rikhav
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I doubt anyone dealer in India will give a cable for demo for some days.
Also does termination plays a part in the final sound signature of a cable?
Which Speaker cable to buy from U.S ?
- Thread starter navinsundar
- Start date
I doubt anyone dealer in India will give a cable for demo for some days.
Also does termination plays a part in the final sound signature of a cable?
madbullram
Well-Known Member
Quick Update: I had dropped into reddy's house for a impromptu listening session. We heard few tracks in Dali bookshelves, Rotel integrated, and CA CDP. I just listened to Lagan with a run of the mill street ICs and Nordost.
The little I heard, I loved the Nordost, its opened up the entire music bandwidth and also the bell chimes where crisp and clear and so was the drums. Even my wife loved it.
I would love to do a A/B between my belden IC and Nordost and also the NAD/Rotel. Nice ones at premium cost, will see if Reddy can loan me on for a day so can do a A/B in at my house with my tracks and my humble setup
The little I heard, I loved the Nordost, its opened up the entire music bandwidth and also the bell chimes where crisp and clear and so was the drums. Even my wife loved it.
I would love to do a A/B between my belden IC and Nordost and also the NAD/Rotel. Nice ones at premium cost, will see if Reddy can loan me on for a day so can do a A/B in at my house with my tracks and my humble setup
reignofchaos
Well-Known Member
Most good dealers are willing to offer cables on demo. Every cable I've purchased has been demoed in my setup before purchase.
rikhav
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Hi ROC
Frankly never knew dealers do offer cables for demo. Will keep this in mind.
longshanks
Well-Known Member
Add me to that list of people with ears full of wax
cause Nordost has impressed me very much in the few system ive heard em.these are the reviewers who i guess u say have ears full of wax along with me
Stereophile: Nordost Valhalla interconnect & speaker cable
SoundStage! Equipment Review - Nordost Valhalla Interconnects and Speaker Cables (4/2004)
StereoTimes -- Nordost?s Valhalla Cables
Nordost Valhalla Interconnect and Speaker Cable by Bob Neill
AudiogoN Reviews: Nordost Valhalla Interconnect
Review: Nordost Valhalla power cord - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio
have you used or listened to a system with Synergistic research cables? if yes, then whats your take on them? I ve heard a few synergistic research cables and liked em very much, even their cheap Alpha Quad cables.
i absolutely don't believe in reviews, but here in the case of nordost cables i have to agree with most of the reviewers cause I have experienced most of of the characteristics what they have mentioned in the reviews with my well cleaned ears
. I do trust my ears.Cables are again system specific like someone mentioned here,it is also definitely listener specific cause i guess no two people hear alike.
So try and it in your system before buying, a long time ago did the mistake of buying cables with some input from who use them, ended up with a stack of cables and finally had to sell them cheap and free.
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Well, all Belden claims is that their cables are well made and meet specifications for a very long time. In other words, the sound that the cable carries will not change very quickly, if at all. We all worry about oxydisation and other effects of nature on cables leading to degradation of sound. That, Belden claims, will not happen with their cables.
Cheers
I have to pitch in support for Nordost - I have Blue heaven in my system both IC's and spkr cables that replaced PS audio and kimber heros and I absolutely love them. I concur that cables are quite system specific though.
Cheers
Sid
Cheers
Sid
How about Shunyata Research cables? Has anyone heard them?
I have a pair of shunyata diamondback power cables - just entry level - cost about $200 ea., but for source components and pre-amps I found them to be very good VFM. I plan to upgrade to the higher venom series for my power amp down the road. Not heard their IC's and spkr. cables though - they have been getting good reviews.
Cheers
Sid
Ya loads of cables from Shunyata & from loads of other manufacturers get the signal across POINT IS ONE HAS TO TRY THEM IN THE SET UP as each cable sounds different to different ears & in different set ups.
I didn't like the Nordorst (never heard the Valhalla as thats out of my budget) but I do like the Kimbers that ROC says is as good as any Rs 100 per metre cable!!!
Cables are important as finally they are the medium of transfer but off late too much importance is given to this subject and Cos are really creating an unneccesary buzz about the virtues of their products.
Well Specified cables from any manufacturer should get the job done in most cases.
Well I have a Shunyata Venom power cord but at the moment am not using it as I prefer a much cheaper power cord on the Accuphase amp!
Rgds
Hi navin,
As Magma mentioned I have the Kimber 4 TC and the 8TC BUT I DO NOT HAVE THE DALI IKONS.
U are certain u want to biwire the Dalis? Some speakers demand it where as some dont even if they have the option.
Anyway these kimbers are no longer VFM IMO. The 4TC is Rs 750 per FOOT and the 8TC is double that.
They are ALL COPPER with the 4TC being 13 AWG & the 8TC being 9AWG.
The common practice earlier for most B&W s were to biwire using the 4 on the HF and the 8 on the LF and I have had these and tons of other cables from various cos for ages.
U MUST AUDITION BEFORE U BUY and if thats possible then I suggest U dont buy as anyone s observations/ recommendations are NOT BASED ON YOUR SET UP and IN YOUR ROOM.
Rgds
shaizada
Active Member
I firmly believe that no system can completely bring out what the recording engineer intended one to hear, also there is no neutral setup in existence AFAIK.
I do understand and agree that you have highly capable setup which can clearly differentiate between recordings.
From my experience with Nordost cables (from blue heaven and up) with different setups have always made me feel that they open the components and make them reveal their characteristics more than most of the cables are capable of. Have also compared them with many other cables and some were uber expensive.
Have not come across any system which got the edginess in its sonic signature due to nordost cables, but have experienced them revealing bad components.
I am not a big fan of their power cables.
If i do come across any decent setup which sounded bad after the addition of nordost cable then i will definitely share it with you.
Thanks for your insight
Cheers.
Wow, this thread developed too far without participation from me
About the first comment, I actually had a good record engineering friend come over with masterings that he created. He played them on my setup and told me "That is EXACTLY how I mastered them and intend to hear them when played back". His words which really made my day...as my goal of getting the system to play back the intention of the recorder's idea is what I set out to accomplish.
Having said that, my system is actually VERY revealing which ends up limiting what I can play and enjoy. In that sense, I shot myself in the foot, but thats ok. I feel that much closer to the recording and the intent.
Also, the cable I have most experience with in the Nordost lineup is the Valhalla. Apart from power cords, signal cables, I've even experienced it as a tone arm cable in my VPI tonearm. In every case, it tilted my system to the cooler side of neutral WITHOUT FAIL. That can be interpreted as "revealing" and "transparent" etc., but I KNOW that it is spotlighting certain frequencies over others. It can easily make a system sound revealing and transparent. However, it can ALSO upset the balance of a neutral system and I hope you can see why that is this case. I think we BOTH agree to the general character of the cable, just we are seeing it under different lights.
Anyhow, about your comment regarding reviewers etc, man they sure get good equipment but have you EVER seen their rooms? In every magazine, every review I've read be it from Stereophile, Absolute Sound, whatever....they NEVER show their rooms. I MUCH rather prefer Japanese reviews (though I don't understand a single sentence in Kanji), as they show HOW the equipment is used, where it is placed and even other components that are SIMILAR in functionality to the equipment they are reviewing. Now THAT makes much more sense as it lets the reader relate.
What the hec does an "associated equipment" page at the end of the review do any good to the reader? It read just like what it is....a stagnant list.
So again, I maintain, Valhalla cables are just too sharp and trebly for my tastes and the kind of systems I like to build and listen to. They MIGHT be someone else's gold, but they are completely USELESS in my world.
In fact, if adding the Valhalla cable makes my system synergy better and more "right", I know I screwed up in matching the components etc.
shaizada
Active Member
square_wave
Well-Known Member
What has the Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance got to do with system synergy and wire compatibility?
I have tried all sorts of Belden in my system. They are okay. Nothing special !
Specs has nothing to do with how a component will sound in a system. It is like saying the latest cd player from Cambridge audio will sound far better than a meridian from the 90s because the CA has better specs on paper !
shaizada
Active Member
Transistors and chips measure better than any tube can ever wish for. Yet why do we like the sound of tubes? It has all this distortion, yet our ear likes it 
Specs really are a guideline for us...but our ears can easily tell us otherwise.
I'm with Square_wave on this particular point.
Specs really are a guideline for us...but our ears can easily tell us otherwise.
I'm with Square_wave on this particular point.
navinsundar
Member
How is Furutech U4.1?
shaizada
Active Member
U4.1 is excellent quality copper and I LOVE it's sound. It is OFC copper, but I really prefer Furutech's OCC cable. OCC is the way to go and it is quite cheap as well when bought off a spool rather than a properly terminated Furutech cable from factory.
Nonetheless, U4.1 is DAMN good cable regardless of price. I'm guessing you are planning to bi-wire your speakers then
Nonetheless, U4.1 is DAMN good cable regardless of price. I'm guessing you are planning to bi-wire your speakers then
Hi Navin,
How much do they cost? I have no experience with their cables, but if I can judge any Furutech by the performance of their AC male plugs and IEC connectors (for example the FI-11 Gold), they stand for true quality.
Regards.
What has the Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance got to do with system synergy and wire compatibility?
I have tried all sorts of Belden in my system. They are okay. Nothing special !
Specs has nothing to do with how a component will sound in a system. It is like saying the latest cd player from Cambridge audio will sound far better than a meridian from the 90s because the CA has better specs on paper !
I was just commenting on the reaction to the use of Belden cables. I have personally heard the Belden speaker cables used on a Primare system driving Audience 52 speakers. Frankly, between that and a 1.5 lakh VDH cable, I could not make out any difference. If at all, the Belden seemed to carry more data and had a larger sound stage. Ultimately, I agree that all these discussions are very subjective and the decisions are very personal.
The part of the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is was referring to is this. There are two guys who are travelling long distance by BMW motorcycle. The bike breaks down, and the owner start fretting. The rider, a mechanic, thinks of a an easy solution using a foil from a cigarette pack. The owner is shocked at the solution. Saying he will only fit original parts, he prefers to wait in the middle of nowhere and spend a huge amount waiting for the part to be delivered. The riders solution could have taken him to the next mechanic shop for a proper job.
Regarding the CD player, I am dying to try out the new 650C from CA. I believe it will be fantastic !! Whether it beats a Meridian or not is a different question.
Specifications may not be everything. But without specs, life would be in chaos all the time. It will like putting a square plug into a round nut.
Cheers
Was going thru the thread and read various comments.
In my opinion Cables are very very important. They can change or take your system to another level.
It appears many friends think investing in cables is not correct as cheaper cables can sound as good as the costlier ones or the difference is not that much. This is not correct.
CABLES CAN MAKE HUGE---HUGE DIFFERENCE DEPENDING ON YOUR SYSTEM.
I agree prices of good cables is ridiculously high and there is no justification between cost of production and selling price.
But that is how High end audio works. My friend says high end audio is where 25cents record cleaning brush is sold for 25 dollars. And Audiophiles are prepared to buy these products not once but many time in their lifetime at very very high prices. So you are being consistently fooled because of your love for music. It is like an emotional black mailing.
Coming to good cheaper cables I can recommend Kimber 8 TC or 12 TC (new model good for biwiring) and HERO Interconnect
Transparent Cables THE WAVE speaker cables $200 and THE LINK Interconnect $85
ANTI Cables from USA both Speaker and Interconnects. Anti cables don't have shielding. They just have coating of Varnish or something like that.
Nordost Blue Heaven Interconnect and speaker cables.
Cardas cables lower range interconnects are good too.
Cord cables from UK
Homegrown Silver cables from USA can do DIY also.
When considering cables your system matching is important. If your system is very moderate then no need to buy expensive cables as you cannot extract maximum from the cables. But in high end system Cables can make or break a system.
Do not invest too much on POWER CORD. BUT A DECENT POWER CORD IS A MUST. BELDEN Makes very good power cord as Venkat suggested buy you have to buy and put your own plugs. WATTGATE ARE BEST. USING A WATTGATE WALL RECETOR IS A MUST THOUGH VERY EXPENSIVE.
I have many makes of very good interconnects and speaker cables if any one interested can contact and try them before deciding.
Thanks
SKR
In my opinion Cables are very very important. They can change or take your system to another level.
It appears many friends think investing in cables is not correct as cheaper cables can sound as good as the costlier ones or the difference is not that much. This is not correct.
CABLES CAN MAKE HUGE---HUGE DIFFERENCE DEPENDING ON YOUR SYSTEM.
I agree prices of good cables is ridiculously high and there is no justification between cost of production and selling price.
But that is how High end audio works. My friend says high end audio is where 25cents record cleaning brush is sold for 25 dollars. And Audiophiles are prepared to buy these products not once but many time in their lifetime at very very high prices. So you are being consistently fooled because of your love for music. It is like an emotional black mailing.
Coming to good cheaper cables I can recommend Kimber 8 TC or 12 TC (new model good for biwiring) and HERO Interconnect
Transparent Cables THE WAVE speaker cables $200 and THE LINK Interconnect $85
ANTI Cables from USA both Speaker and Interconnects. Anti cables don't have shielding. They just have coating of Varnish or something like that.
Nordost Blue Heaven Interconnect and speaker cables.
Cardas cables lower range interconnects are good too.
Cord cables from UK
Homegrown Silver cables from USA can do DIY also.
When considering cables your system matching is important. If your system is very moderate then no need to buy expensive cables as you cannot extract maximum from the cables. But in high end system Cables can make or break a system.
Do not invest too much on POWER CORD. BUT A DECENT POWER CORD IS A MUST. BELDEN Makes very good power cord as Venkat suggested buy you have to buy and put your own plugs. WATTGATE ARE BEST. USING A WATTGATE WALL RECETOR IS A MUST THOUGH VERY EXPENSIVE.
I have many makes of very good interconnects and speaker cables if any one interested can contact and try them before deciding.
Thanks
SKR
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