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View Full Version : Best Interconnects advice needed .. !!



Vinyleyes
22-12-2010, 14:31
Gents ... I am upgrading my own system which is SME turntable with hi end pre and Radford STA25 power .. will be running with an Oppo SE93 modified universal player when it is available for CD replay and movie watching. The world of interconnects is a very misty area for me and I do not understand if some components need digital interconnects .. or analogue interconnects .. what is the difference here. What would you recommend ... for phono, CD, DAC and Oppo connections here ... and Scart lads for the TV ?? I do not want to go mad here so will set a price of around 100 punds max for any item 1mt interconnect leads.

Speaker leads also ... ?

Also I am putting together a budget system for my son so would like to know ideas for the absolute best bang for the buck down in the starter system range. He will run vinyl and CD and Computer music

Your thoughts will be much appreciated ..

Cheers

Gazjam
22-12-2010, 14:34
Easy..
Mark Grant HD1000 £75

fit n' forget.

Reid Malenfant
22-12-2010, 14:48
With a Digital phono interconnect the cable needs to have a 75ohm specific impedance for maximum performance ;) A balanced digital interconnect needs to be 110ohm impedance.

Audio cables are run at audio & not radio frequencies so specific impedance doesn't make any difference & the consequence of this is you get all sorts of weird & wonderful designs, some good, other not so hot :eyebrows:

With the Oppo you'll need a 75ohm screened cable from the digital output to your DAC for stereo music listening. If you are watching a movie you'll need to use the 5.1 (or 6.1/7.1) analogue outputs from the Oppo (if fitted) to enable you to use surround sound speakers. If you aren't doing this you probably need to set the Oppo to mix all the channels down to stereo & use the two channel analogue outputs into your amplifier. I doubt that the digital output would be functional & if it was it's doubtful that the DAC could decode it ;)

WAD62
22-12-2010, 15:42
Oh dear this is going to be a real carve up...;)

A couple of things that won't be hotly disputed;

1. Use the shortest possible cables
2. Spread the budget evenly, the weakest link in the chain and all that.

Now for a few that will be;

1. Neet HDMI cables are a ridiculously cheap budget option, available from Amazon.
2. QED Original Mk2 copper is a reasonable speaker cable for the price.
3. The Chord Chameleon analogue (RCA) interconnect is very nice and I think it's under a ton, but takes some breaking in!

...time to run!!! :)

Techno Commander
22-12-2010, 16:36
Black Mamba speaker cables are a bargain at around 60 quid.

Providing you have suitably robust binding posts on your amp.

Welder
22-12-2010, 17:59
Oh well, may as well.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-Pure-AV-Silver-shielded/dp/B0007YBFEO/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1292007389&sr=8-2-fkmr0

The only shop bought RCA interconnects I own apart from the above are a set of Chord Company Crimson Plus and I bought those second hand.
The Belden’s above are just as good.

Fit and forget and save yourself £50 ;)

Rare Bird
22-12-2010, 18:35
The only shop bought RCA interconnects I own apart from the above are a set of Chord Company Crimson Plus and I bought those second hand.

Fit and forget and save yourself £50 ;)

+1, great cables very flexable aswell

Ali Tait
22-12-2010, 18:41
Yep +2.

Vinyleyes
22-12-2010, 19:09
Do you mean the Amazon ones or the Chord ... :doh: ,,,, and .... anybody heard of these ... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/0-75M-Gotham-GAC-1-Hi-Fi-stereo-interconnect-set-UK-/380142831194?pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item588247465a

Some brave recommendations coming here thanks .. ... looks like I am going to save myself some money and amazon know my front door VERY well :eek: already this xmas .. .. :)

Techno Commander
22-12-2010, 20:01
I would recommend the Belkin ones over the ebay ones, which just look like a cheap generic cable.

Welder
22-12-2010, 20:05
Well Brian, you say you are prepared to spend up to £100 per cable so why not buy both the Belkin and the Chord. This way you can judge for yourself and gain some insight into the amount of bollocks that gets written about interconnects.

I’m not going to say interconnects don’t make any difference because they can but the differences are small; a very fine tuning option.
The truth is for most Hi Fi enthusiasts (those who listen to music and don’t try to write insightful equipment reviews on forums) the “night and day” difference postings are just not taken seriously. So, if you ignore the “audiophile” fringe and apply a bit of common sense you wont go far wrong and have some money left to buy music ;)

Ali Tait
22-12-2010, 20:10
Can't argue with that.

keiths
22-12-2010, 20:43
These are the correct Belkin ones aren't they? (the white ones)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BELKIN-PURE-AV-RCA-TO-RCA-AUDIO-CABLE-2M-AD80300qn2M_W0QQitemZ180600098104QQcategoryZ116850 QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo %3DDLSL%252BSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BU A%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDSIC%26otn%3D8%26pmod%3D27 0607356311%252B270607356311%26po%3D%26ps%3D63%26cl kid%3D5835809036815830677

6.50 delivered.

Reid Malenfant
22-12-2010, 20:46
AD80300qn2M They are the ones ;)

DSJR
22-12-2010, 20:54
Remember that Chord Co wires bought new from a dealer involve at least a 60% profit margin for the dealer, so the £75 Mark Grant cables would equate to Chord's £200 interconnects at least. I used to like Transparent's Music-Link Ultra interconnects at several hundred a pop at least, and marco, who I understand compared them, preferred the MG HD1000's. if £75 looks to be too cheap for your main system, then the £200 ones with WBT plugs will suit you far better, along with some of marks excellent mains cables.

For el-cheapo but really good cables, the Belkin realy is a steal and I still happily use Van Damme derived interconnects, of which there are several on fleabay to choose from (they all have a non-sound to them, just letting the music through). SoundStable on ebay do some excellent ones amongst others at under £15 per metre pair. As for inexpensive speaker cables, I'm not keen on chunky mega-strand wires, 'cos to me they thicken the sound, but again the Van Damme round 2.5mm and 4mm should be considered. Mark Grant does the 2.5mm one from memory at around £2.50 or less per metre. QED Original (79strand) is ok for £3 per metre, but the VD is much better IMO and will work properly with anything. Some Milty banana plugs (I like the ones which can be used as BFA and 4mm) will finish things off.

Mark Grant
22-12-2010, 21:32
When anyone asks me I always suggest to try a few and see which you prefer the sound of.

People often email me and ask how will one of my cables will sound compared to cable brand X and cable brand Y with CD player Z and amplifier A :eek:

It's like asking which cheese tastes best, everyone has their own opinion.:)

Anything can be returned to anywhere for refund, even ebay, so nothing to loose.


For the speaker cable the van damme 2.5mm as Dave mentions would be a good option and cheap:

http://markgrantcables.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=46_21&products_id=169

Mark Grant
22-12-2010, 21:42
will be running with an Oppo SE93 modified universal player when it is available for CD replay and movie watching.


If it is the Oppo BDP-93EU - MultiRegion I will have a few in stock soon :)
Huge demand for these, but not enough stock available for a while.

http://markgrantcables.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=64_65

I think I am the first with multi region for DVD in the UK with this new player :eyebrows:

BluRay remains locked to zone B as that is going to be tricky to crack and might be a while before a mod is available.

Stock will be ready first week in January if you are interested.

Vinyleyes
22-12-2010, 21:43
Unfortunately I bought a couple of the Ebay ones first, I guess they will be Ok for my son's system .. he doesn't read this forum .. ( yet :lol: ! )
So I think I will get the system burnt in with the new preamp and do a comparison between one of Mark's and one of the Amazon Belkin's on the vinyl input ... and see if my battered old drums can pick out any differences .. :scratch:
I hope to have my favourite old Nakamichi 730 receiver back in action as well and I bought a 405 for my son's system .... Throw that in with a huge Nak PA-7 and a smaller integrated I just aquired and we are gonna have some serious fun & listening to do over the hols ... ... pass the port .. :lol:
and .. Thanks for all the replies .. speaker cables will have to come later :cool:

Vinyleyes
22-12-2010, 21:46
When anyone asks me I always suggest to try a few and see which you prefer the sound of.

People often email me and ask how will one of my cables will sound compared to cable brand X and cable brand Y with CD player Z and amplifier A :eek:

It's like asking which cheese tastes best, everyone has their own opinion.:)

Anything can be returned to anywhere for refund, even ebay, so nothing to loose.


For the speaker cable the van damme 2.5mm as Dave mentions would be a good option and cheap:

http://markgrantcables.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=46_21&products_id=169

Ahh .. just spotted this Mark .. thanks for the suggestions and i will drop you a PM .. I was intending to give your cables a try ..

twelvebears
22-12-2010, 22:51
Black Mamba speaker cables are a bargain at around 60 quid.

Providing you have suitably robust binding posts on your amp.

If you can manage with a 2.5m pair then I'd defo second this.

Unfortunately I can't.... :doh:

Rare Bird
23-12-2010, 01:12
Do you mean the Amazon ones or the Chord ...

I mean the Chord 'Crimson'..great cables.

Effem
23-12-2010, 07:00
If you can manage with a 2.5m pair then I'd defo second this.

Unfortunately I can't.... :doh:

Well them buy some of this cable - it is VERY GOOD

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190478267688#ht_1510wt_2262

keiths
23-12-2010, 12:22
Anyone tried the Belkin speaker cables? Eg. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Belkin-Pure-AV-HI-PERFORMANCE-Banana-Speaker-Cable-Lead-/350314848197?pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item5190645fc5

Haselsh1
23-12-2010, 14:30
I've used Van Den Hul D102 MkIII HB interconnects for over fifteen years and have no intention of swapping them, they are that good. My speaker cables are NVA LS5 which I bought last year and they absolutely astonished me with their treble clarity.

The Grand Wazoo
23-12-2010, 16:39
Anyone tried the Belkin speaker cables? Eg. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Belkin-Pure-AV-HI-PERFORMANCE-Banana-Speaker-Cable-Lead-/350314848197?pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item5190645fc5


Yes, I got two pairs of those ones recently, when I started experimenting with the Belkin interconnects. (There are three different types of speaker cable from Belkin as far as I can see).
I got one pair for £10 + £5 postage from that Ebay seller, which I thought was a pretty good deal. But the second pair was unbelievable value!
They came from Ebuyer and were £2.97 + £3.57 postage! That was the last pair they had, so I don't know if they're going to restock at that price.

I'm pretty much just as impressed with these as I was with the interconnects & it took about 10 seconds to realise that they were way better than my old cables.