Preaching to the Choir

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Ron Temple
Ron Temple Posts: 3,212
edited May 2007 in Vintage Speakers
Polk 65 brought down some goodies yesterday, a couple of 6' MIT Terminator 5 speaker cables and a pair of SDA CRS+w/stands(stock)...reported elsewhere. Today I hooked them up as surrounds. Wow...I can't express what I'm hearing...timbre matched SDAs are just enveloping. Listening to Alan Parsons "On Air" in MCH is amazing, the midrange and highs have so much more content...the detail...I'm going nuts. If any are still wondering about using SDAs in HT or MCH...don't wait.

The cables replaced Home Depot 12 or 14g, I can't remember, and yes Steve, that was the difference, not the HK in the path. I'm now a believer. I've tried to stay away from the expensive cables...can't ignore it anymore.

Thanks to a club member, my eyes and ears are now open.
Really thanks a bunch...what a bonus weekend...Porcupine Tree concert Friday...Polk 65 upgrade Saturday...better clean out the pool today :D

Combo rig:

Onkyo NR1007 pre-pro, Carver TFM 45(fronts), Carver TFM 35 (surrounds)
SDA 1C, CS400i, SDA 2B
PB13Ultra RO
BW Silvers
Oppo BDP-83SE
Post edited by Ron Temple on
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  • NeilGabriel
    NeilGabriel Posts: 1,487
    edited May 2007
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    MCH? So you think I should trade out these $14 IC's I have? I have a friend who is an A/V nut, spends lots of money, and has good tastes in gear, and is convinced there is no research to show that cable quality makes a difference in sound. I hear lots of anecdotes here, but anyone have any unbiased online research to show real SQ differences. This is him asking, not me.
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  • Ron Temple
    Ron Temple Posts: 3,212
    edited May 2007
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    MCH = multichannel...No empirical data, just my ears and I've got to tell you it's not subtle and I'm trying not to be subject to auto-suggestion either. It sounds like a speaker upgrade. My only suggestion is to get someone to lend you a pair and see if you hear a difference too.

    I know nothing about wires, only that it's supposed to conduct a signal from PT.A to PT. B.

    Combo rig:

    Onkyo NR1007 pre-pro, Carver TFM 45(fronts), Carver TFM 35 (surrounds)
    SDA 1C, CS400i, SDA 2B
    PB13Ultra RO
    BW Silvers
    Oppo BDP-83SE
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited May 2007
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    Yeah when I first started here I was picking on rich dummies, and their cables. Well I had to create yet another I am an idiot post. (I don't think I worded it quit that way)
    Ben
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • Ron Temple
    Ron Temple Posts: 3,212
    edited May 2007
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    ben62670 wrote: »
    Yeah when I first started here I was picking on rich dummies, and their cables. Well I had to create yet another I am an idiot post. (I don't think I worded it quit that way)
    Ben
    I had to start a "I'm an f'ing idiot thread" :D

    Combo rig:

    Onkyo NR1007 pre-pro, Carver TFM 45(fronts), Carver TFM 35 (surrounds)
    SDA 1C, CS400i, SDA 2B
    PB13Ultra RO
    BW Silvers
    Oppo BDP-83SE
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,834
    edited May 2007
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    NeilGabriel wrote: »
    MCH? So you think I should trade out these $14 IC's I have? I have a friend who is an A/V nut, spends lots of money, and has good tastes in gear, and is convinced there is no research to show that cable quality makes a difference in sound. I hear lots of anecdotes here, but anyone have any unbiased online research to show real SQ differences. This is him asking, not me.


    Show him this quote from Nelson Pass, which I borrowed from H9's sig.


    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not."--Nelson Pass
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • Gary Batson
    Gary Batson Posts: 124
    edited May 2007
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    STEREO REVIEW magazine bashed expensive cables a few times in separate articals before the magazine was bought out.
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  • Polk65
    Polk65 Posts: 1,405
    edited May 2007
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    It's all in your head. Lamp cord works great.
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  • Ron Temple
    Ron Temple Posts: 3,212
    edited May 2007
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    Polk65 wrote: »
    It's all in your head. Lamp cord works great.
    I think it's the rubber band around the plastic junction box doohickey that's responsible :p

    Combo rig:

    Onkyo NR1007 pre-pro, Carver TFM 45(fronts), Carver TFM 35 (surrounds)
    SDA 1C, CS400i, SDA 2B
    PB13Ultra RO
    BW Silvers
    Oppo BDP-83SE
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited May 2007
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    try zip cord :D:D:D
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • BobMcG
    BobMcG Posts: 1,585
    edited May 2007
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    I prefer dental floss wrapped in aluminum foil. Works just fine. Why would anyone need anything more?
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  • trubluluc
    trubluluc Posts: 2,067
    edited May 2007
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    Ron-

    I also tend to fall into the skeptical side of this argument, but I'm always willing to be enlightened. Hold on to those home depot cables and let's do some blind listening at your Polkfest.

    -Luc


    [QUOTE=Ron Temple;
    The cables replaced Home Depot 12 or 14g, I can't remember, and yes Steve, that was the difference, not the HK in the path. I'm now a believer. I've tried to stay away from the expensive cables...can't ignore it anymore.
    :D[/QUOTE]
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  • candyliquor35m
    candyliquor35m Posts: 2,267
    edited May 2007
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    Ron Temple wrote: »
    The cables replaced Home Depot 12 or 14g

    Just out of curiosity, were you using stranded or solid core before?
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  • Ron Temple
    Ron Temple Posts: 3,212
    edited May 2007
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    trubluluc wrote: »
    Ron-

    I also tend to fall into the skeptical side of this argument, but I'm always willing to be enlightened. Hold on to those home depot cables and let's do some blind listening at your Polkfest.

    -Luc
    The dreaded A/B DBT...I think there will be some other stuff coming as well. As Steve and I said, there was a noticeable difference by going direct from the player to amp...it didn't go away when I re-connected the HT, the only change in the equation was the speaker cable.
    I don't know what Steve paid for the cable and from what I've since read online, these MIT's wouldn't be classed as expensive, per se, I think from $80-120 per pair depending on length.

    It will be fun to experiment.

    Combo rig:

    Onkyo NR1007 pre-pro, Carver TFM 45(fronts), Carver TFM 35 (surrounds)
    SDA 1C, CS400i, SDA 2B
    PB13Ultra RO
    BW Silvers
    Oppo BDP-83SE
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  • Ron Temple
    Ron Temple Posts: 3,212
    edited May 2007
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    candyliquor35m wrote: »
    Just out of curiosity, were you using stranded or solid core before?
    I'm not sure if I understand the question, but it's stranded copper surrounded by plastic insulation vs. solid copper vs. braided copper/conductor of choice.

    Combo rig:

    Onkyo NR1007 pre-pro, Carver TFM 45(fronts), Carver TFM 35 (surrounds)
    SDA 1C, CS400i, SDA 2B
    PB13Ultra RO
    BW Silvers
    Oppo BDP-83SE
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  • candyliquor35m
    candyliquor35m Posts: 2,267
    edited May 2007
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    Ron Temple wrote: »
    I'm not sure if I understand the question, but it's stranded copper surrounded by plastic insulation vs. solid copper vs. braided copper/conductor of choice.

    I don't know the difference between braided and stranded but I was just wondering if you were using solid copper or stranded/braided copper before.
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