Exploring "professional" XLRs and RCAs

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  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,582
    Tony M wrote: »
    Do you guys and gals believe in the directional style cables? YES

    Have any of you reversed the cable's direction the arrows point towards on those type of cables JUST to see if the sound changes? YES

    When I first got my Wireworld Mini-Eclipse' I was doing A/B comparisons and inadvertently got one swapped the wrong way and the first thing I noticed was a shift off center. There is a significant amount of research on speaker cables done by many companies for decades. Gotta be some benefit going on there somewhere...
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
    Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
    B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
    Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
    Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
    Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)

    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
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  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,321
    You might want to also look at DH labs air matrix xlr on the used market. I have seen them go for 90-150.
    Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,934
    Thanks for the tip. Not planning on purchasing any other cables at the moment, but this is not the first time I've heard good things about DH Labs cables.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,641
    The Air Matrix, IMO is on the best out there.
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    I’m very happy with my Colorado’s. They are not entry level however but if you can find for $400 or less, grab some!
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  • Tbone289
    Tbone289 Posts: 661
    edited May 2019
    I build my own directional ICs out of Mogami Neglex 2534 and Neutrik gold XLRs or Neutrik gold RCAs for SE connections, and they sound great to me. This is a very inexpensive route to go with high quality components if you have any soldering skills. It's also a great way to try out different components without emptying your pockets.
    2.1: PC>Schiit Gungnir MB>Schiit Freya Noval>NAD C-270>Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1, HSU STF-2 5.1: HDMI Bitstream>Denon AVR-1910>polkaudio RTE55, CS350-LS, RT3, HSU STF-2, Visio M55-F0
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,801
    Tbone289 wrote: »
    I build my own directional ICs out of Mogami Neglex 2534 and Neutrik gold XLRs or Neutrik gold RCAs for SE connections, and they sound great to me. This is a very inexpensive route to go with high quality components if you have any soldering skills. It's also a great way to try out different components without emptying your pockets.

    FWIW I've recently done this as well (albeit, at least so far, with a cheaper, shielded Mogami cable) :)

    PS @Tbone289, quick -- post something else; that was apparently your 666th post, and that's scary! ;)

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  • tophatjohnny
    tophatjohnny Posts: 4,182
    Tried a lot of top flight cables and found the Nordost Frey 2 rca's to work best for my ears.
    "if it's not fun, it's not worth it & remember folks, "It's All About The Music"!!
    *****************************
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,934
    tophatjohnny wrote: »
    Tried a lot of top flight cables and found the Nordost Frey 2 rca's to work best for my ears.

    Over $1k for a .6m pair, I would hope so! ;)
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    What is a ‘professional’ cable? Unfortunately, because it is a limited market, and good cables are handmade, good cables will be ‘expensive’ compared to cheap, mass produced cables. Basic economics.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    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.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,934
    BlueFox wrote: »
    What is a ‘professional’ cable?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_audio
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    So, that has zero to do with home stereos.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    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.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,934
    You asked what a "professional" cable was. I answered succinctly.
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    :)
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    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.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,801
    These guys sell professional cables -- and I've bought a bunch from them (XLRs mostly).

    https://www.markertek.com/
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,934
    I've finished my listening tests and notes for the 4 XLR cables! Now to collect my thoughts and write up a coherent shootout review!

    Special thanks to my friend @joecoulson for providing the AQ Red River XLRs for this review, I sincerely appreciate it.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,934
    edited June 2019
    Tonight I started the RCA portion of my listening tests, with the Kopul RCAs to connect my CXN v2 to the pre: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1023115-REG/kopul_src_4003_stereo_rca_cable_3.html

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    First impressions are good, very good.
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