Rich_Guy

I have both metal and plastic ones in my system but no shorting ones. They look nice, keep things cleaner, keep the dirt out and make connections easier to locate when working in tight hard to reach areas. Do they make a huge difference in sound quality? No. Do they maybe make a slight difference? Maybe. I do a few things extra to try to improve my systems sound quality and I have to say it does sound far better than most with an extremely quite noise floor and rock solid quality performance. The China ones you can find on ebay aren't that expensive. I've also added ones to the XLR connectors and S-video input/outputs since this photo was taken.

OK I just signed the petition that's been going around to ban Thaddeus Smith. Oh wait this is wrong thread sorry never mind.

I did not mean you need to run out and replace your receiver right away. But you have been using separate amps with several different receivers now. I think there is a definite advantage of using a processor vs a receiver once you start using separate amplification. Features and settings better designed for separate amps, removing (noise producing) un used amps from the case, better XLR connectors and just generally better sound quality. When you aren't going to use them why waste money and internal case space on built in amps which only help introduce unwanted noise into your system. I just meant next time you wish to change I'd recommend you look at processors instead of receivers and they have much better triggers with programable controls.

Onkyo pre pros are excellent and very hard to beat for performance and sound quality. I think they look very good too. I love mine even though it's a few years old now it's still like new and I haven't seen any reason to replace it yet, sound quality is outstanding.

You just need to apply your special Youthman bargain shopping ability. My current processor cost me less than 1/3 what I paid for the receiver it replaced and now I don't think I could ever go back to a receiver again.

I am very happy with my Sennheiser HD 650 Headphones, I'd suggest you do a little research on these they are great headphones.

Of course you don't need one, but processors do a nicer job when using separates. You just don't need the receivers amps in your system which are only increasing the noise floor in your system and processors usually have features and settings better designed for running separate amps. For instance while Onkyo receivers triggers are designed for other zones and have no main trigger, Onkyo processors have 3 main triggers so you have much better control if you run multiple amps or other components you wish to trigger. For instance on my system this benefits my two amps if I listen to two channel music only my two channel XPA-2 is triggered ON, my XPA-5 remains OFF. But if I am watching a movie or TV etc. both amps are triggered ON. After owning a few high end Onkyo receivers I really loved my move to an Onkyo processor both for improved sound quality and better control. A good power conditioner can be a nice improvement, but some can also hurt the sound so you do need to choose wisely I did a lot of research and auditioning power conditioners and I really like the PF-60 for both features and sound quality. While a power conditioner can add several different trigger benefits some even capable of acting as a wall wart with an additional separate 120v trigger powercord. But this would not help you in your case as you still need either a trigger or triggered outlet to control the power conditioner.

Youth you need to stop using receivers, processors work so much nicer when using separate amps and Onkyo has horrible trigger controls on their receivers but excellent ones on their processors.

I am using a Western Electric tube but off hand I do not know the number, I have this tube and the original GE tube.

My MHDT Havana NOS Tube DAC was a very nice improvement to my music listening, I'd highly recommend this DAC. Very crystal clear clarity and such warm sounding music, it seems like my digital music now has a wonderful analog sound which is so much more musical. I absolutely love the sound of this DAC on my system.

It might be possible, but saline or silicone would probably be better. However I myself like perky little all natural ones the best.

If you get the good hospital grade cords you'll get sexy little nurses in skimpy uniforms, but with cheapy ones you end up with a big nurse named Bertha.

Hospital grade? Does your system have the flu? Always use hospital grade power cords on your computer to help protect it from getting a computer virus!

Some of the products coming from China now, I'm not sure if it's that much of a reach. Reminds me of these commercials from the old movie The Groove Tube

I think this is what is called "reaching". I know of no drinking straw that does that. I do, there are a variety normal as well as fancy and expensive straws made from paper, plastic, acrylic, glass, stainless steel, titanium, like speaker wire there are differences though they may be very subtle. Would you want your straw made from dog droppings, if the size is good and it flows the same amount of milkshake then it should be just as good right? I wasn't the one who brought up straws, my point was simply there is more to good speaker wire than just size and current flow.

The sandwich should be pretty strong, maybe put a couple lag bolts through the 2x4 into the studs as well.

I leave my tool attached so it's never confused with others.

Jimjimbo did not quote the whole statement where he declared it bogus however the whole statement said "from the point of sound quality" and I believe the whole statement is what he was referring to as "bogus". There is more to a good speaker wire and good sound quality than just being a large gauge conductive wire. Yes it is pretty much common sense the larger the wire, the lower the resistance, and the higher the conductivity, a bigger river carries more current so on and so on, whatever metaphor someone wants to use. A larger straw may flow more milkshake but in the end what the straw is made of can effect the final taste of the milkshake or the performance of the straw.

My perception of the original "bogus" statement was that there was more to good speaker wire and sound quality than just the wire size.

Blue Jeans cable assembles cables using several makes of wire mostly Belden and Canare, they do not manufacture wire Belden, Canare as well as Mogami are wire manufacturers that make wire. So Blue Jeans Cable is not actually Belden cable, however sometimes they use Belden wire in their cables. For the cables I make I prefer Mogami wire for speaker cables and interconnects, however I prefer Belden wire for making power cables.

Here is a good source for Canare-4S8 wire http://www.redco.com/Canare-4S8.html

Mogami makes many different types of speaker wire, not just 4 wire. I choose quad wire to make my speaker cable as I prefer to bi-wire my speakers, also using 4 twisted wires helps to eliminate electromagnetic interference (EMI). Mogami makes a very high quality wire, quality copper, quality insulation, they make many different styles of wire used in speaker and interconnect cables, snake cables, etc. Mogami is the number one choice in the professional music industry used in studio and on stage, most likely whatever you are listening to it traveled first on Mogami wire.

Have you tried right clicking on the album and then selecting Update album info if that does not work try selecting right click the album and select Find album info. Personally I have tried most available players but I still prefer to use my modified and customized WMP when I listen to music. I use WAV lossless at the best quality.

The Canare wire is good, it would be a good economical choice and It would work fine for what you want. You can terminate the ends in many ways spades, banana connectors, etc. You can use heat shrink tubing, cable pants, braided sleeving, etc in many ways to dress up the wire and make them look nice if you like as well. This is 4 wire cable pants This is 2 wire cable pants On my wires I used various heat shrink tubing, Techflex braided sleeving, 4 wire cable pants on the speaker end with 4 banana connectors, I twisted the wire and covered with red/black heat shrink tubing on the amp end with 2 banana connectors. Here are my cables I made before I added the banana connectors

Youth I am glad to hear you took some time to learn a few things from a professional.