Interconnect Recommendations for XP-15 -> XP-30?

Crumhorn

Well-Known Member
Oct 21, 2017
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Hi All,

Does anyone have a recommendation for a balanced interconnect to run from a Pass XP-15 phono stage to my XP-30 preamp?

The rest of my system is wired with ancient, 1st-gen MIT Shotgun, which will all get replaced eventually, so this new cable will be the first of a new loom.

As an interim solution, I'm using a balanced Burley(?) IC, but it sounds significantly worse that my 30(?) year old MITs.

I've been considering Audience AU 24 SX, Shunyata Alpha NR or Synergistic Research Atmosphere Level 3, but am open to any brand. I am hoping to keep the price at $2K or below, but might stretch that a bit...

Thanks in advance...
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
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Welcome to WBF!

You have some very interesting equipment! Do you presently have both the Rockports and the Betas set up and working?
 

Crumhorn

Well-Known Member
Oct 21, 2017
9
2
85
Thanks, Ron!

I'm still using the betas, while the Rockports wait in their boxes until some (seemingly interminable) work in my apartment gets finished. I will (sadly) be getting rid of the betas once the work is done - no room for both... :(
 

Crumhorn

Well-Known Member
Oct 21, 2017
9
2
85
I'm also waiting (& waiting, & waiting...) for a pair of Revelation Audio Labs 'Passage' CryoSilver Reference DualConduit DB-25 umbilical power cables for the XP-30.
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
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Have you ever used tube amplifiers on the Beta panels?
 

Crumhorn

Well-Known Member
Oct 21, 2017
9
2
85
Have you ever used tube amplifiers on the Beta panels?

Yes - I had a (150 wpc?) Audio Research (forget the model), then Manley Reference 350 monoblocks (350 wpc). The AR was underpowered for the beta panels, and the Manleys required constant, finicky & time-consuming re-biasing, & generated so much heat I couldn't use them in the summer. It also blew tubes, & their accompanying resistors, 3 times (requiring 3 repair trips). It was hardly neutral, & was rolled off at both extremes, but when the stars aligned the sound could have the magical breath of life!

But eventually I just didn't want the hassle of high-powered tube amps any more. The betas never sounded as good with the various ss amps I had (I know they were designed for tubes), but as I get older, my tolerance for hassles & time-wasters continues to diminish... The reason I finally switched to a ss preamp is that I was regularly forgetting to turn the Hovland off when I was done, which was not a good thing...
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
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I understand. I had Manley 150s which were not reliable.

But there are a lot of great-sounding and reliable tube amps these days. And the Rockports would sound great driven by many tube amps!
 

DaveC

Industry Expert
Nov 16, 2014
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You're welcome to demo my XLR IC cables vs anyone else's. My demo preference rate for these is well over 90%, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
 

Crumhorn

Well-Known Member
Oct 21, 2017
9
2
85
I understand. I had Manley 150s which were not reliable.

But there are a lot of great-sounding and reliable tube amps these days. And the Rockports would sound great driven by many tube amps!

Well, maybe sometime down the line, if my life ever gets less complicated, I might explore them again... I do prefer the bloom & air that tubes often bring. Although the Atrias are not all that efficient (87.5 db), I doubt they are as power-hungry as the beta panels are, so I would have more options...

Speaking of amps, I just discovered that the lifetime warranty I had on my Classés did not survive the buyout by Bowers & Wilkins, who are no longer willing to repair them at all, even if I pay. I had them boxed up & ready to ship, as the electrolytic caps gave up the ghost & need to be replaced. Very frustrating...
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
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That is very frustrating!
 

cjf

Well-Known Member
Nov 19, 2012
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948
Hi All,

Does anyone have a recommendation for a balanced interconnect to run from a Pass XP-15 phono stage to my XP-30 preamp?

The rest of my system is wired with ancient, 1st-gen MIT Shotgun, which will all get replaced eventually, so this new cable will be the first of a new loom.

As an interim solution, I'm using a balanced Burley(?) IC, but it sounds significantly worse that my 30(?) year old MITs.

I've been considering Audience AU 24 SX, Shunyata Alpha NR or Synergistic Research Atmosphere Level 3, but am open to any brand. I am hoping to keep the price at $2K or below, but might stretch that a bit...

Thanks in advance...

I'll probably be tar'd and feathered for this but have you considered using good old fashioned Mogami Gold for your XLR connections? I personally like them for balanced connections because of their salt and pepper free sound. I get those seasonings via the gear itself and from my speaker wire choice which is not Mogami.

Just a thought and can save you a bundle potentially.
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
16,017
13,346
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Beverly Hills, CA
I'll probably be tar'd and feathered for this but have you considered using good old fashioned Mogami Gold for your XLR connections? I personally like them for balanced connections because of their salt and pepper free sound. I get those seasonings via the gear itself and from my speaker wire choice which is not Mogami.

Just a thought and can save you a bundle potentially.

+1

(I will disperse the lynch mob.)

I plan to use Mogami initially myself!

Isn’t there a Mogami Gold Studio Microphone cable and something called Mogami Gold Neglex Quad? Which is better?
 

DaveC

Industry Expert
Nov 16, 2014
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+1

(I will disperse the lynch mob.)

I plan to use Mogami initially myself!

Isn’t there a Mogami Gold Studio Microphone cable and something called Mogami Gold Neglex Quad? Which is better?

I'd go with whatever model is the std twisted pair. Star quad has more noise rejection but higher capacitance. The noise rejection advantage isn't usually a big deal in the home, where it is for long runs of mic cable.

Mogami is not bad but it is warm and will smooth things out a bit.
 

Sablon Audio

Industry Expert, VIP Donor
May 22, 2015
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Many moons ago, I made myself a hypex ncore amplifier using their nc400 diy modules. Once up and running, I started tweaking it and one of the first things to go was their standard input wiring which I replaced with some twisted pairs of silver in silk tubing. Huge uptick in resolution despite only being a couple of inches long. I reported this back to their designer, Bruno Putzeys, and he concurred that the supplied wire was a “sonic liability” which he intended to change. Can you guess what the brand was? Mogami......
 

dan31

Well-Known Member
Jul 22, 2010
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SF Bay
Another bargain to consider. I purchased the balanced xlr canare from benchmark. They use good pro wire and sliver solder to decent neutrik gold pin xlr. You can order direct from their site. A 1 meter pair is around $80. They can make any length you need. I’m using a pair with my Oppo 205 they are surprisingly neutral and well shielded.
 

DaveC

Industry Expert
Nov 16, 2014
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+1

(I will disperse the lynch mob.)

I plan to use Mogami initially myself!

Isn’t there a Mogami Gold Studio Microphone cable and something called Mogami Gold Neglex Quad? Which is better?

Ron, I'd also add with your aspirations this makes no sense. I understand why you're doing it... because nobody knows much about cables and what a true reference should be. You have so much information and choice it simply causes paralysis.

The problem with using IC cables like this is they will reduce the resolution of your system by a very large degree. It will limit your soundstage depth and ability of your system to produce a "you are there" kind of presentation. You won't hear as much fine detail in vocals and acoustic instruments. You won't notice potential issues with harshness either, so when you do go to get better cables.... assuming you find ones with decent resolution... you may notice problems the Mogami cables masked, at at that point nobody want to make major changes so you stick with warm sounding cables that will limit your system forever, you'll never get the best possible results with those cables as they will bottleneck your system and reduce it's capability to actually produce "high fidelity" which, imo, is the ultimate goal. Maybe not for everyone, but for me and many others, increasing fidelity is the goal. Using inexpensive copper IC cables is a great way to keep your system from achieving it's potential.
 

Al M.

VIP/Donor
Sep 10, 2013
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Ron, I'd also add with your aspirations this makes no sense. I understand why you're doing it... because nobody knows much about cables and what a true reference should be. You have so much information and choice it simply causes paralysis.

The problem with using IC cables like this is they will reduce the resolution of your system by a very large degree. It will limit your soundstage depth and ability of your system to produce a "you are there" kind of presentation. You won't hear as much fine detail in vocals and acoustic instruments. You won't notice potential issues with harshness either, so when you do go to get better cables.... assuming you find ones with decent resolution... you may notice problems the Mogami cables masked, at at that point nobody want to make major changes so you stick with warm sounding cables that will limit your system forever, you'll never get the best possible results with those cables as they will bottleneck your system and reduce it's capability to actually produce "high fidelity" which, imo, is the ultimate goal. Maybe not for everyone, but for me and many others, increasing fidelity is the goal. Using inexpensive copper IC cables is a great way to keep your system from achieving it's potential.

+ 1

All very true. Use the best cables. Don't use cables to tweak tonal balance or such, you can do that with other components in your system, as well as with acoustic treatment of the room (preferred over using components that way).

You're welcome to demo my XLR IC cables vs anyone else's. My demo preference rate for these is well over 90%, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Dave's cables are incredible. Not just for their modest price, but in absolute terms. A friend says the ZenWave D4 IC cables (which I have as well) are the best he's ever had, and he has an expensive high-resolution system. Since Dave offers you a demo, I'd go for it.
 

DaveC

Industry Expert
Nov 16, 2014
3,899
2,141
495
Thanks Al, one more step towards taking over the world... or the cable industry, that's first. ;)

Here's a quote from AC wrt the new Icepower based amps Mivera Audio is offering. The cable is only a few inches long. I provided the wire, he has options for UPOCC copper or my silver/gold alloy wire.

I replaced the Mogami XLR input cable with the Neotech XLR version (Many thanks Mike! :thumb:). This was a noticeable, nice improvement (improved soundstage, more refined bass).

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=154910.msg1665041#msg1665041
 

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