Damn it........... Cables matter!!

crashb4

I have always poo pooed the cable discussions here. I was the guy who pointed and laughed at the good folks who fussed over the details of their favorite cabling. I figured that my BJCs were fine and the sound was great. Curiosity got the best of me, so figured i would settle this in my own mind once and for all. I decided that a c note was a bargain to prove my point. Well..... I just received the Audio Quest cables that I got from PITTDOG2. I queued up Steely Dan's Babylon Sister that i use as a benchmark for its range, beat and horns. All i can say is WOW. The increase in clarity is crazy. I can hear things I couldn't before. Bass is crisp, powerful and more accurate. highs are not "smeared" as they were. Detail is startling. I don't have the finest of equipment and my 55 year old ears aren't what they used to be, but the difference is easily heard. Now I have another piece to obsess over. Damn it.

txcoastal1

gce

Plan on moving up from my bjc's also. What AQ's did you try?

crashb4

audio quest mammoth terminated with Nakamichi locking bananas. Outstanding. Give it a try. You won't be disappointed.

lightman1

Hooked another one! Somebody grab the net! This one's going over the fireplace...

F1nut

I applaud your open mind.

BlueFox

Hearing is believing. That's all it takes.

pitdogg2

Pffft its all in your head.....as in ears.
Glad your liking the cables.

Joey_V

Wait... You're moving up to the wels too??

tonyb

lightman1 wrote: »

Hooked another one! Somebody grab the net! This one's going over the fireplace...

LMAO....

Crashb4,

Congrats to you, glad your hearing for yourself and trying different things, that's how we learn in this hobby of ours. Know what's funny to us ? You probably thought there was nothing wrong with the sound you were getting before you tried different cables. Usually most won't, until they hear for themselves and compare.

This is also a testament to you don't have to spend an arm and a leg to get better cabling and sound....as some would have you believe.

crashb4

Honestly, I expected a very different result from this little experiment. I'm not an electrical engineer, but I'm not an idiot either. Conductors flow electrons in order to do work. The larger the conductor, the more potential work. Simple as that. Right? I guess not. I have read countless papers and articles on this subject with vastly different results and opinions. That's what piqued my interest to begin with. I still don't really understand the properties of audio cables but there is an audible difference. Witchcraft? Maybe. If anyone else is on the fence as I was, my advice is to borrow a set from a friend or find a used set in your price range. Just try it for yourself. You won’t be disappointed.

tonyb

Yep, just try for yourself, that's all we ask.

Frankly, speaking only for myself, I don't need to know how or why this or that sounds better, just that it does. Because in the long run, isn't that the only thing that matters ?

I will confess though, once I find something that sounds better, I do investigate as to why after the fact.

Once in awhile, we float a cable demo program for members, solely out of the generosity of others or manufacturers themselves. We have a bunch of info on the MIT demo's from a while back. Backert labs finished up a tubed pre-amp demo too not long ago here. Even if your not in the market, these demo's are a great way to get your ear on things for only the cost of shipping.

Now that we've opened up another rabbit hole for you in audio.....good luck and happy listening.

crashb4

tonyb wrote: »

lightman1 wrote: »

Hooked another one! Somebody grab the net! This one's going over the fireplace...

Know what's funny to us ? You probably thought there was nothing wrong with the sound you were getting before you tried different cables. Usually most won't, until they hear for themselves and compare.

This is also a testament to you don't have to spend an arm and a leg to get better cabling and sound....as some would have you believe.

So true. I thought my system sounded great. How can you know if you don't try. My mind is more open to potential changes now. Thanks all. This forum has been invaluable for me in enjoying this hobby.

gudnoyez

Waiting to hear X's comments any minute now he's bound to chime in. Glad your liking your new AQ's.

motorhead43026

X has been banned.

polrbehr

They should make this thread a sticky, and require anyone who registers for an account to read it.

daddyjt

I may be labeled a heretic for this, but I think ICs make an even larger improvement than speaker cables... not saying speaker cable isn't important, BUT if you're impressed thus far, try upgrading ICs :-)

lightman1

daddyjt wrote: »

I may be labeled a heretic for this, but I think ICs make an even larger improvement than speaker cables... not saying speaker cable isn't important, BUT if you're impressed thus far, try upgrading ICs :-)

Get out...please leave......blasphemer...

crashb4

That's the next step. I am currently using the ICs that came with my Denon CD player that was new last mellinum. There may be room for improvement there. I am exploring simple upgrades for now as I am looking at a move next month if all goes well. After that, it's xover time. Any recommendations for ICs that don't require my first born?

pitdogg2

crashb4 wrote: »

Just try it for yourself. You won’t be disappointed.

Yes please try for you own sake it is really the only way to know. Mike there will be those times when as much as you want a cable or IC to work for the better it won't. Those cables in my system were terrible, I so wanted them to work out for the better but in my system they made everything just lifeless. I know they are quality cables that is no question. But they just do not have the synergy with something in the system i used thrm in.

crashb4 wrote: »

Just try it for yourself. You won’t be disappointed.

Yes please do try for yourself it's the only way to know for sure in YOUR system. Yes there will be times when you will be disappointed. Like I was with the very same cables. They did not mesh will in the system i used them in. I knew they were will made quality cables that was never in question, but the fact remains that in my system the life left.

This is why one must try. You can read all the glowing reviews you want but until you have it in your system you will truly never know.
As Tonyb states often synergy is a beast!!

mhardy6647

Me, too, I suppose. In my case, I have always found my hifis to sound much better with cables than without them.

The one exception is the blackness of the background. That's a bit better sans cables -- but the tradeoff is that the foreground's kind of black, too.

crashb4

I find that my system "sparkles" now. Not harsh or fatiguing; but more lively. It seemed much more flat with the BJC's. Who knows, I may find another set that sounds even better. I will certainly keep my eyes open.

pitdogg2

What the heck happened with my post? The first part disappeared when i hit post. Then the site had me log back in. I had to find the thread then i posted the second part and it looked all good. Now i come back and somehow they have morphed together into one.....WTF....????

Joey_V

I agree to most on this thread.

I was never a believer, I tried a set of AQ Oaks with the idea of poo-pooing the idea and laughing at my dealer's face.

It had the opposite effect.

Worst demo.... ever.

lightman1

BlueFox

daddyjt wrote: »

I may be labeled a heretic for this, but I think ICs make an even larger improvement than speaker cables... not saying speaker cable isn't important, BUT if you're impressed thus far, try upgrading ICs :-)

Power cables, along with clean power, easily make the biggest cable difference, at least for me. While speaker cables, and ICs certainly are needed for best performance, I was amazed at how big a difference each power cable, and power conditioner, brings to the party. Power is literally a component, just like the other pieces, and can be upgraded like any other component.

crashb4

Power conditioning compliments of Rotel RLC-1040. Got that one covered.

Joey_V

crashb4 wrote: »

Power conditioning compliments of Rotel RLC-1040. Got that one covered.

You might be surprised by upgrading power cables themselves.

BlueFox

Yes. The Rotel is probably providing some surge protection, but I suspect it is restricting DTCD, and possibly degrading the sound. Just conjecture on my part, based on my old Panamax power conditioners.

pitdogg2

There is some nice interconnects out there. I have made some nice sets but keep finding myself back at AQ diamondbacks. Used their pretty reasonable. They AQ golden gates are newer and reasonably priced also.

crashb4

BlueFox wrote: »

Yes. The Rotel is probably providing some surge protection, but I suspect it is restricting DTCD, and possibly degrading the sound. Just conjecture on my part, based on my old Panamax power conditioners.

Could you elaberate? I'm afraid that my experience is limited when it comes to power conditioning equipment. This device has onboard batteries. I was hoping for voltage stabilization of supply electronics more so than anything. The amp is on its own 20 amp circuit.