Hearing is believing!!!

Manticore

After following a few very long and highly (sometimes hotly) debated speaker wire discussions, I decided to try myself.

I found a pair of lightly used MIT Avt S3 cables in box for $160 shipped. I thought that was a very fair price???

They have been up and running now for about a week and I must say I am impressed and like what I am hearing.

From what I can hear they seem to have opened up the sound a bit. The bass was the first thing I noticed. It sounds a little more like actual bass. Not to say that it did not before but, now more pronounced and/or accurate is probably the way to describe it.

Actually the entire sound from the speakers appeared to flow better, smoother a bit more accurate. When playing some very well pressed vinyl the sound was very impressive and noticeably sounded better than before the newer wires. So the sound does seem to have progress in a positive way with the new addition.

Since this is only a first time testing for me and hearing a noticeable difference (for the better) I guess I have to say...

I AM NOW A BELIEVER

So I guess I should say thanks to all the much more knowledgeable folks on the forum for sharing (sometimes very passionately) their experiences with different cables they have used over the years. At the moment this was what I was willing to spend to see if it was snake oil or reality.

Damn this rabbit hole.

So what is the next level up from this to a more noticeable difference??

tonyb

Another one down....see, all we ask is that you try for yourself and you did. Next step in MIT cables is the Shotgun series. Other brands exist too with a variety of sound and prices to take you on the next level.

Like we said repeatedly, you don't have to spend new car kinda money. You spent 160 bucks and heard an improvement. Buy used bro...more cable for the buck. Congrats on you experimenting a bit and gaining some knowledge yourself, part of the fun of this thing we call audio.

afterburnt

Have you lost your dat gamned mind, starting a thread like this?

heiney9

Others will be storming in here shortly to tell you about expectation bias and how what you are hearing is because you want to hear it.....blah, blah, blah.

You heard a difference when trying it on your own. That's all that matters.

H9

lightman1

DSkip wrote: »

afterburnt wrote: »

Have you lost your dat gamned mind, starting a thread like this?

Maybe it met up to have a drink with yours?

I suspect peyote root cocktails.

afterburnt

DSkip wrote: »

afterburnt wrote: »

Have you lost your dat gamned mind, starting a thread like this?

Maybe it met up to have a drink with yours?

I lost my mind a long time ago and I have been hiding from it in case it is looking for me. It was quite a weight off of my shoulders and I dont want it back, besides it makes me fit in better.

afterburnt

lightman1 wrote: »

DSkip wrote: »

afterburnt wrote: »

Have you lost your dat gamned mind, starting a thread like this?

Maybe it met up to have a drink with yours?

I suspect peyote root cocktails.

that sounds quite refreshing, got a recipe?

Manticore

I will say I have always wondered about speaker wire but, never tried the more expensive stuff. For $160 it was well worth the gamble to see for myself. Now I've heard and you guys are to blame... Thank you!

tonyb wrote: »

Another one down....see, all we ask is that you try for yourself and you did. Next step in MIT cables is the Shotgun series. Other brands exist too with a variety of sound and prices to take you on the next level.

Like we said repeatedly, you don't have to spend new car kinda money. You spent 160 bucks and heard an improvement.

As far as the Shotgun wires... we will see. Maybe at a later date.

I considered DSkip offer to join into the wire testing/sampling on another post but, if I did like those wires I don't think they are in my price range to buy after shipping them off to the next in line. So why test the Ferrari if I can only afford the Acura?? Maybe another time.

I also would have had nothing else except lamp cord to judge by. Not that MIT's are the ultimate speaker cable but, at least now I could evaluate on a ever so slightly higher level.
[/quote]Maybe it met up to have a drink with yours?[/quote]

I suspect peyote root cocktails.[/quote]

The days of peyote style substances have sailed... many many years ago.

Moose68Bash

Manticore wrote: »

Not that MIT's are the ultimate speaker cable but, at least now I could evaluate on a ever so slightly higher level.

@F1nut, ain't them there fightin' words?

F1nut

Moose68Bash wrote: »

Manticore wrote: »

Not that MIT's are the ultimate speaker cable but, at least now I could evaluate on a ever so slightly higher level.

@F1nut, ain't them there fightin' words?

Nah, I believe he was referring to his model, but even if not who knows what the ultimate speaker cable is.

voltz

Manti glad you discovered this for yourself

It never hurts to try things out for yourself, and others will give advise based on what they have heard and discovered for themselves & others only give advise based on what they think.

Thanks for sharing your findings! And enjoy your System

pitdogg2

Manticore wrote: »

I considered DSkip offer to join into the wire testing/sampling on another post but, if I did like those wires I don't think they are in my price range to buy after shipping them off to the next in line. So why test the Ferrari if I can only afford the Acura?? Maybe another time.

Simple answer even though they are more expensive they may sound really bad in your system. You will then have a better judgement of what may or may not work in your system.... It is basically a free test for you so get on the horse and giddy up

Last thing if they did really shine then once again down the road you get a stellar deal on some used and you will already know they are great cables in your system.

tonyb

Manticore wrote: »

I will say I have always wondered about speaker wire but, never tried the more expensive stuff. For $160 it was well worth the gamble to see for myself. Now I've heard and you guys are to blame... Thank you!

tonyb wrote: »

Another one down....see, all we ask is that you try for yourself and you did. Next step in MIT cables is the Shotgun series. Other brands exist too with a variety of sound and prices to take you on the next level.

Like we said repeatedly, you don't have to spend new car kinda money. You spent 160 bucks and heard an improvement.

As far as the Shotgun wires... we will see. Maybe at a later date.

I considered DSkip offer to join into the wire testing/sampling on another post but, if I did like those wires I don't think they are in my price range to buy after shipping them off to the next in line. So why test the Ferrari if I can only afford the Acura?? Maybe another time.

I also would have had nothing else except lamp cord to judge by. Not that MIT's are the ultimate speaker cable but, at least now I could evaluate on a ever so slightly higher level.

Maybe it met up to have a drink with yours?[/quote]

I suspect peyote root cocktails.[/quote]

The days of peyote style substances have sailed... many many years ago.[/quote]

The Shotgun series really kicks it up a few notches and they are not as expensive as you think on the used markets. With other brands in mind, I want to say 3-400 bucks for speaker cables, including the MIT shotgun S3's, would hold you over for quite a few upgrades with other things in your system.

Now, you just touched on speaker cables, then we have interconnects. lol That rabbit hole deepens. Dskip is doing a demo right now, sign up....only cost ya shipping to the next dude in line. You may not be able to afford them now, even used, but it will give you an idea of the sound signature of the brand and whether or not it's your cup of tea.

vmaxer

Good to see someone try for themselves. Buying used is the way to go - for me anyway.

MrBuhl

Amen! Hearing really is believing, congrats for believing your ears in your system and not the hype, or the hate! Well done - I love the S3's I run.

gudnoyez

The non believer crowd should chime in any minute, they have already spied this thread and will have something to say in 5-4-3-2-1.

lightman1 wrote: »

DSkip wrote: »

afterburnt wrote: »

Have you lost your dat gamned mind, starting a thread like this?

Maybe it met up to have a drink with yours?

I suspect peyote root cocktails.

In powder form or button form, with a cocktail toothpick bet one of those drinks taste nasty but surely enhances the music.

Manticore

I also agree buying used can be a real benefit for the wallet. Unfortunately there are many unscrupulous sellers out there. Smaller purchases you can write off as a loss but say ex: $3200 for that an amp and it shows up DOA or worse and then the guy is gone or worse.

The first MIT cable I purchased used I had to contact the seller because the iconn pin base was snapped off and a spade was permanently attached. It also looked like the box for the board had been opened and glued shut. Not a factory job for sure!!

Luckily the seller was a reputable guy and let me return it for a full (including shipping) refund. I wont mention any name or company but, they were professional about it.

My better half says its great that I have hobbies but, why are all my hobbies so expensive.

Like I should take up butterfly collecting.

tonyb wrote: »

Another one down....see, all we ask is that you try for yourself and you did. Next step in MIT cables is the Shotgun series. Other brands exist too with a variety of sound and prices to take you on the next level.

Like we said repeatedly, you don't have to spend new car kinda money. You spent 160 bucks and heard an improvement.

The Shotgun series really kicks it up a few notches and they are not as expensive as you think on the used markets. With other brands in mind, I want to say 3-400 bucks for speaker cables, including the MIT shotgun S3's, would hold you over for quite a few upgrades with other things in your system.

Now, you just touched on speaker cables, then we have interconnects. lol That rabbit hole deepens. Dskip is doing a demo right now, sign up....only cost ya shipping to the next dude in line. You may not be able to afford them now, even used, but it will give you an idea of the sound signature of the brand and whether or not it's your cup of tea.[/quote]

This is something I will consider. I wouldn't mind leaving him a retainer or something like that should I decide to give it a try. I would just use my wife's credit card

As stated above they might sound like.. well... you know what, or they may sound brilliant. Again as stated above then I may have something else to shoot for as I try to climb out.

Gatecrasher

Since the OP failed to mention what his original cables were it's kind of hard to gauge anything without knowing if he was comparing inadequate sized wires to something acceptable.

If the original cables were too small in gauge or possibly had bad connectors, lamp cords could have made an improvement.

The bottom line is that he likes it better. That's all that really matters.

F1nut

Right on cue.

Manticore

I considered DSkip offer to join into the wire testing/sampling
I also would have had nothing else except lamp cord to judge by./\/\/\

I was using this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009EADB2Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I thought this would have been sufficient. In a way it did serve a purpose... till I started listening to you guys I'm glad I did!

Gatecrasher

It would have been interesting to see if you could hear a difference using 12 gauge.

When I compare my 12 gauge wires to Canare or Monster M series I can't.

Unknown

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Manticore

Overall is it worthwhile looking into even higher end wires while using the Polk Rtia7's??
Would this model speaker continue to benefit from other higher end cables?

My meaning behind this question is well lets face it they are not Wilson Audio Alexia's (just to randomly name one). Not comparing those to a7's but, I hope you get what I'm trying to say.

There has to be a limit on where one would cut it off due to equipment limitations.

Manticore

DonnerUndBlitzen wrote: »

I just ordered some 10 gauge wire from Douglas Connection and am hoping for the best.

I seriously considered calling him also. From any post I found here his cables sound fantastic and so does the way he conducts business from what I've read.

I just happened to click on a site and saw the mit cables late one night... the rest was history. Definitely an impulse buy but, one that I was entertaining anyway.

Manticore

Gatecrasher wrote: »

It would have been interesting to see if you could hear a difference using 12 gauge.

When I compare my 12 gauge wires to Canare or Monster M series I can't.

I really can't say. I have never used anything less than the 14 gauge except when putting an Alpine amp in my vehicle 10gauge... but that was for the battery connection.

F1nut

Manticore wrote: »

Overall is it worthwhile looking into even higher end wires while using the Polk Rtia7's??
Would this model speaker continue to benefit from other higher end cables?

My meaning behind this question is well lets face it they are not Wilson Audio Alexia's (just to randomly name one). Not comparing those to a7's but, I hope you get what I'm trying to say.

There has to be a limit on where one would cut it off due to equipment limitations.

Absolutely. My RTiA7's and CSiA6 became a lot more tolerable when I hooked them up with MIT Shotgun cables. The first improvement I noted was the dialogue became a lot clearer and another was the high end sizzle all but disappeared.

Unknown

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mrloren

DonnerUndBlitzen wrote: »

I just ordered some 10 gauge wire from Douglas Connection and am hoping for the best.

Doug's 10AWG Furez is good wire. Do yourself a favor and use a good end to terminate with. I had GLS locking bananas and changed over to Audioquest silver BFA and it is a HELLO from my speakers.

I need to call Doug and order a few more feet to make jumpers with.

I went from HD lamp cord, it was ok. Then it was Monster XP and again a little better. Then Monoprice 12AWG with GLS locking banana, ok we're good. Now it's 10awg Furez with Audioquest BFA, oh yeah I am good for the equipment I have.

Gatecrasher

mrloren wrote: »

Do yourself a favor and use a good end to terminate with. I had GLS locking bananas and changed over to Audioquest silver BFA and it is a HELLO from my speakers.

That's a point that doesn't get mentioned a lot in these wire threads.

Unknown

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afterburnt

I spent all of my cable money on music, now I am spending all of my cable money on a whole new 2 channel system. I should start catching up unless I have to have to get another Universal player.