Warmest interconnects and speaker wire?

I can buy into high quality ICs and speaker wire making a difference on great systems....but does it make sense to spend so much more on these parts of a system than the cost of the turntable? Just askin', not makin' trouble.

 

+1 on the copper for signal wiring.

I'll have to try some Audiences against my superbuck cables and see what happens.

Steve, were they the "Au24" or the "Conductor" series?

I note that there are "e" versions of both, apparently standing for enhanced.

Right now I recommend Audioquest Colorados, when my friends ask, as high quality cables at less than superbuck prices. That's the highest up the Audioquest line that uses copper. Above that it's silver, which I don't dig.

My fave power cords however, are silver. Stage III Concepts stuff. Don't know why that is, but that's what my friends and I have found.

ccm

 

Certainly not always, docwebb. The best money is always spent on the system's weakest link. Which in many cases, you are right, won't be the wire.

But wire can become a weak link earlier than many people realize in their system's development.

I don't personally feel I can properly audition a component or system if it doesn't have high quality wire and power. You never know what those boxes really do until you've unlocked their potential.

So there is an advantage to upgrading your wire and power early on, in that you will better hear and understand more of the nuances of what your components do, and what changes are occurring when you upgrade your gear.

ccm

 

Roger that, Steve. Thanks.

So yours weren't the "e" series enhanced au24's.

I'll get around to testing these sometime in the next while. On my list.

Appreciate the tip.

ccm

 

Yeah, that's why I wanted to know which ones they sent you, because they have released an "enhanced" version.

If you found the originals neutral, then those are the ones I'll test out.

ccm

 

On a realtive basis I've always thought that lower end Grado cartidges sounded "warm", especially compared to a Shure M97, and at the other end of the spectrum from a AT 440. Trying the Grado Prestige Blue 1 would be a ~110 dollar experiment, and might get you closer to what you're looking for.

I can't comment on the cable thing, as "voicing" with cables always seemed to me to be an expensive way to go about things. To me, transducers offer the greatest opportunity to change/voice the sound to your personal preferences.

DanG

 

From the Audience website:

"As of November, ’07 Audience has developed proprietary technology to improve the conductivity of Audience Au24 cables, Conductor cables and powerChords that results in a more refined product. The basic musical character of the cables is unchanged; however they are enhanced. This technology results in the removal of a veil resulting in the improvement of a world class product. In addition to the standard Au24 and powerChord cables, this new technology is available as an “e” enhanced version. "

ccm

 

Thanks, Steve. If you could post something at a later time when it's more convenient that would be helpful.

The "e" will be plainly evident on the RCA barrels, as in this picture:

http://www.audience-av.com/cables/a_description.php

ccm

 

Rockin'

ccm

 

If you guys had the choice, would you rather tune the sound for warmth via phono preamp or cartridge?

How about matching speaker wire?

If people are still talking about those Audience cables in 12 months, I'm buyin' 'em (used).

 

If I were trying to tune the sound of the system, I think I'd start with the cartridge. The M97XE sounds like a fine choice for the stated objective. If you can get a phono signal out of the turntable, a Bellari VP130 phono preamp could do something in this regard. If I didn't really care how much money I spent on the humble Debut III, I'd probably get the AcrylIt platter and a Dynavector 10X5.

 

I owned a Debut III several years ago, and a Speed Box was surprisingly an excellent upgrade to that table.

 

Hey ggking,

I would try to remove the "tuning" from your setup as much as possible, and instead start working toward goals of neutrality and accuracy.

People have mentioned here that the Shure (V15 is it?) is exceptionally neutral and at a value point that most people can afford.

If you get one of those, and your system sounds wrong, then, provided you are familiar with the mastering of the record and you know it is tonally well balanced, you can start ironing out the problems elsewhere.

You don't want to get to the point where you are stacking up allegedly canceling inaccuracies (part of your system making things sound bright, another part compensating for that, exaggerating warmth so that it dominates). Because then, you're stuck - if you then change one of them out to a truly neutral and accurate higher grade product, the one you didn't replace will distort it out of whack.

The more experienced (and trustworthy) advice you can get on what is neutral equipment at an affordable price, the better, and get the most of it into your system as early into its development as you can.

This will help you make better decisions on associated equipment and hear things more for what they are.

Lots of recordings have natural warmth when played back neutrally and accurately. It is probable that the brightness you are experiencing is the inaccuracy in the first place. My suggestion is to try to target this first by stacking some well-known-for-their-neutrality-and-value equipment into your setup.

Also, see if you can try stuff for free before you buy stuff. Find some audiophiles in your community who can bring over phono stages and cables and things so you can hear them in your system and learn before you spend. There is good sound in numbers.

ccm

 

Great advice, and I've adhered to exactly that with my main system. This alternate system is for fun (not for sound quality) and I just want to enjoy it now and (hopefully) never upgrade anything.

 

Sheesh...........to think I stopped in here tonight to get away from all the wire/cable/interconnect hysteria on Head-Fi. I'm getting a migraine.

 

Try massaging your temples.

ccm

 

I guess everyone is wrong but you.

 

Hey there,

Sorry gg, I missed the alternate system part.

In that case, if you're just duffing around, then yes, a cheapie cartridge might be a good deal.

Other than that, you could buy a used EQ and slap it in there.

Are you handy with electronics? If you are, and if this is just toy gear for you, why not mod it? If you don't like the phono output you're getting, get on some audio tinkerer sites and alter the circuit until you're getting what you want. That or the amplified speakers. Whichever one you value the least

That might turn out to be the most affordable option of all. Provided you have enough confidence in electronics that you won't break it.

Good luck,
ccm

 

At this quality level anything beyond basic quality cables fine terminated - should be
The last thing on the menu.
First thing get a better cart, there you can spend the 500 bucks for the suggested inter connects and get a factor 10 result. Next step get a Tube Phono Pre, Icon Audio offers excellent value for reasonable prices and uses true point to point wiring and ALL VALVE/TUBE gear. No Hybrids.
Toneaudio just tested their new entry level model for 450 Pounds UK = Icon Audio is now distributed in the US. check budget gear incl. suppliers in the US
http://www.tonepublications.com/magazine/issue-39/
Looks like this
http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/Icon-Audio-PS2-MM-Valve-Phono-Stage/product_5056

Of course you could also get a Pro-Ject Tube BOX SE - the new model, but that is not a pure Tube design for the same price as the Icon Audio, which is the reak deal . MM only, or with a Step up transformator MC ready.
Cheapest and most warm sounding trick still is the Tube Buffer. Millions been sold in 15 years, people seemed to love the warm touch it added to their CD players..


Imo this is as far as I would go with your gear as speaker connection goes .
http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/Chord-Rumour-2-Speaker-Cable-Per-Metre/product_844

If money is not important for you this might be exactly what you are looking for ProAC 14AWG oxygen free copper cable, properly terminated and still reasonable priced - around / under 300 bucks ..
http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/ProAc-Signature-Black-Speaker-Cables/product_5583

 

One reason I'd rather tune the sound with a cartridge than a tube preamp or tube buffer is that I'd have to wait for the tubes to warm up before they'd start doing their thing. This alternate system is for playing 7" vinyl only and I want to be able to throw one on and enjoy at a moment's notice. I've got Quicksilver Mid-Monos in the real system.