Curse of Polk Forums: the wire dilemma

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Joey_V
Joey_V Posts: 8,521
in 2 Channel Audio
I must say, the curse of PAF.

Long ago, cabling didn’t matter to me. All the chit chat about buying good cables fell onto deaf ears. Then little by little.

Here is the menagerie as it stands today on Black Friday 2023.

1. Classic Amazon xlr.
2. Wireworld 7 Platinum
3. Audience AU24sx
4. Cardas clear reflection
5. Cardas clear
6. Audioquest earth
7. Audioquest wild
8. And audioquest wel

I should make it a point to do a comparison test of all these someday.

Life was simpler back in the day.

ucbijrh6ekcd.jpeg

Magico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 18,368
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    Life may have been simpler, but now look at all of the fun you are gonna have. Learning what cables do what, how they affect things and what changes actually happen to the end result is part of the fun!

    Some may be a lateral move, with some attributes, along with some deficiencies. Some cables might "Wow" you. Some may only want you to keep them in the system for less than 3 minutes, no matter how they would sound after breaking in.

    You have quite the system to evaluate some of these changes without even straining to hear them. Relax, have fun with it and share what you observations are along the way.

    You can't be wrong. Every system differs from others. What may work wonders in one rig, may not work at all (or work very well) in another. It is fun, however, to learn how these things change the end result that actually hits your ears.....and the most expensive may not necessarily be the best option in certain locations.

    Just trust your ears. They do not lie.

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,455
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    Even the toys can't look at your scrap heap!
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
    Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
    B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
    Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
    Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
    Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)

    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
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  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,521
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    treitz3 wrote: »
    Life may have been simpler, but now look at all of the fun you are gonna have. Learning what cables do what, how they affect things and what changes actually happen to the end result is part of the fun!

    Some may be a lateral move, with some attributes, along with some deficiencies. Some cables might "Wow" you. Some may only want you to keep them in the system for less than 3 minutes, no matter how they would sound after breaking in.

    You have quite the system to evaluate some of these changes without even straining to hear them. Relax, have fun with it and share what you observations are along the way.

    You can't be wrong. Every system differs from others. What may work wonders in one rig, may not work at all (or work very well) in another. It is fun, however, to learn how these things change the end result that actually hits your ears.....and the most expensive may not necessarily be the best option in certain locations.

    Just trust your ears. They do not lie.

    Tom

    Your eloquence and sage-like comments are taken to heart.

    I have another club member and friend coming today, we will experiment with wires
    Magico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound
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  • muncybob
    muncybob Posts: 2,976
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    It'll be interesting to know which, if any, get a unanimous vote for better sound.
    Yep, my name really is Bob.
    Parasound HCA1500A(indoor sound) and HCA1000(outdoor sound), Dynaco PAS4, Denon DP1200 w/Shure V15 Type V and Jico SAS stylus, Marantz UD7007, Polk L600, Rythmik L12 sub.
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,467
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    Cables, Joey, Cables! B)
    Cables are made of wires, coat hangers, and stuffs.

    Cable is to concrete, as wire is to cement.
    I disabled signatures.
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  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,521
    edited November 2023
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    msg wrote: »
    Cables, Joey, Cables! B)
    Cables are made of wires, coat hangers, and stuffs.

    Cable is to concrete, as wire is to cement.

    Never used to believe until I heard it myself

    All thanks to Jesse and co
    Magico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound
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  • GlennDog
    GlennDog Posts: 3,093
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    be a pioneer and each out to Jonny Wilson at Snake River Audio

    Jonny Wilson
    Snake River Audio, LLC
    www.SnakeRiverAudio.com
    Check out our new video!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3631CLm1LdY
    1311 S. Main St
    Riggins, Idaho 83549
    AC Regenerator PS Audio PerfectWave Power Plant 10
    Source Lumin U1 Mini into Lampizator Baltic 4 DAC
    Pre Cary SLP-05
    Power Rogue M180 Dark monos
    Mains Salk HT2-TL
    Rythmik F12
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  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,455
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    They used a Grado cartridge in their video. :D
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
    Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
    B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
    Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
    Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
    Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)

    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
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  • Upstatemax
    Upstatemax Posts: 2,623
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    audioluvr wrote: »
    They used a Grado cartridge in their video. :D

    Actually curious what is so funny about them using Grado?

    I’m actually looking at a Grado cart for my TT, so I’m curious.

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  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,455
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    They don't get much love here. I'm using one
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
    Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
    B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
    Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
    Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
    Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)

    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,467
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    Which one?
    The Grado Prestige Green was the second cart I bought. Quite different from the Shure M97xE I started off with.

    My turntable and system setup has changed quite a bit since those days. The table that has that cart mounted has been stashed for maintenance for a while, but I'll likely give it another shot.

    It was certainly more revealing than the Shure was. I don't remember a lot else about it, and even if I didn't it wouldn't be valid because I knew even less then than I do now.
    I disabled signatures.
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  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,455
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    I have a Grado Gold.
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
    Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
    B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
    Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
    Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
    Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)

    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
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  • Upstatemax
    Upstatemax Posts: 2,623
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    Yeah, I’m looking at the Grado Prestige Gold3.
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  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,521
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    Grado, I hope to own one some day
    Magico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,823
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    Grado carts are not shielded, which is why some get the infamous Grado hum.
    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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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,066
    edited December 2023
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    Yup. There was/is also the dread "Grado Dance" in some arms. They're fairly high compliance cartridges.
    https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?t=27295
    https://www.hifisystemcomponents.com/forum/whats-with-the-bad-rap-about-grado-cartridges_topic4718.html

    Good sound, though - relative to my taste.

    Joe Grado, the old man, was an opera singer who, among other things, invented the stereo moving coil cartridge. Grado made and sold MC cartridges for a while, early on, but transitioned to moving iron (variable reluctance) types pretty quickly, and still makes MI cartridges of no mean repute.

    Grado, famously, sold all the cartridges they could make for many years without doing any advertising at all. They were (and, I think perhaps they still are?) located in a little storefront in Brooklyn, NY.

    I discovered the Grados ca. 1978 at a funky little hifi store in downtown Baltimore (I think it was Custom Music -- memory's getting hazy on differentiating the hifi stores of 1960s and 70s B-more at this late date). I was using a Sonus cartridge (very high compliance) that sounded good but was also very finicky. The lushness of the Grado's sound really appealed to me. I mention Grados to John Dorsey at Soundscape very shortly afterwards. He looked surprised and said "Yeah, we sell those, too!" Why didn't you tell me that before, John? :p I used a Grado F1+ for about 3 decades after that, and still have it.
    Bought my parents a $13 FTE+1 ca. 1980 -- absolutely the best sounding $13 cartridge ever made. Still have that one, too. Trying to remember what it's installed in, now that I think about it.

    13434720275_9b6e7e785a_c.jpg

    Grado made a couple hifi ceramic ceramic cartidges, too. My thesis advisor gave me this one (Grado B ). Ceramics don't tend to age gracefully (mechanical shock & humidity are hard on them) and this one is intermittent in one channel -- but it sounds amazingly good when it is of a mind to. Dazzling midrange clarity.

    39865598663_5e7b9f106c_b.jpg

    EDIT: Yes, that record is filthy. It was a first test of a cartridge that hadn't been used in about 50 years, so a "cannon fodder" LP was used. :#
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 18,368
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    Any insights you can share with us so far, Joey?

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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