What are you using for Cables?

c1ferrari

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 15, 2010
2,162
51
1,770
AudioQuest Sky 72 DBS XLR's -- phono stage to pre, DAC to pre, pre to active external crossovers
Synergistic Research Tesla Tricon -- tt to phono stage
Tara Labs 0.8 AES/EBU -- CD transport to DAC
Mogami 2534 Neglex XLR's -- 25' run from R2R to pre
Cardas Golden Cross XLR's -- active crossover to amps
Alpha Core Goertz AG2 Veracity -- monoblocks to speakers

-Sam
 

RogerD

VIP/Donor
May 23, 2010
3,734
318
565
BiggestLittleCity
NBS cables

Speaker: Master IV
Subwoofer: Acoustic Zen Absolute
Preamp to amplifier: NBS Statement IC, PC's Statement preamp, Amps Master
DAC to preamp: NBS Pro IV IC's, DAC PC Statement
Crossover: NBS Master IV IC's
DAC to transport: Nirvana Audio digital transmission
Transport: NBS Statement PC
Tuner: NBS Master IV IC's
NBS black box

The only future upgrade will probably be to go from the Pro IV to NBS Statement IC's from DAC to preamp.
 

naturephoto1

Member
May 24, 2010
820
7
16
Breinigsville, PA
www.nelridge.com
I use mainly TimePortal and some King cables (both made by VALAB in Taipei) for Balanced and Single ended ICs, Coax, special ICs for RCA to Balanced Cables (including a one of a kind between my Soundsmith Stain Gauge 410 and Audio Research LS10). Speaker cables are mostly TimePortal and some King (both made by VALAB in Taipei). I also use some some Time Portal and King cables (again both by VALAB in Taipei) for some power cords. Most Power Cords are Analysis Plus Oval 2s with Oyaide 079 ends. I also have a special Power Cable made with MIT wire with the same 079 Oyaide ends. I also use Wireworld cables for HDMI as well as Composite cables. Finally, I have a special Balanced (AES/EBU) digital cable made with military wire.

Rich
 

MylesBAstor

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
11,236
81
1,725
New York City
Being a reviewer, have an assortment of cables laying around to aid in the reviewing process. Among the cables in house include:

MIT Oracle MA-X IC and Oracle MA phono (thanks to Scott W here for the loan)
Transparent Audio Reference MM2 IC and speaker cables
CRL Gold IC, phono and speaker cables
AudioQuest Bill Low Sig IC and biwired K2 speaker cables (all 72 V DBS)
Dynastrand IC for r2r
Cardas GR balanced to SE IC for r2r
Asterope ICs

One of these days, hope to get the KS IC and speaker cables in to listen to also.
 

ggendel

New Member
May 26, 2010
17
1
1
I'm going to be the spoilsport in the bunch...

Bottom line is that I picked up a roll of outdoor low-voltage lighting wire that looks like fat lamp cord for my speaker runs. This stuff is 12 gauge stranded and cost me about 13 cents/foot. My own blind-listening tests, the work done by Nelson Pass, and my EE education has led me to the following conclusion...

If the resistance is low enough, then nothing else really matters.
 

Fred

Well-Known Member
May 31, 2010
296
5
365
Covington, LA
Time Portal solid core silver IC's and Valab King Cable silver speaker cable. Very good quality and sound at affordable prices.
 

markc2

New Member
May 12, 2010
22
0
0
TX
P.A.D Aqueous Anniversary for speaker cable and interconnect between amp/pre. Magnan between phono stage and pre. Just the linn regular phono cable.

Mark
 

trh8654

Well-Known Member
May 29, 2010
88
1
351
Virginia
Van Den Hul Orchid xlr, from TT to phonostage
Audioquest Skys (all xlr) from phono > preamp, CDP > preamp, preamp > amplifiers
Audioquest Mont Blanc speaker cable
Shunyata Diamonback power cords
 

mullard88

Well-Known Member
Jun 5, 2010
948
62
1,588
For interconnects, I have MIT Oracle, Sensory Power, and Inex. For speaker cables, I have MIT Oracle and Van den hul.
 

The Smokester

Well-Known Member
Jun 7, 2010
347
1
925
N. California
Van den hul, Graham Engineering or Harmonic Technology "Magic" phono cable
Harmonic Technology "Magic" Interconnects
Monster Shotgunned Speaker cables
 
I use various Van den Hul all purchased before I tried some DIY speaker solutions that produced no different result (other than kicking myself re the cost) including CAT6 network and household wiring cable types - all good on the speakers. But the Van Den Hul interconnects for the black boxes sure made a difference as did the turntable wiring.
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,806
4,698
2,790
Portugal
Being a reviewer, have an assortment of cables laying around to aid in the reviewing process. Among the cables in house include:
One of these days, hope to get the KS IC and speaker cables in to listen to also.

Just burning in some KS 3038 and a few pairs of KS1136 - I will post findings after they reach 200 hours.
 

jadis

Well-Known Member
Apr 28, 2010
12,352
5,470
2,810
Manila, Philippines
My ICs have been MIT 330 Shotguns from the 90s. I have a 10m Monster Cable Reference A IC running between my power and pre amps. And my speaker cables are Symo from Switzerland, beautiful match for my Maggies.
 

RBFC

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
5,158
46
1,225
Albuquerque, NM
www.fightingconcepts.com
My ICs have been MIT 330 Shotguns from the 90s. I have a 10m Monster Cable Reference A IC running between my power and pre amps. And my speaker cables are Symo from Switzerland, beautiful match for my Maggies.

Jason Bloom & Leo Spiegel made me a custom set of 4 ft. pairs of Symo cables for my biamped big Apogee panels. They were great cables and sounded better to my ears than the MIT speaker cables I was using previously.

Lee
 

jadis

Well-Known Member
Apr 28, 2010
12,352
5,470
2,810
Manila, Philippines
Jason Bloom & Leo Spiegel made me a custom set of 4 ft. pairs of Symo cables for my biamped big Apogee panels. They were great cables and sounded better to my ears than the MIT speaker cables I was using previously.

Lee

That's right, Lee. Great cables, specially for Apogees, that's why Jason Bloom was the importer of Symo then. It matches well with ribbons, I heard then. A friend lent me his pair and I immediately found it synergizing well with my quasi ribbon Maggies. Previously, I was using Straight Wire Virtuosos.
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
12,308
1,425
1,820
Manila, Philippines
Whatever happened to Symo?

Jadis' system and room is one of the best $ for $ systems I've heard. It is an example I often use when discussing how one can get heavenly sound using experience, know-how and elbow grease instead of trying to buy performance. Jadis "downgraded" his system from ultra expensive gear and one of the giant loudspeaker kings of the time to what he has now. The sound he achieved however was an "upgrade" of major proportions for his favorite musical genres. The Symo cables' synergy with Jadis' Maggies and amp plays a big part of this.

I own a pair of Ambience Reference 1600 ribbon speakers and I think, like the Symo's do with Maggies and Apogees, they might do well with them.
 

jadis

Well-Known Member
Apr 28, 2010
12,352
5,470
2,810
Manila, Philippines
Whatever happened to Symo?

Jadis' system and room is one of the best $ for $ systems I've heard. It is an example I often use when discussing how one can get heavenly sound using experience, know-how and elbow grease instead of trying to buy performance. Jadis "downgraded" his system from ultra expensive gear and one of the giant loudspeaker kings of the time to what he has now. The sound he achieved however was an "upgrade" of major proportions for his favorite musical genres. The Symo cables' synergy with Jadis' Maggies and amp plays a big part of this.

I own a pair of Ambience Reference 1600 ribbon speakers and I think, like the Symo's do with Maggies and Apogees, they might do well with them.

Thanks for the kind words, Jack. I am always gratified when audio buddies/visitors give me positive feedback with my audio works and tweaks. I have no idea now what happened to Symo the company. I have never found the company on the web, nor anywhere, except that I knew it was distributed by Jason Bloom of Apogee. This particular model is the LS5-SX and I got it from fatwyre.com (The Cable Company) many years ago. And yes, I believe it will do well with the Ambience ribbons.
 

muralman1

New Member
Jul 7, 2010
479
0
0
Sacramento Ca
Speaker cables of my own making. The positive cable is made of all 9's copper ribbon .003". The negative cable is made of industrial strength aluminum foil, somewhat wider. I sandwich these between a thinner tape that blocks charge. These are run straight, short and separate.

For ICs, I haven't found any reason so far to replace the Speltz ICs. I have an idea that might put the ICs in a drawer.

Power cables are made of fully shielded Belden wire, an Marinko plugs.
 

DWR

New Member
Jul 26, 2010
262
10
0
Western burbs of Detroit
Nothing expensive, Clear Day Silver speaker cables, Clear Day Silver IC preamp to amp, DAC to preamp, Phono preamp to amp, the rest Audioquest King Cobra. The most expensive cable I have is a PS Audio power cord on my preamp, the rest of the power cords are Signal Cable. On my subwoofers I use 12ga oxygen free copper by AR that I put my own terminals on. I also run a pair of Speltz anti IC with XLRs and a pair of Straightwire Maestros XLR between my sub crossover and amps.
 

Jimna

New Member
Jul 8, 2010
47
1
0
Denver CO
www.flickr.com
Just finished up a set of SC made from cat3, should equal 9 gauge (8 runs of cat3), and like all my cables I used quality connectors and craftsmanship to give them a boutique look. Those are replacing a set of Segue Dogstar Silvers, which I found to be to thin for this rig.

All my IC are mine too. Hell even my mic cables in my recording rig are mostly my Phatman Silver cables, a self named product. I use both silver and copper depending on application.

Most recording studio engineers will tell you half of what your favorite albums are comprised of was captured on DIY cabling of some type. I find it hard to believe that 5k cables bring anything to the table that well done DIY can't, other than a placebo effect.
 

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