Become a Site Supporter and Never see Ads again!

Author Topic: Interconnects--How Important? Where to buy?  (Read 7684 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline lds490

  • Demon_In_Disguise
  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Taperssection Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 663
  • Gender: Male
  • Ride the llama!
    • Music List
Interconnects--How Important? Where to buy?
« on: February 24, 2005, 02:01:47 PM »
My home playback system consists entirely of moderate-to-low-end consumer electronics (YAMAHA HTR5590 A/V Receiver).  Most of my connections are digital optical or coaxial into the receiver (using the receiver's on-board DAC).  I do have a couple of analog IC's, plus some composite video cables.  All of the IC's in my system (digital or anaolog) are consumer grade, but not the cheap garbage that come with components.

Considering that I am not running a high-end audiophile system, am I correct in thinking that high-end IC's should not be a priority for me?  In other words, I can get more bang for my buck by upgrading other components first. 

Can anyone recommend a manufacturer or distributor of quality IC's for consumer-grade Hi-Fi?  Where do I go to buy decent, moderately-priced cables.

Which type of cable upgrade (speaker, IC, or power)  provides the greatest benefits to the sound of my system?

http://db.etree.org/lds490
Open: Studio Projects C-1s-> Mic2496 -> PDAudio-CF (IPAQ 5555) -> Addonics Pocket EX
Stealth: AT 831 -> Mic2496 -> PDAudio-CF (IPAQ 5555) -> IBM Microdrive

Offline bkirby

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Taperssection Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 768
  • Gender: Male
  • Schoeps/MGs > M148/248 > SD722
Re: Interconnects--How Important? Where to buy?
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2005, 02:27:04 PM »
Your signal is only as strong as it's weakest link!!!

Offline nickgregory

  • Admitted Jeter Homer
  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 22376
  • Gender: Male
    • Hurricanes Insider
Re: Interconnects--How Important? Where to buy?
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2005, 02:28:47 PM »
I agree IC's make a difference...for analog...but I have never been sold on expensive data cables...bits are bits...if they get to their desitnation, they get there..unlike analog, where it can make a difference in the sound.  I do agree that it can make a difference with build quality, but otherwise....

analog though...can make a significant difference

Offline lds490

  • Demon_In_Disguise
  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Taperssection Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 663
  • Gender: Male
  • Ride the llama!
    • Music List
Re: Interconnects--How Important? Where to buy?
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2005, 02:51:02 PM »
can you solder?
if so, build some with some quality cable for mere pennies compared to the expensive premade stuff.

interconnects do make a difference.

I have soldered in the past.  Any recommendations on what cable/parts to buy, or where to get them?  Can an amateur make high-end ICs at home, or do I need specialized techniques or equipment?

I accept that ICs do make a difference, but how much of a difference.  I've checked out Audiogon and see that ICs cost anywhere from $50 -$1,000+ (some significantly more than $1,000).  I'm using consumer grade (Acoustic Research, I think) IC's that are not total garbage, but clearly not audiophile grade.  How much difference will upgrading these make on my system?  How much will it cost?  Is it worth the money when I'm running a modest system to begin with?

Is there a middle ground IC between what I've got now and the very expensive cables? 
http://db.etree.org/lds490
Open: Studio Projects C-1s-> Mic2496 -> PDAudio-CF (IPAQ 5555) -> Addonics Pocket EX
Stealth: AT 831 -> Mic2496 -> PDAudio-CF (IPAQ 5555) -> IBM Microdrive

Offline twoodruff

  • Trade Count: (91)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 4687
  • Gender: Male
Re: Interconnects--How Important? Where to buy?
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2005, 02:55:56 PM »
the kimber pbjs are middle of the rad, there is a pair for sale in the yard sale

 :P
No Mics
Clamps
Cables
No Preamp
Recorders

Offline dnsacks

  • Trade Count: (9)
  • Taperssection All-Star
  • ****
  • Posts: 1640
Re: Interconnects--How Important? Where to buy?
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2005, 02:59:18 PM »
I was just going to post the same thing re the kimber pbj's -- If you were to pick those up and determine that they do make a difference, you could experiment with other avenues. 

Folks like leegeddy (sp?) and ed boardman at kindkables.com make nice upgrade interconnects using canare starquad cabling and quality terminations (switchcraft/neutrik) which would run a bit less than the pbjs and could also make a difference -- all depends on what you hear (or think you hear)  -- these can be homemade too, check out markertek.com, etc. for parts.

Speaker cables, again the sky's the limit -- folks seem happy with the improvement they notice from canare starquad speakercables too (ditto for cables made from home depot extension cords)


Offline nickgregory

  • Admitted Jeter Homer
  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 22376
  • Gender: Male
    • Hurricanes Insider
Re: Interconnects--How Important? Where to buy?
« Reply #6 on: February 24, 2005, 03:08:30 PM »
I have the canare speaker cables (4S-11 I believe) and it was a marked improvement from what I had before...

and I would also recommend legeddys stuff...I have made my own interconnects, and he does a much better job at a very reasonable cost...

Offline Nick Culbreth

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 3084
  • Gender: Male
Re: Interconnects--How Important? Where to buy?
« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2005, 03:35:57 PM »
I made my interconnects out of Belden 89207 cable and they were a substantial upgrade from the Monster and Radio Shack premium cables I had been using.  There are lots of good DIY cable recipes around, depending on how much you're willing to spend.  Check out:

http://www.geocities.com/jonrisch/cables.htm

http://www.venhaus1.com/

Offline ducati

  • Trade Count: (3)
  • Taperssection Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 572
  • I'm a llama!
Re: Interconnects--How Important? Where to buy?
« Reply #8 on: February 24, 2005, 04:08:07 PM »
There are tons of DIY recipes around...  Personally I buy off the shelf but that's because my local dealer always makes me killer deals on demo cables I would never plunk the cash down for at retail :)

I would certainly buy a pair of speaker cables and your most important interconnect (usually CDP to preamp, in your case I am assuming this will be a digital cable) and see what you think.  I used to think decent cables were just fine, but when I replaced my AudioQuest Type 4+ speaker cable with shotgunned Kimber 4TC and then MIT MH750 Biwire I was blown away...  I am a firm believer now!! 

Don't replace everything whole-hog, if you don't care about your cable/dss > receiver as much as your music, save your money there and put it into the two most important mentioned above.

As for power cables...  They can make a difference, but power conditioning is far more important IMO.

Offline Daryan

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Taperssection All-Star
  • ****
  • Posts: 1078
  • Gender: Male
Re: Interconnects--How Important? Where to buy?
« Reply #9 on: February 24, 2005, 04:10:00 PM »
Cables make a HUGE difference in my opinion.  Whether digital or analog, you will hear the differnce if you have the resolution in your system to reproduce it.  Analog cables vary so much from manufacturer to manufacturer that to reccomend one over another really won't tell you much anyway.  DIY is great for cables on the cheap, but that is about it.  Spend 30 hours making cat5 cables for speakers, and you get maybe a 100 dollar pair of speaker cables at best.  Take the Bolder m-80's vs. diy cat5 venhaus design.  The differnce in price was maybe 50 bucks when buying used, and the cables weren't even close when it came to detail, reproduction, speed etc.  Now, step up to the 550 dollar Nitro's, and again, a large improvement.  What I have found is the difference between 10 and 100 dollar cables is huge, anything above that and you are paying more for perfection than anything else.  Really a law of dimishing returns I would say.  Spend 200 bucks on IC's you will be very happy, spend 3 grand and you will be more happy, but was it worth the 2800 bucks?  Probably not, but you will hear a differnce.  I would compare this genre really to the ua-5/v3 debate.  Does the v3 sound better?  In most cases, I would answer yes.  Does it sound 700 dollars better, only you can decide that.  

While making your own cables is fun and rewarding, stepping up to something in the 150-200 range will make you much happier.  That said, IMHO, the best DIY IC's are the venhaus silver ones at the aforementioned website.  Easy to make, and they sound quite good.  Can you do better?  Let your ears decide.

D
Microtech Gefell 200/210->Zaolla Silverlines->Fostex FR-2 (oade modified plus other self mods)

Playback: Bolder modified Squeezebox SB3 (building linear power supply)->Bolder Cable Modified Panasonic XR-45 with bybee's->Bolder Nitro speaker cables->VMPS Audio super modified 626r's, VMPS Larger SUB, 1000w class AB sub amp
Tweaks: isolation and room treatments, silclear, BPT 1.5r Power Conditioner (modified), isoblocks, vibrapods, many others

Offline ducati

  • Trade Count: (3)
  • Taperssection Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 572
  • I'm a llama!
Re: Interconnects--How Important? Where to buy?
« Reply #10 on: February 24, 2005, 04:21:58 PM »
Search audioasylum for the Home Depot speaker cables DIY project.  TAS tested them against some decent cables and they weren't completely outclassed (especially for the price).

I should also mention that cables are kinda like tubes--what's good for one rig isn't at all good for another.  Use them to tweak your sound.  Some will call this heresy, akin to adding in tone controls  :o

Offline sygdwm

  • unknown sleath taper
  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 8747
  • Gender: Male
Re: Interconnects--How Important? Where to buy?
« Reply #11 on: February 24, 2005, 04:26:12 PM »
slight thread hijack, but would it be considered and upgrade to go from phoenix gold 12ga speaker wire> 14ga home depot cable? just curious. my ears are not golden fwiw.
mics: (4)akg c460b(a60,mk46,ck1x,ck1,ck2,ck3,ck61,ck63)
pres: oade m148/edirol wmod ua5
recorders: marantz stock671/oade acm671/fostex busman vintage fr2le

(P.S.: On a threaded discussion board like this one, there's no need to repeat someone's post when you reply to them; everyone can see all the messages in the thread.)

Offline nickgregory

  • Admitted Jeter Homer
  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 22376
  • Gender: Male
    • Hurricanes Insider
Re: Interconnects--How Important? Where to buy?
« Reply #12 on: February 24, 2005, 05:31:38 PM »
Cables make a HUGE difference in my opinion.  Whether digital or analog, you will hear the differnce if you have the resolution in your system to reproduce it.

what exactly do you hear different from different types of digital cables?  I can buy that argument that better digital cables will reduce data loss, but that is it.  You cant warm up a digital signal like you can an analog signal...

Offline Tim

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 32913
  • Gender: Male
Re: Interconnects--How Important? Where to buy?
« Reply #13 on: February 24, 2005, 05:41:41 PM »
Search audioasylum for the Home Depot speaker cables DIY project. TAS tested them against some decent cables and they weren't completely outclassed (especially for the price).

there's a thread on here about those cables... I use them for my speakers for right now
I’ve had a few weird experiences and a few close brushes with total weirdness of one sort or another, but nothing that’s really freaked me out or made me feel too awful about it. - Jerry Garcia

Offline macdaddy

  • Trade Count: (10)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 7657
Re: Interconnects--How Important? Where to buy?
« Reply #14 on: February 24, 2005, 09:13:58 PM »
you guys ever try those nitro cables - those things are big-bucks and outta my league, atm, but i wonder if they make a $300 difference...

and, nickgregory - i have the exact same understanding as you re: digital cables. but i am always open to learning something new. btw, what digital cables do you use..?
-macdaddy ++

akg c422 > s42 > lunatec v2 > ad2k+ > roland r-44

 

RSS | Mobile
Page created in 0.129 seconds with 40 queries.
© 2002-2024 Taperssection.com
Powered by SMF