Audioquest Meteor Speaker Cable Impressions....
nooshinjohn
Posts: 22,951
Although I have been in the camp of cables and wires being able to have some impact upon the overall performance of a stereo system, I have always felt those improvements were incremental at best and spending more than 10 percent or so on cables was a pointless endeavor when more could be gained by moving up to better gear. Boy was I wrong...
The Audioquest Meteor 12 foot speaker cables have taken every facet of my system to yet another level of performance that I thought was the stuff of dreams. Every parameter has radically improved. There is not one single area that has benefitted more than another, as all have improved by wide margins.
Listening to The Eagles "One of These Nights" has revealed faint guitar tracks that I had never heard before on the opening track, and a host of other micro and macro-details that were previously unknown to me. The ability of these wires to transform the SDA capabilities of the 1.2TL's has taken them to a level that sonically mimic my retired Magnepan MG-20's with regards to transparency, image positioning and depth. While they were always a good speaker to my ear, that seemed to always lack the ability to do what the Maggies did so well. I can now say they excel in that regard, and better them in the lower octaves.
I don't know how much of this improvement is due to the cable's configuration. They are a true double bi-wire, meaning two full runs of Meteor wire for each cable. Retail pricing for them would have been over 15k, and at that price I can say I would have never dipped my toe anywhere near that pool. Priced at 1450.00 used, and especially for that double run, these cables are a HUGE bargain. I have seen them selling at 3k for an 8 foot pair, so I feel very fortunate. It also re-enforces my "buy used" philosophy. I will continue to hunt for bargains.
Cables are of equal importance to everything else in your rig, and if you are serious about high-performance audio, they should be given as much consideration and importance as everything else within your setup. Doing anything else only diminishes the time and effort spent in pursuit of better audio to begin with.
The Audioquest Meteor 12 foot speaker cables have taken every facet of my system to yet another level of performance that I thought was the stuff of dreams. Every parameter has radically improved. There is not one single area that has benefitted more than another, as all have improved by wide margins.
Listening to The Eagles "One of These Nights" has revealed faint guitar tracks that I had never heard before on the opening track, and a host of other micro and macro-details that were previously unknown to me. The ability of these wires to transform the SDA capabilities of the 1.2TL's has taken them to a level that sonically mimic my retired Magnepan MG-20's with regards to transparency, image positioning and depth. While they were always a good speaker to my ear, that seemed to always lack the ability to do what the Maggies did so well. I can now say they excel in that regard, and better them in the lower octaves.
I don't know how much of this improvement is due to the cable's configuration. They are a true double bi-wire, meaning two full runs of Meteor wire for each cable. Retail pricing for them would have been over 15k, and at that price I can say I would have never dipped my toe anywhere near that pool. Priced at 1450.00 used, and especially for that double run, these cables are a HUGE bargain. I have seen them selling at 3k for an 8 foot pair, so I feel very fortunate. It also re-enforces my "buy used" philosophy. I will continue to hunt for bargains.
Cables are of equal importance to everything else in your rig, and if you are serious about high-performance audio, they should be given as much consideration and importance as everything else within your setup. Doing anything else only diminishes the time and effort spent in pursuit of better audio to begin with.
The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, TriangleArt Reference SE with Pass Labs Xono Phono Preamp, Walker Precision Motor Drive, ClearAudio Goldfinger Statement V2 cartridge and Origin Conqueror Mk3c tonearm, Polk Audio "Signature" Reference Series 1.2TL with complete mods, Pass Labs X0.2 three chassis preamp, PS Audio PerfectWave DAC MkII, Pioneer Elite SC-LX701, Oppo UDP-205 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds.
“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book has been rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered…History has stopped. Nothing exists except the endless present in which the party is always right” — George Orwell
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book has been rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered…History has stopped. Nothing exists except the endless present in which the party is always right” — George Orwell
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
Comments
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nooshinjohn wrote: »Although I have been in the camp of cables and wires being able to have some impact upon the overall performance of a stereo system, I have always felt those improvements were incremental at best and spending more than 10 percent or so on cables was a pointless endeavor when more could be gained by moving up to better gear. Boy was I wrong...
I used to think that, but after a number of upgrades, and wasted money, I realized that cables (power, interconnect, speaker) are the foundation of a good stereo. Build a good foundation, and all future gear upgrades will work at their best.
Lumin X1 file player
Sony XA-5400ES SACD
Pass XP-22 pre, X600.5 amps
Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers, SPOD spikes
Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables
Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
Three 20 amp circuits. -
It is truly astonishing just how dramatic the improvement is. I am identifying more voices within tracks, more instruments, more depth within the acoustic space, just more of everything, and a much lower noise floor. All I have at the moment is WOW!The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, TriangleArt Reference SE with Pass Labs Xono Phono Preamp, Walker Precision Motor Drive, ClearAudio Goldfinger Statement V2 cartridge and Origin Conqueror Mk3c tonearm, Polk Audio "Signature" Reference Series 1.2TL with complete mods, Pass Labs X0.2 three chassis preamp, PS Audio PerfectWave DAC MkII, Pioneer Elite SC-LX701, Oppo UDP-205 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds.
“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book has been rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered…History has stopped. Nothing exists except the endless present in which the party is always right” — George Orwell
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” -
Have another beer, and it will sound even better.
Lumin X1 file player
Sony XA-5400ES SACD
Pass XP-22 pre, X600.5 amps
Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers, SPOD spikes
Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables
Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
Three 20 amp circuits. -
I am thinking the interconnects from preamp to amp will be my last move, but I will take some time to find the right match. The synergy is just so good right now, but I know there is still more in there to get out. I need to pay attention to what I am hearing before I make any more moves.
I think the next step is getting my dreadnaught built. I still have my transformer and case from the group buy before this most recent one.The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, TriangleArt Reference SE with Pass Labs Xono Phono Preamp, Walker Precision Motor Drive, ClearAudio Goldfinger Statement V2 cartridge and Origin Conqueror Mk3c tonearm, Polk Audio "Signature" Reference Series 1.2TL with complete mods, Pass Labs X0.2 three chassis preamp, PS Audio PerfectWave DAC MkII, Pioneer Elite SC-LX701, Oppo UDP-205 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds.
“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book has been rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered…History has stopped. Nothing exists except the endless present in which the party is always right” — George Orwell
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” -
OMG what are you waiting for on the dreadnaught build?? The elimination of ground noise that you don't even know is there will bring those new cables as well as your whole system to a whole new level.
Congrats to you on the new cables; sounds like you landed some excellent performers and one heck of a bargain as well. -
Won't get any arguments from me, I'm a big proponent of what cables can do for a system. I just shake my head sometimes when I see good high quality systems hooked up with sub par cables. They don't know what they're missing.
Joey would be a perfect example, when he had his ML Summits hooked up with monster wire I believe, or the equivalent. Look at him now, all grown up and everything.
Glad your digging them John, but...wtf took you so long bro ? HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
motorstereo wrote: »OMG what are you waiting for on the dreadnaught build?? The elimination of ground noise that you don't even know is there will bring those new cables as well as your whole system to a whole new level.
Congrats to you on the new cables; sounds like you landed some excellent performers and one heck of a bargain as well.
Excatly!!
Use that extra cable to build the dreadnought cables John
Win win. -
What brand speaker cables where there before? I forget.Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time. -
Nice comments John. I like "wow" it says it all. Being a newbie cable believer, I too have heard improvements as I upgrade the cables. Journey continues, always looking for a bargain on the used market.
I must say, you got a smoking deal on those! That's something even Verb would have pounced on! Congratulations! Basement: Polk SDA SRS, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,Enlightened Audio Designs CD Transport, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, Marantz SA-14 SACD, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Digital Cables, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, Wireworld Oasis 8 RCA IC's, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, PASS ACA Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
Spare Room: Antique Sound Labs Wave AV-8 Monoblocks, Tisbury Mini Passive Pre, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
Garage: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner -
nooshinjohn wrote: »It is truly astonishing just how dramatic the improvement is. I am identifying more voices within tracks, more instruments, more depth within the acoustic space, just more of everything, and a much lower noise floor. All I have at the moment is WOW!
Imagine what I thought when I put in the AQ Wels.
Joey's Gear:
Current Gear:
Primary:
Digital: Torus RM15 -> Emm Labs TSDx/Bluesound Node 2 -> Emm Labs DAC2x
Analog: VPI Avenger Reference w/ Rim Drive w/ ADS + 12" Fatboy Dual Pivot + Lyra Etna
+ Audio Research Reference 40th Anniversary -> Boulder 2060 stereo amp (w/ Audioquest WEL Signature) -> new speakers + JL Audio F113v2 x2
Secondary:
Rotel RA1592 Super Integrated -> Sonus Faber Olympica 3
Tertiary:
Oppo 105D -> Rotel RC1570 preamp -> Rotel RB1582 amp -> Focal Kanta 2
Main speakers system evolution over the years:
Klipsch Promedia 4.1 -> Axiom M22ti -> Sonus Faber Concertino -> Sonus Faber Concerto -> Polk LSi7 -> Polk LSi9 -> Martin Logan Mosaic -> AV123 Onix Ref 1 -> Martin Logan Vantage -> AV123 Strata Mini -> Martin Logan Summit -> Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor -> BW 802D2 -> Sonus Faber Stradivari -> Rockport Avior -> BW 802D3 -> BW 800D3 -> ???
Old Gear:
Speakers:
BW PM1 (3.5/5), CM10s2 (3.75/5), BW800D3 (5/5), Rockport Aviors (5/5), Sonus Faber Stradivari (5/5), BW 802D2 (4.5/5), Martin Logan Summits (4.25/5), Martin Logan Vantage (4/5), Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor (3.75/5), AV123 Strata Mini (3.5/5), ML Mosaic (3.25/5), Onix Ref1 (3/5), Sonus Faber Concerto (2.75/5), SF Concertino (2.5/5), Axiom M22ti (2/5), Polk LSi9 (3/5), LSi7 (2.9/5)
Source:
Squeezebox 3 -> PS Audio Digital Link III -> Cary 306/200 CDP -> Cary 306 SACD -> EMM LABS DAC2X/TSDX
Preamplification:
Rotel RC1070 -> Rogue Perseus -> Cary SLP98 -> Cary SLP98F1 -> Cary SLP05 (sold and then repurchased) -> ARC 5se -> ARC Ref 40th Anniversary
Amplification:
HK AVR330 -> Rotel RB1070 -> Rotel RB1090 -> Plinius SA102 -> Cary 211FE -> Classe M600 -> Boulder 2060
Subwoofer:
Infinity Entra2 -> SVS 25-31PCi -> SVS 25-31PC+ -> Dual JL Audio F113v2 -
I don't see WEL's in my future. I think I have maxed out on this little audio sojourn of mine. My next hobby is locating one of these to play with...
The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, TriangleArt Reference SE with Pass Labs Xono Phono Preamp, Walker Precision Motor Drive, ClearAudio Goldfinger Statement V2 cartridge and Origin Conqueror Mk3c tonearm, Polk Audio "Signature" Reference Series 1.2TL with complete mods, Pass Labs X0.2 three chassis preamp, PS Audio PerfectWave DAC MkII, Pioneer Elite SC-LX701, Oppo UDP-205 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds.
“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book has been rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered…History has stopped. Nothing exists except the endless present in which the party is always right” — George Orwell
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” -
Love that Riv! The clamshell headlights are way cool! Basement: Polk SDA SRS, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,Enlightened Audio Designs CD Transport, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, Marantz SA-14 SACD, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Digital Cables, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, Wireworld Oasis 8 RCA IC's, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, PASS ACA Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
Spare Room: Antique Sound Labs Wave AV-8 Monoblocks, Tisbury Mini Passive Pre, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
Garage: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner -
I'm good on cables and took the plunge on top of the line ropes and just have to say those look pretty tough. Congrats!"if it's not fun, it's not worth it & remember folks, "It's All About The Music"!!
***************************** -
motorstereo wrote: »OMG what are you waiting for on the dreadnaught build?? The elimination of ground noise that you don't even know is there will bring those new cables as well as your whole system to a whole new level.
Congrats to you on the new cables; sounds like you landed some excellent performers and one heck of a bargain as well.
Excatly!!
Use that extra cable to build the dreadnought cables John
Win win.
I won't be cutting these up for the Dreadnaught...
If I choose to separate them, I might loan out a set for in-home demos. The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, TriangleArt Reference SE with Pass Labs Xono Phono Preamp, Walker Precision Motor Drive, ClearAudio Goldfinger Statement V2 cartridge and Origin Conqueror Mk3c tonearm, Polk Audio "Signature" Reference Series 1.2TL with complete mods, Pass Labs X0.2 three chassis preamp, PS Audio PerfectWave DAC MkII, Pioneer Elite SC-LX701, Oppo UDP-205 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds.
“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book has been rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered…History has stopped. Nothing exists except the endless present in which the party is always right” — George Orwell
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” -
nooshinjohn wrote: »I don't see WEL's in my future. I think I have maxed out on this little audio sojourn of mine. My next hobby is locating one of these to play with...
Nice.
There's one within about an hour of me...bit of a hike for you but it's only gas money. May not be the same year.
https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/cto/d/hagerstown-1964-riviera-for-sale/6830927316.html
This one needs more work:
https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/d/arlington-1967-buick-riviera/6820677866.html -
The first is a ‘64... nice car but there is zero chance he has a numbers matching car with a 401 in it. All ‘64’s had the 425.The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, TriangleArt Reference SE with Pass Labs Xono Phono Preamp, Walker Precision Motor Drive, ClearAudio Goldfinger Statement V2 cartridge and Origin Conqueror Mk3c tonearm, Polk Audio "Signature" Reference Series 1.2TL with complete mods, Pass Labs X0.2 three chassis preamp, PS Audio PerfectWave DAC MkII, Pioneer Elite SC-LX701, Oppo UDP-205 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds.
“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book has been rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered…History has stopped. Nothing exists except the endless present in which the party is always right” — George Orwell
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” -
nooshinjohn wrote: »All ‘64’s had the 425.
Interesting....wasn't aware of that...love that color though.
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nooshinjohn wrote: »The first is a ‘64... nice car but there is zero chance he has a numbers matching car with a 401 in it. All ‘64’s had the 425.
That 425 was one heck of an engine too. Turned your family car into a sleeper street racer that could lay rubber for half a block.HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's
