Interconnects for Adcom GFA-555II and Polk800i's

tgoodley
tgoodley Posts: 13
edited March 2003 in 2 Channel Audio
Hi Everybody,

I am trying to decide which interconnect cables would be a good choice for my setup (Adcom GFA-555II and Polk800i's). I listen to jazz, classical and occasional heavy metal. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Oh, my preamp will be a Adcom GFP-565 as soon as I buy it.

Thanks,
Tim
Tim
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  • jrausch
    jrausch Posts: 510
    edited July 2002
    http://www.signalcable.com/

    Tell frank your part of the forum and recieve a discount on top of his great prices. :)
    "The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it."
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    edited July 2002
    Like everything else it's personal sound.Most quality cables are built to last ....Straight,Monster,Transparent,Kimber,Nortist,etc..........It's what sound are you after and how much are you willing to pay.
    I can tell you my personal favorite for aduio...Transparent Musiclinks......awesome sounding cables.Monster is better then most other cables but Transparent shines over the rest.
    Speaker wire as well.
    Here's a quick starter guide to wire/cable sound
    Straight.......clean clear slightly edgy
    Monster......Strong bass response
    Transparent.....cleanest and most open,most musicial of them all.
    Kimber........Bright with less bass then Monster
    Nortist........Also a good musicial cable
    This is just my finding's and not a FACT SHEET.
    Listen for yourself and your wallet.
    I will say this.......you can't go wrong with Monstercable, they make a good to great product at a competive price.In there class they outshine just about the entire market.
    I never got to here Franks cables but would very much like to.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited July 2002
    Audioquest. You can get a nice interconnect for around $20 all the way up to $350. They look cool too! I've got their digital coax and s-video on my DVD player and I'm using their analog interconnects and digital optical for my SACD player. Some people feel that some of their cables are too straightforward and not smooth enough. I want my cables to just pass the signal from one source to another and not change what is there. I think Audioquest does this very well. I think they have a very nice sound and are a good value. Check out their web side HERE
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited July 2002
    Mantis - I think at one time Monster wasone of the best out there. They were one of the first to get out and market their product and for a while they were the only game in town. They still make good cables but there are better cables out there for the same money. I had Monsters but my local B&M let me try some Transparent and Audioquest. For the price I though the Audioquest was the best and switched out my entire system. It didn't cost me an arm and a leg and really improved the sound over the Monsters.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • stef_000us
    stef_000us Posts: 29
    edited July 2002
    What do you all think about the AR Pro cables (speaker wire and interconnect)? I think I remember someone saying that Audio Research had a honest quality for their low price. Was is you Mantis?

    Anyone?

    Thanks,

    Stef
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited July 2002
    Signal Cables or Audioquest. Eff Monster (imo, you 'monster' guys don't get your **** hairs up about this). I like the AR pro cables, but for the money, you can get into the brands listed above, and 'kick it up a notch', if you follow me.....

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • tgoodley
    tgoodley Posts: 13
    edited July 2002
    Hi guys,

    Thanks so much for your responses. I have another question. Should I use the same brand interconnects for connections between CD player to Pre-amp and pre-amp to amplifier? I didn't think about this before, but I guess I will need two sets of interconnects. My CD player only has analog outs by the way (Sony CDP-C70 from 1989). I may be upgrading this to a NAD cd player in the future.

    Tim
    Tim
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  • nascarmann
    nascarmann Posts: 1,464
    edited July 2002
    I like the AR pro cables

    Me too.....that's what I am using.......;)
    Oh, the bottle has been to me, my closes friend, my worse enemy!
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    edited July 2002
    **** hairs you say??????Well let me tell you this.........nevermind..
    back to the topic at hand and to answer the questions...
    It wasn't me who said Audio Research cables has a honest quality for a good price.That was someone else.I listened to there interconnects and I don't like them.
    Audioquest makes nice cables,there not bad at all.I perfer Transparent over All made cables period.They are the most musicial cables at any price.
    The question ...Should I use the same Interconnects from my Cd Player to the Pre amp to the Amps????Answer..YES ALL DAY.
    Remember this Mantis Rule of Wire(out of the handbook softback version).Most cables on the market are of good quality.They all have a different sound.In theory it's hard to PROVE WHY But the ears don't lie.
    Some companies use networks...this is a theory you guys with wire questions should look up.
    Shielding out EMI and RF is also key.You want to hear the source not your surrounding's.
    Warranty........big.
    Shopping for wire is retarded.......meaning endless.I have done this for many many years.I have found that when listening to a given wire,different qualities of sound and tone change."MATCHING"to your system is what you look for.
    just a small example.....if your system lacks punch ,Monstercable can help boost the lows,If your system is dead sounding,Kimber can help boost the high's.I'm not sure is Boost is the right word...maybe enhance is better but call it what you want.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • stef_000us
    stef_000us Posts: 29
    edited July 2002
    Originally posted by mantis
    It wasn't me who said Audio Research cables has a honest quality for a good price.That was someone else.I listened to there interconnects and I don't like them.
    [/B]

    In the same line of your previous post on sonic property, what do you find the AR Pro speaker cables and interconnects doing to the sound ouput? (I never listen to anything else so I wonder. Particularly interested how this affect brightness since I have a yamaha receiver)

    Thanks again,

    Stef
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  • nascarmann
    nascarmann Posts: 1,464
    edited July 2002
    stef_000us

    I find the AR pro's sound very good with my setup.......Yamaha CD..DVD..Receiver..Amps and SDA speakers.....AR 12 awg ox free wire for $.50' from Lowes Home Improvement on sale.......:cool: .......Hillbilly budget here.....:D
    Oh, the bottle has been to me, my closes friend, my worse enemy!
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    edited July 2002
    They sounded like patch cables.I don't want to kick around all you AR users but I don't think they sound good at all.The speaker wire I never heard go just the Interconnects.They looked nice with ok built quality but the sound..it was tinny, hollow and thin.No life to me at all.I think Monster standard sounds better then those cables.
    If you do a head to head test/shootout with Monster vs anyone else in there price class, you will find (if you hear what I hear)that Monster does bass really well, there mid range is good and high's are clean and clear.The bass is where I find monstercable to shin the most.They also help out soft or laid back sounding systems.
    I'm refering to the M series like the M850 and m850's.The M1000 is where you start getting into a different class.Then Higher end cables can be compared.Monstercable hangs in there with high end cables but starts to fall off.Transparent had there way with Monstercable, it was music link Vs M1000.The Monster sounded like good hi fi while the Transparent was real musicial and natural sounding.Wider soundstand and even tonal all over the range.Monster was slightly jumpy in the lower HZ.Both cables are nice.Its really what you want your cable to do.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited July 2002
    Monster Schmonster, eff em.
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    edited July 2002
    Check that out!!!! So your beef with Monster is what??????
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited July 2002
    The Bose of interconnects, what else is there to say? Great marketing. How about maybe I just don't like em, and quite a few here will agree......that ok Mr. Pro Installer?

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited July 2002
    Agreed on the Bose analogy, I neither like nor dislike monster. I find them to be of average quality at premium prices.

    I find the AR stuff to be of equal or better quality for less money. That's how I see and hear it.

    Let's NOT rehash the whole wire/cable thing, shall we?

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    edited July 2002
    Such Tone in that Post...strong and forward....must be Monster!!!
    Who's **** hairs are standing now!!
    Your post is weak....what NO HARD DATA??????????
    Just crude Bose like post?
    Hey you don't have to like them.........just looking for some HARD DATA on your findings.
    Me being a Pro Installer or however you put it, has no meaning on this post.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited July 2002
    Mantis, you just don't get it do you? Tone? How does my post show tone one way or another? Speak and spell brotha, speak and spell.

    No need to get all sentimental on your Monster cables Dan. You worked for Tweeter, it was what they carry, so you bought them. Like I said before, ok for someone to disagree?, or do you still have your 'I am right no matter what' hat on?

    Data? I simply stated my opinion. Obviously you have shown we don't need hard data, right? if Monster SAYS it is better, well it must be. Besides, I thought you were 'in to Transparent' now.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited July 2002
    Gee, I don't see where hard data comes in to play especially since Russ only ever offered his opinion. Now, if he said that he actually had hard data but never produced any, you could probably roast him.

    Sorry Dan, thanks for playing.

    GOLD, Jerry, GOLD!

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • Flash21
    Flash21 Posts: 316
    edited July 2002
    Arguing about interconnects (or speaker cables) is something that can go on forever. I have Monster M-1000s because the soundstage imaging, tonal balance, and full range response were better than anything else I tried, including Audioquest Coral and Viper, and several others I can't remember.

    But there are many, many cables I didn't get to listen to, and more importantly, CABLES WILL BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY WITH DIFFERENT EQUIPMENT! What sounds good on my system may not inspire you on your system. There are some family differences that are consistent, but the final 10% of performance that makes the difference between mediocrity and ear-to-ear grinning is going to vary.

    For example, I actually came full circle on my speaker cable choice (Analysis Plus Oval 9) - what sounded too laid back earlier in my system upgrade process now sounds wonderful, detailed without harshness, and an unbelievably realistic (and HUGE) soundstage. This happened because I was also changing equipment. When I finally got a CD player worthy of these cables, they SHINE! So the equipment you use will affect which cables work best with your system.

    So the bottom line is, you have to compare cables with YOUR system, nobody else will be able to tell you what is "best". Yeah, it's definitely frustrating and a pain in the butt to buy/borrow cables and A/B them for what seems forever, but I have found the end result to be worth it.
    Steve Carlson
    Von Schweikert VR-33 speakers
    Bel Canto eVo2i integrated amp
    Bel Canto PL-2 universal disc player
    Analysis Plus Oval Nine speaker cables and Copper Oval-In Micro interconnects
    VH Audio Flavor 4 power cables
    Polk Monitor 10B speakers, retired but not forgotten
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    edited July 2002
    Russaman,
    Tone???lets see eff monster, is that ok with you Mr Pro Installer!!
    I don't have my I'm right hat on ...where did that come from??
    I just was wondering why you don't like Monster....you post just sounded like a bandwagon general type post.I thought you could go alittle deeper in why you hate them so much.(Monster)If it's only because of the Bose type theory you have and simply don't like them for that reason alone, thats fine.
    I still don't get why you had to add in what you said about me being right and a pro Installer........whatever dude.
    My HARD DATA was a joke (not funny now)from when you used to kick me with why one wire was better then another.I at least gave you an honest opnion about why I felt the way I did about things.
    And yes I'm all about Transparent,but in this case I still feel Monstercable is the best bang for the buck wire on the market.I don't care what wire companies say about there wire,If I can't hear a difference...All The HARD DATA in the world won't change my mind.
    I still own and will continue to own some Monster Products.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited July 2002
    Hey, good on ya, for the price, there aren't a whole lot of affordable cables out there to bi-wire powered towers with.

    I still own some Monster products (interconns) too, can't give em away. ;)

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    edited July 2002
    You know the whole Bi wire powered tower's thing......yes mine are bi wired, they sounded better then.........there on there way out,,,,,,,,,don't give one rats **** about the wire joke.I tried all I could to make them sound better.They don't work for me.Bi wiring was a trial and it passed my test well, sound improvement.Life with it bro....you beating a dead horse.

    You see you and me......we look at this things quite differently.I'm not out for the BANG FOR THE BUCK ROUTE.
    I'm so past anythoughts of that thinking.I owned alot of different gear in my life....now today I want alot better.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited July 2002
    Dude, if you don't shop for the best 'bang for your buck', what are you getting for your buck, less?

    Don't you want the best your money can buy? I'm not talking going a 'budget' route, and getting your cheap on, but why would someone pay more for brand X cable, when brand Y cost half as much, but is twice as nice?

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited July 2002
    I got some questions here but I don't even know where to start......

    First and foremost, for crying out loud, what you have done to your speakers is not biwiring. That is confusing a lot of folks. If it sounds better, fine, but it ain't biwiring.

    Second, and I say this quizzically because I don't understand the logic, it seems that you have had this love/hate thing with the RT1000i's. If they are THAT bad, why did you get them in the first place? I say this because I find it hard to believe that someone could change thier minds so radically over a speaker? I mean, I get that you want higher end gear, so does everyone but can another speaker make you feel like what you have is garbage and turn you against it? If that's the case, cool, but I don't understand it.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    edited July 2002
    Russman,
    You missunderstand me somewhat.I don't shop for cheap or best deals.I shop for what I like and can possibly afford under my budget.I read your posts and you seem more driven by what things cost then how they perform.I could be off base.
    I understand why people do this, Money is hard to come by.For me I want to upgrade this time without worring about the price and forfill a dream I had for a long time.Money is in the rears.I saved my pennies and they are adding up for a big bang.
    You see I think you understand my logic to a degree but little different.Naturally I would take any product that performs better then a higher ticket Item for less.BUt I'm looking for a certain sound quality and I think I just about found it.
    I understand your logic............
    TroyD,
    Don't worry about the bi wiring thing.......People can wire there speakers anyway they want.If it makes a difference I wouldn't say it's wrong.True Bi wiring I think we all know what it means and how to do it.
    The powered towers I bought I think about 4 years ago now.I told my story about wanting the rt16's but where disco when I was ready to buy.The new lines where out and I couldn't bring myself to the rt800's and found the rt1000p's to suit my needs then.I loved them for a very long time.Pissed at them as long as they are so hard to set up.I bet this is one of the reasons most people don't like powered towers.Thats what I don't like about them, not to mention my kids love to turn the volume knobs for the subs.
    You and Russ really never said why you guys aren't into powered towers, but I remember reading you guys pretty much hate them.
    I'm around gear everyday,I get to see and hear all the latest and greatest before It's put on the market.I think If I didn't work in the field and wasn't so exposed to all the cool stuff,I might not want to upgrade so much.But thats another story.
    If you can understand...thats cool.
    Understanding the want for better I think you got.
    Ok,
    I will try to make you understand my Maddness(thats what Mrs.Mantis calls it).I love music and movies.When you hear your favorite on better stuff,and hear things your system can't replay,It's fustrating.Like when I first Installed a pair of Vienna Mozarts and a B&K avr307 in a home theater set up.I was taken by how well they performed with each other outside the store in a real good room professionally Installed.Amazing.
    It was all down hill for the rt1000p's after that day.the quest began for better gear and speakers.
    I also met with a guy from Sumiko who taught me alot about speaker placement and angles.I had to try my new stuff on my speakers hoping they would come alive.Well they did.And i was happy for awhile.I even ran them with the B&K avr307,they sounded the veybest they ever did, but I felt the B&K out classed them and It deserved bette speakers to show off it's beauty.
    I tried everything in my means to make them the very best they could be.I had lots of different amps on them.The whole wire thing was to find wire that sounded the best.
    Can you see where this is going????Polk brought out the LSI series last year and I got to listen to them at the show(Home Entertainment).They where killer looking and I was juiced up on them.
    Dynaudio came into my life and a hole new love was born.Need not to go into that story.I think you guys know mine.
    Over the past year and a half,I have been building/waitng for my house to be finished.I got so many plans I reworked them several times.I have been saving my pennies for the as you guys call it.."the man cave" of my own.Fortunate for me I will have 2 man caves.My office where i plan a killer 2 channel rig,and my Home Theater room.Lighting control screen projector( I already own the Vintage popcorn machine).
    This is my dream,and it's getting close to being complete.
    Last words.......the rt line served me very well and I hope I can sell them to a person who will take care of them as good as I did.I guess to sum it up is when you grow older, your tastes change.Mine did,I want more out of my rig and it can't do it for me anymore.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • OrangeToupee
    OrangeToupee Posts: 488
    edited July 2002
    Cables and interconnects? Friggin hilarious ... like that **** makes one bit of difference. This crap in funnier than my Yakov Smirnov DVD.

    Manits, you ever check ESS speakers out? Here is a link to a page on their site. I'm now considering this pair of speakers; I've heard the Heil air-motion transformer go and, let me tell you, the most glorious highs one can imagine. They go everywhere! Just immersed in dead on high frequency. It stunned me when my friend started playing some tunes on this ragged looking, 20 some year old pair of speakers, I mean they just walloped my RT's which were brand new.

    I've heard some negative things about ESS speakers, having to do with crossover problems, loose bass etc.

    I'm tempted to get them anyway, just to hear those incredible Heil's to their thing.

    Wires and cables .... I'm fidna **** my pants.
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited July 2002
    why I don't like powered towers? Well for starters, the RT1000i's don't go THAT low and they generally use a crappy plate amp. I personally think Polk should have built a true 3 way speaker rather than some Hunter'd up looking powered tower. I'm not saying that they don't have their place or whatever but it I find it discouraging that Polk's flagship speaker is a powered tower.I think they are a lot of money for little added benefit.

    Lastly, I'm not beating a dead horse with the bi-wire thing, but it's not biwiring what your doing. I've explained this until I'm blue in the face and provided hard data. If you dig it fine, but you are confusing new folks into thinking that they can do something that empirically you just can not do.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    edited July 2002
    Excuse me....
    but if someone other then you has a problem with what I post as far as to how to wire a speaker that I own and you do not,I can help that person myself.
    I wired my speakers that way and It works all day long.Weather or not it's true bi wiring in your thinking or in mine...it works for me.....like I said before...get over the bi wiring thing and move on.I can deal with the powered tower questions from the young guys,I think I have enough hours/years setting them up to know what to do.If you have a better way you think they can be wired post it when the time comes around again, you know it will.
    You do it your way and I will do it my way.They can do it the way they see fit.
    I agree with you on the powered tower thing for the most part.I think Polk should have a passive flagship speaker, every other good speaker company has em but for some reason or another Polk keeps sticking amp's in there speakers.Even the new LSI25's are powered.The only reason I wouldn't buy them.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • Aaron
    Aaron Posts: 1,853
    edited July 2002
    We [me, Russ, Troy, and Dan] all know what true bi-wiring is, and we all agree that what Dan has is not bi-wiring in the true sense. Let's move on, shall we? Dan's acknowledged this fact. The point is, it sounds better to him.

    I agree with both of you guys that Polk should not have their flagship product be a powered tower. Thankfully we now have the LSi15 (3-way, passive). Technically I guess you could call it a 3.5-way. Anyway, I'm just happy that they've done that. Now if only there were some local dealers.....

    Aaron
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