Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
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Does anyone have any experience with Basis Audio speaker cables or interconnects?
 

Cyclotronguy

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
78
13
313
N. CA
Ron

Not for a number of years, and serveral generations back, sorry!
Now having said that, given what I know of the process he has gone through, crunching the numbers and listening.... the new cables will be better than his legacy cables.

For what it's worth AJ Conti is obsessive-compulsive, exacting about everything he does, as I am sure you have already observed.

His cables are very well made, very well engineered. If you are looking for neutral and musical most likely an excellent choice.

Cyclotronguy
 

Analog Kid

New Member
Sep 17, 2014
18
0
0
The cables might have been a bigger improvement in my system than even my Basis table and Vector tonearm, and I would have thought that was impossible until I heard it.
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
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Dear Analog Kid, How is that possible? Please elaborate if you can.
 

Analog Kid

New Member
Sep 17, 2014
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0
Dear Analog Kid, How is that possible? Please elaborate if you can.

The S'Arm is super. Trumps everything I have heard.

But after trying nearly every cable out there I swapped in just Basis speaker cables and the system transformed. Doing the rest of the system over improved things that much more. In every way. They sound like music.
 

PeterA

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2011
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But after trying nearly every cable out there I swapped in just Basis speaker cables and the system transformed. Doing the rest of the system over improved things that much more. In every way. They sound like music.

Analog Kid, That is a very strong endorsement. I have met AJ and seen some of his very impressive cable measurements and those of some of his competitors. Can you discuss which brands of cables you have also had in your system and how the Basis cables sound different? Thank you.
 

Analog Kid

New Member
Sep 17, 2014
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0
0
Analog Kid, That is a very strong endorsement. I have met AJ and seen some of his very impressive cable measurements and those of some of his competitors. Can you discuss which brands of cables you have also had in your system and how the Basis cables sound different? Thank you.

I worked in the industry back when, too many friends and contacts to name names. The most well known brands.

As far as differences, they are like all Basis gear, scads of detail yet easy to listen to. And very dynamic. Your heart tells you they are right.
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,806
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Analog Kid, That is a very strong endorsement. I have met AJ and seen some of his very impressive cable measurements and those of some of his competitors. Can you discuss which brands of cables you have also had in your system and how the Basis cables sound different? Thank you.

Peter,

What type of measurements were you shown? Just checked the Basis Audio site, and the technical texts I could find are generic, referring only to known trivialities on cables and plenty of veiled attacks on the competition. Fortunately they warn the reader that there is no substitute for listening!
 

PeterA

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2011
12,522
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Peter,

What type of measurements were you shown? Just checked the Basis Audio site, and the technical texts I could find are generic, referring only to known trivialities on cables and plenty of veiled attacks on the competition. Fortunately they warn the reader that there is no substitute for listening!

They are unpublished and I'm sure proprietary. So like Analog Kid before me, I'd rather not discuss them. It was educational, to say the least.
 

RichSonics

New Member
Aug 28, 2015
3
0
0
Foxboro, Ma.
Does anyone have any experience with Basis Audio speaker cables or interconnects?

Hi Ron,
You will absolutely love the WOA and Superarm 9. I have both and have had the Vector 3 with a Debut since 1986.
I have used the BM and Dynavector cartridges as well as the present cartridge. MySonic Labs

Interestingly I had the Martin Logan Monolith 2's back in the day….. I sill have them put away for a rainy day….LOL
Best room response I have heard although not the most detailed base but very lovable.

You asked about the Basis cables:
I have had all the previous cables as AJ developed them and have been increasingly impressed with each iteration. That is what happens when science and a keen ear is used in product development and not the latest hype! Physicists many years ago developed the equations that determine how a cable will perform but it is only recently that materials, manufacturing process and insights on how to use them have come to light.
The increase in detail and nuances of each of his designs have given me much pleasurable listening over the years and I have always felt
that the AJ is on top of the "Cable Guys" development lead. I have seen his demonstration at CES of how he measures his cables for
square wave response and can verify how true to the original square wave form his cables perform at a resolution of very high oscilloscope sensitivity. This in practice results in lower music degradion and no added artifacts, like post ringing and delayed rise times.
But mostly I just hear the truth of the music coming through, more near what I hear on close to the original 30 ips tapes or lacquers or live for that mater.
Oh man it is amazing how much detail is on most records. Details that the "old guys" were able to put into the records that we are just now able to recover! And I am alive to now hear those great moments made years ago!!!!

In summary I believe you won't go wrong putting your faith in a Basis cable, Peroid!
 

PeterA

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2011
12,522
10,688
3,515
USA
Hi Ron,
You will absolutely love the WOA and Superarm 9. I have both and have had the Vector 3 with a Debut since 1986.
I have used the BM and Dynavector cartridges as well as the present cartridge. MySonic Labs

Interestingly I had the Martin Logan Monolith 2's back in the day….. I sill have them put away for a rainy day….LOL
Best room response I have heard although not the most detailed base but very lovable.

You asked about the Basis cables:
I have had all the previous cables as AJ developed them and have been increasingly impressed with each iteration. That is what happens when science and a keen ear is used in product development and not the latest hype! Physicists many years ago developed the equations that determine how a cable will perform but it is only recently that materials, manufacturing process and insights on how to use them have come to light.
The increase in detail and nuances of each of his designs have given me much pleasurable listening over the years and I have always felt
that the AJ is on top of the "Cable Guys" development lead. I have seen his demonstration at CES of how he measures his cables for
square wave response and can verify how true to the original square wave form his cables perform at a resolution of very high oscilloscope sensitivity. This in practice results in lower music degradion and no added artifacts, like post ringing and delayed rise times.
But mostly I just hear the truth of the music coming through, more near what I hear on close to the original 30 ips tapes or lacquers or live for that mater.
Oh man it is amazing how much detail is on most records. Details that the "old guys" were able to put into the records that we are just now able to recover! And I am alive to now hear those great moments made years ago!!!!

In summary I believe you won't go wrong putting your faith in a Basis cable, Peroid!

RichSonics, Welcome to the forum.

I have had the pleasure of meeting AJ Conti in his work space. He is certainly smart and deeply dedicated to audio. I picked up a MSL Signature Gold cartridge from him. Which model do you use? I wrote a comparison thread about the Sig Gold and the AirTight Supreme.

I would like to someday try a set of his cables in my system. I think you are spot on about the science and a keen ear. AJ knows the former and has the latter. His passion is very evident as Ron has learned.
 

ack

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
May 6, 2010
6,774
1,198
580
Boston, MA
FWIW, I've heard very good things about AJ's cables by the Goodwin's staff in the past.
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,806
4,698
2,790
Portugal
They are unpublished and I'm sure proprietary. So like Analog Kid before me, I'd rather not discuss them. It was educational, to say the least.

I understand you. But Gary Koh very fair, open and enlightening approach on his cable technology on WBF, whose principles are explained in his cable site - http://www.absolutefidelity.com/thedesign.html and Caelin Gabriel of Shunyata made me curious about cable technology. I have been educating myself form technical information supplied by a few other manufacturers and it is a fascinating but very dark subject!

Unfortunately Basis Audio cables are not distributed in my country.
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
16,017
13,346
2,665
Beverly Hills, CA
Hi Ron,
You will absolutely love the WOA and Superarm 9. I have both and have had the Vector 3 with a Debut since 1986.
I have used the BM and Dynavector cartridges as well as the present cartridge. MySonic Labs

Interestingly I had the Martin Logan Monolith 2's back in the day….. I sill have them put away for a rainy day….LOL
Best room response I have heard although not the most detailed base but very lovable.

You asked about the Basis cables:
I have had all the previous cables as AJ developed them and have been increasingly impressed with each iteration. That is what happens when science and a keen ear is used in product development and not the latest hype! Physicists many years ago developed the equations that determine how a cable will perform but it is only recently that materials, manufacturing process and insights on how to use them have come to light.
The increase in detail and nuances of each of his designs have given me much pleasurable listening over the years and I have always felt
that the AJ is on top of the "Cable Guys" development lead. I have seen his demonstration at CES of how he measures his cables for
square wave response and can verify how true to the original square wave form his cables perform at a resolution of very high oscilloscope sensitivity. This in practice results in lower music degradion and no added artifacts, like post ringing and delayed rise times.
But mostly I just hear the truth of the music coming through, more near what I hear on close to the original 30 ips tapes or lacquers or live for that mater.
Oh man it is amazing how much detail is on most records. Details that the "old guys" were able to put into the records that we are just now able to recover! And I am alive to now hear those great moments made years ago!!!!

In summary I believe you won't go wrong putting your faith in a Basis cable, Peroid!

Welcome to WBF!

Thank you very much for your report on the WOA and the Superarm 9. I have adored the Inspiration for years and I can only try to imagine in what ways the WOA is better than the Inspiration.

Do you have your WOA on the Basis WOF stand? I love the way the stand looks under the WOA, but I have the biggest, heaviest stand I have ever seen. Even top HRS stands move if you push them. My stand, with 4" square legs filled with sand, weighs about 350 pounds and is almost unmovable. I know it is sturdier than the acrylic and delicate looking WOA stand but I cannot resist the beauty of the WOA stand under the WOA. What say you on the WOA stand?

I spent a lot of time talking with A.J. at T.H.E. Show in Irvine in May and for weeks thereafter. I think he is an amazing combination of artistic musician and science-based designer/engineer. He plays two instruments and one of his colleagues is a professional musician. They do a lot of in-office recording and immediate playback to compare designs. He has a wide variety of test equipment and of competitors' products in his inventory. Plus A.J. is a complete perfectionist.

I use now, and I have used for my years, upper-end Transparent cables very happily, but I know A.J. takes a dim view of R-C-L network boxes. Not many people have his cables so I am grateful for your report on his cables as well.

What cables were you using prior to adopting A.J.'s cables? In what specific ways are the Basis cables different sonically than the cables they replaced?
 
Last edited:

RichSonics

New Member
Aug 28, 2015
3
0
0
Foxboro, Ma.
Hi PeterA,
Glad to meet a fellow MSL user.
I have the Ultra Eminent BC in the system now but have a SG in the box waiting for install sometime soon
but I have been a little reluctant to install it as other honey dew projects have taken the lead…..LOL.
Plus I am not that unhappy with the present sound of my system. I am expecting an improvement but
not a huge one. What do you think of the MSL SG so far?

Sincerely RicH
 

RichSonics

New Member
Aug 28, 2015
3
0
0
Foxboro, Ma.
Hi RonR thanks for the welcome!
Yes, My WOA utilizes the Basis aluminum post/acrylic stand which matches the turntable's look.
But that said I don't know why almost any strong. level-able stand wouldn't work as well and could save some cost. The table is so well isolated I doubt any of a table's goings on would be passed to the playback system. I chose the stand because of its matching look and its made to house the vacuum and motor control boxes as well as a few albums on the lower shelf. Also the Basis table has four adjustable feet which you probably know if you've talked with AJ.
As far as cables I have tried, I have tried several of the leading cables and some not so leading. I don't want to bash other cables nor want to do a detailed review. But in general I have found my WBI and WBS wires pass the micro dynamics, micro details and full sonic spectrum more correctly than the others I have tried and no I have not heard your cables so can't help you there. I put my faith in what I know of the science utilized and closest to live I hear through them. Yes it is my opinion and I am sticking to it….LOL. If you where near here I would loan you mine and you could compare…. By the way my interconnects from the line stage to amps is about 15 feet with no concerns in sonic quality.
Sincerely RicH
 

PeterA

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2011
12,522
10,688
3,515
USA
Hi PeterA,
Glad to meet a fellow MSL user.
I have the Ultra Eminent BC in the system now but have a SG in the box waiting for install sometime soon
but I have been a little reluctant to install it as other honey dew projects have taken the lead…..LOL.
Plus I am not that unhappy with the present sound of my system. I am expecting an improvement but
not a huge one. What do you think of the MSL SG so far?

Sincerely RicH

Rich, I started a thread discussing the MSL SG. You can read my comparative review of the MSL SG to the PC-1 Supreme here in post #13:

MSL SG and AT Supreme

Sorry Ron to divert the thread off topic. Back to Basis cables.
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
16,017
13,346
2,665
Beverly Hills, CA
Thank you, Rich!
 

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