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To splice or not to splice?

I have a mid-fi system (Dynaudio MkII, NAD c320BEE, Canare wires) and recently acquired a 6-foot Audioquest King Cobra cable for next-to-nothing. My first inclination was to cut it up to make a pair of extremely short IC's to replace my pre-to-power amp jumpers and then to make one or two pairs of short IC's for component-to-pre connection.

I have since become aware that the King Cobra has connectors which are welded, not soldered. I'm not concerned about losing value as I have little in the cable and do not plan to sell it. I am concerned with losing a high percentage of sound after splicing and adding standard audio RCA connectors using solder.

I expect a small loss from the process. Am I likely to be disappointed?

Is there anyone here with some experience in this realm?

many thanks,

T.U.
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rlwainwright
1,904 posts
 
+1, Marakanetz! Worrying about the effects of cable splices with less than SOTA gear is an exercise in futility...

-RW-
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,433 posts
 
You can buy few inches short Audioquest jumpers - basically the same thing. Buy Jumpers and sell Cobras.

http://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-Male---Male-Preamp-Jumpers-2/dp/B0006VMBGO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368811562&sr=8-1&keywords=audioquest+jumper
zd542
5,339 posts
 
I don't know if your current system has enough resolution to benefit from all that work. Try using the cable from a source to your NAD and see if it makes a difference over what you are currently using.

Either way, if the choice were mine, I wouldn't cut it. Its a great sounding cable. Just use it in your system the way it is, and enjoy it.
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tostadosunidos's avatar
tostadosunidos OP
1,197 posts
 
Thanks for the swift--and good responses.

Kijanki, I actually was looking at the AQ jumpers for some time before this cable came into view. That's still an option.

Zd, I have compared the KingCobra to the NAD metal jumpers and the difference is obvious, it's a slam dunk. I could hear it, my son could hear it and my wife could hear it. The NAD and Dynaudio speakers (these are not the lower-line Audience series) are that good, at least. As for keeping the cable as-is, I'm not sure what to do with one cable in a two-channel system--or am I missing something here (besides the second cable)?

Elizabeth, I have been thinking about that very thing. But I can make the ultra-short "jumpers" and still have enough left over for a pair of 2.5 foot cables at least. Some of my present cables are 18" and in ten years I haven't had a problem with that. Presently I can get by with one or two pairs much shorter than that with no change in the foreseeable future. And I'm no spring chicken.

again, thanks to all!
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