Cables - one of the most taboo subjects in audio

[mindhead1]

It has been a little more this year, but realistically I normally only change 1-2 things a year. Normally in Q1 after we've planned for the year and bonuses come in.

But I haven't changed any actual components in almost 5 years.

Cables at the price points you operate in qualify as gear IMO.

I recently tried using an I2S connection on a PS Audio DAC I recently acquired and it sounded awful compared to the USB connection. I used a random HDMI cable I had in my closet. I have a higher quality cable on order. I hope the cable is the issue because I2S is supposed to be the superior connection on the unit.

 

[displayname]

Cables at the price points you operate in qualify as gear IMO.

That’s fair, lol.

The way I look at is the existing gear + cable is still less than the next level equipment upgrade, so it’s more of a tweak. It’s also a foundation piece that can remain with me for future upgrades. But overall, much easier for me to justify because everything I would actually want to upgrade to is a larger financial leap.

 

[ngower]

If anyone wants to try Canare 4S11, put up my stock for sale in the sale thread. I like you guys better than SHF so if it's a matter of a few bucks talk to me and we can work something out.

 

[MikeH]

If anyone wants to try Canare 4S11, put up my stock for sale in the sale thread. I like you guys better than SHF so if it's a matter of a few bucks talk to me and we can work something out.

You only want a few bucks for them? Nice deal!

 

[tomheo]

Quick cable experiment update, going deeper into the speculative world of power cables. I currently have an Audioquest hurricane on my dac, and I decided I should try it on my Sutherland 20/20 LPS.
This was a good news/bad news outcome, speaking from terms of my wallet.

The bad news is this swap did make a difference. The biggest difference was everything was a little bigger and instrument separation was a little better.

The good news is that this was very close. More so than other cable swaps I've made, and certainly closer than adding the LPS. I will likely still make the cable upgrade at some point, but I'll be chasing other dragons. This will require the stars to align with a solid deal, money in the audio account, and having no other equipment that I'm honed in on adding. It's really getting to the point of squeezing out the last drop of existing equipment, and it only makes sense in my mind specific case when the jump up to the next level is a larger jump than I'm willing to make.

As a matter of fact, that's been a lot of this cable journey. Next level up in amp might be $4-5k+, so a cable upgrade for far less helps me sit pretty for awhile.

But in the mean time, I've got a new cartridge on deck, a new rack in the plans, probably a new streamer/DAC in there, and then I could start making the climb to new analog components.

That's funny, I just went through something similar. I've been thinking about upgrading the linear power supply (LPS) for my streamer (Sonore opticalRendu)...Sonore said you're pretty much hearing the LPS for their streamers. While researching power supplies, it dawned on me I need to buy a power cord as well. So just for fun, I took the Audioquest Monsoon from my phono preamp and plugged it into my existing LPS (the basic Small Green Computer LPS they used to provide). Holy #$%@, it was a dramatic difference! I always thought the digital part of my system sounded thin in the mids...but after the cable swap, it sounds very close to my analog.

I ended up ordering another Monsoon cable to power my streamer (and also ordered a DC cable from Ghent Audio to see how much that changes things)...I'm not sure how much better it can get if I swap out the LPS, but I was really surprised. It was a similar experience when I put on an AQ Tornado on my PrimaLuna...I keep thinking the power cords won't make a difference but in my experience, it's been drastic.

 

[Angsty]

 

[Ghost]

@Mather they're sending me some Events hehehehe, you're a legend

 

[Angsty]

@Mather they're sending me some Events hehehehe, you're a legend

I’m not even a cable guy and I think this is a score! Well done.

 

[Mather]

@Mather they're sending me some Events hehehehe, you're a legend

If there's one thing I'm good at, for better or worse, it's talking. Glad my speech helped get you some sweet free shit. You getting speaker cables or RCAs? Or both?

 

[displayname]

If there's one thing I'm good at, for better or worse, it's talking. Glad my speech helped get you some sweet free shit. You getting speaker cables or RCAs? Or both?

I have the same question

 

[Ghost]

If there's one thing I'm good at, for better or worse, it's talking. Glad my speech helped get you some sweet free shit. You getting speaker cables or RCAs? Or both?

I have the same question

I requested speaker cables, but I'll settle for a power cable for my amp if they change their mind (I asked for 15 foot cables). They're sending a pair of events with this fancy connector bit that plugs into a special hole in the back of my Supremes lol.

 

[Joe Mac]

I requested speaker cables, but I'll settle for a power cable for my amp if they change their mind (I asked for 15 foot cables). They're sending a pair of events with this fancy connector bit that plugs into a special hole in the back of my Supremes lol.View attachment 229410

Ah a speakon connector. REL uses those on their subs for the high level connection. It’s a satisfyingly solid locked connector. Fuck all idea if it makes any kind of difference beyond that!

 

[Angsty]

Ah a speakon connector. REL uses those on their subs for the high level connection. It’s a satisfyingly solid locked connector. Fuck all idea if it makes any kind of difference beyond that!

Speakons often make a more secure and superior electrical connection, if you can use them.

 

[Mather]

Omg I'm so excited. I get to post in the cable thread and it's an actual post about an actual question, not just me being a dumbass and screaming "CABLES!" over and over again.

So... with the new amp incoming I will now have the option of going XLR balanced between my amp and stage. I've never had balanced cables on anything other than IEMs. My question is, what does this bring to the table sound wise (in theory)? And is there anything I need to look at in terms of my current gear that will tell me whether this is a good or bad idea? Specs ohms MATH!? I can get a matched pair of XLRs that are identical to the rest of my cables on Audiomart for relatively cheap so it should be easy to keep everything in the same house. Thoughts?

 

[Joe Mac]

Omg I'm so excited. I get to post in the cable thread and it's an actual post about an actual question, not just me being a dumbass and screaming "CABLES!" over and over again.

So... with the new amp incoming I will now have the option of going XLR balanced between my amp and stage. I've never had balanced cables on anything other than IEMs. My question is, what does this bring to the table sound wise (in theory)? And is there anything I need to look at in terms of my current gear that will tell me whether this is a good or bad idea? Specs ohms MATH!? I can get a matched pair of XLRs that are identical to the rest of my cables on Audiomart for relatively cheap so it should be easy to keep everything in the same house. Thoughts?

It carries a stronger single so it will be louder and as such is more amenable to longer runs.

It is also eliminates noise in that connection because of the way it works. Provided your RCA is sub 3m, ideally shorter again, and you’re getting no hum from that particular connection there is no appreciable sound difference besides louder.

 

[Mather]

It carries a stronger single so it will be louder and as such is more amenable to longer runs.

It is also eliminates noise in that connection because of the way it works. Provided your RCA is sub 3m, ideally shorter again, and you’re getting no hum from that particular connection there is no applicable sound difference besides louder.

Hmmm, at 400 watts I highly doubt I'm gunna need louder... RCAs are 1.5 m.

 

[Joe Mac]

Hmmm, at 400 watts I highly doubt I'm gunna need louder... RCAs are 1.5 m.

Honestly unless you just want to sate curiosity or you have an annoying hum on that connection I’d not bother. And that’s as someone with two XLR runs in his system.

 

[ngower]

cables cables cables cables cables cables cables

 

[Mather]

Honestly unless you just want to sate curiosity or you have an annoying hum on that connection I’d not bother. And that’s as someone with two XLR runs in his system.

Well the thing here is. I will need another RCA regardless, because unless I want to unplug my speakers and plug into the new amp every time I listen to music upstairs, I will need to connect them with HT bypass until I can get everything into the basement. So I figured well, if I need another RCA I might as well just use the RCA I'm currently using for the amp to stage connection and just replace that with the same brand XLR. As I think that would be a better buy than getting another of the same RCA. But I could also just buy a cheap replacement like a Blue Jeans or something until I move the system down and take the good one downstairs.

 

[Joe Mac]

Well the thing here is. I will need another RCA regardless, because unless I want to unplug my speakers and plug into the new amp every time I listen to music upstairs, I will need to connect them with HT bypass until I can get everything into the basement. So I figured well, if I need another RCA I might as well just use the RCA I'm currently using for the amp to stage connection and just replace that with the same brand XLR. As I think that would be a better buy than getting another of the same RCA.

Sure why not then. Nothing to lose.