What cables do you use in your systems?

[gino1961]

The Chinese copy anything that sells quickly and with a large profit. It's not necessarily a sign of quality

True. But to see a copy of a famous object for a fraction of the price is tempting for the weak minds like mine

Gold plating is plenty fine for home audio (and probably even nickel). After all, how many times is a normal RCA cable connected and disconnected in its lifetime?

i think that RCA are a good design not always well executed. Tolerances can vary a lot. And actually some enthusiasts even replace panel RCAs on their units and use male RCAs from the same maker for optimal match. It is not a secret that RCAs very rare in the pro/lab field. BNC for instance would have been better option also for unbalanced analog signal. Overkill for audio ? for me it is important that it is cheap and good.
One thing i have noticed. I have a pair of interconnects from Kimber Cable ... in the 2nd generation of the same cable they have replaced the RCAs with parts from WBT very good brand. Maybe a little expensive but really above any suspicion. i wonder why

Don't trust companies like Nordost as a guidepost for anything. They are so deeply soaked in snake oil that they haven't seen daylight for decades. From what I can tell Deltron makes one of the more popular banana plugs: 4mm Standard Banana Plug. That would be my choice. They have a background in industrial and medical applications which makes them way more sympathetic in my book

Very nice i will buy some soon. 584 series maybe.

 

[Speedskater]

I have a set of (assumedly) fake locking Lemo plugs in my setup. Pull on the barrel to release.

The local surplus store has some Lemo connectors, but even surplus they are far from inexpensive.
https://www.electronicsurplus.com/connectors/lemo-connector

 

[VintageFlanker]

And actually some enthusiasts even replace panel RCAs on their units and use male RCAs from the same maker for optimal match.

Then, they are not enthusiasts but simply fooled subjectivists...
Some enthusiasts freeze their CD. Some enthusiasts buy little rocks that suppose to improve soundstage. Some enthusiasts believe their power cable need to be burned in for 100 hours. Etc, etc.

Seriously, what is optimal match, technically speaking?

 

[Willem]

In short, the conclusion is not to worry about the sonic quality of connectors and to avoid spending real money on them. Reading Gino's posts I would be more worried about his vintage speakers. Speakers often do age badly, not to mention that it is the area where technological improvements have been most memorable (apart from the introduction of digital sources).

 

[Killingbeans]

It is not a secret that RCAs very rare in the pro/lab field.

That's also partially because stage riggers handle equipment like crap. I have a deep respect for Neutrik products after seeing dropped cranes and light fixtures where the only salvageable parts were the plugs

That... and the much, much longer wire runs in a noisy environment... (Actually mostly this).

BNC for instance would have been better option also for unbalanced analog signal. Overkill for audio ?

BNC is great for RF applications, but it would be overkill for line level audio, yes.

 

[watchnerd]

i really envy professionals ... they have speakon for speakers and power and xlrs for signals and end of the game
all very practical, convenient and cheap

And TRS for signal.

 

[gino1961]

Then, they are not enthusiasts but simply fooled subjectivists...
Some enthusiasts freeze their CD. Some enthusiasts buy little rocks that suppose to improve soundstage. Some enthusiasts believe their power cable need to be burned in for 100 hours. Etc, etc.
Seriously, what is optimal match, technically speaking?

Zero resistance maybe ? for instance dirt can accumulate on plugs ... when i cleaned them with cotton wetted with a stain remover the cotton became quite black ... home environment can be dirty

 

[gino1961]

In short, the conclusion is not to worry about the sonic quality of connectors and to avoid spending real money on them. Reading Gino's posts I would be more worried about his vintage speakers. Speakers often do age badly, not to mention that it is the area where technological improvements have been most memorable (apart from the introduction of digital sources)

Yes lately i am actually looking and using vintage speakers ... from 70s to be more precise ... used products are flooding the market but i am stopping a little now.

 

[gino1961]

That's also partially because stage riggers handle equipment like crap.
I have a deep respect for Neutrik products after seeing dropped cranes and light fixtures where the only salvageable parts were the plugs
That... and the much, much longer wire runs in a noisy environment.

Speaking of XLR Neutrik are used by many ... for RCA i like the locking type best like these ones

BNC is great for RF applications, but it would be overkill for line level audio, yes

but they cost almost nothing ... if they are that good why not ? instead manufacturers use rca even for spdif out where bnc is a natural option ... perverse

 

[Scriba]

what RCA cables can you recommand in terms of quality (only 0.5-1 feet long)?

 

[Killingbeans]

but they cost almost nothing ... if they are that good why not ?

Because they are not better or worse than RCA. They are optimized to minimize the problems with transmission line reflections you get at radio frequencies. Those are not relevant in anlog audio. They are overkill in terms of functionality, not quality.

 

[mansr]

And TRS for signal.

1/4" TRS plugs are just so damn long. XLR has only half the insertion distance.

 

[Speedskater]

what RCA cables can you recommand in terms of quality (only 0.5-1 feet long)?

The Blue Jeans Cable LC-1. minimum length is 1 foot, but longer than that it's any length you want (like 1.2 feet).
https://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/subwoofer/index.htm

 

[Scriba]

The Blue Jeans Cable LC-1. minimum length is 1 foot, but longer than that it's any length you want (like 1.2 feet).
https://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/subwoofer/index.htm

thanks for the suggestion, so you think World's Best Cables with Canare Star-Quad cable and Amphenol connectors hasn't a better quality?

 

[Willem]

For 0.5-1 foot length cable size does not make any differerence. The cheapest will be sonically perfect (unless it is for turntable signal cable).
As for vintage speakers: most cones and particularly surrounds deteriorate quite badly. Such speakers will be terribly off specification. If you are talking 1970s speakers there will no longer be any spare parts in good condition either. If you are worried about minute differences: this is hundreds of times worse.

 

[VintageFlanker]

what RCA cables can you recommand in terms of quality (only 0.5-1 feet long)?

These ones have been recommended by @MC_RME:

https://www.amazon.com/0-5-Foot-High-Definition-Interconnect-Connectors/dp/B01GNXGUAQ

Mogami 2964/Amphenol RCA. I own a pair (3 feet).

 

[Julf]

thanks for the suggestion, so you think World's Best Cables with Canare Star-Quad cable and Amphenol connectors hasn't a better quality?

Not in a way that would affect audio quality, no.

 

[TimW]

Check out the awesome tools they use at Blue Jeans Cable. At about 7:51 they show the ultrasonic welding process of their locking bananas.

 

[Speedskater]

thanks for the suggestion, so you think World's Best Cables with Canare Star-Quad cable and Amphenol connectors hasn't a better quality?

For a RCA unbalanced interconnect, a Star-Quad cable would be a poor choice.
For an XLR balanced interconnect in a harsh electrical environment (like near theatrical lights) a Star-Quad cable could be a reasonable choice.
For any RCA unbalanced interconnect, a coax with a heavy braided shield is the best choice.

 

[Speedskater]

For 0.5-1 foot length cable size does not make any differerence.

True only for coax cables.
The Blue Jeans Cable LC-1, is one of the few cables that you can specify the length and the price is reasonable.

The cheapest will be sonically perfect (unless it is for turntable signal cable).

Sonically perfect? perfect and analog audio is almost an oxymoron. If you have sensitive enough equipment you can always measure differences.