Exposure amps and speaker cables

[Marthas dad]

I am about to pick up an old Exposure Super VIII as a spare power amp. Exposure are one of the few cheap (S/H) power amps that are solid state that I rather like. The problem is I use Goertz speaker cable - same as Townshend isolda.

I checked with Exposure as to whether this was ok and i received a definite DO NOT USE GOERTZ reply as they could make the amp unstable and possibly blow it up!

RIGHT - we dont want to do that do we. And I dont want to spend much on another set of speaker cables for a standby amp. Would ordinary QED do - any ideas - this all sounds disconcerting but that is what Tony at Exposure said. I know exposure always said that only exposure speaker cable should be used (as in the words of mandy Rice-Davise they would say that wouldn't they)) however. . . . .

This may be a Pink Fish forum query as i think there are exposure owners over there but any advice here?

Thanks as ever.

[JANDL100]

NVA amps have similar problems, I think.

NVA make excellent cables for their own amps - the LS5 is a real corker.

[Marthas dad]

But a pair of LS5 cables would be £250 that's more than the amp, and as i said this is a backup amp in the event of an emergency! Would QED or something similarly affordable do?

[JANDL100]

Ah well, if you need a loooong pair of cables - pop down to B&Q and get some solid core mains flex. Really. It's the twisty multi-strand thing that upsets NVA amps, and probably Exposure, too.

What do you need a spare amp for anyway? ... the Viva startin' to smoke & sputter?

Anyways, you might find the LS5 supplants your Goertz stuff - Personally, I never really got on with any of the Goertz cables I have tried.

[Marthas dad]

Just seen some LS2 at £30 - that may do the trick.

Viva starting to sputter - miaoooooow! Handbags at dawn Jerry!
No - just that I have always had a back up amp just in case (used to have back up wives too) - you wouldn't know about having the odd extra piece of hi-fi around would you, ahem

[mbu]

Exposure cable probably best. But any dumbell configuration type stuff should do.

2 conductors separated by a gap of a few mm.

Nain Nac , cable talk , linn.

Or on a budget , that Gale see through stuff they sell at Richer Sounds.



Cheers,



Mark.

[JANDL100]

Marthas dad wrote:

Just seen some LS2 at £30 - that may do the trick.

NO NO NO

LS2 is crap.

NVA LS1, LS3 or best, LS5 - quite different to LS2. Trust me on this.

[rcook]

Ecosse - 4.45 if the amp has biwire outputs, it is good but not cheap. I used to used Exposure amps, and used QED Profile 4x4 and upgraded to the Ecosse. When I sold the 18 monobloc power amps, the buyer called Exposure and asked them what their recommendation was - Ecosse 4.45 was the recommendation. QED will do very nicely too

[Marthas dad]

JANDL100 wrote:

Marthas dad wrote:

Just seen some LS2 at £30 - that may do the trick.

NO NO NO

LS2 is crap.

NVA LS1, LS3 or best, LS5 - quite different to LS2. Trust me on this.

Ohhhh - ok maybe the see through Richer Sounds stuff then?

Of course i trust you Jerry - I would even trust you to cut my toe nails.

[cjr]

Van Damme Blue/Black 2x2.5mm or QED Qudos/Original

£2 a metre. Sorted or waste money on fancy cables that do the same job, ie CSA/Length IMHO. Or ......

http://www.studiospares.com/Cable-Sp...mm/invt/548330

Double the CSA and still £2/m .

[Marthas dad]

Thanks CJR kind of what i was after - now these wont blow up the amp then?

Beginning to think this spare Exposure idea more trouble than it's worth - but used to have a pair of old Exposure mono blocks and they were impressive. So for a cheap transistor spare have gone back to the idea.

Thanks for all advice so far.

[JANDL100]

If you perceive differences in cable sound then Van Damn really is + . (As Bry-fi so eloquently put it on another thread)

imo etc

But I'll leave you to it now,Kooler King- best o' luck.

[Marthas dad]

No - never cared for Van Damme either was thinking QED

Wouldn't plain old reliable QED do Jerry or the see through stuff from Richer Sounds - infact I may never need to use the amp ! - don't want cable wars ! Just had e mail from Exposure - QED is fine they said, so perhaps sorted. . . . maybe . . . perhaps. . . .

[cjr]

FWIW - I hear no difference between Qudos/Original and VD Blue 2.5mm2. I am currently using Qudos with my Sony ES/Dyns, exactly like the VDamme.

[JANDL100]

Marthas dad wrote:

No - never cared for Van Damme either was thinking QED

Wouldn't plain old reliable QED do Jerry or the see through stuff from Richer Sounds - infact I may never need to use the amp ! - don't want cable wars ! Just had e mail from Exposure - QED is fine they said, so perhaps sorted. . . . maybe . . . perhaps. . . .

Well, OK, seeing as you asked me a direct question I'll come back again.

QED? Dunno.I'm sure it will carry the current. I've had the QED Silver Anni. My God. Where I perceive the Van Damn to be boring and to extract all musical interest, the QED SA was shrieky and quite unlistenable.

Honestly, why not just buy some Exposure cable? - must be suited for the job and will give you that full ERC effect (Exposure Retro-Cred)?
OK - personally, I'd go for the NVA, still. I've heard it and I know I like it. What's the point of having a spare amp that you don't enjoy listening to?

IMO, YMMV, GIGFY etc

[Cloth-Ears]

Old amps are fussy. New ones much less so.

For all the cost why not just order new Exposure wire from Exposure ? Or, go with Jerry's advice on the NVA stuff.

[Marthas dad]

OK - thanks all (my very special thanks to Mr Jacobs) - what's the point of a spare amp - to look at for God's sake!


Anyhow, I have picked up a pair of Kondo cables on e bay for a tenner - think they might work.

[early]

You could put a little zobel circuit in the amp and then you could use any cables you want .

[Marthas dad]

Funny you should say that Phil - was reading something about zoebel - but think this is all starting to sound complex effort vs result but on a serious note think I'll source some Exposure or NVA

Sounds like Kondo wont 't work either so shall give them to neighbour for garden system

[early]

Marthas dad wrote:

Funny you should say that Phil - was reading something about zoebel - but think this is all starting to sound complex effort vs result

It's really simple , a 0.1 uf cap in series with a 10 ohm resistor wired across the speaker terminals ( cap to + ) .

A couple of quid in parts and 15 mins work .