Mark Grant G2000HD wins HiFi Choice September Group Test

[brian2957]

Got to agree with that . Marks' service is second to none . A thoroughly deserved award , congratulations Mark.

[DSJR]

But as we now know, Dave, the plugs seem to make as much difference as the cable!

Why? and under ALL conditions?

[Marco]

I think it was raining outside at the time.

Marco.

[DSJR]

Ah, that must be it

[realysm42]

I don't understand the skepticism, if you replaced the plugs with plastic, it wouldn't work atall, agreed?

So changing the metal you choose to make connections with will also impact the sound, I can't see how it wouldn't, lead and gold behave differently.

[MartinT]

Agreed, Martin, and it's not just materials either, it's the design too.

[DSJR]

But then it all starts to get anal and obsessive, since the sockets one is plugging into are plated with different materials - often multi-plated, and made with different materials too, and then there's the solder used and the wire or circuit track inside the items themselves - see where I'm going with this?

All I wanted to try to say (unsuccessfully?), is that the STOCK HD1500 cable is a bargain at £45 or whatever it is now. Marco raved about it being the best thing since sliced bread up until a year or so ago - a giant-beater with standard plugs, which I wholeheartedly agree with. I just wanted to re-affirm how good the standard cable is, but if you lot really feel that the cable is made or broken by the plugs fitted at each end, then I humbly apologise and shall crawl back under my stone, since it's now becoming obvious that I'm not as "finely tuned" any longer to these tiny differences as maybe I once was. I just don't obsess with the tiniest details any more..

Apologies again folks. Some major re-thinking needed here I reckon and yes, I am now again in the position to buy a set of HD2000's, although a Bushmaster is probably what I'll end up getting with the £200 needed - far more fundamental I think to the performance of the system it would go in...

[Marco]

Hi Dave,

But then it all starts to get anal and obsessive, since the sockets one is plugging into are plated with different materials - often multi-plated, and made with different materials too, and then there's the solder used and the wire or circuit track inside the items themselves - see where I'm going with this?

Yes, that's why to do things properly, you should have the sockets fitted to your equipment from the same manufacturer as the plugs you're using... I'm certain that part of the reason why I obtained such a significant upgrade from fitting the Eichmann bullet plugs to my MG interconnects is because Glenn had already fitted the matching Eichmann sockets to my Croft preamp, upgrading the existing ones, as part of the mods he carried out years ago!

All I wanted to try to say (unsuccessfully?), is that the STOCK HD1500 cable is a bargain at £45 or whatever it is now. Marco raved about it being the best thing since sliced bread up until a year or so ago - a giant-beater with standard plugs, which I wholeheartedly agree with.

Indeed, and I stand by every word. However, there are different levels of SPPV to be gained, and so it's fine to have a £60 cable, or whatever, which performs like a £300 one, or whatever, but if you can, why not then increase the SPPV and turn that £300 'giant-killer' into a £1000 one?

In my opinion, Mark's interconnects, fitted with Eichmann Silver Bullet Plugs, perform as good as any £1000+ cable I've heard, and for a damn sight less...!

*That*, my friend, is the point.

Marco.

[realysm42]

But then it all starts to get anal and obsessive, since the sockets one is plugging into are plated with different materials - often multi-plated, and made with different materials too, and then there's the solder used and the wire or circuit track inside the items themselves - see where I'm going with this?

All I wanted to try to say (unsuccessfully?), is that the STOCK HD1500 cable is a bargain at £45 or whatever it is now. Marco raved about it being the best thing since sliced bread up until a year or so ago - a giant-beater with standard plugs, which I wholeheartedly agree with. I just wanted to re-affirm how good the standard cable is, but if you lot really feel that the cable is made or broken by the plugs fitted at each end, then I humbly apologise and shall crawl back under my stone, since it's now becoming obvious that I'm not as "finely tuned" any longer to these tiny differences as maybe I once was. I just don't obsess with the tiniest details any more..

Apologies again folks. Some major re-thinking needed here I reckon and yes, I am now again in the position to buy a set of HD2000's, although a Bushmaster is probably what I'll end up getting with the £200 needed - far more fundamental I think to the performance of the system it would go in...

I didn't mean what I said to be offensive; I was just trying to illustarte a point.

You and I are essentially agreeing to some extent anyway

[DSJR]

I remember Roy Gandy (Rega) justifying why they are reluctant to use gold plated phono sockets on their integrated products of old. Apparently, a base metal is plated with another metal that can take the gold on top - or summat like that. His thoughts were that the multi-coating isn't a good move. I do see the point in solid silver or gold pins, as long as they can take the stresses and strains of insertion and removal () and I also remember Denis Morecroft preferring plastic casings on his products as well as phono plugs he used instead of metal ones. Not sure of any real proof was ever submitted, let alone two versions with which to compare.

Anyway, I'm intrigued and shall investigate at some point. Do these fancy plugs really cost £150 for four though?