Audioquest Meteor Speaker Cable Impressions....
nooshinjohn
Posts: 22,914
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 Diamond v2 cartridge and Origin Conquerer Mk3c tonearm, Polk Audio "Signature" Reference Series 1.2TL with complete mods, Pass Labs X0.2 three chassis preamp, PS Audio PerfectWave DAC MkII, Krell Evolution 505 SACD Player, Pioneer Elite SC-LX701, Oppo UDP-205 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds.
I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.” .
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.” .
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
Comments
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 preamp, 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 swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.” .
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
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 preamp, 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 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.
I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.” .
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
Congrats to you on the new cables; sounds like you landed some excellent performers and one heck of a bargain as well.
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 ?
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
Excatly!!
Use that extra cable to build the dreadnought cables John
Win win.
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
I must say, you got a smoking deal on those! That's something even Verb would have pounced on! Congratulations!
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
Imagine what I thought when I put in the AQ Wels.
Current Gear:
Torus RM15 -> Emm Labs TSDx/Bluesound Node 2 -> Emm Labs DAC2x -> Audio Research Reference 40th Anniversary -> Boulder 2060 stereo amp (w/ Audioquest WEL Signature) -> new speakers + JL Audio F113v2 x2
Rotel RA1592 Super Integrated -> Sonus Faber Olympica 3
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 swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.” .
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
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 won't be cutting these up for the Dreadnaught...
I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.” .
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
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
I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.” .
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
Interesting....wasn't aware of that...love that color though.
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.
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