Using Monster XPwant to upgrade HF

STUFFMD · January 2003

Hey guys and gals...I am currently using Monster Xp all around and am bi-wired on the 800 mains and LsiC center. I love the sound I am getting in HT...am looking to open up the HF for music playback,Just for tweeks sake can anyone reccomend a wire to upgrade to for a better more open high end sound. I do like it on the bright side.Preferably somthing not over a thousand dollars a foot...you know what I mean.
I know you all have opinions on this please air em out....
Thanks, StuffMD

F1nut · January 2003

I like MIT cables, but they give a smooth high-end, not bright.

danger boy · January 2003

you might want to check this speaker cables out... While I don't use the speaker version of these CatCables.. I do use the Silver Cat interconnects from my pre outs to my amps. If you are looking for something a little more open in the upper end... = brightness without being harsh. check out these Cattails

This is what the web site says about them:

The NEW Cattails offer so much more than before! High Conductivity Oxygen Free Copper in Teflon. Cable mass is in a Litz configuration offering great separation of conductors. It's a 4 wire cable, allowing either standard single speaker cables with 12 gauge strand size, or 14 gauge bi-wire strand size at speaker end with 12 gauge at amp end. You can find more expensive speaker cables, but none made better than the NEW Cattails speaker cables. Don't settle for less! We use the best connectors we can find, cover the cable in an attractive black flexible cover to offer sleek design, and trim it out in the usual quality CAT fashion

price 2 meter $149

3 meter $149 + $129

4 meter $149 + $179

a little pricey for some... but not nearly as expensive as others out there.

catcables

mantis · January 2003

If you want a cable with some attack/bright to some ,I would look into Kimbercable.There wires tend to be hot on the highs.

mantis · January 2003

Hey stuff,
why the Lsic?Not a cs series???Slow upgrade?

STUFFMD · January 2003

Hey Mantis,
Wanted to see if I would like the sound of the LSI's before I dropped a bunch of money on the whole set.....Frankly I am glad I did..I personally find the LSI to sound hollow in HT but musically very good. I very much like the sound of my RT's in Ht, but have been somewhat disappointed with their CD playback. At the very worst I can trade the Lsi for a CS. At this point I have been disappointed in POLKS ability to give me both Music and Ht I am happy with in one speaker...I am thinking of possibly LSi9's just for 2 channel am also looking at B&K and a couple of others. I would love to own a pair of Theils..just a little price prohibative for what I want right now.
I have heard of Kimber before.....Now I just need to find a place that carries them..what $ range are we talking ???
Thanks for the input, guys or gals ..whatever your orientation...LOL.
Peace StuffMD

RuSsMaN · January 2003

Kimber, you can bag the 4pr/per foot for next to nothing (to start).

Check out Kimber.com, and find a dealer in your area.

Cheers,
Rooster

STUFFMD · January 2003

Yes I was just reading some reviews..They have about 6 different cables....In one review they were saying somthing I didn't quite understand, I believe it was from Hi-Fi Mag....they said that the high ends were very good, clear and crisp..BUT there were imageing issues.......I would think that it the horns and the highs were very good wouldn't that also create good imageing????????
Stuff

RuSsMaN · January 2003

I would attribute 'imaging' issues more to speaker placement, and dare I say design, vs the type of wire. I've heard wire change tonal properties slightly, but never dropped the image (with proper speaker placement).

Just my opinion, but wire is a finishing touch to the tonal signature of your system, and has little to nothing to do with soundstage or imaging - to a DEGREE. If you are in the Kimber market (among many others), you have little to worry about, short of the 'tone' you are looking for.

Just my $.02.

Cheers,
Rooster

mantis · January 2003

Stuff,
The Onkyo you run your system is nice for rt series but not Lsi.Lsi demands better electronics and will show off the bad in your gear.....a good thing and a bad thing.But all things considered,Matching is golden.Lsi center with rt mains and rears driving with an Onkyo????Not a fair demo there my man.
It's Tuff I know.
Russ,
I have heard different systems with different wires kill a soundstage and blurr an image with different wires.The tonal qualities I agree with you that wires does make the biggest difference there.Like you said the finishing touch on a properly balanced system(with alittle of my own influence)

STUFFMD · January 2003

Hey Russman,
Sounds like you and me are on the same wavelength on that review....I have always thought it was the placement of the speaker and the ability of the speaker that would project sound stage...why I was confused by the review. Sounds like it is time to give the Kimber's a try. Now I just have to find the dam things locally...
Mantis,
Thank you very much for that perspective......I understand about the tonal matching that's why I even listened to the speaker (LsiC) by itself and still sounded hollow, but I can definately see what your saying that maybe the Oink maybe can't drive the LSI like it should even with the 4 ohm capability. My other thought was to find a good 5 or 7 channel amp upgrade for now...then decide on the speakers.....Thanks again for that input.
My opinion on wire is that it is as important as any other part of the system...Hence the saying below.
Peace Stuff

Using Monster XPwant to upgrade HF

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