MIT vs Audioquest....
nooshinjohn
Posts: 23,109
Looking for opinion on the MIT Shotgun s3 versus the equivalent line from Audioquest. I have been exceptionally pleased with Doug's cables, but want opinions on these other offerings. I am looking to get a bit more out of the gear I have on hand as I am pretty pleased with what I have on hand at the moment.
The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, TriangleArt Reference SE with Pass Labs Xono Phono Preamp, Walker Precision Motor Drive, ClearAudio Goldfinger Statement V2 cartridge and Origin Conqueror Mk3c tonearm, Polk Audio "Signature" Reference Series 1.2TL with complete mods, Pass Labs X0.2 three chassis preamp, PS Audio PerfectWave DAC MkII, Pioneer Elite SC-LX701, Oppo UDP-205 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds.
I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.” .
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.” .
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
Comments
I have never tried Audioquest, but I did replace MIT S1.3 XLRs with Shunyata Zitron Anaconda ICs in the stereo. The Shunyata is more open, with better imaging, but that was a few years ago, and I don't keep detailed notes as does Ray.
I have to admit that I did like not having cables with boxes dangling. I always felt that was putting stress on the connectors. Of course, they are now dangling in the HT.
Sony XA-5400ES SACD
Pass XP-22 pre, X600.5 amps
Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers, SPOD spikes
Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables
Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
Three 20 amp circuits.
Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC
erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.” .
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
Panamax 5400-EX
Sunfire TGP 5
Micro Seiki DD-40 - Lyra-Dorian and Denon DL-160
PS Audio GCPH phono pre
Sunfire CG 200 X 5
Sunfire CG Sig 405 X 5
OPPO BDP-83 SE
SDA SRS 1.2TL Sonicaps and Mills
Ctr CS1000p
Sur - FX1000 x 4
SUB - SVS PB2-Plus
Workkout room:
Sony Bravia XBR- 32-Inch 1080p
Onkyo TX-DS898
GFA 555
Yamaha DVD-S1800BL/SACD
Ft - SDA 1C
Not being used:
RTi 38's -4
RT55i's - 2
RT25i's -2, using other 2 in shop
LSI 15's
CSi40
PSW 404
I love to compare stuff -- but the price of admission dissuades me from a taste test of cables of this calibre.
My 2 Channel system is complete with MIT S3, I have used Audioquest cables in the past (lower end) with good results but never the entire system..
After the investment in MIT I have had a hard time wanting to put that kind of funds into trying a full line of another brand in that price range, I want to try it but that's a lot of money to put out for a comparison....
2. JM Labs Electra 920.1; Parasound JC2 and JC5; Sony HAP-Z1ES; Marantz SA8004 SACD; Music Hall MMF7 and Acoustech phono pre; PS Audio P1000; MIT S1 Cables
3. Polk LSiM703; Anthem Pre-2L SE; Parasound A21; Sony 48" 4K TV; Wyred4Sound DAC 2; Oppo 203; Squeezebox Touch; PS Audio Power Director 4.7; MIT S3 cables
Years ago I did not like MIT speaker cables without MIT interconnects much when I used them with big SDA speakers. They made the speakers sound odd to me. When I put the cables together in the system they sounded much more cohesive.
2. JM Labs Electra 920.1; Parasound JC2 and JC5; Sony HAP-Z1ES; Marantz SA8004 SACD; Music Hall MMF7 and Acoustech phono pre; PS Audio P1000; MIT S1 Cables
3. Polk LSiM703; Anthem Pre-2L SE; Parasound A21; Sony 48" 4K TV; Wyred4Sound DAC 2; Oppo 203; Squeezebox Touch; PS Audio Power Director 4.7; MIT S3 cables
It's like crossing the streams in Ghostbusters.
Spend more.....
GET MORE
Panamax 5400-EX
Sunfire TGP 5
Micro Seiki DD-40 - Lyra-Dorian and Denon DL-160
PS Audio GCPH phono pre
Sunfire CG 200 X 5
Sunfire CG Sig 405 X 5
OPPO BDP-83 SE
SDA SRS 1.2TL Sonicaps and Mills
Ctr CS1000p
Sur - FX1000 x 4
SUB - SVS PB2-Plus
Workkout room:
Sony Bravia XBR- 32-Inch 1080p
Onkyo TX-DS898
GFA 555
Yamaha DVD-S1800BL/SACD
Ft - SDA 1C
Not being used:
RTi 38's -4
RT55i's - 2
RT25i's -2, using other 2 in shop
LSI 15's
CSi40
PSW 404
Price to price, all things even, I'd take the MIT all day though.
Kimber 8TC's are also a wonderful cable to compete with AQ. Too many brands out there though to say which is better for anyone. I do like MIT, AZ, Analysis Plus, Wireworld as mid priced champs in their respected categories. Only you can decide which is to your liking.
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's
I agree, just like amplifiers all cables sound the same.
Other; S60'S, M10 series II, M7C's, Hafler XL600 amp, RB-980BX, Parasound HCA-1500 amp , P5 preamp, all in storage. All vintage Polk have had crossover rebuilds and tweeter upgrades.
There are three things that give a man a false sense of courage, a keyboard, alcohol and a firearm.
Motorhead, 4.12.20
tonyb said " but even socialists can do a good thing here and there
the substitution of politics for existence is the supreme betrayal of the subjective otherness of man.
"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
The SG series which have been around a long time, gone through a lot of innovation, offer a unique presentation, I have gotten the same presentation as F1 describes. You have to hear it for yourself to determine if that is your cup of tea for long term enjoyment. I would try the cable company. I am also not a believer that your entire system has to be wired up with one cable brand, even network cables. Never worked for me and I have tried several looms from different brands. Too much of one flavor can be too much.
I have never had audioquest in my system with the exception of the digital pro cable. Even though it is long in the tooth - it is still excellent.
I would try one at a time, I always prefer MIT IC’s from source to preamp but never in the preamp to amp position. All my MIT is now in my home theather system.
Interesting observation......mirrors my own experience with positioning. Also not a fan of one brand for the whole system. Trial and error is the name of the game.
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's
Wireworld platinum eclipse did not sound as good with HD90 speaker cables as a cheaper pair Oracle 3.2 but on their own the platinum are better.
interesting could you expand on why ?
Hmmm; I guess we all hear differently as that's where I prefer my SG's (pre to power). Most bang for the buck imo as all the sources benefit from these fine sounding cables.
"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
"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
The goal with any cable is to send given signal from A to B as clean as possible. There is no reason to try to enhance cable signal transfer. You want a pure signal that came from your source as best as possible and arrive at the Pre , Amp and speaker without taking anything from that signal or adding to it.
With that in mind I suggest comparing the Shotgun S3 to the Audioquest Rocket series. The 44's or the 88's will be a fair compare without going crazy.
Even with Audioquest, when you start getting into their very high end cables, you start to great lose costs benefits very quickly. In my personal experience with all things cables, you lose the price to performance early. Most of these higher end well respected cable companies built their budget stuff based off their high end stuff so you can get a very high quality cable in the lower end models and save a ton of cash to spend on better amps speakers room treatments etc that will greatly benefit your system more so then buying very high end cables.
Finding the right level of cable for your given system is always a challenge. You also don't want to short change yourself and buy cables that don't do your system justice.
I assume you have done your homework and found this level of cables for your given system is where it needs to be.
If you have the ability to purchase both sets of cables and shoot them out, that would really tell you what works in your system for you. I will tell you not to bother and go with the Rocket 44's and call it a day. But where is the fun in that???
As suggest above, I also suggest doing the entire signal chain in either MIT or Audioquest so you get the full signal path . This way you will get to experience the way both companies get the job done.
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.