VDH The Orchid RCA

[farflungstar]

I pay no attention to such league tables. Ten years ago the use of unshielded 300Ohm twin feeder ribbon cable was all the rage for interconnects, along with 2.5mm² Twin and Earth cable (as used for permanent mains cabling in the UK) for speaker cable. Where are they now?

Don't dismiss the twin and earth so readily. I tried it many years ago with my second audios and it was fantastic. I also ran it for a short while a year ago, preferring it to an expensive VDH - before going the DNM, isolda route. I read somewhere that solid core is better suited to valves.

Have grabbed the Audio Note ANvx cables on sales here (STP). Hopefully that are the real deal... Sonically over the VDH.

[hifi ferret]

People seem to be speculating and generalising about the Orchid based upon other VDH stuff they have tried - quite erroneously I'm afraid.

I have had both the orchid and First ultimates in my system and they are nothing like one another. The 1st ultimates are very smooth and natural sounding but some people do find then dull. They provide a rather analogue sound to CD and seem to round off any treble hardness or sense of glare.

The orchid is a very dynamic and detailed interconnect with excellent bass but rather lean sounding.

Neither suited my needs but I would say that if you had an overly warm sounding set up the orchids may suit if you have a forward or bright sounding set up the 1st ultimates may suit. the can act as tone controls if you like.

After years of cable swapping I have settled upon the RFC Venus interconnects - they have been recommended elsewhere in this thread and I would second that recommendation.

[Marco]

I have had both the orchid and First ultimates in my system and they are nothing like one another. The 1st ultimates are very smooth and natural sounding but some people do find then dull. They provide a rather analogue sound to CD and seem to round off any treble hardness or sense of glare.

The orchid is a very dynamic and detailed interconnect with excellent bass but rather lean sounding.

Yup, Tony, like I said earlier the problem with VDH cables is their inconsistency, in terms of sonic signature. In that respect, you don't really know what you're getting until you try it....

There is certainly no inherent 'house sound' with their cables, unlike is the case with those from most other manufacturers, where said 'house sound' is clearly defined, and simply developed and refined to a greater degree as you go up the range.

Anyway, you made the right choice in the end with the Venus!

Marco.