Budget cable chaos??? Is River Cable the new star?

For what its worth, after reading your last post,I think I figured out why you are having a hard time with cables. You're expecting too much from them. Also, its very likely you are not giving as much consideration to the other components in your system because of this. Cables are easy when you match your components properly. I could be wrong, but that's what I think the main problem is.

Zd542: here is the basic system less the turntable system

Acoustic Zen Adagios speakers
BelCanto PRe-3 line stage
Red Dragon M-500 digital monoblocks
Rega Apollo CD player
Audio Prism Wedge 116 power conditioner

Cables Audio Art SC-5 speaker cables
Nordost Red Dawn IC from amps to BC
Acoustic Zen Tsumani Plus PC used with BC
Chord Chameleon IC (from CD player to BC)
Shunyata "Venom" PC for Rega Apollo

I never in any of my posts or threads stated that I was crying myself to sleep because the sound of the system was mediocre. However, I would like to squeeze out a bit more sound quality, that is, musicality, naturalness, euphononic whatever. I know there are two major component weaknesses in the system, but nothing major that I can't live with.

So, Zd542....Knock yourself with the above information!!!

Zd542 may be right.There could be another component or cable that isn't a good match in your current system.I suffered through that for a couple of years when my cdp bit the dust.Had to audition,return,buy,and sell for quite a while to get things right again.Wish you the best of luck in your search!

Sunnyjim,

I hate to say this but the more you post, the more confused I get. I honestly don't know what you are trying to do here.

"I never in any of my posts or threads stated that I was crying myself to sleep because the sound of the system was mediocre."

That's good. You really shouldn't be crying yourself to sleep for any reason.

"However, I would like to squeeze out a bit more sound quality, that is, musicality, naturalness, euphononic whatever. I know there are two major component weaknesses in the system, but nothing major that I can't live with."

You start to lose me here. You have 2 major components weaknesses in you system but they are not so major that you can't live with them. I take that as, even though you can live with the weaknesses, you would still like to fix them, if you can. If that is the case, what are the 2 weaknesses?

I think you will get better suggestions if you explain the problem with a bit more focus, and not limit the solutions to cables.

Sunnyjim, thanks for answering my question about the speaker cables.

Since you have posted your entire system, and put yourself on the chopping block, I’ll give you my opinion. You have built a system of quality components and cables, however I think the main problem is the synergy. Here are my observations, some from personal experience and others from a little research,

Rega Apollo CD player – very good but can be a little bright, and may not be the best choice for a system that has unforgiving treble.

Chord Chameleon IC – fast, detailed, dynamic, a dull system will definitely benefit using this interconnect.

Bel Canto PRe3 - extremely neutral, output has same character as input.

Nordost Red Dawn IC - many people have found that some of the Nordost can have a bright, lean sound in their system.

Red Dragon M-500 - like the Bel Canto, very neutral.

Now at this point, I can’t see any magic shot in the arm for any speaker cable to overcome the given character of the signal and deliver musicality to the speaker. You have an extremely nice pair of speakers, and I understand they are capable of a very musical sound, however they will only produce the sound that is feed into them.

From one of your threads,

System needs a dose of musicality

Try to think of this in two ways, not just adding, but removing things that distract as well.

IMHO, I would start with the interconnects and CD player, and really hard to say which one first. Even a different CD player that is a little less bright may not be enough with the influence of the cables. I know many have good results using Nordost cables, and initially I did as well, even moving up the chain. I used Blue Heaven, SPM, and Valkyrja, with the BH being the only one that came across as lean, however came to a conclusion that all of them seem to have a somewhat rough, bright top end. A good friend had the same thoughts about the Red Dawn he tried. Once a more pleasing sound is achieved, I would do some final experimentation with speaker cables, and as I have said before, probably use the AZ, even if it needs to be their entry level to get a manageable size, because the speaker was designed and “voiced” using their own cable, so again creating the best synergy.

Now I guess this puts me on the chopping block as well, any comments?