Not too impressed with my Signal Cables

Ron-P

I've had them wired into the system for a day now. I've watched a movie and listened to some music.

For 2-channel, they are outstanding. Very detailed and natural. But for HT, I am less impressed, espically with voices. They have a tinny sound to them which bugs me. I watched BHD and while the gun fire and music sounds good, the voices just aren't cutting it.

Not sure if I am going to keep them. This weekend I will give them the work out and see (or hear), but so far, I seem to prefer the sound from my Monsters.


Peace Out~:D

Lee Bailey

Ron, who makes the cables you are unhappy with?

Ron-P

Lee, http://www.signalcable.com


Peace Out~:D

TroyD

Interesting, I've not used mine in HT, only the 2ch rig but mine have worked flawlessly. I wonder what would cause the differences between HT and 2ch?

Ron, Frank does recommend a decent amount of burn in time.

BDT

RuSsMaN

How long have you had them hooked up Ron? What seems off to you about the voices on them? I won't speak for Frank, but I think he offers a full refund, if not satisfied.

Just seems odd to me that they sound outstanding on music, but bad on HT.... Are you using any dreaded DSP modes? What cable are you using from your DVD player to pass the encoded digital signal (and what other options do you have for that signal)?

Cheers,
Russ

Ron-P

No DSP modes (never-ever will I use those) and I only played instrumental music, nothing with voices yet.

Only been running them for little over a day now. I am using a Monster Optical.

When watching BHD and a few episodes from Friends: Season 1, I noticed the difference right off. The highs in voices were tinny, hollow sounding. Almost to the point of wanting to turn it off, it was that distracting.


Peace Out~:D

RuSsMaN

Without starting the break in debate again, I'd let em run for 20hrs like Frank suggests.

Second, I've noticed on some DAC's , with good cables (revealing), that an optical connection can be very shrill. Do you have a digital RCA or Coax connection you could test, just for **** and giggles?

Cheers,
Russ

Ron-P

I will let them run plenty over the next few nights and weekend. I do have a coax cable I can use. I have been meaning to cut it down (it's 25') so I can use it, now I have excuse to do it.

I'll try everything to see if they, or I, can get them to improve. Here is the response Frank sent me.

These cables are very transparent and will show the flaws in the rest of the system. HT system are usually driven by processors of inferior qualities, Monstercable tend to hide such flaws by rolling off highs, at the same time sacrificing details, btw it is far from neutural, it is just what you are used to. If you are not planning to upgrade the rest of your system or cables, spend a couple of days more with the cables to see if there is any improvements. If not feel free to send them back to me.

If the quality is so good that it brings out the flaws, I cannt use them. Can't afford to upgrade everything.


Peace Out~:D

hoosier21

I would agree with the "what you are used to" comment.

Makes me wonder about this hobby , as an example, if you have a system you are comfortable with and then listen to a slightly brighter system, you say WTF this sounds bad, BUT what if the bright system was a perfectly flat system and yours is "rolled" off on the high end. System B is the "better" system but yours is "right" for you. This can be used for anything you buy or change, amps, wires, speakers.

So is Ron right are the cables "tinny sounding" and bad. Or are they just more correct than his rolled off Monster Cables.

hoosier21

And here is my problem, I made a subwoofer, and trying everything to make it work and blend in. Crossover settings, level settings, phaseing, positioning and all, got to a point where I am happy.

Now when I am STEREO listening - I have went from "with the sub on" there is too much bass, now after living with it for a while, and for the most part the dials are the same, I turn off the sub for stereo and I am thinking "wheres the bass?"

RuSsMaN

Q-Tips Russ, Q-tips.....

Ron, let us know how the coax cable sounds compared to the setup now.....

Cheers,
Russ

Ron-P

I will Russ, on my list for tests tonight.

Hoosier, tough question. I believe right and wrong take second place to like and dislike. The Signal Cables may make the sound more accurate than my Monsters, but if I do not like it, well, I will go with what I like vr. what is right.

A very subjective hobby, this is.


Peace Out~:D

Steve@3dai

Well, overall, I'm satisfied with my Monster 400mkII interconnects that I use. From the amp I have JPW Labs Bi-Wire. It would be interesting to test some interconnects like SignalCables and hear what kind of difference it makes.

I say go with what you think sounds right and good and be satisfied. There is ALWAYS going to be something out there that is better.

- Steven

Lee Bailey

Ron, it may appear that some burn-in is required. Though more than likely you are hearing things that were being hidden before. Won't hurt to try the digital coax though, it cuts down on one more conversion process too(from light to electrical).

madmax

Ron,
Now that you have good amps you can hear stuff like that. Not to push a point but if the pre-pro is not entirely what it should be it can make the rest of the system sound a little bright or harsh. It could be that when the decoder is in operation it doesn't have the best sound.
madmax

Ron-P

I will run the cables for awhile to see (or hear) if they improve. I will try the coax tonight and see if that helps.

As for the pre/pro, that could be, but, I cannot afford to upgrade for some time. So, it may just be a waiting game. I want one more amp, then maybe a pre/pro and then cables last.

I'm also picking up some ground loop isolaters tonight to see if I can quell that popping sound.


Peace Out~:D

madmax

Upgrades come as the cash flows and the mind warrants. The cool thing about audio is that you start out entry level and upgrade. If you just went out and bought the ultimate system you would be missing the fun, the learning and you would have no clue what you have. I have to admit that I enjoy talking others into upgrades. When I look back at upgrades I made I am always quite happy I did it. One of my best friends has a saying: "I have never been sorry that I bought the best I could afford". He is right! Audio is just like anything else in that the cost is relative to what you consider insanity. Some would say you are crazy if you spend more than $400 for a system, others say $4000 and still others think $40,000 or more. It really doesn't matter so long as you are happy with your decesions.
madmax

LiquidSound

Well said.

mantis

Ron,
Changing out you optical cable isn't going to make a difference like the analog cables do.Between optical and coax,Id like to see someone hear the difference.Cheap optical sound like **** but good quality like Monster sound the same as a good coax.
Burn in and break in hold's true for all new gear.If you buy brand new speakers right out of the box they sound awefull.After some time on them they sweatin up.Just like cables.
Give it time man....But some wires are brighter then others.The roll off factor is there in some wire,brighter doesn't always mean flatter.

jrausch

I just purchased a 25ft speaker cable for my center channel from Frank. I will let you know if I have the same problem.

goingganzo

i use ar the mid line and monster their mid line too they both do a good job i like the ar a little better i can get a lot better deal on it so i like ot beter when they are the same but 1 costs less ron i have a q for you are all your cabbles impedance matched? check your phase that can mess with your performance.


o yeah check if the inter conects are pushed on good and makeing good conecton

Ron-P

Well, we have improvement.

I hooked up a coax cable and did a side-by-side between it and the optical. The optical seemed to be causing the tinny sound. At least these new cables were not hiding it like the Monster's might have been doing. With the coax, it's not there. After playing around a bit more last night, I am more impressed. The detail, which I noticed right off was better, but now, the mid-range is stronger. Something I was not expecting.

I look forward to several weeks of getting these cables burned in and then hearing how they preform.

Thanks for the tips guys. Yes, Ganzo, the cables are matched.


Peace Out~:D

Steve@3dai

Now I'm curious about my optical cable.

Dammit Ron

- Steven

Ron-P

Oh yeah, let me also add that the ground loop isolater from Radio Shack did nothing except for create a humming sound.


Peace Out~:D

RuSsMaN

Originally posted by mantis
Ron,
Changing out you optical cable isn't going to make a difference like the analog cables do.Between optical and coax,Id like to see someone hear the difference.

Well guess what, looks like Ron TESTED it, and CONFIRMED my findings...... Now you can say you have seen TWO people HEAR a friggin difference.......

Glad to see things are looking up Ron......

Cheers,
Russ

madmax

Oh,
I thought you wanted a humming sound
madmax

TroyD

I'm thinking that since one signal is light and the other is electric, it would stand to reason that they could have substantially different properties, no?

BDT

Dr. Spec

I never had a "good" digital fiber optic, just a crappy one. But when I switched from a crappy digital fiber optic to good (Monster) digital coax, the difference was quite noticeable.

The harsh shrill sound in the midrange was gone, and the highs were way more three dimensional and detailed - like I had installed new tweeters.

I'm sold on digital coax...........

Doc

Aaron

Of course, now you're going to have to get a coax digital cable from Frank.....

Aaron

Ron-P

Already sent off an email to him:) Go figure, the madness never stops.


Peace Out~:D

mantis

That peaked my curosity.I tested this untill I was blue in the face many times over.But then it was also with Monstercable.I haven't testedthis with Transparent or with my new DVD player.I did however tested it with my Cd player awhile back and found no audio difference between Monster coax and Monster Opticial.No brightness or warmth.
Just to sadisfy my fan club(Russ)I will test this theory again for myself.
really nothing to do with Ron's findings...As I say...testing it yourself earns my respect no matter what the outcome is.
RonP,
glad your system is coming together,nothing better then finding it's weakness and improving on it.
These cables your demoing.........sound like there pretty good.I might have to buy a couple of pairs for the hell of it for a wire shootout.......one of my favorite things to do.Nutty .......I know!!