Cables for Wilson?

Pierre

New Member
Jun 18, 2012
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0
0
Denmark
Hi

I`m begining to look for the "right" set of speaker and IC cables for my setup.

So i would like to know with cables that are known to work good with Wilson Speakers and if you have experience with cables on Wilson together with Pass Labs also, what would be great.

Right now, am i using a bit of everything and problery not het best for this setup. But i´m using what i had in the box ;) Yter speaker, Telluriun Q IC and Mundorf DIY IC.

So what are known to work well with Wilson and Pass?



Pierre
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
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Hi Pierre,

Nice system!! As you may already know, Wilson uses Transparent Audio cables inside their speakers...and have done so for 20 years. No doubt, there are many great cables to be used with Wilsons (our host, Steve Williams, uses Nordost Valhalla to great effect). However, i can also say many Wilson members here use Transparent to great effect...myself included. Personally, i have found i like their Reference level and above...i have not tried their newer Ultras much, but the few times i used the older ones, i was not as much a fan, finding it much harder to get the system to provide the 'snap' i wanted...and i did not wish to take the time to recalibrate the rest of the system to do it.

So for me, i have enjoyed TA cables in my system for 10+ years consecutively, have found no desire to explore further any other cables which i have since heard, and continued to upgrade within the TA family, now at TA RefMM (MM2) on ICs and looking at some point to upgrade my TA Ref XL MM2 speaker cables to RefMM (MM2) or Opus (MM2)...second hand. Note somewhat similar to your Pass, i use Gryphon amplification which is pure Class A.

Hope that helps. Good luck and enjoy your system.
 

Bruce B

WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
Apr 25, 2010
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www.pugetsoundstudios.com
Well I got my Alexia's and wanted to know what or if I was missing anything. I had a whole TA Opus system built for my Pass/Wilson system and used it for about a month.
Needless to say, I didn't like it. Seemed as if everything was attenuated. Everything became dark and lifeless. I'm scared to try something else for fear of not liking it and losing $$. The TA system was over $100k!!
I'm using JPS Labs Aluminata and have been for 8yr. now and love them!
 

alfa100

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2014
262
49
258
South Africa
I have the Sasha and Pass Labs Xa 30.5 . All my cable is Transparent Audio ref with mm2.
I tried the speaker cable first and could not part with it so I paid for the demo pair as they were already run in and a few months old.
i tried Kimber, Audioquest, Acoustic system liveline reference,wireworld,and Nordost.
some sounded more lively but after a few hours of listening sounded bright.
Transparent has all the detail and handles low frequencies best. non fatiguing.

i then tried diferent ICs.
i found Transparent Audio reference with mm2 best for my budget .Pass labs is fully balanced so i chose XLR.
 

jfrech

VIP/Donor
Sep 3, 2012
2,152
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Austin
Well I got my Alexia's and wanted to know what or if I was missing anything. I had a whole TA Opus system built for my Pass/Wilson system and used it for about a month.
Needless to say, I didn't like it. Seemed as if everything was attenuated. Everything became dark and lifeless. I'm scared to try something else for fear of not liking it and losing $$. The TA system was over $100k!!
I'm using JPS Labs Aluminata and have been for 8yr. now and love them!

I am not sure those Opus were fully broken in...mine seem to take 8+ weeks 24x7 playing. The resolution and air along with being able to breath seem to be what takes the longest on break in...
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
2,509
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I am not sure those Opus were fully broken in...mine seem to take 8+ weeks 24x7 playing. The resolution and air along with being able to breath seem to be what takes the longest on break in...

I've broken in TA twice over the years, and both times it was very good out of the box, then got better/worse over the next few weeks, then there was actually a bad period where it got muddy and a bit sterile/stiff, and then it opened up with all the well-known bass detail/power but also open-throated treble, mids towards the end of the break-in and stayed that way.
 

Sharp 1080

Member
Apr 20, 2010
284
9
18
Dallas,Texas
Thanks JFrech, and LL21. I myself look forward to hear the changes during break in. I am picking up a brand new set of Reference speaker cables (Gen5) today. If the delivery is on time! My first reference addition to my system. So most of you sped up the process by playing music constantly thru them? I'm going to try the Purist Audio disc and see if it helps.
 

jfrech

VIP/Donor
Sep 3, 2012
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Austin
Thanks JFrech, and LL21. I myself look forward to hear the changes during break in. I am picking up a brand new set of Reference speaker cables (Gen5) today. If the delivery is on time! My first reference addition to my system. So most of you sped up the process by playing music constantly thru them? I'm going to try the Purist Audio disc and see if it helps.

First congrats...GREAT cables !! I have the Purist break in cd also...it seems to help some...I'd listen to music while you can...put the breakin cd on according to the directions. play once low volume...then play 4 times low volume maybe while you sleep...then back to music 24x7 for a while. You should like your cables out of the box...but they'll get a LOT better over the next month or 2...

If you have a tube amp...you might want to use a older set of tubes....
 

Sharp 1080

Member
Apr 20, 2010
284
9
18
Dallas,Texas
First congrats...GREAT cables !! I have the Purist break in cd also...it seems to help some...I'd listen to music while you can...put the breakin cd on according to the directions. play once low volume...then play 4 times low volume maybe while you sleep...then back to music 24x7 for a while. You should like your cables out of the box...but they'll get a LOT better over the next month or 2...

If you have a tube amp...you might want to use a older set of tubes....


I dream of using all tube amps in my system, not with occasional multichannel playback of movies. I'm using my Levinson 335 solid state which is designated Lo Z. The certificate is a cool touch with the build specification on it. I had a senior moment connecting the stereo pair. Prior to powering up the amp I looked and the logos were backwards according to installation instructions. It turns out I had the left and right reversed! Swapped them and all is good, no problem with the center channel hookup. ;)
Playing music through my satellite provider right now and will listen more critically tonight with my assorted discs. Then at bedtime I'll run the Purist disc. It does seem to have a lower noise floor, I guess it is true as you and others have posted on here before. The higher level cables seem unbelievably quiet? Or am I high?
 
Last edited:

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
2,509
1,448
Thanks JFrech, and LL21. I myself look forward to hear the changes during break in. I am picking up a brand new set of Reference speaker cables (Gen5) today. If the delivery is on time! My first reference addition to my system. So most of you sped up the process by playing music constantly thru them? I'm going to try the Purist Audio disc and see if it helps.

Congrats!!! big news!!! Look forward to your further comments...enjoy!
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
2,509
1,448
I dream of using all tube amps in my system, not with occasional multichannel playback of movies. I'm using my Levinson 335 solid state which is designated Lo Z. The certificate is a cool touch with the build specification on it. I had a senior moment connecting the stereo pair. Prior to powering up the amp I looked and the logos were backwards according to installation instructions. It turns out I had the left and right reversed! Swapped them and all is good, no problem with the center channel hookup. ;)
Playing music through my satellite provider right now and will listen more critically tonight with my assorted discs. Then at bedtime I'll run the Purist disc. It does seem to have a lower noise floor, I guess it is true as you and others have posted on here before. The higher level cables seem unbelievably quiet? Or am I high?

I think you're right on! They really are quiet (at least in my experience up thru RefMM (MM2)) So you're High on low noise floor!!! Hah!
 
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es347

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Midwest fly over state..
$100K for the loom? Wow...they must be extraordinary! Not criticizing...just hard for me to relate...again, wow!
 

alfa100

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2014
262
49
258
South Africa
congrats Sharp 1080. Be patient with the break in period. it will settle after 200 hours and then improve more.
I find my Pass Labs need about an hour to warm up . so relax and enjoy.
 

andromedaaudio

VIP/Donor
Jan 23, 2011
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I dream of using all tube amps in my system, not with occasional multichannel playback of movies. I'm using my Levinson 335 solid state which is designated Lo Z. The certificate is a cool touch with the build specification on it. I had a senior moment connecting the stereo pair. Prior to powering up the amp I looked and the logos were backwards according to installation instructions. It turns out I had the left and right reversed! Swapped them and all is good, no problem with the center channel hookup. ;)
Playing music through my satellite provider right now and will listen more critically tonight with my assorted discs. Then at bedtime I'll run the Purist disc. It does seem to have a lower noise floor, I guess it is true as you and others have posted on here before. The higher level cables seem unbelievably quiet? Or am I high?

Tubes and low noise floor is hard to get imo , it seems to me the more powerfull the amp is (in bass performance/overall control) the bigger the transformers , results in more chance of transformer hum , for lower noise floor i suggest looking at boulder or something , something with a excelent SN ratio but i agree tubes also have their charmes
 

Sharp 1080

Member
Apr 20, 2010
284
9
18
Dallas,Texas
congrats Sharp 1080. Be patient with the break in period. it will settle after 200 hours and then improve more.
I find my Pass Labs need about an hour to warm up . so relax and enjoy.

That helps as I was not impressed initially, the first 24-48 hours. I had been used to hearing the Super cables which were MM2. While listening to 2 channel exclusively, the Reference cables Gen5 in comparison sounded really 2D and flat with no extension or open airy soundstaging on my favorite recordings. My three dimensional soundstage was gone, not extended in the treble, and no depth in the recording, and no deep low end bass! Now after 72 hours they have changed a bit. It starting to sound like music playing again instead of sounds coming out of them. I just don't remember going through this with the Super cables. I know I did but have selective memory. Now to help with break in all three cables in the front, I watched a Blu ray disc in DTS-MA called "The Dukes of September featuring Donald Fagen, Michael Mc Donald, and Boz Scaggs. The break in process was helped along last night for sure!
 

Sharp 1080

Member
Apr 20, 2010
284
9
18
Dallas,Texas
Tubes and low noise floor is hard to get imo , it seems to me the more powerful the amp is (in bass performance/overall control) the bigger the transformers , results in more chance of transformer hum , for lower noise floor i suggest looking at boulder or something , something with a excellent SN ratio but i agree tubes also have their charmes

The last tube amps I owned were Audio Research Classic 120 monoblocks that were a nightmare with my Martin Logan Sequel II's. They had beautiful 3D imaging, sweet midrange with bass to match and of course the are never hard sounding in the treble region. They just continued to blow up in my system. I gave up and sold them to another audiophile after they were returned by Audio Research repaired under warranty. I just recently found a Boulder dealer as they are spread out in my area. I want to get an audition as I have never heard them, just what has been documented by others. My Levinson amps are dead quiet, always have been. I am content with them for now. If I do change amplifiers it will most likely be the D'Agostino amps as I have heard what they do to Wilson speakers in my own system on a quick demo here awhile ago.
 

alfa100

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2014
262
49
258
South Africa
Hi Sharp 1080
I am experiencing the same "anxiety breaking in my MSB stack".
your TA cable will settle and impress you .
take it easy.
 

Sharp 1080

Member
Apr 20, 2010
284
9
18
Dallas,Texas
Hi Sharp 1080
I am experiencing the same "anxiety breaking in my MSB stack".
your TA cable will settle and impress you .
take it easy.

Hey Alpha, I am fine now, it was just a shock. I was wondering what a mistake, the old ones sounded better. I then remembered that the Super cables I purchased before upgrading to reference were store demo cables which explains the less noticeable change when first placing them into my system.
 

KeithR

VIP/Donor
May 7, 2010
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$100K for the loom? Wow...they must be extraordinary! Not criticizing...just hard for me to relate...again, wow!

come on es347, you didn't realize you need cables that cost twice as much as a pair of reference level speakers? your system is surely suffering without them :)
 

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