cc1091 Posted February 22, 2002 Share Posted February 22, 2002 I brought home my Rotel amp from its five week visit to the repair shop (yeah, I did something really dumb, fortunately the Rotel warranty covered ALL the cost). I had been "suffering" with my Denon receiver's built-in amps during the interim and had used the connecting cable that had run from the preamp out to my Rotel amp elsewhere. When I reconnected the amp, I instead used Radio Shack gold RCA plugs. Usually I have no problem with these. They are not high grade connectors, but are many times better than the connectors that come with the equipment. Unfortunately, this time I could tell the difference. I was expecting to hear glorious sound once again. Instead, I heard good sound that was a little more bass oriented than I was used to. Also the treble was not well defined and seemed lifeless. I felt sick. Had I done something to this amp that would never let it return to its former open sounding, powerful self? Hoping to recreate my exact set-up from before the mishap, I searched around for that set of Monster Cable interconnects and placed them where the Radio Shack cables had been. Ahhhh...beautiful sound once again. Now I am making plans to switch out ALL of my Radio shack cables for something better. I have been a proponent of purchasing high quality speaker cables before now, but now I see the light for the highest quality interconnects too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted February 22, 2002 Share Posted February 22, 2002 Let the games begin... 2.5 weeks ago I put an Audio Quest Coral between my MSB DAC and pre amp and for the fun of it I put a nice older pair of .5 meter AQ Jade interconnects between my Sherwood Newcastle Amp and preamp. Better sounstage and less ringing or shrill sound on the highs. Seemed to sound less "digital". The improvement was the real deal; no placebo. I recommend the Radio Shack cables for neophytes and the other rooms of the house. The number one rig in the house ought to get the good stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted February 22, 2002 Share Posted February 22, 2002 Dont tell anyone but..... I heard a bigger difference in my system changing from Monster Cable to Synergistic Silver speaker cable than I did when I changed from a Yamaha Receiver/Rotel power amp combo to an Accuphase integrated 2 channel amp. The cable was recommended to me by the local Klipsch engineer and was just about the best $500 I have spent on my system (4 runs @ 3 metres each). For interconnects I now use primarily Mogami and one other (name escapes me now). These made a huge difference to the sound-stage and the Bass presence. Of course it is easy to prove in a DBT that there is no difference - apparently. So this is all just my lying ears fooling me into thinking my sound improved. And a damn good job they are doing about it too... Congrats on your "discovery". ------------------ 2 * Heresy 2 (mains) 2 * Homemade horn speakers (rears) 1 * REL Strata 3 sub Accuphase E211 amp. Tube monoblocks with separate pre-amp (solid state). Marantz CD6000 player Sony NS900 SACD/DVD player Stax Headphones Humax 5400 digital satellite receiver Sharp Video 32" Sony flat screen 16:9 TV Mogami interconnects Silver Synergistic speaker cable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundog Posted February 22, 2002 Share Posted February 22, 2002 If after listening carefully and comparing cables using a variety of recordings, the more expensive cables sound better and you can aford them and you are sure that the money couldn't be better spent making other improvements in your system, go for it! It's what sounds best to you and you alone that counts. Has anyone set up blind experiments involving a reasonable number of listeners, switching between various cables in a high quality system and published the results? ------------------ Soundog's HT Systems This message has been edited by soundog on 02-22-2002 at 04:34 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Warren Posted February 22, 2002 Share Posted February 22, 2002 Soundog- I doesn't matter, Beranack and later McIntosh Labs have shown that about 10% of the listening audience claims a sonic difference when no change is made in a blind test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted February 22, 2002 Share Posted February 22, 2002 Soundog, dont you fret. John Warren is SURELY (100%) not in that 10% category. Think about it. kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted February 22, 2002 Share Posted February 22, 2002 Well I noticed better than a 10% improvement and I heard it 100% of the time.I'm about 75% sure that the upgrade was worth the 400% difference in cost. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Warren Posted February 22, 2002 Share Posted February 22, 2002 I can't stand it! Let me catch my breath..... This message has been edited by John Warren on 02-22-2002 at 07:34 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Warren Posted February 22, 2002 Share Posted February 22, 2002 Ahhh, better "shucks"...you guys are so darn clever! Keith, Did you make that up all by yourself? Some good "big" word usage there. Mobile, Thanks, without your addendums to each and every post of mine I'd feel like I lost a pal (a 600 lb gorilla on my back). This message has been edited by John Warren on 02-22-2002 at 07:43 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted February 22, 2002 Share Posted February 22, 2002 Your Welcome, John. I'd like to thank you as well. Without your cheerful contributions to this forum, I would forget the true and unrelenting meaning of the words status quo. kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Warren Posted February 22, 2002 Share Posted February 22, 2002 quote: Your Welcome, John. I'd like to thank you as well. Without your cheerful contributions to this forum, I would forget the true and unrelenting meaning of the words status quo. Now THAT'S a witty repartee! (but just between you and I, what does "unrelenting meaning" actually mean anyway?) This message has been edited by John Warren on 02-22-2002 at 08:38 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundog Posted February 22, 2002 Share Posted February 22, 2002 I could beleive that but besides those 1 in 10 who were mistaken could any of the others agree that one set of wires sounded better than an other? What brands were tested? What music was played? What speakers, amps etc were used? In short, were can I find the reports? ------------------ Soundog's HT Systems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted February 22, 2002 Share Posted February 22, 2002 Soundog, do you really want to force Sir Warren from his lair one more time to journey to the dilapidated filing cabinet containing the vaunted Julian Hirsch Stereo Review archives? How thy bifocals glaze with a misty-eyed reverence.... kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted February 22, 2002 Share Posted February 22, 2002 Oh man! Wire is Wire!! YEEEEEHAAAAAAW!!!!!!! LOL, LOL and double LOL!!!! The Forum that time Forgot!!!!!!!! Sh*t. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOUNDJUNKIE Posted February 22, 2002 Share Posted February 22, 2002 I've replaced all by ins and outs with Optocouple devices and AT+T glass. I can't tell the difference but it looks really cool! Go figure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc1091 Posted February 24, 2002 Author Share Posted February 24, 2002 I have been a speaker wire proponent for quite some time, but I was unprepared for the magnitude of difference that quality interconnects from the pre-out to the amp made. For all the improvement, I'm sure there is a reason that the retailer gave me (for free) this somewhat raggedy pair of Monster cable interconnects. Time to go out any buy new. I see a few of you have a preferred brand, anyone else want to suggest a certain brand? Or conversely, is there any brand to avoid (besides Radio Shack). There are a number to choose from: Cardas? Tributaries? WireWorld? AudioQuest? Kimber cable? Monster? XLO? Straight Wire? Analysis Plus? MIT? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted February 25, 2002 Share Posted February 25, 2002 DIY cable.com? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Warren Posted February 25, 2002 Share Posted February 25, 2002 http://www.pcavtech.com/techtalk This message has been edited by John Warren on 02-25-2002 at 03:44 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted February 25, 2002 Share Posted February 25, 2002 Interesting. More Brain Food. THANX! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manuel Delaflor Posted February 27, 2002 Share Posted February 27, 2002 My cable is better than your cable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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