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Need advice on interconnects: make a difference?

I am new to high end audio, although I think I have a good ear overall. My equipment is: Audio Physic Yara speakers, Plinius 8200 MkII, Arcam FMJ CD23, Analysis Plus Oval 9 speaker cable, Vampire Wire Silver series interconnects. Given that this is my first experience with high end audio, I am very happy with the sound. I listen to pretty much all kinds of music except heavy metal or thumping rock.

Going by all the glowing reviews of various interconnects in the market, I came to the conclusion that I could get better sound by upgrading my interconnects. I am currently auditioning the following: Siltech SQ 28 (silver) and Analysis Plus Silver Oval. I have only spent a few hours listening to them but I have found VIRTUALLY NO DIFFERENCE between either of them. May be slightly better clarity with the Siltech and AP but one has to listen very hard to notice.

Given all the rave reviews, this just doesn't add up. Do you guys really find a difference? Have my ears just reached their resolution capacity? Or perhaps have I just hit a home run with the cheap ($80 for 0.5m) Vampire Wire cables?

Any advice/thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
rkrishnan
chuck
203 posts
 
Only you can answer those questions!!! I recently did a cable shootout for my system using Synergistic Research Vacuum tube reference, Synergistic Solid state reference, Nordost Valhalla and Siltech LS 188. I can say without a doubt each cable could be distinquished from the other and I consider myself as skeptical about all the cable hoopla as anyone!
sgr's avatar
sgr
689 posts
 
Vampire wires used to be very good, I have not heard them in some time though. Try this to hear the difference:
1. Install one set of cables listen for a couple of days or a week, then replace them with the other brand some night when you can concentrate and really listen. You should here a difference then. Before you decide which is really better give the other cable another listen.

Sometimes the differences are very noticeable and sometimes not. Its possible to have cables sound simlar.

I think sometimes there are psychoacoustics involved sometimes and we hear what we want to hear.

I have noticed that sometimes when listening to other people's stereo, we make changes in the setup, and swear it sounds better, and on another evening the old setup sounds better. My conclusion is that sometimes we do fool ourselves.

Another observation: Audiophiles are always looking for a change, hopefully for the better. You may make a change in your system for the better, but the next week or day that is fogotten and your're off to find a "new" fix. The one before forgotten. A question I often ask myself is am I really going to notice this new tweak a week later or is it just different and better for that day. It is this need to improve that enriches the dealers and manufacturers. Otherwise we'd buy once and be done. The truth is few of us are really ever done with our systems.
rkrishnan OP
1 posts
 
Thanks for both your responses. Yes, I agree that psychoacoustics can play a role and one is always in the "tweaking" mode. I will take your advice and go down the route of listening to them for a week and then switching.
inna
7,296 posts
 
Why not try very different cables,say,Purist Audio(any) or NBS? Your Arcam player should react to this.
wally_li
24 posts
 
Not until all the cables are in the same level, the weakest link can bottleneck the performance. I've similiar experience in telling the different between VDH Integration and Siltech 80B before. When I am able to upgrade all my cables and compare the 2 cables again, the different is huge! As I can tell the different, my $$$ has gone :(
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