Cables - one of the most taboo subjects in audio

spydrwebb44 said:
I use Analysis Plus cables, mainly because they're a local family nearby and a cottage effort that I want to see succeed.
I have no idea if their products make things "better" but they're incredibly friendly and not far down the road, and that works for me.

There definitely is a "proceed with caution" disclaimer that's often necessary when it comes to this topic.
However, I've never felt pressured into a decision by the AP team to upgrade to any of their products.
It's honestly more their lack of pressure that made them appealing, as well as being available to troubleshoot and have direct dialogue when needed/desired.
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AP cables can have capacitance as high as 100 pF/m. Be aware if you are using with a MM phono cartridge.
 
To illustrate how little I care about power cables on my turntables, I have a premium Luxman table plugged into this gizmo.

IMG_9425.jpeg

The turntable is a 100v unit and requires a 110v transformer to promote power supply longevity. The stock Luxman cable is quite nice, but the power cable on this transformer looks like it could be on a Walmart bed lamp. And it doesn’t matter.

The motor pulls less than 10W so the power draw is minimal and fairly constant. So, in essence, the power cable itself has an easy job. I did have a couple of issues early on with transformer hum, but that was resolved with routing to get rid of ground loops.

I’ve run the table with and without the transformer and heard no difference in the output - the motor is isolated electrically from the cartridge circuit (except for when a ground loop impacts the phono ground). My experience, YMMV.
 
ngower said:
I trust BJC (and now WBC) to make cables that won't fall apart (COUGH COUGH AUDIOQUEST). Beyond that, if I hear any more bullshit about transients and air, I may build my own murder dungeon.
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WBC is great. I had a pair where one of the heads was faulty and they sent me a replacement set, no questions asked. They also had me return the originals to them for analysis, but paid for the shipping.

I'm using several sets throughout my system.
 
For anyone in Britain or Europe I’ve started using this company more for my interconnects and power cable. They mainly work in the professional music sphere but they do offer hifi stuff at decent prices.

www.designacable.com

Designacable - Custom cables for audio, video, data and power

Custom Audio Video Data & Power Cables. Made by skilled technicians using the best components the world has to offer. Belden, Van Damme, Mogami, Sommer, Neutrik, Lemo........
www.designacable.com www.designacable.com
 
Got my table set up at the new condo and realized the aux cables hooking the table into my receiver are SUPER basic. Thoughts on if and what to I should upgrade them?
 
DownIsTheNewUp said:
Got my table set up at the new condo and realized the aux cables hooking the table into my receiver are SUPER basic. Thoughts on if and what to I should upgrade them?
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If there isn't any buzz or anything you don't really need to do anything. A ~1m Blue Jeans Cable LC-1 or World's Best Cable Mogami 2964 could both be had on Amazon for about $30 if you want a change.
 
DownIsTheNewUp said:
I know that speaker wires make a solid difference with sound. Is the same true of the aux cables?
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Short answer: not really.

The most significant area where cables can play a role is with respect to input capacitance, which can influence the sound of moving magnet carts (too much often results in undesired brightness). The two cables mentioned above are oft-recommended low capacitance cables that at least make sure your cables aren't doing ore harm than good.
 
ngower said:
Short answer: not really.

The most significant area where cables can play a role is with respect to input capacitance, which can influence the sound of moving magnet carts (too much often results in undesired brightness). The two cables mentioned above are oft-recommended low capacitance cables that at least make sure your cables aren't doing ore harm than good.
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Thanks. With all the purchases that go with a new home, i think I'm good to hold off for now.
 
I have to chime in here on speaker cables. In my experience, they can make a significant difference. My two primary speaker cables are Triode Wire Labs and Transparent Plus (Gen 5).

I just swapped out the Transparent cables for the Triode cables in my main system for the first time on my newish amp, and the result was dramatic. The soundstage shrunk by about 2 feet in all directions, but bass was noticeably deeper (tradeoffs!).

I've had basic Audioquest and Zu Audio speaker cables before, and couldn't tell the difference between the two. I also had a much less resolving system at that time.

Certainly some pieces of the puzzle are more impactful than others. I think it makes sense to focus on cables last, and to definitely experiment until you find something that sounds best to your ears and fits your budget.

Everyone's opinions and experiences here are valid and worth sharing as data points for others to consider. Not sure we should be implying something is inconsequential though, based off those limited personal experiences or pre conceived expectations.
 
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Splunders said:
I have to chime in here on speaker cables. In my experience, they can make a significant difference. My two primary speaker cables are Triode Wire Labs and Transparent Plus (Gen 5).

I just swapped out the Transparent cables for the Triode cables in my main system for the first time on my newish amp, and the result was dramatic. The soundstage shrunk by about 2 feet in all directions, but bass was noticeably deeper (tradeoffs!).

I've had basic Audioquest and Zu Audio speaker cables before, and couldn't tell the difference between the two. I also had a much less resolving system at that time.

Certainly some pieces of the puzzle are more impactful than others. I think it makes sense to focus on cables last, and to definitely experiment until you find something that sounds best to your ears and fits your budget.

Everyone's opinions and experiences here are valid and worth sharing as data points for others to consider. Not sure we should be implying something is inconsequential though, based off those limited personal experiences or pre conceived expectations.
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From an electrical engineering standpoint, there's just no science to back up a lot of the cable claims. I'm not going to tell someone how to spend their money, but as I said earlier in this thread: until someone can point out objective data that suggests your $1000 Transparent cables offer substantice differences over my ~$100 Canare, I'm fine throwing that savings elsewhere.
 
ngower said:
From an electrical engineering standpoint, there's just no science to back up a lot of the cable claims. I'm not going to tell someone how to spend their money, but as I said earlier in this thread: until someone can point out objective data that suggests your $1000 Transparent cables offer substantice differences over my ~$100 Canare, I'm fine throwing that savings elsewhere.
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Why will you believe numbers on paper over me telling you the difference is significantly audible in my particular setup? If the numbers on a piece of paper told you it should make a difference, but you didn't hear any, then what? Do you agree that one stereo can sound "warmer" than a different one? If so, which stats define warmth?

I'm not telling you or anyone else to go buy expensive cables, but to dismiss something because an engineer can't quantify it is just so limiting. And when thats the basis of your advice to others, its limiting them as well.
 
Splunders said:
Why will you believe numbers on paper over me telling you the difference is significantly audible in my particular setup? If the numbers on a piece of paper told you it should make a difference, but you didn't hear any, then what? Do you agree that one stereo can sound "warmer" than a different one? If so, which stats define warmth?

I'm not telling you or anyone else to go buy expensive cables, but to dismiss something because an engineer can't quantify it is just so limiting. And when thats the basis of your advice to others, its limiting them as well.
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Again, not dismissing your claims. Re-read my posts, they're consistently first-person.
 
I don’t say that speaker cables can’t make a difference, but if they do, they’re doing something they are not supposed to.

I had a pair of mid-range AQ once that sounded distinctly worse than simple copper zip cord.
 
Splunders said:
Why will you believe numbers on paper over me telling you the difference is significantly audible in my particular setup? If the numbers on a piece of paper told you it should make a difference, but you didn't hear any, then what? Do you agree that one stereo can sound "warmer" than a different one? If so, which stats define warmth?

I'm not telling you or anyone else to go buy expensive cables, but to dismiss something because an engineer can't quantify it is just so limiting. And when thats the basis of your advice to others, its limiting them as well.
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I get that perspective. I also know it’s engineers who are designing all the other components, so their expertise shouldn’t be dismissed either.

My mantra continues to be: buy what makes you happy! 😊
 
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