Mantis Cable Corporation(MCC) VS. AudioQuest Q2s.
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HzTweaker
Posts: 1,100
@mantis
Okay, slight back story for the cables I did a quick review on. I asked the forum (back in January) for some speaker cables and man oh man did @mantis come through! These were for an office rig project that has "stalled" and the cables/project went on the "back burner". Then a couple weeks ago mantis put them back on my raider. So this is how the sessions went.
Tuesday morning I listened to the rig as it was while making the playlist. This was done only using the LRSs with NO sub as I was listening to the difference between the speaker cables. The first listening "seshs" were done with flac files from my computer straight into the Fiio K13 r2r dac. The sample rates didn't dip below 88.1khz. After I was satisfied with the playlist I switched the AQ Q2s out for the MCCs speaker cables and listened to the playlist again.
Artists:
The Rolling Stones; 88.1khz
Porcupine Tree; 96khz
Phil Collins; 96khz
Supertramp; 192khz
Wednesday mornings "sesh" I spun CDs for a couple of hours then I turned on the sub and listen to the CD playlist again to dial in the sub.
Artists (CDs):
Eminem
P.M Dawn
Vanessa Fernandez (Red Book format?)
(I think I leaving a few out due to not writing them down. My bad)
This is what I heard:
AudioQuest Q2s:
The relaxed treble (compared to the “Mantis Cable Corporation” cables) evens them up with the balanced mids. The Bass is thick, not in a muddy way but certainty with weight.
Quick summary: Relaxed, Boring aesthetically.
Mantis cable Corporation:
The fit and finish will go toe to toe with the price bracket the AQ Q2s are in easily! The sparkle these cables bring to the presentation brings out the most from these quasi ribbon tweeters. The mids are open and airy. The Bass is tight and accurate.
Quick summary: I wish they were longer so I could A/B them for guest!
This was a fun project! We (as in the forum) should do another cable comparison soon. What do y'all think?
Okay, slight back story for the cables I did a quick review on. I asked the forum (back in January) for some speaker cables and man oh man did @mantis come through! These were for an office rig project that has "stalled" and the cables/project went on the "back burner". Then a couple weeks ago mantis put them back on my raider. So this is how the sessions went.
Tuesday morning I listened to the rig as it was while making the playlist. This was done only using the LRSs with NO sub as I was listening to the difference between the speaker cables. The first listening "seshs" were done with flac files from my computer straight into the Fiio K13 r2r dac. The sample rates didn't dip below 88.1khz. After I was satisfied with the playlist I switched the AQ Q2s out for the MCCs speaker cables and listened to the playlist again.
Artists:
The Rolling Stones; 88.1khz
Porcupine Tree; 96khz
Phil Collins; 96khz
Supertramp; 192khz
Wednesday mornings "sesh" I spun CDs for a couple of hours then I turned on the sub and listen to the CD playlist again to dial in the sub.
Artists (CDs):
Eminem
P.M Dawn
Vanessa Fernandez (Red Book format?)
(I think I leaving a few out due to not writing them down. My bad)
This is what I heard:
AudioQuest Q2s:
The relaxed treble (compared to the “Mantis Cable Corporation” cables) evens them up with the balanced mids. The Bass is thick, not in a muddy way but certainty with weight.
Quick summary: Relaxed, Boring aesthetically.
Mantis cable Corporation:
The fit and finish will go toe to toe with the price bracket the AQ Q2s are in easily! The sparkle these cables bring to the presentation brings out the most from these quasi ribbon tweeters. The mids are open and airy. The Bass is tight and accurate.
Quick summary: I wish they were longer so I could A/B them for guest!
This was a fun project! We (as in the forum) should do another cable comparison soon. What do y'all think?
2ch rig: Speakers: Magnepan LRS w/Magna Riser stands Preamplifier: Parasound P5 DAC: Fiio K13 Amplifier: Parasound A23 CDP: Pioneer DV-563A Cables: Wireworld Equinox 7 XLR ICs, Wireworld Ultraviolet 7 USB, AudioQuest Q2s, AudioQuest NRG X(preamp)
Standby: LSi9s with VR3's Fortress mods
Standby: LSi9s with VR3's Fortress mods