Try out a set of Audioquest Type 4

Erik Tracy

Actually - I was going to post and request that I be bumped to the bottom of the current list as I'm sending out my Carver M1.0-t to be upgraded/modded.

I'd prefer to do the cable comparison after I've got my amp back and burned in for a bit.

Thanks,
Erik

McLoki

That works too...

acsubie

can i get added to the list please?

cambir

NJPOLKER wrote: »

The cables will be going to MADGSF by tomorrow.
The list is now at eight member looking to try them out. I think in everyone best interest we'll have to turn them around with-in a two week period.
Here is what the list looks like now
x touchofevil
madgsf
mcloki
eriktracy
comfortablycurt
a_mattison
bikerboy and cambir

It will be spring time when these guys are finished, no problem except if someone is in a hurry.
Posting clear and concise information with your thoughts on the performance will be appreciated by everyone.
Drew

You can take me off the list. I will just have bikerboy contact me when he gets them and see if we can meet up.

TouchOfEvil

Well seeing as i had to say goodbye to the excellent cables offered to demo i guess it's time to post my thoughts.
For my oranges to apples comparisons i played the wires on both of my setups.
First in the living room rig. Here it was not a huge jump but noticable even still. On this rig i was using monoprice wire 12gauge.
The most noticable thing on this setup was how i had to turn down the amp level lol. At first i did a side by side and had the volume at moderate levels. I slowly turned it up more and more and soon the audioquest speakers were jumpin out of the box and bottoming out were as the monoprice was still 4-5 more in volume to go before reaching this state. So as i would see it these wires transfer signal much better at a higher volume for sure, first impressions.
The highs seemed slightly laid back but not a ton. Maybe it's just the speakers being so harsh? I was running rti6's at this time in the living room. Bass huge jump with less volume for sure. I could stand 3 feet away and feel the air from the small port where i had to be almost on top of the monoprice wired speaker.
Mids were basically on par here kinda surprised me but they were.
Had i a little more time i would ahve liked to rehook the wires up to this rig after broken in a bit but it was time to let someone else get their ears on them.
Next post bedroom rig.

TouchOfEvil

On the bedroom rig i run the rtiA5's biamped. So for a good portion i let the wires break in on one side and left the monstercrap on the other.
Later i ran mids/bass vs each other then highs vs each other. Finally i ran the wires on the mid/bass and let the new silvers i picked up handle the highs. Alot of swapping wires over goin on lol.
Compared to the monster wires i must say i will be looking for a set of these wires to handle my mids/bass very soon.
The bass again went up a decent bit. Not so much as the speakers could not handle it but a large differance.
Normally sitting in my listening spot the speakers sound dead even.
Once i had the type 4's on one side vs the monster it was night and day.
My left channel was overtaking the right by alot the soundstage was off because the output was much higher.
The mids compared were very muddy with the M's all kinda clumped together and flug out at you.
While the 4's had great seperation. No more muddy clumped together sound. Also the mids took on a much brighter side when such a thing was in the recording.
I could sit back no highs at all since they are biamped and hear small unnoticed detail in the upper freq. coming from the mids that i never heard before. I did not expect to hear this so it was a pleasant surprise to finally realize the rtia5's could reproduce such great detail all of a sudden.
On the highs they were very much laid back in comparision. My monster driven highs were harsh and at moderate levels almost sounded distorted at times. Female vocals had huge trouble with the moonsters as most SSSS type sounds came out distorted and rushed. Terrible sound from which before i thought wasn't so bad.
The 4's really toned the highs down and made everything legiable so to speak. No distortion from them period just nice and clear. No more ringing type sounds at higher volumes.
I did do a little comparison vs. the new silvers i picked up for the highs. On this note i didn't get enough time to really listen but overall i will say the silvers will stay on my highs and i want to run the 4's on mids/bass.
Don't get me wrong the type 4's did wonderful things all around but on the highs the silver pulls a bit more out of the recording, bringing up small detail not heard as clearly on the 4's.
All in all i had a great time moving things around llistening in differant ways vs wires and solo highs mids bass everything. It was a blast.
NJPOLKER THANK YOU very much for allowing me to demo these. I am certainly on the look out for a set and possible a second for my living room rig.
I hope everyone else enojys these wires as much as i did!!!

NJPOLKER

acsubie wrote: »

can i get added to the list please?

Yes I'll add you. Just send me a PM with your address when you get a chance.

MADGSF

Bump, I have had these in my rig for about a week and will post my impressions by Friday. So far I like them very much.

MADGSF

For reference I have been using a RCA 14 gauge speaker cable I got at Home Depot in 2005. I am a believer in changes that cables can bring but until the Audioquest demo that was the best speaker wire I had ever used. I had wanted to try the type 4’s for a while as I have had good luck with AQ products in my system. At this point the only non-AQ products I have are my power cords and a couple of Monster component video cables. The power cords will soon be PS Audio Preludes and I won’t replace the Monster as my next TV/DVD will have AQ HDMI cables.

I had to readjust my speaker levels as they were much louder than before and I noticed more bass articulation than before. I was already using AQ for my sub interconnect and noticed it was much less boomy than the Monster cable it replaced so I was not surprised about this. The same thing happened with these speaker cables. The bass hits fast with more detail and gets right out exactly what I want it to do.

Most surprising to me was how the mid range is now much more pronounced. I really like this aspect and this fact alone has sold me on these. I would love to get my front three hooked up and see how much better the center channel can be. However with my setup that is very difficult which brings me to my third discovery.

In my setup spades on the amp end of the cable is a pain in the rear and except for my front R/L will just not work. Even bare cables are a problem so I would have to get these with bananas on the amp end.

All in all a very positive experience for me and unless there is another demo I will be looking to get a set of these. I notice Audio Advisor has no frills type 4 for about 100.00 a pair which is in my price range. I would like to have the factory terminated version but am not sure if they are worth the extra 90.00. My current jumpers are made from the same RCA wire and I wonder how much better they would sound with AQ jumpers. I would also get a few feet of bulk type 4 and make new ones.

Anyone have comments on the factory vs. no frills termination or making jumpers from bulk cable? How about making my own cables from bulk wire? I did this with the RCA cable but my termination skills are not the best. It also seems that after you add good spades/bananas you are at the price of the pre-terminated cables.

Many thanks to Drew for letting us all demo these great cables. Please shoot me an email with the next persons address and I will get them sent off.

Mark

TouchOfEvil

Sounds like you heard the same things i did. Bass response was huge, i had to drop the level down as to not over extend the woofer the bass was so much bigger so to speak.
The mids were just so clear compared the the monster wires i was suing.
It just sounded dirty and muddy compared the the AQ's. Good wires for sure.

Erik Tracy

Great - so if NJPolker is banned - how do we coordinate the list for trying out the AQ4s?

I just sunk some money to get spade to banana adapters from Audio advisor so I could try these out on my system.

Ricardo

Why was he banned?

shack

Ricardo wrote: »

Why was he banned?

His choice of words decribing a particular lifestyle.....

Ricardo

Was it this?

I really like Kimber by the way but I'm a Browning guy. Love the single action semi-auto handguns.

If it was, I can't believe he was banned for this; this is nothing compared to gun related comments I've seen from many, many, many other members.

MADGSF

Hmmm, that must recent because I got a PM from him on 1/25 giving me the address to send the cables to. I did send them so hopefully this will keep going.

Face

I believe he was banned this morning, hopefully it's only a temporary ban. :rolleyes:

shack

Ricardo wrote:

Was it this?

No...it was this...

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showpost.php?p=993062&postcount=10

Igo

I've heard every flame imaginable on this web site. Some much worse. What makes that one so unique?

reeltrouble1

A lack of social intelligence is a terribly destructive thing. In fact the very question demonstrates sorely lacking moral standards.

RT1

TNRabbit

Email sent; I'd like to be next in line. THANKS~

Igo

reeltrouble1 wrote: »

A lack of social intelligence is a terribly destructive thing. In fact the very question demonstrates sorely lacking moral standards.

RT1

That was just about as stupid a statement as I've ever heard. You don't have a clue what my sentiments are.

bikerboy

Hi,
AQ-4 wire are at my house now. I'll try for a get together this saturday night and see what they sound like. Any Seattle area polkies are invited. PM me for details. I just got a keg of beer from my friend for the meet. I have 4 sets of wire to compare: DIY cat-5, DH Labs T-14-double run, MIT-2, and the AQ-4. Let the contest begin!

comfortablycurt

So how longs NJPolker banned for? Are the Type 4's going to continue making their rounds still? I hope so...us Illinois folk are coming up on the list.

leroyjr1

comfortablycurt wrote: »

So how longs NJPolker banned for? Are the Type 4's going to continue making their rounds still? I hope so...us Illinois folk are coming up on the list.

Probably for good. I've heard worse but I guess it's who says it.

Erik Tracy

Does anyone have NJPolker's email address?

We could continue the circulation of the Type 4s 'off-line'.

I spent some coin on spade to banana adapters - and I'd hate to think it was for nothing.

I'm still keenly interested in trying these out to see if I should go for a speaker cable upgrade myself.

Once banned twice shy....even if his ban is temporary, NJPolker may be inclined to not come back.

NJPOLKER

bikerboy wrote: »

Hi,
AQ-4 wire are at my house now. I'll try for a get together this saturday night and see what they sound like. Any Seattle area polkies are invited. PM me for details. I just got a keg of beer from my friend for the meet. I have 4 sets of wire to compare: DIY cat-5, DH Labs T-14-double run, MIT-2, and the AQ-4. Let the contest begin!

I am happy you have them. Keep us informed on all your thoughts and I'm sure with all you have going on you'll have alot to say
Drew

NJPOLKER

TNRabbit wrote: »

Email sent; I'd like to be next in line. THANKS~

I got you in the list. When I get a chance I will update the list of names. Maybe we should try to get some dates arranged to help with the turn over.
No big deal as it seems things have been running along real well so far. Just don't need any problems at this point.

comfortablycurt

Welcome back NJPolker.:) Good to hear the demo's still on. I can't wait to check these out.

mantis

MADGSF wrote: »

Anyone have comments on the factory vs. no frills termination or making jumpers from bulk cable? How about making my own cables from bulk wire? I did this with the RCA cable but my termination skills are not the best. It also seems that after you add good spades/bananas you are at the price of the pre-terminated cables.

Mark

Termination is key to a good or bad cable. Mess that up and your good cables are now crap. If you can't terminate like a professional, spend the money.
You can however get the Audioquest Allen key banana ends which are easy to terminate. They cost about 30 bucks a set.

Dan

Erik Tracy

mantis wrote: »

Termination is key to a good or bad cable. Mess that up and your good cables are now crap. If you can't terminate like a professional, spend the money.
You can however get the Audioquest Allen key banana ends which are easy to terminate. They cost about 30 bucks a set.

Dan

Backordered...

I have these on order for just this application....been a month now and audioadvisor still hasn't shipped these.