THINGS in the signal path?

NJPOLKER

I plan to employ /use different IC's and speaker cables. What I currently use is pathetic. Once upon a time I employed/used MIT S3's but sold them to a great member here, yeah I'm a dope.

If less is better why have a box of magic like MIT and a few other use in in the signal path? I understand it's all in what I hear but do not have ability to really try out different cable combinations.

I am thinking about buying two sets of IC's and hopefully getting back a set of Morrow Audio speaker cables from my friend here at Polk. Another mistake I made by selling stuff :redface:

Never sell always buy :loneranger: Be a hoarder

Advice is always appreciated

Thanks

zingo

Interesting thought on the less is more, but more cables is better... Never considered that...

I think the philosophy of less is more usual is a guide toward what might sound better given generic equipment, but we all can thank of at least one incredibly complex piece that sounds great. As always, trust your ears, and your first mistake was selling things...

tonyb

The less is more crowd usually has higher end gear, better source and better recordings. If you start with quality then their is no reason to keep adding things in the signal path. Aside from that, adding things in the signal path is just a coloration of the sound to ones own tastes no matter the level of gear. Nothing wrong with that, as long as you like what you hear, who cares ?

falconcry72

I think njpolker is just looking for recommendations on "conventional" IC's that rival his old MIT S3's in terms of sound quality.

What are you using now?

How about the Nordost Heimdalls? They get good reviews, but they're expensive.

How about Signal Cable Analog 2's or Silver Resolutions?

tonyb

Look for some audio metallurgey GA-0's or AG-0's, I dig mine and feel no need to look further. IMHO, when any product makes you stop looking thats a sign of a good product.

Matter of just finding your synergy within your system, kiss alot of frogs before your Prince shows up.

falconcry72

tonyb wrote: »

...Matter of just finding your synergy within your system, kiss alot of frogs before your Prince shows up.

Man, I've been A/B'ing my MIT S3 speaker cables against a pair of Signal Cable Ultra speaker cables, hoping that I'd like the Ultras as much as the S3's so I could sell the S3's and use the money elsewhere... but so far the S3's are winning. My girlfriend could even tell the difference in a blind test, and she described the differences exactly how I would have.

wolfsongaudio

Have you considered the DIY route? There are a host of plans out there to build your own ICs and the cost is very low.

tonyb

falconcry72 wrote: »

Man, I've been A/B'ing my MIT S3 speaker cables against a pair of Signal Cable Ultra speaker cables, hoping that I'd like the Ultras as much as the S3's so I could sell the S3's and use the money elsewhere... but so far the S3's are winning. My girlfriend could even tell the difference in a blind test, and she described the differences exactly how I would have.

I hear ya man, in all fairness, you weren't really expecting the Signal cables to top the S3's were you ? Apples and oranges in my book, 2 different classes of cable. As long as the S3's are to your liking, why switch ? You may have to go the used route to better them. More cable makers out there than you can shake a stick at, something is bound to tickle your fancy.

falconcry72

tonyb wrote: »

...As long as the S3's are to your liking, why switch ? You may have to go the used route to better them. More cable makers out there than you can shake a stick at, something is bound to tickle your fancy.

Actually I just pulled the trigger on some Morrows. (2) pairs of IC's and (1) pair of speaker cables. I am currently using Signal Cable Analog 2 IC's along with the MIT S3 speaker cables. I'm hoping that going with all Morrows will be an improvement over the MIT/SC combo, and selling the MITs will pay for all the Morrows. Then I can move the Analog 2's into a different rig.

We'll see!

madmax

NJPOLKER wrote: »

I plan to employ /use different IC's and speaker cables. What I currently use is pathetic. Once upon a time I employed/used MIT S3's but sold them to a great member here, yeah I'm a dope.

If less is better why have a box of magic like MIT and a few other use in in the signal path?

I'm big into the "less is more" theory and have high end equipment. Why the box of magic? Because it is magic!

tonyb

madmax wrote: »

I'm big into the "less is more" theory ...QUOTE]

Maybe so....but the wife begs to differ.

NJPOLKER

Please let us know about your findings on the Morrow Audio Cables. Which ones did you buy?

I have been giving thought to trying the IC's.

falconcry72 wrote: »

Actually I just pulled the trigger on some Morrows. (2) pairs of IC's and (1) pair of speaker cables. I am currently using Signal Cable Analog 2 IC's along with the MIT S3 speaker cables. I'm hoping that going with all Morrows will be an improvement over the MIT/SC combo, and selling the MITs will pay for all the Morrows. Then I can move the Analog 2's into a different rig.

We'll see!

NJPOLKER

Currently running a DH Labs from my Musical Fidelity A5 CDP to my Anthem PRE2L tube preamp and a old Monster cable from my Belles 350a amp to preamp. Soooooooo no matter which way I go it should be a nice upgrade. I have been using either a Audioquest Mammoth or Type 4 speaker cable to hook up my Sonus Faber Grand Piano Domus.

Ya think I need to address my IC's?????????????????????????????????????????

mhardy6647

FWIW, less things in one's signal path between the "interconnects" and the speaker cables is considered by many of us (OK... by some of us, anyway) to be the best thing of all.

Not too many things between "in" and "out" on a "Simple 2A3" amp...

falconcry72

NJPOLKER wrote: »

Please let us know about your findings on the Morrow Audio Cables. Which ones did you buy?

I have been giving thought to trying the IC's.

Will do. I got the MA3 balanced interconnects and SP3 speaker cables. They have a 60 day return policy on all new cables, so no harm in tryin'em out! They also have a good selection on used cables at deep discounts that people turn in for the trade-up program. Pretty cool stuff. And Mike Morrow is an excellent man to do business with. He really went out of his way for me.

falconcry72

NJPOLKER wrote: »

...and hopefully getting back a set of Morrow Audio speaker cables...

Which Morrow Audio speaker cables did you have? I guess you liked them if you're trying to get them back!

steveinaz

Sometimes it can be quite confusing---sort of a which came first, the chicken or the egg scenario. Put new wires in, and the system sounds different; now, does it sound different because of something the wire is doing, OR am I finally correctly hearing what my upstream components sound like?

Think on that for awhile.

BlueFox

steveinaz wrote: »

Sometimes it can be quite confusing---sort of a which came first, the chicken or the egg scenario. Put new wires in, and the system sounds different; now, does it sound different because of something the wire is doing, OR am I finally correctly hearing what my upstream components sound like?

Think on that for awhile.

Either way, in this hypothesis, the wire is doing something. It is either changing the signal, or allowing the signal to pass unchanged between components. To me, the second case is the preferred scenario.

falconcry72

BlueFox wrote: »

Either way, in this hypothesis, the wire is doing something. It is either changing the signal, or allowing the signal to pass unchanged between components. To me, the second case is the preferred scenario.

Right, so let's say you put new cables in, and your system sounds worse... it could be because your new cables are letting you hear problems in your components that your old cables were hiding, or it could be because your new cables are worse. How do you know?

I guess one answer is that it doesn't matter, just use the ones that have better synergy with your system... but for me, I want to know the real answer so I can replace the offending component.

mufsoman

Falconcry72 - keep us up to date with those Morrow IC's and speaker cables (probably in a separate thread). I too have an interest in how they compare. I have MA2 IC's and have been considering upgrading to maybe MA4 for IC's and speaks. Thanks

tonyb

falconcry72 wrote: »

I guess one answer is that it doesn't matter, just use the ones that have better synergy with your system... but for me, I want to know the real answer so I can replace the offending component.

Kinda the whole thing in a nutshell. Except....not everyone can afford to replace the offending componant, so they tend to color the sound to their liking by adding different cables, tube buffers, dacs, etc. Nothing wrong with that either. As long as you dig what you hear, who cares if there's 20 pieces of gear between source and speakers.

txcoastal1

What sucks is sometimes we have to color the sounds of a crappy recording

BlueFox

tonyb wrote: »

Kinda the whole thing in a nutshell. Except....not everyone can afford to replace the offending componant, so they tend to color the sound to their liking by adding different cables, tube buffers, dacs, etc. Nothing wrong with that either. As long as you dig what you hear, who cares if there's 20 pieces of gear between source and speakers.

Equalizer to the rescue!! :biggrin:

tonyb

Yeah man, but if you ask some, they'll never part with theirs. To each his own. LOL

mantis

madmax wrote: »

I'm big into the "less is more" theory and have high end equipment. Why the box of magic? Because it is magic!

That rules!

mantis

falconcry72 wrote: »

Right, so let's say you put new cables in, and your system sounds worse... it could be because your new cables are letting you hear problems in your components that your old cables were hiding, or it could be because your new cables are worse. How do you know?

I guess one answer is that it doesn't matter, just use the ones that have better synergy with your system... but for me, I want to know the real answer so I can replace the offending component.

It's something many struggle with when they hear differences when changing cables. Basically the best way to know is to compare what you hear on something else. I take a track I know extremely well and listen to the full song. Then I go back and listen to certain things like the sound of the snare drum , can I hear the stick? Switch back to my old cables and listen all the way through , then back to the snare drum. If one cable brings out the snare and the other shadows it , usually I'll favor the cable that brings out the snare.
It's a matter of hearing everything that was recorded , nothing more , nothing less. This seems to really be difficult to do.