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What cables do you use in your systems?

Julf

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My point in describing all of this is that if you have a densely laid out system, the shielding of your interconnects definitely matters.

There is a reason I prefer balanced connections. :)
 

RichB

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I upgraded again to a Furman Prestige power factor conditioner (3 filter banks) dedicated to audio, a TrippLite ISOBAR (3 filter banks) dedicated to TV and internet (which improved stability of the internet service!), and replaced the wall outlet with an industrial Hubbell heavy bronze. The toroidal transformer in this new Furman hums quite noticeably (which I tested and confirmed is native to the unit), but now with only the NAD powered I can turn the volume knob to 10 and the bookshelf speakers are dead silent as if they are not powered.

Try plugging your NAD directly into the wall and see if it helps.
Like @Julf, I moved to balanced connections. Also, removed all power conditioners and amplifiers are plugged directly into the wall.

- Rich
 

3125b

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Interconnects: Cordial CFU 0.3 CC because it was available with prime shipping.
Coax cable: A decent quality chinese one I got from audiophonics with the DAC.
USB cable: What came with the DAC and two USB extensions that cost me 0.62€ each with prime shipping (isn't that just ridiculous?).
Power cable: What came with the devices.

Honestly, as long as you don't run long, unbalanced analog connections next to other electronic devices, it's just not gonna make an audible difference.
 

Somafunk

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Simple system comprising of 2020 27 iMac with tidal/roon & 1.5tb of ALAC on sandisk extreme, Audioquest Pearl usb to Cambridge Audio CXN v2 using supplied power cord, Van Damme/ Neutrik balanced XLR to KRK 10s sub using supplied power cord, Van Damme/Neutrik balanced XLR from KRK 10s to KRK Rokit 7 G4 using supplied power cords, and I have to admit to buying 2 Audioquest Pearl Ethernet cables to connect from router to iMac and router to CXNv2. I also use two Tacima 6 way extensions to power everything, 3 plug sockets used in each extension.

No interest in “experimenting” with cables nor feel the need to ever consider changing them, I’d rather spend money on a bottle of malt whisky to enhance the sound.
 

gino1961

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Hi i had a weird experience with cables. I was quite unsatisfied by the sound coming out from my Rotel cd player. Then a friend lent me a pair of Cardas cables the Neutral Reference. I was shocked by the difference in sound. The cd player was sounding full and omogeneous like a turntable.
In particular what stroke me was the midrange and the soundstage.
The midrange in particular was not just good .... it was spooky. The very best i heard. Natural and fleshed-out. Amazingly present.
Since then i believe that cable, especially RCAs, can sound different. I tend to think that cables made out of solid core wires or litz, like the Cardas, can sound much better expecially with digital. Unfortunately they are very very expensive.

I also tried some DIY cables made with magnet wires and they did sound intriguing ... anyway it is difficult to make two identical with DIY ... and they need a very very long break in imho. They can cost literally only the price of the RCA plugs. On this topic i prefer the locking type by far.
 

Julf

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Your subjective, unverified perceptions and beliefs have been noted.
 

Beave

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Hi i had a weird experience with cables. I was quite unsatisfied by the sound coming out from my Rotel cd player. Then a friend lent me a pair of Cardas cables the Neutral Reference. I was shocked by the difference in sound. The cd player was sounding full and omogeneous like a turntable.
In particular what stroke me was the midrange and the soundstage.
The midrange in particular was not just good .... it was spooky. The very best i heard. Natural and fleshed-out. Amazingly present.
Since then i believe that cable, especially RCAs, can sound different. I tend to think that cables made out of solid core wires or litz, like the Cardas, can sound much better expecially with digital. Unfortunately they are very very expensive.

I also tried some DIY cables made with magnet wires and they did sound intriguing ... anyway it is difficult to make two identical with DIY ... and they need a very very long break in imho. They can cost literally only the price of the RCA plugs. On this topic i prefer the locking type by far.

"The cd player was sounding full and omogeneous like a turntable."

The cables made a CD player sound like a turntable?

You mean noisier, with higher distortion, altered frequency response, lower channel separation, and ...

wait....

"I tend to think that cables made out of solid core wires or litz, like the Cardas, can sound much better expecially with digital."

"...and they need a very very long break in imho."

Ah darn, you got me. You really had me going for a minute there. I was actually thinking you were serious.

Well done, sir, well done.
 

gino1961

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"The cd player was sounding full and omogeneous like a turntable."
The cables made a CD player sound like a turntable?
You mean noisier, with higher distortion, altered frequency response, lower channel separation, and ...
wait....
"I tend to think that cables made out of solid core wires or litz, like the Cardas, can sound much better expecially with digital."
"...and they need a very very long break in imho."
Ah darn, you got me. You really had me going for a minute there. I was actually thinking you were serious.
Well done, sir, well done.

Hi ! i admit it can be only a subjective thing. My main question is about solid core vs. stranded wires for signal transfer
many high-end manufacturers swear in favour of solid core wires as being the better option to pass a signal ... with solid silver wire the best.

https://www.hificollective.co.uk/components/hookup-wire.html
https://www.hificollective.co.uk/wire/audionote_hookup.html

And litz are individually isolated solid core thin wires. Like very thin wires in parallel. Much more flexible than a single solid wire.
The main benefit for me is in the midrange. With stranded wires is more distorted ... with solid core sounds cleaner The voices are rendered better
https://vovox.com/
  • Solid core conductor for signal and ground
 
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Julf

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Hi ! i admit it can be only a subjective thing. My main question is about solid core vs. stranded wires for signal transfer
many high-end manufacturers swear in favour of solid core wires as being the better option to pass a signal ... with solid silver wire the best.

https://www.hificollective.co.uk/components/hookup-wire.html
https://www.hificollective.co.uk/wire/audionote_hookup.html

And litz are individually isolated solid core thin wires. Like very thin wires in parallel. Much more flexible than a single solid wire.
The main benefit for me is in the midrange. With stranded wires is more distorted ... with solid core sounds cleaner The voices are rendered better
https://vovox.com/

So you are actually serious? This is not parody/joke?
 

gino1961

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So you are actually serious? This is not parody/joke?
Hi i am seriously doubtful .... I mean i wonder if this is all a marketing hype or what :rolleyes:
Nevertheless many well regarded cable manufacturers tell about the "superiority" of solid core/litz conductors vs, stranded ones for audio signal transfer ...
https://audioquest.fr/hdmi-i-series/forest
SOLID LONG-GRAIN COPPER (LGC) COPPER CONDUCTORS: Solid conductors eliminate inter-strand distortion

https://www.vhaudio.com/wire.html

The VH Audio UniCrystal™ OCC copper wire uses a SINGLE solid core (no stranding).

applying the Ohm law V=RxI the current flowing in a signal cable can be no more than some tenths of mA ? :oops: i mean considering V being about 2V max (from a cd player/dac/phono preamp) and R being t usually from 10 kohm up ( i.e. the Zin of an average SS power amp .... a tube one is often even higher than 50 kohm) :rolleyes:
therefore even hair like wires could be enough (maybe they would be too fragile i do not know)
 
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Adis

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Hi i had a weird experience with cables. I was quite unsatisfied by the sound coming out from my Rotel cd player. Then a friend lent me a pair of Cardas cables the Neutral Reference. I was shocked by the difference in sound. The cd player was sounding full and omogeneous like a turntable.
In particular what stroke me was the midrange and the soundstage.
The midrange in particular was not just good .... it was spooky. The very best i heard. Natural and fleshed-out. Amazingly present.
Since then i believe that cable, especially RCAs, can sound different. I tend to think that cables made out of solid core wires or litz, like the Cardas, can sound much better expecially with digital. Unfortunately they are very very expensive.

I also tried some DIY cables made with magnet wires and they did sound intriguing ... anyway it is difficult to make two identical with DIY ... and they need a very very long break in imho. They can cost literally only the price of the RCA plugs. On this topic i prefer the locking type by far.
Hm, quite the opposite experience from mine; Cardas Quadlink didn't bring any audible difference, I previously had the included RCA interconnects that came with devices.
What made difference was the speaker cable - the new ones sounded less saturated and more punchy. They're also finger thick, so...
 

Julf

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What made difference was the speaker cable - the new ones sounded less saturated and more punchy. They're also finger thick, so...

Your subjective, unverified perception is noted.
 

gino1961

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Hm, quite the opposite experience from mine; Cardas Quadlink didn't bring any audible difference, I previously had the included RCA interconnects that came with devices.
What made difference was the speaker cable - the new ones sounded less saturated and more punchy. They're also finger thick, so...

Hi ! i understand I was just mentioning my experience Speaking of speaker cables i think that we have to look for low resistance and inductance ? they both can be measured.
I can only say that i have found very beneficial using this kind of plugs ... very beneficial
https://www.audiophonics.fr/7019-la...rp-banana-plug-bfa-rhodium-o86mm-la-paire.jpg
the contact surface is quite large so resistance goes down
 

Julf

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Hi ! i understand I was just mentioning my experience Speaking of speaker cables i think that we have to look for low resistance and inductance ? they both can be measured.

Indeed. have you done that?

Isn't it funny how most "high end" cable manufacturers don't publish those (easily measurable) specifications?
 

gino1961

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Indeed. have you done that?
No i do not have access to instruments to measure them
Anyway i am much less hot on speakers cable ... i am just using decent car audio cables 2.5 sqmm with BFA plugs like these
https://it.aliexpress.com/item/8409...N197L7DNhMSVlXtaBqcaAoUJEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Isn't it funny how most "high end" cable manufacturers don't publish those (easily measurable) specifications?
i am not very interested in speaker cables ... but i have a low power and low end system Maybe in more resolving systems they could make some difference ... i really do not know
One thing is sure ... the high end ones are out of my reach ... they look gorgeous by the way It is a pity that they lay hidden behind the speakers.
From an electrical point of view to have low resistance and low inductance in speaker cables is a good thing for power transfer i guess
As i said i just use decent copper cables for car audio and i am quite fine with them
Actually i am about to try for curiosity some 3 wires cables for AC power of the flexible kind with 2 wires on the - and 1 on the +
I have also a quad cable from Straightwire ... http://www.audioreview.com/product/cables/speaker-cables/straight-wire/quartet.html
A good cable for sure ,,, but i am not using it at present ... i have to clean/replace the plugs
 
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Adis

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Hi ! i understand I was just mentioning my experience Speaking of speaker cables i think that we have to look for low resistance and inductance ? they both can be measured.
I can only say that i have found very beneficial using this kind of plugs ... very beneficial
https://www.audiophonics.fr/7019-la...rp-banana-plug-bfa-rhodium-o86mm-la-paire.jpg
the contact surface is quite large so resistance goes down
IDK, man, this is what mine look like:
20210308_145827.jpg

That cable I bought in '96. Before that I had something like this:
Competitive-Price-Thin-Copper-Coil-Wire-Speaker-Cable-Wire.jpg


just a wire, didn't even classify as "speaker cable". :D
 
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