Me too :) Roof space full of equipment, speakers, cable boxes.Quote:
Originally Posted by JazzBones
Regards D S D L
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Me too :) Roof space full of equipment, speakers, cable boxes.Quote:
Originally Posted by JazzBones
Regards D S D L
Another box hoarder here, though I lost a lot of my original hifi boxes when I split up from my first wife 10 years ago, but I am terrible for keeping boxes - even for a lot of my daughter's toys - you'd be surprised how much toys with their original boxes can be worth in years to come.
I've only got 95% feedback. After 450 @ 100% some idiot with only 2 bought some PS1 games from me (I'd got with a PS1 player and never used.)Quote:
Originally Posted by Reid Malenfant
Rather than tell me, he just zapped me with "The games don't work" Neg feedback! After all that time going the extra mile to be a good seller!
I know exactly what you are saying, it must be bloody annoying :steam: I always check peoples feedback if i'm going to bid on an item they are selling, you can spot the idiot buyers that mess things up for sellers 99% of the time ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by hornucopia
A single negative wouldn't generally put me off. When there are a few though & recent from different buyers alarm bells start ringing :eyebrows:
I think i was refering to feedback of a seller on Amazon which i don't deal with..
It's amazing how different people can give you negative feedback for minor issues.
I sent a Sony turntable a while back and the couriers managed to smash the dust cover into smithereens. The buyer sent me photos of the deck and packaging, I sent off the claim form to the courier company and a month later I got the cheque, which was forwarded on to the buyer. Buyer was so very patient and understanding, no negative comments at all.
Contrast that to the clown that gave me a negative because a turntable wasn't packed to his satisfaction. No damage to the turntable whatsoever, be he still went off on one nevertheless. Errrm, "inadequate packing" results in damage, yes? :doh:
Okay, okay, I admit it; I bought a pair.
(jeez, cant believe I’ve bought these. I swore I wouldn’t EVER but another pair of interconnects :mental:)
Trouble is, I couldn’t make a pair as specified at the price :doh:
John you keep playing every now and again with the dark side Lol
Pah, you may laugh John but look at it from my side.
I’ve got a narrow minded, cynical, and objectivist reputation to maintain and hiccups like this just aren’t healthy, particularly for my wallet which shakes and cringes in a corner the instant I mention Hi Fi :eyebrows:
Many more like this and someone might take me seriously and then the shit will hit the fan :eek:
I couldn't take you seriously, but you have some very interesting & possibly enlightening pictures on here :eyebrows:Quote:
Originally Posted by Welder
Looks like a good life ;) What's a few cables between friends :lol:
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Grand Wazoo
I ordered some of these and have to report that going by the picture on the packaging they seem not to be identical to the 2.4 metre ones mentioned earlier.
The conductors appear to be different also, with no mention of the hybrid conductor of differing dimensions. It specifically mentions silver plating whereas the audio specified cables don't. The video cables also have a thicker dielectric, so although they appear to be the same diameter as the audio cable the actual conductors are thinner.
I am deeply impressed with the audio cable. I'll try the video cables soon. Presumably they are sutable to be used as SPDIF cables??
Yes, they should be as they should have a 75 ohm impedance which is exactly what you'd need for S/PDIF ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by serendipitydawg
I had a feeling the internal construction would be different, audio cables don't need a specific impedance so it give free reign to experiment with multiple conductors etc, video doesn't unless you like dodgy pictures :eyebrows:
I bought 10 of these video cables (to make 5 stereo pairs) and also a quantity of the type in the original post. Yikes - cable spaghetti!
I've made listening comparisons between the 2 types and both are good. I found the video cables to offer slightly less definition and detail overall than the audio cables. I also noticed that the bass went a smidge deeper, but was not quite as taught.
I'm very impressed indeed with the audio interconnects, though - the way they treat drums (and especially tom drums) is beyond my experience - I now have a renewed respect for Keith Moon & have listened to Live at Leeds countless times in the last week just to hear the maniac at work!
I'll be revealing more on my experiments with these cables later - I've also got myself some of the speaker cables from the same range.
Just out of interest Chris how long are the video cables? I mean't to ask this before but it slipped my mind (nothing unusual) :eyebrows: I only ask as when i looked at the link you put up i didn't recall any mention of the actual length of them :scratch:
They're either 1 or 1.2 metres (the latter, I think).
Cheers :)
I am still "truly amazed" at these interconnects. A couple of nights ago I hooked the cables up to a valve amp I have here and was really impressed some more. This valve amp was now producing awesomely clean deep bass and throwing it well out from the speakers into the room in a holographic way. I have sat on the fence about valve amps for a very long time because I have always felt while a valve amp has many fine attributes that an SS amp will easily "out bass" a bottle amp by a fair margin with a real kick in the guts level of power and depth, but by gum boys I really have changed my tune after fettling this amp up with the Belden wires.
Chris, were you listening to Live at Leeds on vinyl or CD? I'm moved to dig out the relevant version and compare notes.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Grand Wazoo
I am still amazed at the "major sound quality upgrade for less than a fiver" aspect of these cables
It was on CD. No special claims made about remastering just cheapo bog standard issue as far as I'm aware. There's also a track we listened to - I really can't remember who by or what, but there was a rhythm where a tom featured heavily & we could hear, not just the strike but you could clearly discern the different tone as the skin recovered from the initial whack - something I've never, ever heard so clearly before on any system.
Due to how subjective the topic of 'improvements' offered by various cables can be, I would not normally comment, but I must admit to buying a couple of pairs of these cables and have found the improvements gained in my system nothing short of amazing. I was VERY surprised. A much clearer presentation throughout and the bass is no longer flabby and boomy - it's taut and precise. Initially I was concerned that the cables had resulted in 'brighter' sound which was not to my taste at all. But even after just a couple of hours in getting used to the sound I have decided that IMO it is without doubt vastly improved.
Now you know why the title of this thread is called "TRULY AMAZED"! :eyebrows:Quote:
Originally Posted by monstermoo
When a former cable manufacturer (Krystal Kables) says these are MUST HAVE cables for a mere fiver, then bury your scepticisms in the sand and buy some :lol:
OK, so I'm not in the UK, and I'm wondering which model are you talking about? I found this one on amazon: Belkin Audio Cable RCA 2.4m AV RCA.Quote:
Originally Posted by Effem
Is that the one I should order?
Thanks!
Alex,
The ones I bought don't actually have model number on the packaging. As far as I can tell, from a quick Google session, in the US it may be:
AV50300 followed by 08 for an 8ft pair, 04 for a for a 4ft pair, 16 for a 16ft pair.
Not had chance to listen to mine yet as still catching up on orders but will hook them up on Christmas eve and have a listen through my Roksan CD & Amp, thx for the tip Frank.
Thanks Chris, I'm just about to order Belkin PureAV AV50300-08 8-Foot RCA Audio Cable ($14.95). The only additional question I have is whether 8ft is the most optimal length, or should I go for a different length? I'm exclusively focused on the sound quality, convenience be damned!Quote:
Originally Posted by The Grand Wazoo
Also, since I'm going from Touch via digital coax into the Caiman and then from Caiman into my preamp, I only need one pair of the cables, right? Or should I also order another pair from preamp into power amp?
I have replied to your PM Alex :)Quote:
Originally Posted by magiccarpetride
Belkin do TWO different version of audio RCA cable. The "SILVER SERIES" has a white outer sheath and the cable diameter is almost as large as the plug. The cheaper RCA audio cable has a grey or black outer sheath and the diameter of the cable is much less than the plug.
I TOTALLY can't wait to audition these babies! If I'm reading you correctly, Frank, these could possibly outperform many of the pricey high end interconnects that the snobbish staff at my local dealerships keep pushing on me?Quote:
Originally Posted by Effem
If that turns out to be the case, I owe you a round of beer, Frank. Call me when you get into town!
Many thanks,
Alex
Yes Frank, you've amplified my concern about getting the wrong cable's model number in my reply to Alex. The other type that I got (described as 'for video') were the grey type & though they did sound good, they were not the same.
I wonder whether the white ones have been completely discontinued - hence the low price we all took advantage of.
Alex, if you find them & you have a choice - get the white ones. If you have a choice over length, get the shortest ones your system can accommodate.
Yes, Frank already communicated to me in his PM that I must go only for the white ones. Stands to reason that the shorter the better...Quote:
Originally Posted by The Grand Wazoo
This Alex has still resisted... I am rather proud of myself! (But can't help wonder if I am missing out... But then really the only interconnect I would be replacing in my main system would be from DAC to amp - which is a Mark Grant G1000HD and I'm not sure anyone is saying the Belkins are better than Mark's HD cables - are they? :eek: )
My interconnects turned up finally; one 1.2m white set and one 1.2m a sort of light grey colour.
The white set was bought from Frank’s original ebay link (thanks Frank) and the grey set from Amazon.
I gave up buying cables years ago having dismantled a few and found that those I looked at were basically bits of cable from a cable manufacturer with some pretty plugs (read expensive) and a different type/colour covering. Why people report that what is often a length of standard screened co axial cable for example sounds wonderful with a different covering on and a particular plug sounds far better than the standard offering in white say is beyond me. I get particularly incredulous when people start reporting deeper base or more detail etc.
The cable I’m interested in is the cable you can’t hear.
I can’t hear either of the Belden cables. If anything, they are quieter than my self built semi balanced and at their price cost less than the materials alone would cost me.
That imo is about as good a recommendation as one can get.
hi all,
one thing i have to clear up, [having dis-assembled a few pairs] the silver series do not have silver conductors or even silver plated, their still copper, i think the "silver" element is just a marketing aspect to explain that these are the better versions than the standard!
i too still marvel at their performance for the price!
Anthony,TD...
AnthonyTD
Have you dismantled one of the grey audio smaller wire diameter cables and if so, what was inside?
hi John,Quote:
Originally Posted by Welder
unfortunetly not, i dont have any of that type.
Anthony,TD...
There is a pair for sale on Audiogon: http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls....a-audio-cable-Quote:
Originally Posted by The Grand Wazoo
They look like the grey ones to me Alex - the white ones have white grips on the plugs as well as the white braided sleeve.
Shit, don't tell me I've ordered the wrong ones!Quote:
Originally Posted by The Grand Wazoo
They certainly aren't the video cable version though, the phono plugs are colour coded for left & right ;) There is a serious possibility that they have the same internal construction as these white ones we have.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Grand Wazoo
The fact is the description looks to be a match so i wouldn't get too upset yet Alex :)Quote:
Originally Posted by magiccarpetride
Oh, good, I was getting all worked up for nothing... The only thing that gets me antsy right now is that this is the worst time of the year to be ordering stuff to be shipped. God knows when will I get them, and whether they'll be able to beat the Christmas rush.Quote:
Originally Posted by Reid Malenfant
I can't wait to report back on my listening experiences once I install them. Squeamish people be forewarned: a blowhard review is imminent!
Yeah, i know what it's like wondering if stuff will get delivered before the holidays :rolleyes: I'm waiting on all sorts that should have been here by now :steam:
Unfortunately the only way you'll ever really be able to tell if they truly are the same as these white ones we have is to chop off a plug & take a look, not recommended :eyebrows:
The description is the same though from what i read on AudioGon, i wouldn't get too hung up on a sleave colour as it's just a piece of plastic ;) From what i have seen Belkin tend to make things a tad different for the American market & still give them the same model number etc as UK stuff so anything is possible.
Yeah, the "silver series" moniker probably hints at the white, or light greyish color on the outside (people claim that there are no silver wires inside).Quote:
Originally Posted by Reid Malenfant
Please don't shoot the messenger, but some reviewers claim that it takes 15 to 20 hours of burn in time before these cables are ready to be auditioned. Snake oil or honest-to-god truth?
I think the "silver" refers to the silver solder used in these cables.
I'd certainly suggest that they will improve over a period of time & as they are non active (no powered electronics) it won't take too long for them to get to there best.Quote:
Originally Posted by magiccarpetride
I don't think it's snake oil at all. The very same thing happened when i installed a Mark Grant HDMI cable between my blu ray player & TV (i know it's digital & a video picture but the same thing applies). The difference between the MG cable & the original was obvious as soon as i tried it, but over a period of a few days the picture kept on improving :eyebrows:
The same can be said of audio cables imo. You'll notice (hopefully) differences between what you are using now & the new cable when first installed. Things will improve further given a suitable amount of use. I'd suggest 20 hours will get it to where it's going to be ;)
I've been distressed recently by how my Crowns have been sounding compared to either of the Quads and have been pointing a sneaky finger at the little used replacement Neutrik equipped MG cables (course it's not the amps ;)). I carried on with the 303 and connected the MG cables to the phono outs on the CD player, switching the Crowns on with no speakers connected in the hope that several months of disuse hadn't upset anything (any viewers from the HDD forum will be having heart failure about now). I returned the Crowns fully back in the system yesterday and thought things were "on the mend," with some of the spatial info returning - no problems at all about timbre and fine details, just the way these three amps have with "3-D" information - a valve strong point in any case and something the Crofted II's are really strong on.
I didn't really care about cable burn-in as it's the least of our audio worries tbh, but I HAVE found that any disturbance in a system seems to need some hours playing for everything to settle back down, and this even if one isn't listening to it, so I doubt it could all be classed as imagination/expectation..
hi Dave,Quote:
Originally Posted by DSJR
i agree about the disturbance thing,:) this is why i think its difficult to know at first listen if a cable or indeed another piece of equipment substituted in is actualy better or worse, as you say you need to give your system time to settle again before making a final assesment, by that time it is easy for one to forget how the system sounded before, hence this is i feel the main reason why people keep swapping back and forth.
Anthony,TD...
I was wondering how everyone else got on with these Belkin cables.
I bought 3 sets; one from Frank’s original link, silver series 1.2m AV, quad shielded.
The others I bought (Ali’s link) are the RCA Audio Silver Series (1.2m & 2.4m) double shielded, a full mylar foil and outer braid polyethylene dielectric and similar hybrid conductors.
They are not the same cables!
The two cables types sound different; annoying isn’t it :scratch:
I prefer the RCA audio cables (not AV) in my system. The quad shielded AV cables may suit the softer, faster and more coloured sound of a valve/analogue setup better.
I dissected a pair of the 2.4 RCA audio cables (I only want a 0.4m pairs, so it was going to happen anyway) and re-plugged one end. I’m not sure why, but I expected to find a semi balanced construction but these are completely unbalanced. I was wondering if the AV quad shielded were also unbalanced (AnthonyTD?) I don’t really want to hack these up.
I made two sets of cables from out of the 2.4 metre RCA set.
I used these connectors to replace one end for each pair I made.
http://www.thatcable.com/acatalog/in...onnectors.html
I used solder with silver content on all joints. I made both sets 0.4 metres in length but one set semi balanced. The idea is that with the screen connected at source any RFI crap the shield picks up isn’t transferred to the amp and on to the speakers. Anyone else tried this and if so what do you think; any noticeable difference in sound? :doh:
I tried the 75 ohm quad shielded ones and found them to be not as good in my system as the silver series ones. I haven't hacked any of them about, though.
Still waiting on mine to be delivered (I've ordered a couple of pairs on December 20th:steam:)Quote:
Originally Posted by Welder
Just put two more pairs into the system. AFAIK all the ones I have are silver series (can you tell the difference by looking at the cables?). I'll leave them in for a while and then go back to the MG's to see what's what.
Which ones did you order Alex and what may I ask are you using now?
Ali, the quad core AV are white and a bit thicker than the RCA twin shielded audio cables. If you’ve bought from the Amazon link you originally posted you’ve bought the RCA audio. They are all called Silver Series.
Yes, I've ordered from that Amazon link. I can't remember off the top of my head which interconnects I'm using; me think something I bought nine years ago, some Nordost crap....Quote:
Originally Posted by Welder