Cables

Killahertz

Wammer
Wammer
Sep 28, 2005
129
1
0
South Cheshire, , Un
I am what most people would refer to a cable sceptic. My current crop of cables is wholesale DIY, of some vintage, and well past their use-by date. As i'm in idle mood I have no wish to replace them with more DIY offerings. And please, as much as it's amusing to suggest bell wire and a set of freebie interconnects, there are valid technical reasons not to use either, which means I haven't and won't.

So. I need 2x 3.5m loudspeaker cables, which I want pre-terminated, 1x 1m set of interconnects, and 1x 0.5m digital coax.The chances are that i'll do a wholesale swap, so that means 3x 1m mains leads too.

Ideally (aesthetically)i'm looking at a single manufacturer solution. The only other real proviso is that the cables must be well made, as they are going to be used for a long time. That and quality (build and fit) of all the terminations. The only manufacturers i've looked at in any depth are QED and Chord. The former seems fine, and at very modest prices. The latter, well I didn't pay too much attention after seeing the (awful looking) white speaker cable.

Any suggestions (including links, online dealers, etc), most welcome
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M

Mr Coherent

Guest
Adam,

May I suggest Effem (Frank) Krystal Cables, his range is good and prices to suit all pockets.

 

supercapman

Wammer
Wammer
Jul 19, 2005
1,310
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Bath, , United Kingd
AKA
Chris
Depending on your budget Frank makes superb cables for the lower end of the market and Tony (Mr Coherent ) makes higher end both are superb.They both have web sites to browse too.

 
A

adam

Guest
I was becoming scepital about cables and thier worth reading many of the comments on forums be the slayers of such things,even though I had some Audioquest Diamonds,VDH,shunyata power cords,I was begining to think were they really worth it.Anyway a few months ago I thought maybe they were right the disbelivers,so I orderd a 3 meter run of cable,studio quality,sent from the UK to Spain for a measly £12 total.Cables,all the same I was beginning to think,won't make no difference.

Anyway,this Sunday I placed that cable between my pre and Bel Canto power,I couldn't believe what it did to the signal,it was as if the loudness button had been pushed in,and the treble cut off,it was damm awful,just messed up the speakers completely.So I took out some VDH I had,replaced the cable with these,treble was back,bass stopped booming,I wanted to confirm I was imaging this,so i put back the studio grade cable,yuk yuk yuk,again treble dissapeard,bass boomed liked an empty tanker,I couldn't believe what this cable was doing,even Tones would have heard it,it was the obvious.I can't wait to replace it.

Not what your looking for,but I've read great things about Grover cables,I'm going to try his interconnect and maybe some solid silver cable I've seen for a decent price in Germany.

Cables don't effect the signal or sound the same....not for me anymore.

 

Killahertz

Wammer
Wammer
Sep 28, 2005
129
1
0
South Cheshire, , Un
I've had a look at the Coherent site. I've no doubt that Tony's products are very high quality. But they are way out of my league.

I've also just had a look at Krystal. There's a whole lot more there than when I last looked. I like the understated black mesh sheathing, but on the flip side equally like that mad coloured sheathing on one of the power cables, although the cable itself is too rich for me. The speaker cables, particularly, look to be a very strong possibility. Overall, much better than what i've seen so far from the main manufacturers.

 

Davewhityetagain

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Wammer
Jul 24, 2005
11,665
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I have on loan a set of Graves Audio speaker leads, 2 meters long and very different, they seem to be the same size as a hoover pipe using it single length and tannoy jumpers

so different than the Chord but very nice
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G

Guest

Guest
Killahertz wrote:

I've had a look at the Coherent site. I've no doubt that Tony's products are very high quality. But they are way out of my league. I've also just had a look at Krystal. There's a whole lot more there than when I last looked. I like the understated black mesh sheathing, but on the flip side equally like that mad coloured sheathing on one of the power cables, although the cable itself is too rich for me. The speaker cables, particularly, look to be a very strong possibility. Overall, much better than what i've seen so far from the main manufacturers.
I got Frank to make me some speaker cable, it was basically two runs of lyric copper, weaved ala kimber and covered in sheathing, i use it single wired, for around £100 for 3 meter pair it was good value, considering the extra work involved in weaving, and I'm very happy with it.
 

Ant

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Wammer
Aug 5, 2005
3,909
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Hythe, Kent
AKA
Antony
Davewhityetagain wrote:

I have on loan a set of Graves Audio speaker leads, 2 meters long and very different, they seem to be the same size as a hoover pipe using it single length and tannoy jumpersso different than the Chord but very nice
cool.gif.9d6c72c555b38e519336a6d9b55ca875.gif
Thats what my dad uses but they don't do longer lengths

 

Davewhityetagain

Wammer
Wammer
Jul 24, 2005
11,665
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, ,
I wonder why not ? I asked to try these after they sold me a greaves lead to go from pre to power and I like it very much.

with these big leads the amp looks more and more like aspot welder

 

Kiang

Wammer
Wammer
Jul 21, 2005
1,430
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83
Leeds, , United King
Davewhityetagain wrote:

I wonder why not ? I asked to try these after they sold me a greaves lead to go from pre to power and I like it very much.with these big leads the amp looks more and more like aspot welder
Just out of interest - what mains lead do you use with the valve amp dave ?

Do conventional audiophile mains leads perform as well with valves as with SS

 

Davewhityetagain

Wammer
Wammer
Jul 24, 2005
11,665
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, ,
its early days but its well built and is not doing anything negative to the sound, I think unlike when the mains supply was crap and everything that could be done, I did and the improvement was big I am not holding out for earth shattering differences

 

griffo104

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Sep 30, 2005
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Griffo
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I've just got 4 of Frank's Mercury power chords and they are very good and excellent value - although a bit stiff for the tight space I have, the extra flexible bits by the iec and plug are very well thought out to get around this.

I also got a 3m run of his cheapest interconnect - very well made and I have to say it sounds very good as well.

As for Chord - I'm using some of the dodgy white speaker cable at the minute and it is also pretty good - well balanced, doesn't highlight any single area. However if funds permit in the new year I may upgrade these to Krystal cables as well as the Chords were just a stop gap.

 

ClassikFan

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Jul 19, 2005
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Stuart
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I have franks cable aswell. He will make custom lengths for you which is handy, rather than having to have the big manufacturers standard lengths.

Mine soundexcellent too (power, speaker & inter), although I am thinking of upgrading my interconnect to a silver one.

 

JH1

Wammer
Wammer
Jul 29, 2005
36
0
0
I'm in Pursuit -so s
I have Frank's titan mains lead and the sterling interconnect too. (I think the sterling is a great cable for the price).I find my power amp works better with the Titan than the previous Isotek Premium lead I had on it - improving bass and tightening things up a tad.

Have tried the Titan on my CDP compared to theIsotek, but don't seem to get any benefit on that. Wondered if any one has compared the Titan to the Mercury on their CDP and what differences if any?

 

Killahertz

Wammer
Wammer
Sep 28, 2005
129
1
0
South Cheshire, , Un
That's an intersting point with regard to the stiffness of the mains cables, and something i'd not considered - but need to. That said, another oversight had me weighing up three simple IEC replacements. Hardly
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I've one IEC, one Telefunken (figure 8) and one captured that i've long since replaced back to the transformer. So, a couple of IEC sockets needed, and a little bit of hacksaw and solder work, then.

 

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