither are any of the Audioquest. Infact, I don't know of any interconnects that are shielded. That's why some people use balanced I/C's in areas with excessive interference or near unshielded power cords.

For your Krell and B&W setup, the nordost Blue Heaven would be too splashy in the highs. Blue Heaven is a fast cable and quite detailed but it isn't quite as refined as other cables out there.

Going with Subaruguru's Red Dawn would be a step in the right direction as far as Nordost goes. I'm not sure if the Nordost will fit in your system though.. It's about 1 inch to 1.25 inches in width (going from memory) and doesn't like to be rolled into a tube.

Nordost Quattro Fil is a fantastic cable... Pretty expensive 2m would set you back between 700 and 900 bucks used, depending upon who you purchased from.

I never tried Nordost Quattro Fil on my Krell system but in retrospect, I think it would be a good fit. But.. I'm way above the price target now.

Anyhow... My advice then would be to buy the BEST cables you can for your front L/R channels and get something less expensive for the center and rears.

Okay... Maybe you should try using Audioquest Viper. It's pretty cheap.... Smooth sounding, punchy like the Cardas.. not quite as detailed as Lapis but.. still a decent cable for under 200 bucks.

I hope this helps but I must tell you - in order to find the RIGHT cables for you, you must listen, listen and listen... to as many cables as you can.

Bryan
Bryan - what about the kimber hero (or any kimber cable for that matter) in the system? thanks again for taking the time to respond. this is helping a great deal. problem is, cant find ANY of these cables used, anywhere. ppl have offered the kimber hero or the red dawn (but 1m, can't use). again, thanks... baz
Hi, just wanted to throw my 2 cents in re. the suggestion about the Viper. I use Vipers in my small scale HT system and for audio it is quite bright and "splashy" as someone said about the Blue Heavens. You can get a good price on it used or demo from Music Direct (www.amusicdirect.com) or Audio Advisor, but again consider the brightness factor.
Sarah
Sc53 might be right about the Viper - more on that later. I haven't tried Kimber Hero but I own Kimber Select KS-3035 speaker cables. To me Kimber has always seemed to have excess energy in the attack transient which can make it harsh sounding in some systems. Overall it is a good cable though.

The viper is an inexpensive cable and as such lacks the harmonic coherance of more refined products. The splashy/brightness of this cable as described by Sc53 is mostly harshness as the cable breaks in. Being 100% copper
I hesitate to think the cable is or ever will be "bright" sounding plus given Audioquests "smooth" family sound, brightness should not be an issue.

Also... Do you have an aftermarket Power Cord on your Transport, DVD or CD player yet? If not, I recommend you get one before buying any I/C's. Reason being is that an aftermarket powercord WILL remove all the digital hash that people often refer to as brightness. Once you put the power cord on, your system will transform and allow you to make better judgements as to which interconnect cables best suit you. Try a Shunyata Black Mamba (at the very least) to hear a big difference in your system.

You might think about using some Kimber Hero or less expensive I/C's for the Rear Channels, and then use the extra money to buy better front channel cables.

Bryan