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Family cable shootout

Two weeks ago, I performed a little interconnect shootout in my own system. I have made a lot of changes to my system over the spring/summer, and wanted to find the best cable to use between my CD player and preamp. It was my brother - in - law's birthday, so my family was together for a celebration. As a music lover, he was really into listening to my system. We spent two hours playing whatever he wanted to hear.

Along with us, were three other members of my family. As I have not totally dialed in the cables I should use, I have a pile of interconnects laying around the system. My brother - in - law inquired about it, so I told him that I will try to pick the best "one of these days". That's when the "wire is wire" comment came up. My position was that people can hear differences in cable, but that some people take it to the point of silliness. He and my fiance wanted to hear the differences, if any, and help me decide which would be the winner. So here was the perfect opportunity to do the evaluation. I especially welcome the opinions of non - audiophiles, as I think they often bring the right perspective, not being prejudiced by brand names, cost, etc. They wanted to see if wire sounded different.

The players were AlphaCore Goertz Copper(loaned from a friend), AudioQuest Emerald, Coincident CST, HomeGrown Audio Silver Lace, HomeGrown Audio Super Silver, Musical Fidelity NuVista, and Stealth SCR.

As I don't want to name names right now, I will just use an anonymous name for each cable as I go through a description of what we found.

Cable A sounded a bit fuzzy, and destroyed the speed and detail that my Atma Sphere OTL amps have infused into my system. Cable B retained the speed and detailed, but was thin, lightweight in the lower frequencies, and sounded a bit zippy. Cable C showed fine detail and speed, but did not offer the weight of the best cables. Cable D was similar to the Cable C, but a tad zippy. Cable E sounded smooth and relatively clear, but incoherent, disconnected, and not especially extended, particularly in the treble.

The two best were Cable F and Cable G. I feel that the reason was that these two cables were able to extract the most detail and speed, without sounding white. Both were extended at both ends of the frequency spectrum, along with a very natural midrange. Air was impressive. Dynamics were special.

In the end, everyone except for my brother - in - law had already given up the ghost. Listening intently to 30 seconds of a song 3X, followed by the same thing with another cable is laborious. Often, the differences are quite subtle, and need a very great effort to discern differences. But, we both felt the overall winner was Cable G. It edged the Cable F due to more impactful bottom end, and more detailed overall.

I will like to say that I would probably be happy with most of the cables in this group. But, two seemed to be more right than the rest. And, it was interesting to see the reactions of "normal people"; how none of them could say after that that "wire is wire".
trelja
sean
6,231 posts
 
The flat Goertz interconnects are phenomenally high in capacitance per foot. As such, i can see them being VERY system dependent and not working too well with just about any SS preamp, especially those that use integrated circuits as the main gain stage. Even some tube stages may have a hard time with these cables and i think that this is why they came out with their newer, lower capacitance "micro-purl" series.

While i'm obviously still curious as to what you thought worked best, i'm also curious as to if you have ever tried any of the flat Goertz speaker cables in your system ? I know that Ralph at Atma likes and recommends these cables for use with his amps. Sean
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esoxhntr
196 posts
 
Trelja - I'm actually more curious to know what music you used as a basis of reference. Is it possible with the cables that were really close that it would come down to what type of music you were playing, or possibly even which track? Or were the differences a little bit wider than that?
trelja OP
3,224 posts
 
Sean, I have not tried the AlphaCore speaker cable. Maybe I should give it a listen. Right now, I am ecstatic with my Coincident CST 1.0 to the midrange and tweeters, and the CST 0.5 to the woofers. But, I should definitely see how Ralph's feelings translate into my system. Maybe, I can try a pair from The Cable Company.

Although, the more I think about it, he shows his electronics with the Classic Audio Reproductions horns. From hearing this combination the past two years in NYC, it needs a bit of softening, mellowing, and slowing down. Maybe the Goertz provides this.

By the way, Cable A was the AlphaCore Goertz copper IC. In my system, it took away from what the Atma Sphere amps have given me. The unreal detail, speed, and effortlessness. My system has a good amount of richness via my older generation Coincident speakers, and the full bodied speaker cable. And the very refined Blue Circle preamp is definitely on the rich and powerful side(kind of tube dependent). Maybe what would add a welcome measure of warmth and richness ala the Alpha Core was over the line in my system.

Only an audition would show me how the Goertz speaker cables meshed in. I would tend to think pretty well, as they may parallel the Coincident speaker cable's richness.

I am confident you can guess what Cable B was.

I think Esoxhntr asks a great question. Definitely relevant to any test.

The evening consisted of the 2 hours where we were not evaluating cable, then approximately another 2 where we were.

The music played(tracks listed where special attention was given paid - and not every song was played from every CD):
1) 20th Century Masters - Allman Brothers Band. Whipping Post, Melissa, Blue Sky. Classic guitar and drum interplay by Duane Allman/Dickey Betts and Jaimoe/Butch Trucks. The perfect American rock band.
2) Shelby Lynne - I Am Shelby Lynne. Thought It Would Be Easier, Gotta Get Back, Dreamsome, Where I'm From. A stone cold soulful singer. White hot, smoldering, lingering.
5) New Order - Best of(Not Sure). My brother - in - law's CD. We listened to all of their hits. Electronic, thunderous, techno. Acid test to see if a system has cojones.
6) Beth Orton - Central Reservation. Stolen Car, Sweetest Decline, Couldn't Cause Me Harm, Pass In Time, Central Reservation. Excellent feeling in her vocals, powerful arrangement, lively.
7) Louis Prima - The Best Of. Just a Gigolo, "Jump, Jive, & Wail", Whistle Stop, Banana Split For My Baby, They'll Be No Next Time, I've Got It Bad. Would have loved to have seen him live, interplay with Keely Smith.
8) Sonny Rollins - Theme from the movie, Alfie. Alfie's Theme, Street Runner With Child, On Impulse. Rollins showing all facets of the diamond he is, every emotion capable of being pushed through the saxophone comes through. Jazz at its zenith.
9) Southern Culture On The Skids - Dirt Track Date. Voodoo Cadillac, Camel Walk, White Trash, Make Mayan A Hawaiian, Dirt Track Date. Dynamic; in your face, fun, straight ahead rock & roll.

The 30 second tests consisted of the beginning of Southern Culture On The Skids "Voodoo Cadillac" to separate Cable C and Cable D, towards the end of Sonny Rollins "On Impulse to hear how Cable E compartmentalized the musical spectrum and lost a bit, especially in the treble, and the final determination for Cable F(Coincident) vs Cable G was a bit after the beginning of Beth Orton "Sweetest Decline".
gunbei
2,327 posts
 
Sounds like a great test and a fun time. I definitely agree that non-audiophiles can have some pretty astute perceptions, and some creative and enlightning ways of describing what they hear.
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