Best Audio interconnects for $50?

[Rick]

I am looking to buy the best interconnects I can find for around $50 to connect my Sony DVP-NS3100ES SACD/CD player to my Pioneer SX-980 receiver. I am thinking Blue Jeans Cable?

[SilverSport]

heard nothing but good for bluejeans...better quality than the RCA branded ICs you can get at Frye's or Home Depot (cooler jacket and "probably" better quality wire, kimber???)...the RCA branded are VERY similar (I think the same except for the different colored jacket*RatShack are black and RCA brand are a clear with silver braided shielding underneath the clear jacket) to the Radio Shack gold connector ICs...these will be in the $15 dollar range for a pair but are high quality and have worked fine for me so far (over a year)...if you want to spend the extra...bluejeans are hard to beat...Bill

[frankphess]

http://www.cobaltcable.com/audio_interconnect.htm

A little more than $50.00, but not by much.

[paul cbc]

I know Craig (Nos Valves) had a thread a while back about some cable he

liked, that was reasonable. I think in your budget you should

find something that sounds/works just FINE. Others mileage may

vary, but I'm not one for kilobuck cables.

I just ordered a pair of these to try:

http://www.mcminone.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=MCMProducts&product%5Fid=50%2D2160

They look pretty well made and are cheap.

Good luck!

Paul

[shload]

I have paid less than $50.00 each for my Kimber PBJ's 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 meter from audiogon. I'm happy with them

Joe

[oldbuckster]

I am looking to buy the best interconnects I can find for around $50 to connect my Sony DVP-NS3100 SACD/CD player to my Pioneer SX-980 receiver. I am thinking Blue Jeans Cable?

Don't you have an OPTICAL plug in / or Digital plug in on the back? Much better than RCA cables. I had RCA's on mine went to Optical much nicer, smoother sound.

[Guest " "]

sx-980...excellent specs...very wide bandwith amp section...vintage 1970's. RCA inputs...a set of used monster m-1000's should cost you less than 50 bucks a pair. M-1000's are silver coated wires terminated with gold plated plugs. the original M-1000's are from the late 80's. Original cost of the m-1000's were $130.00 for a 1 meter run, and $90.00 for a half meter run each. I see them on ebay quite frequently very under priced. look for the gray jacketed ones which are prime first generation.

[Colin]

DIY

From a previous post: I would be tempted to build my own. You can get the [wonderful] 4 Eichmann bullet plugs for about $30 and 25 feet of 27 gauge [AWG] Teflon coated silver wire for $60. Unless you have real problems with RFI, a twisted pair of wires is very good. You can also twist them around some foam caulk backer and get very low capacitance.

silver wire:
http://www.a-msystems.com/physiology/wirerod/silvertef.aspx

Bullet plugs:
pwolber@portal.ca<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

A 3 foot length of copper (22AWG) will be 0.016 Ohms, so the impedance will be dominated by (mostly) capacitance and (a little) inductance, but the effect will be unnoticed until a couple octaves (at least) above the range of human hearing where skin effect starts to come into play. When you measure the resistance of an interconnect [patch cord,] you're mostly measuring the contact resistance [ the] silver wire won't make any measurable difference (silver solder might). Keeping contact resistance low (by using gold plating) over a long period of time is the best you can do.

[formica]

bluejeans are hard to beat...Bill

I second that... well built, no-nonsence engineering, and reasonably

priced. I've done the DIY route and the parts cost me almost as

much (adding the shipping to Canada) without calculating my time.

ROb

[Fish]

I am looking to buy the best interconnects I can find for around $50 to connect my Sony DVP-NS3100 SACD/CD player to my Pioneer SX-980 receiver. I am thinking Blue Jeans Cable?

Don't you have an OPTICAL plug in / or Digital plug in on the back? Much better than RCA cables. I had RCA's on mine went to Optical much nicer, smoother sound.

The sacd or dvd-audio hq signal will not go out the coax/optical output.Also if you have a very good player it may sound better through analog,my modest players do.

On the cables,just about anything other than freebies should sound nice.I've got the silver see through rca cheapo brand and Esoteric brand(looks cooler,good quality),they sound about the same to me.

[oldbuckster]

Fish; I use a Sony XA1ES CDplayer has RCA or Opitical plugs; I use a Sony N S 5775 DVD player has RCA or Digital coax or Opitical plugs, hooked them up many ways, and Opitical works for me, or the receiver can switch to Analog Direct, no sub with analog direct, just 2 channel left and right.

[Clarence]

I just recieved my 3rd set of blue jeans IC's today. Phenominal! nothing but good to say...

[capo72]

Fish; I use a Sony XA1ES CDplayer has RCA or Opitical plugs; I use a Sony N S 5775 DVD player has RCA or Digital coax or Opitical plugs, hooked them up many ways, and Opitical works for me, or the receiver can switch to Analog Direct, no sub with analog direct, just 2 channel left and right.

I think Fish's point is that a DVD Audio / SACD signal is output in analog. I know Denon will do a digital DVD-A / SACD signal if you use their Denon link connection, but then you need a Denon receiver to process it. I think someone else does digital DVD-A /SACD through a proprietary connection, but it's too early in the morning to think of who that is. Denon uses a 6-channel analog output, so if the original poster is looking specifically for cables for 5 or 6-channel analog for $50, then it's a different ballgame. I also am very happy with Blue Jeans Cable.

Jeremy

[oldbuckster]

I was just stating what worked with my equipment, besides, I thought the poster was talking about a Cd player? I could be wrong, I've been wrong before. Whatever works best for him is the best answer.

[Fish]

I was just stating what worked with my equipment, besides, I thought the poster was talking about a Cd player? I could be wrong, I've been wrong before. Whatever works best for him is the best answer.

Olbuck,you're correct,he was talkin about a cd player,but it also plays super audio cd.To get the full resolution sacd signal you have to use analog cables(unless as mentioned you have a digilink dealio).On my cd changers(used when I don't have time to change disc) I use the digital out,as you said it sounds much better than using analog when you have better dacs in your prepro/avr.

[dougdrake]

Gang - You missed the post above about his receiver - it's vintage '70's gear. Doubt it has an optical input on it, nor 6 pre-amp inputs for SACD/DVD-A.

Depending on how far you need to go, you might find a couple of AudioQuest cables that will fit the bill at www.audioadvisor.com

[capo72]

I missed the fact that the Pioneer was a vintage piece. I do want to point out however, that the Sony DVP-NS3100 is infact a DVD player that plays DVD-A and SACD, and probably anything you throw in it. I'm not slamming using a DVD player for CD's as I do it my self with a Denon 2910. Most high end DVD players have excellent DAC's and do a great job with 2-channel CD's. I use the optical output for 2-channel cd listening as well.

I concur with the use of the AudioQuest cables for this situation.

Jeremy

[Guest " "]

it was clear earlier in the thread...see below...I checked e-bay...there is arn't any m1000 cables rca type today..but there are plenty THX certified rca interlink connection cables..a few from monster have only 1 bid of .99 cents.

////////////////////////

sx-980...excellent specs...very wide bandwith amp section...vintage 1970's. RCA inputs...a set of used monster m-1000's should cost you less than 50 bucks a pair. M-1000's are silver coated wires terminated with gold plated plugs. the original M-1000's are from the late 80's. Original cost of the m-1000's were $130.00 for a 1 meter run, and $90.00 for a half meter run each. I see them on ebay quite frequently very under priced. look for the gray jacketed ones which are prime first generation.

[Rick]

I am sorry that I have seemed to confuse some people here. Yes the Pioneer Receiver is a 1978-1979 vintage . It does NOT have any digital connections nor does it have 5.1 analog inputs. I am using the Sony ES DVD/SACD player for 2 channel listening to CD's and SACD's. And by the way , it sounds great as a standalone audio player. Sorry for any confusion.

[ScorpsFan]

Rick,

I agree with the others that Blue Jeans, etc. are quality cables, and just to add to the mix, I have been using both of these:

http://www.knukonceptz.com/productDetail.cfm?prodID=KRY2.1M @ $10.49/meter for a low profile all copper cable and these, http://www.knukonceptz.com/productDetail.cfm?prodID=eKs-R1 @ $39.99/meter for a silver plated copper coax style, both have worked well for me. Best of luck!