Most Important Cable In Your Kit?

[icehockeyboy]

I noticed that The esteemed Dave at MCRU has that has his 'tip' on his posts, it makes sense, but, and I apologise if this question has been asked before, but how can a metre of quality wire, magically make up for the hundreds of miles of cable of an unknown quality before it reaches our mains socket?

[brian2957]

Have you tried a quality mains cable in that area of your system Craig . IMO David is correct . Luckily I make up my own mains cables and can use quality parts while keeping the cost down . A good quality mains cable will give SQ improvements which cannot be achieved any other way . Don't ask me why because I don't know but the improvements are audible in my system and I trust my ears :) . IMO the mains cables should be upgraded before upgrading any other cable in your system .

[icehockeyboy]

Yes Brian...check my signature......

[awkwardbydesign]

I noticed that The esteemed Dave at MCRU has that has his 'tip' on his posts, it makes sense, but, and I apologise if this question has been asked before, but how can a metre of quality wire, magically make up for the hundreds of miles of cable of an unknown quality before it reaches our mains socket?

To use a (crap) analogy, the tap water in Plymouth tastes foul. I have a filter fitted under the sink. The taste is now bearable.
Perhaps a short length of mains cable performs a similar function? And yes, I have been startled by the difference a mains cable made. The same piece of music, with a big drum, actually made me jump when it slammed out! And I was NOT expecting anything, I just made the lead out of curiosity.

[brian2957]

Sorry , I should have looked there Craig . Did you hear any difference when you fitted better mains cables in your system ? Just curious :)

[Gordon Steadman]

It doesn't.:eyebrows:

[awkwardbydesign]

It doesn't.:eyebrows:

It does.
(Your turn again.)

[brian2957]

Well we're all entitled to our opinions , and every one is valid . The most important thing is that we can have a civil , sensible discussion about these things on this forum :)

[prestonchipfryer]

Some cable manufacturers fit in-line filters in their cables. This may make a difference if your mains is contaminated with spikes and surges. You could always ask for a demo length of cable/cables and see if it makes a difference in your system.

As for interconnects: I use SLIC cable as tonearm cable and between my SUT and phono and this suits my ears and my system.

I don't think the question of saying it makes no difference is valid, only you can decide.

[Gordon Steadman]

It does.
(Your turn again.)

OK, I'll buy it "Oh no it doesn't":lol:

[icehockeyboy]

Great analogy with the water filter, like it!

As for hearing a difference, when I had my first 'better' mains cable, an RA Yellow, I believed I could hear a difference, this was followed by the Classik...is that how RA spells it? And again, thought I could hear a difference, but I now find myself questioning if I actually did.

I'm currently using one of Effem's cables, a KK Mercury, and still not sure......?

[Effem]

Great analogy with the water filter, like it!

As for hearing a difference, when I had my first 'better' mains cable, an RA Yellow, I believed I could hear a difference, this was followed by the Classik...is that how RA spells it? And again, thought I could hear a difference, but I now find myself questioning if I actually did.

I'm currently using one of Effem's cables, a KK Mercury, and still not sure......?

OMG you are in Doubting Thomas mode again Craig :rolleyes:

Your problem is you have got used to the sound of an upgrade cable - even RA's offerings.

Put a cheap and nasty lead back in :eyebrows:

Then do as I asked by PM and ask Dan for a loan of his Lessloss power cord for a week.

[icehockeyboy]

N
OMG you are in Doubting Thomas mode again Craig :rolleyes:

Your problem is you have got used to the sound of an upgrade cable - even RA's offerings.

Put a cheap and nasty lead back in :eyebrows:

Then do as I asked by PM and ask Dan for a loan of his Lessloss power cord for a week.

No way!
I'm scared to do that in case it's so good I have to buy one! :)

I'm not in doubting Thomas mode....I'm just trying to get my head around all that naff wire being made good by 1 metre of good wire at the end of it. :)

[struth]

i dont have any favorites cable wise. i try them out in different positions /different systems and if they sound good they stay.

[awkwardbydesign]

N

No way!
I'm scared to do that in case it's so good I have to buy one! :)

I'm not in doubting Thomas mode....I'm just trying to get my head around all that naff wire being made good by 1 metre of good wire at the end of it. :)

There are many things I don't understand (there, I've actually admitted it! :eek:), but they still carry on working. If you can hear a difference, the "why" may not matter. As long as someone can consistently point you in the right direction. This is why a good dealer is gold. Unfortunately there are few of them now, at least offline.
I think Frank's suggestion is good. Put the cheapo back in and see* if you can hear the difference. My wife has no interest in hifi, in fact I drive her mad, and she rarely hears the "improvements". But my God, she can hear the downgrades! I think they are easier to spot.
* Shouldn't that be "hear if you can hear the difference"? :scratch:

[MikeMusic]

I have my system sounding so good, but I don't know which cable/s do the business

Special mention for The Ultimate Mk3 mains and Yannis interconnects

[Effem]

N

No way!
I'm scared to do that in case it's so good I have to buy one! :)

I'm not in doubting Thomas mode....I'm just trying to get my head around all that naff wire being made good by 1 metre of good wire at the end of it. :)

Goodness me Craig, how many times have I explained how a power cord upgrade makes a system sound better?

Begin with the premise that there is no such thing as a perfect cable. Some cables are less imperfect than others while some are more imperfect than others. I rate the infamous "kettle lead" as something that is a huge dollop of imperfect. Still with me?

A power cord upgrade isn't putting something "wonderful" IN to a system, it has more to do with taking the rubbish OUT and if you hear a better sound from your system, then the cable you have just put in, is less imperfect than the one you have just taken out. Simples.

What a great many people have real difficulty with, is that the the less imperfect the cable is, the price is usually inversely proportional to that - and sometimes a huge deal more :lol:

[walpurgis]

Will my kettle boil water better with a fancy cable Frank? :)

[Effem]

Will my kettle boil water better with a fancy cable Frank? :)

Yes it will boil it faster, but not "better" :eyebrows:

[6L6]

I prefer shielded mains cables to unshielded. Other than that I have never discerned a difference in the quality of the mains leads.

That said, I am a big proponent of AC filters balanced power transformers and even AC regeneration. Those make a big, discernible difference in the system. but the 1-2M bits of wire between them the wall and the component? In my experience, not very much, once they are shielded.

YMMV.

[The Barbarian]

Just admit its an illness :eyebrows:

If you are happy with how your system sounds now why play about with cables, No excuses please just say it you can't help yourselves.

:D

[prestonchipfryer]

Cableitis :)

[CageyH]

The most important cable in my system? :scratch:

If I take just one out, it won't work properly. Surely, that means that they are all pretty important? :ner:

[Andrei]

Cableitis :)
Is that a mutation of Upgraditis?

Not many variables in a mains cable.
The main thing is that it is of at least the same gauge as what is in the wall, otherwise it will act as a resistor.
I suppose there could be some benefit in it being silver or silver coated to counteract corrosion, but this would be small.
It should be flexible for easy use.
It can be dressed in fancy braid.
It can be shielded. This is not so much to protect the cable from any interference or emissions but rather to ensure the mains cable itself does not interfere with other cables.
Plugs also significant as they are part of the connection.

I suppose there is room in there for a mains cable to make a difference but I doubt any the above could justify a silly price.

[prestonchipfryer]

Is that a mutation of Upgraditis?.


It is. Along with turntableitis, armitis, cartridgeitis, etc., etc. ;)

[LittleTone]

Hi guys,
At the moment I have only one mains cable ( a kit I purchased from Dave (MCRU) and I.m not using it at the moment because I'm not convinced that it makes a difference. Should I use with the DAC, the Pre-Amp or the Power Amp for best effect ? I'll check it out again tomorrow.
In answer to the original post I would say the Mark Grant MG2000HD/WBT Cu. I can't find a cable that I prefer, and I tried quite a few.

[struth]

Probably the Pre

[walpurgis]

The bit of thin wire on my Sennheiser MX300 'phones.

[icehockeyboy]

just to point out, Dave means the cable that goes In to your mains block/ conditioner, not individual cables.

[MikeMusic]

Hi guys,
At the moment I have only one mains cable ( a kit I purchased from Dave (MCRU) and I.m not using it at the moment because I'm not convinced that it makes a difference. Should I use with the DAC, the Pre-Amp or the Power Amp for best effect ? I'll check it out again tomorrow.
In answer to the original post I would say the Mark Grant MG2000HD/WBT Cu. I can't find a cable that I prefer, and I tried quite a few.

There may be limiting factors if you cannot hear the difference.
Change switched sockets on the wall change to unswitched, or get someone who knows what they are doing to do it.
If you get someone in have them check the earth is good and solid too.
Go around any 4 way adaptors and plug direct into the wall with your test subject.

I'd try them all with the one cable you have
More money spent on the cables usually means a better result

I've been surprised that the power amp seems to be very partial to a good mains lead

[Gordon Steadman]

I used to be very aware of mains noise when I lived in the UK. The supply here is very quiet. We recently put a new earth post down and of course, everything is on spurs rather than rings.

I the UK I never noticed any difference in 'sound' using flash cables although some of them did help with the noise.

No-one listening to our system has ever been able to hear any difference between mains cables, using either the Quads, KEFs, Teufels or B&Ws.

I would never claim that what other people hear is impossible but in our system, in our house, they make no difference at all.

[JohnJo]

I prefer shielded mains cables to unshielded. Other than that I have never discerned a difference in the quality of the mains leads.

That said, I am a big proponent of AC filters balanced power transformers and even AC regeneration. Those make a big, discernible difference in the system. but the 1-2M bits of wire between them the wall and the component? In my experience, not very much, once they are shielded.

YMMV.

This post makes so much sense. The varying mileage probably comes from some supplies being more noise polluted than others and even from noise levels varying at different times of the day on the same supply.

[jandl100]

Significant differences heard chez-J with mains cables.

I'm now Nordost Magus / Blue Heaven from wall to AG1500 regenerator to (fuseless/protectionless) Pro-Ject mains block to each component - I got there cable by cable - a significant 'up' in sq each time, imo.

No, it doesn't make much sense to me, either! :)

[SLS]

Several amplifier manufacturers recommend you use the heaviest mains cable you can afford. I use some of Dave's better ones.

Then a P3 from PS Audio takes care of most else and use cheaper power lines for components.

These do make a difference.

As does an MCRU PSU for a device I have that is effectively a Naim Uniti Serve.

My current speaker cables cost £106 (£17/m) and are not noticeably different from the expensive ones from TQ collecting dust and available for sale.

[The Barbarian]

The most important cable in my system? :scratch:

If I take just one out, it won't work properly. Surely, that means that they are all pretty important? :ner:

They are but if you have an inferior cable between Pre amp & source you cannot recover the loss further down the chain.

[SLS]

Of course the most important able in the system is the auditory vestibular nerve, without which the latest preamp would be of little use ...

[icehockeyboy]

My current speaker cables cost £106 (£17/m) and are not noticeably different from the expensive ones from TQ collecting dust and available for sale.

I found that too.