Oh no I'm thinking Again

Darn it here I go thinking again.

Currently have SVS soundpath interconnects between my Denon and Emo. I was thinking of changing to AQ Chicago or Red River. Would it be worth it to upgrade?

My wife will be away this weekend so I have the free time.
When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
Family Room:LG QNED80 75", Onkyo RZ50 Emotiva XPA3 GEN3 Oppo BDP-93,Sony UBP-X800BM. Main: Polk LsiM 705Center: Polk LSiM 704CFront High/Rear High In-Ceiling Polk 80F/X RT Surrounds: Polk S15 Sub: HSU VTF3-MK5
Bed Room; Marantz SR5010, BDP-S270Main: Polk Signature S20Center: Polk Signature S35Rear: Polk R15 Sub: SVS SB2000
Working Warehouse; Yamaha A-S301, Sony DVP-NS3100ES for disc Plok TSX550T SVS PB2000 Mini tower PC with 400GB of music

Comments

  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 27,965
    Do it
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
  • PSOVLSK
    PSOVLSK Posts: 5,021
    mrloren wrote: »
    My wife will be away this weekend so I'll be able to sneak them into the system.
    Now let's be honest, this is more truthful :D:#:D
    Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.-John Wooden
  • mrloren
    mrloren Posts: 2,454
    edited April 2019
    PSOVLSK wrote: »
    mrloren wrote: »
    My wife will be away this weekend so I'll be able to sneak them into the system.
    Now let's be honest, this is more truthful :D:#:D

    That is 100,000,000,000% correct

    Which ones if I do go for it Chicago or Red River? Will I notice an improvement
    When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
    Family Room:LG QNED80 75", Onkyo RZ50 Emotiva XPA3 GEN3 Oppo BDP-93,Sony UBP-X800BM. Main: Polk LsiM 705Center: Polk LSiM 704CFront High/Rear High In-Ceiling Polk 80F/X RT Surrounds: Polk S15 Sub: HSU VTF3-MK5
    Bed Room; Marantz SR5010, BDP-S270Main: Polk Signature S20Center: Polk Signature S35Rear: Polk R15 Sub: SVS SB2000
    Working Warehouse; Yamaha A-S301, Sony DVP-NS3100ES for disc Plok TSX550T SVS PB2000 Mini tower PC with 400GB of music
  • rpf65
    rpf65 Posts: 2,127
    Running AQ Chicago between my AVR and amp, and it works well.

    My system didn’t like them between the CD player and AVR, it actually liked the cheap cables that they give you better.
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,557
    mrloren wrote: »
    Would it be worth it to upgrade?

    Only your ears can answer that question. You could always order them from somewhere that has a liberal return policy like Music Direct, in the case that you don't hear a noticeable improvement.
  • rburgess714
    rburgess714 Posts: 614
    Hey Loren. My thinking always cost me🤔 FWIW I have enjoyed my Douglas connection Bravo ICs.
    Living Room
    Parasound HINT 6, Yamaha Aventage RX-A 1060, Yamaha BD-S681, Cambridge Audio Azur 851N, Polk S60, Polk S30, Samsung 60" LED

    Office
    Cambridge Audio 851A, Auralic Aries Mini, LSiM 703s

    Douglas Connection ICs and Cables
  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    Honestly @mrloren, I think that I would save my cash for a more substantial upgrade. You have a really nice system, but the bottleneck at this point for music production isn't cables, its using a AVR as a pre. I have the same AVR ( a couple gens older) and a pretty budget pre (a peachtree novapre) and the peacthree is a HUGE improvement over the Denon for two channel music. If I were you, I would save that cable money for a Parasound P5 or benchmark DAC2 or a PS audio stellar gain DAC, something along those lines. Then save up for cables when they will REALLY make a difference. Just my two cents...
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    Game Room 5.1.4:
    Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra

    Bedroom 2.1
    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    I think your next step would be to step up to a prepro Loren, but then you would have to add a few more channels to your Emotiva to power all of your speakers.

    What exactly are you looking to accomplish with your system that you think you aren't getting now or are you simply looking to scratch a never ending itch.

    If it's the latter, go play some music. You have put together two very nice systems at your house that most people would never dream of having.

    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
  • mrloren
    mrloren Posts: 2,454
    cfrizz wrote: »
    I think your next step would be to step up to a prepro Loren, but then you would have to add a few more channels to your Emotiva to power all of your speakers.

    What exactly are you looking to accomplish with your system that you think you aren't getting now or are you simply looking to scratch a never ending itch.

    If it's the latter, go play some music. You have put together two very nice systems at your house that most people would never dream of having.

    Some of an itch.

    When I got my amp I didn't have the budget for interconnects. I got the SVS Soundpath as a stop gap or so I figured. I have the funding now to get the AQ cables but my system sounds darn good using the SVS cables.

    Adding a pre/pro is a few years away right now. I'd have to add an amp for the 6 channels of surround I have.
    When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
    Family Room:LG QNED80 75", Onkyo RZ50 Emotiva XPA3 GEN3 Oppo BDP-93,Sony UBP-X800BM. Main: Polk LsiM 705Center: Polk LSiM 704CFront High/Rear High In-Ceiling Polk 80F/X RT Surrounds: Polk S15 Sub: HSU VTF3-MK5
    Bed Room; Marantz SR5010, BDP-S270Main: Polk Signature S20Center: Polk Signature S35Rear: Polk R15 Sub: SVS SB2000
    Working Warehouse; Yamaha A-S301, Sony DVP-NS3100ES for disc Plok TSX550T SVS PB2000 Mini tower PC with 400GB of music
  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    mrloren wrote: »
    cfrizz wrote: »
    I think your next step would be to step up to a prepro Loren, but then you would have to add a few more channels to your Emotiva to power all of your speakers.

    What exactly are you looking to accomplish with your system that you think you aren't getting now or are you simply looking to scratch a never ending itch.

    If it's the latter, go play some music. You have put together two very nice systems at your house that most people would never dream of having.

    Some of an itch.

    When I got my amp I didn't have the budget for interconnects. I got the SVS Soundpath as a stop gap or so I figured. I have the funding now to get the AQ cables but my system sounds darn good using the SVS cables.

    Adding a pre/pro is a few years away right now. I'd have to add an amp for the 6 channels of surround I have.

    I think a Parasound P5 or something similar is honestly a better idea. The Denon you have will smoke almost any HT pre under $2000 (maybe more). Get a 2 channel pre with HT bypass and you have the best of both worlds for a lot less coin, and you can still use those SVS ICs to go between the HT bypass input on the pre and the AVR.
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    Game Room 5.1.4:
    Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra

    Bedroom 2.1
    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
  • mrloren
    mrloren Posts: 2,454
    Hello,

    I received the red river cables yesterday. I got home at 4:30 and had them in by 5. I started with some ELO to Heart before Jeopardy and dinner. After my little intermission it was some Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel. Around 11pm it was time to shut down.

    My first impression is very favorable to the new cables. System is more lively with better imaging. The SVS cables are not bad and great for the price. These AQ are the real deal.

    Now I think I might have squeezed the most I can out of my system and it sounds fantastic.
    When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
    Family Room:LG QNED80 75", Onkyo RZ50 Emotiva XPA3 GEN3 Oppo BDP-93,Sony UBP-X800BM. Main: Polk LsiM 705Center: Polk LSiM 704CFront High/Rear High In-Ceiling Polk 80F/X RT Surrounds: Polk S15 Sub: HSU VTF3-MK5
    Bed Room; Marantz SR5010, BDP-S270Main: Polk Signature S20Center: Polk Signature S35Rear: Polk R15 Sub: SVS SB2000
    Working Warehouse; Yamaha A-S301, Sony DVP-NS3100ES for disc Plok TSX550T SVS PB2000 Mini tower PC with 400GB of music
  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,307
    Nice. Which ones did you go for, Loren?
    I disabled signatures.
  • mrloren
    mrloren Posts: 2,454
    edited May 2019
    AQ Red River, Got them from music direct for $129 a pair. Sad part is I had to buy two sets for my 3 channel amp. Cost of a single cable was close to the same as the pair cost

    I need to run Audyssey but can't today. Neighbor is having a party.
    When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
    Family Room:LG QNED80 75", Onkyo RZ50 Emotiva XPA3 GEN3 Oppo BDP-93,Sony UBP-X800BM. Main: Polk LsiM 705Center: Polk LSiM 704CFront High/Rear High In-Ceiling Polk 80F/X RT Surrounds: Polk S15 Sub: HSU VTF3-MK5
    Bed Room; Marantz SR5010, BDP-S270Main: Polk Signature S20Center: Polk Signature S35Rear: Polk R15 Sub: SVS SB2000
    Working Warehouse; Yamaha A-S301, Sony DVP-NS3100ES for disc Plok TSX550T SVS PB2000 Mini tower PC with 400GB of music
  • mrloren
    mrloren Posts: 2,454
    6 day's now with the AQ Red River in my system. All I can say is fantastic. I did put one SVS soundpath back in to see if it was just me or if my kids would notice. My oldest had her movie night with friends Saturday. Within 5 minutes I was getting the dad we are not your test dummies. the left speaker sounds way better than the right. So I had to pull SVS cable and change cables to all AQ.

    Sunday afternoon I ran Audyssey. I took a before and after picture of the Audyssey graph

    Before with SVS Soundpath cables
    6rnk685wbjh0.jpg

    This is 15 minutes later with AQ Red River
    jw6t0vckiy6q.jpg

    There are some differences in the dips. Only thing different between the two is the cables. Same hardware, same settings.

    The SVS soundpath is a good budget cable, considering I paid like $70 for all 3 they couldn't be beat. I did pay 3X that for the AQ but the sonic difference is a lot better and well worth it.

    AQ has a way better imaging. I actually unplugged the center speaker for a bit to make sure it was not playing. Rush 2112 was the best yet, zero harsh highs. There is a more Open fleshed out presentation with great mids and highs with a more snappy bass.


    Cheers
    When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
    Family Room:LG QNED80 75", Onkyo RZ50 Emotiva XPA3 GEN3 Oppo BDP-93,Sony UBP-X800BM. Main: Polk LsiM 705Center: Polk LSiM 704CFront High/Rear High In-Ceiling Polk 80F/X RT Surrounds: Polk S15 Sub: HSU VTF3-MK5
    Bed Room; Marantz SR5010, BDP-S270Main: Polk Signature S20Center: Polk Signature S35Rear: Polk R15 Sub: SVS SB2000
    Working Warehouse; Yamaha A-S301, Sony DVP-NS3100ES for disc Plok TSX550T SVS PB2000 Mini tower PC with 400GB of music
  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,307
    Hey Loren, interesting. What do the differences mean? Does the increase in step distinction roughly indicate better resolution?
    I disabled signatures.
  • mrloren
    mrloren Posts: 2,454
    The Audyssey EQ graph is how it sets the EQ for room corrections. AQ produce a flatter tone than the SVS. Some of the dips are around 5db less with the AQ vs. SVS.

    SVS say's the soldier there cables where AQ only cold welds (AKA Crimp). One of the old Sony engineers told me never to solder in audio, it will add resistance.

    I was just listening to the Beatles while making dinner. Just fantastic is all I can say. I took Rush 2112 up to -7db the other day, no harshness at all and had room left. with my RTi-8's that was a no, no, even -15db was too much with those.

    I've watched a few movies, vocals are great, nice and clear. Had to do a dead pool double.
    When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
    Family Room:LG QNED80 75", Onkyo RZ50 Emotiva XPA3 GEN3 Oppo BDP-93,Sony UBP-X800BM. Main: Polk LsiM 705Center: Polk LSiM 704CFront High/Rear High In-Ceiling Polk 80F/X RT Surrounds: Polk S15 Sub: HSU VTF3-MK5
    Bed Room; Marantz SR5010, BDP-S270Main: Polk Signature S20Center: Polk Signature S35Rear: Polk R15 Sub: SVS SB2000
    Working Warehouse; Yamaha A-S301, Sony DVP-NS3100ES for disc Plok TSX550T SVS PB2000 Mini tower PC with 400GB of music