Reference Fidelity Components Interconnects....

[Blackmass]

It's been a while.....

I’m currently using Linn Silvers with my set up (Linn components) at the moment but fancy a change. Anyone had experience of RFC interconnects? Anyone compared the Mercury and Venus?

Cheers
Rob

[Bigman80]

I believe hifinut (Phil) has some, He may be able to help.

[Firebottle]

I have heard the comparison between the RFC Mercury and the Spotfire cables.

The Spotfire win hands down, loads more clarity and 3D image.

[montesquieu]

I have a full set of RFC Cables, doing everything except my tonearms for which I use silver (the only place I still use silver). They sound great in my system, replaced a full rig of mixed Kondo and Audio Note. (As I say, I only kept silver for tonearm use). I wouldn't spend a penny more on an interconnect these days.

I'm personally skeptical that anyone can hear anything other than tiny differences between properly made cables though there are some oddball ones that bugger around with capacitance and the like that have some 'effect' that sounds different. I've always tired of that sort of thing pretty quickly and gone back to normal ones..

Send the money on components.

[walpurgis]

except my tonearms for which I use silver (the only place I still use silver)

Ah. I have the same preference. The tonearm is the only place I favour silver conductors.

[Mike Reed]

I have a full set of RFC Cables, doing everything except my tonearms for which I use silver (the only place I still use silver). They sound great in my system, replaced a full rig of mixed Kondo and Audio Note. (As I say, I only kept silver for tonearm use).



Are you inferring that you prefer copper to silver in I/Cs, Tom, after dabbling in both for some time? Geoff seems to hold the same opinion, but to me this sounds a wee bit counter intuitive, though I've no experience of silver. Wonder why, as I was contemplating buying a pair of solid silver/silver RCA I/Cs.

[bronzeage]

I have had pretty much all the RFC RCA interconnects.

My experience is that switching from Mercury to Venus, you get more transparency - so it reveals more of you components.
If you have a bass-heavy source, you will get more bass (and detail about it), and so on. Want to find out if power chords doing anything for you ? Yup, Venus will tell you.

I also found that the worse the source equipment, the bigger the differences, and that the Venus was noticeably preferable, in that it made everything 'richer' sounding.

Of course, you are paying for the Rolls Royce of Furutech plugs with the Venus - not better sound directly. That has to come from your components.

If the SpotFire is anything like Oliver's first cable, and you like the RFC sound, you may not like it at all, it very much depends on the balance of your system, but you are in a position to try it out at the moment, so worth a shot.

I have no problem using Van Damme (no silver plating) + Venus these days, with other kit, Van Damme sounded awful.

So, get your base kit sorted first if you don't like what you hear, and then something like Venus/SpotFire should just be gravy on top.

[hifinutt]

yes i am a great fan of the rfc cables , i do like the mercury a lot . i would have to do a prolonged listening session with both spotfire and mercury to see if i fully agreed with alan on this one :)

the construction of the mercury is first class , it would be worth you adding your name to ollies demo list of the spotfire before making your mind up

rfc cables are consistantly in demand and sell fast . whether the venus construction is much better sonically i can`t say , i like the KLE plugs on the mercury . i have had a couple of pairs of venus but not at same time as mercury

i also use acoustic zen , mavros , chord signature , townshend dct 300 , and kimber select cables

some years ago i spent hours comparing them all but i am a bit weary of all that now , i even have some £28 van damme speaker cable and it sounds amazing with the rfc impulse ta`us . i am sure there is better but i can`t afford the long length i would need

[montesquieu]

Are you inferring that you prefer copper to silver in I/Cs, Tom, after dabbling in both for some time? Geoff seems to hold the same opinion, but to me this sounds a wee bit counter intuitive, though I've no experience of silver. Wonder why, as I was contemplating buying a pair of solid silver/silver RCA I/Cs.

Yes and in speaker cables too. Quality copper in my view keeps a nice balance between detail and texture/timbre, I find silver can be out of balance. The exception is tonearm cables where silver litz is the way to go to get those tiny signals to the SUT. I think a small amount of silver used judiciously in this way can be beneficial but too much is too much!

[struth]

never tried silver.

[Blackmass]

My many thanks for all your replies, much appreciated.

I received a message from Oliver who asked if I fancied try his Spotfire cables. I've just asked to be put on the waiting list.
I've just read the thread and they sound very promising.

[Bigman80]

My many thanks for all your replies, much appreciated.

I received a message from Oliver who asked if I fancied try his Spotfire cables. I've just asked to be put on the waiting list.
I've just read the thread and they sound very promising.I'll get you on there mate. Will be a few weeks, there's currently on 10 infront to you. Like I said in the PM, if you want to bring your cables for a little bakeoff, you're welcome. Anyone that can't tell the difference between cables worries me [emoji6]

[hifinutt]

perhaps i could tag along and bring a mercury to compare . might have to blindfold you though as bias may come in !!! also got that neotech cable from brian which i am using now currently as well

http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?57678-FS-Neotech-NEI-3004-UPOCC-interconnects

[CageyH]

How does the Neotech ;) cable from Brian compare?

[Bigman80]

perhaps i could tag along and bring a mercury to compare . might have to blindfold you though as bias may come in !!! also got that neotech cable from brian which i am using now currently as well

http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?57678-FS-Neotech-NEI-3004-UPOCC-interconnectsDefo Phil! No worries at all and yes, I am up for a blind test.

[hifinutt]

brill , when time permits we must schedule

[Blackmass]

Great stuff. Thank you very much.

[WESTLOWER]

Imho a lot of emphasis on interconnects is a wee bit of a tail chase.
At Toms gaff recently, he had a £19 cable in his system which wasn't out of place at all.
Personally I have got on really well with Duelund DCA20GA tinned copper wire in oil cloth (£5.50 a metre from Hifi collective) With some half decent plugs. They have stayed in my system and with real synergy. In fact out performed Kimber selects, and a few other flash interconnects...
That said, Paul's RFC cables are very very well made and very appealing, he certainly knows what he's doing

[montesquieu]

Imho a lot of emphasis on interconnects is a wee bit of a tail chase.
At Toms gaff recently, he had a £19 cable in his system which wasn't out of place at all.
Personally I have got on really well with Duelund DCA20GA tinned copper wire in oil cloth (£5.50 a metre from Hifi collective) With some half decent plugs. They have stayed in my system and with real synergy. In fact out performed Kimber selects, and a few other flash interconnects...
That said, Paul's RFC cables are very very well made and very appealing, he certainly knows what he's doing


Forgot about those - yes I bought a 2m pair of those £19.99 Edge cables from ebay as i did a bit of shuffling ... my RFC 1.5m cables are a bit short (thought they'll be fine when I get the Radford STA100 back this month) so needed a stop gap. The link between pre and power is the least cable sensitive of any position in in my view.

Speaker cable I use Western Electric copper which sound fine and cost me probably £60 terminated. I have some slightly longer Russian litz coming out of curiosity (a whole £108) but I don't necessarily expect to hear much if any difference.

[Blackmass]

I've just ordered a set of the Spotfire cables from Oliver.

Oliver very kindly added me to the waiting list for the loan pair but it meant me waiting for possibly months. I have no patience or willpower so I went for it...I think the heat has got to me.:cocktail:

[Bigman80]

I've just ordered a set of the Spotfire cables from Oliver.

Oliver very kindly added me to the waiting list for the loan pair but it meant me waiting for possibly months. I have no patience or willpower so I went for it...I think the heat has got to me.:cocktail:[emoji4]

[hifinutt]

very wise , look forward to your thoughts

[Blackmass]

very wise , look forward to your thoughts

I'll report back in a few weeks.