A cable sceptic opens up - but only a likkle bit

[Gordon Steadman]

A mate of mine gave some great looking interconnects yesterday. It says 'studio reference' on the wire, nice locking plugs, little arrows to tell me which way they should point, got to be the business.

Hmm... sat back and wondered where the hell the music had gone. Dead and flat as a dodo from CD. Maybe it just doesn't suit the player so put them between the pre and the amp. When I woke up, I decided that, being an unpleasant bugger, that my mate wasn't being as generous as he might have been.

What a load of rubbish. Cambridge Audio they are and quite horrid with it.

This is the first time that I have found a bit of wire that made this sort of difference. I suppose one has to admit to the possibility that if these could ruin the sound then cables can make a difference:(

Back to my £10 wonders from Richer sounds.....bliss:)

Also.... I now find CD a bit lack lustre too. The two TTs have raided the bar well beyond the Pioneer. I am NOT going to start spending dosh, its just going to have to be the records almost exclusively. Bugger, I was quite enjoying the convenience. Back to ritual.

[CageyH]

Gordon,

I'll post you a set of the Klotz MC5000 to try if you like? :eyebrows:

[walpurgis]

Funny how cables vary. Fancy looking ones are often crap. Anybody with half a clue can rustle up decent cables with a bit of Belden or Van Damme lead off the roll and some modestly priced phono plugs.

I must admit the Cambridge ICs I've tried have always sounded OK.

[CageyH]

The two TTs have raided the bar well beyond the Pioneer. I am NOT going to start spending dosh.

How are you going to re-stock the bar then?

:lol:

[Gordon Steadman]

Gordon,

I'll post you a set of the Klotz MC5000 to try if you like? :eyebrows:

Very kind I'm sure.:)

The reason I just sit back and listen is that this sort of buggering about just encourages the hobby to turn to hi-fi rather than music!!

The bar was filled at SuperU this morning:cool:

[awkwardbydesign]

I made a few sets of these some years ago, Took absolutely AGES! http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/diyce2.html At my bake-off last year they were the only interconnects (of mine) that were generally liked. And someone else's TQ Ultra Black speaker cables were quite an improvement on anything I had. Pity I can't afford £1000!
I really wish I couldn't hear any difference. :(

[Macca]

I really wish I couldn't hear any difference. :(

Yes me to - to the extent I have avoided trying expensive interconnects in case I like them and have to buy them. What I have now works well, that will do for me.

There is just no way of quantifying cables. Price is no arbiter. I mean with amplifier you can look at the power output and the current swing and look at the speakers' sensitivity and resistance and at least make an educated guess as to whether they will be a match. But interconnects are just a crap-shoot with trial-and-error the pnly mechanism available for selection. There are so many cables, even in the affordable bracket, that it is impossible to try them all . Bit weird really considering this is the second decade of the 21st century and the audiophile cable industry is worth millions per annum. Or maybe it is because it is worth millions...

[walpurgis]

The reason I just sit back and listen is that this sort of buggering about just encourages the hobby to turn to hi-fi rather than music!!

I can understand your point Gordon, but surely an improvement is worth having?

[awkwardbydesign]

I can understand your point Gordon, but surely an improvement is worth having?

Depends on your definition of improvement, really. To some, especially in a studio for example, any sound quality improvement is just that. To some it won't be worth the distraction from their current enjoyment of the music. Unfortunately I am stuck with trying to make small (and sometimes large!) sonic improvemnts. But I got caught up over 40 years ago, so changing now would be hard. Fortunately my wife isn't trapped like that, although she can hear and appreciate improvements, although she is more likely to notice a deterioration, especially on vocals.
I also make and modify a lot of my stuff, which I enjoy for itself.

[trio leo]

I suppose it's a suck it and see situation, I have a pair of AVT 6 interconnects, between my CDP and pre-amp they suck the life out of the music, maybe the CDP output can't "drive" them.
However between my pre-amp and power amps they are excellent.

Enjoy your music :)

Cheers Al

[winstonmalcolm]

I have a set of those Cambridge Audio Studio Reference , as you say they are a really nice looking cable. Mine are the lockable type. I've had exactly the same experience, very muddy and muddled sound, gone back to my 25 year old Goldrings, I also have some old Linn interconnects which are okay but not quite as sweet.