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Interconnect for $100 (US)

post #1 of 23
6/25/01 at 5:07pm
Thread Starter 
What would everyone recommend for entry level Interconnects? I'm looking for something warm, my system is a bit bright right now: Cambridge D500SE, Grado SR-325, RA-1. so far my list is DH Labs silvers and MIT2. No real audiophile store close to me nor do they carry many IC's so auditioning isn't a high possibility for a lot of cables.
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post #2 of 23
6/25/01 at 6:00pm
hongda,
jude had commented that the Audio Quest Corals had worked well for him, it maybe worth checking into. The Silversonics are one of the warmer silver cables, but perhaps not what you're looking for.

GOOD LUCK!
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post #3 of 23
6/25/01 at 7:06pm
The SilverSonics aren't warm at all. Try interconnects from Cardas and AudioQuest to mellow things a bit.
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post #4 of 23
6/25/01 at 9:46pm
I'd second the Corals. I have a pair of one-meter Audioquest Corals for sale in the For Sale forum if you're interested.

I really liked the Corals. I just sold them because I liked my Tara RSC Reference Gen 2's a little better.
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post #5 of 23
6/26/01 at 12:15am
hongda,

I use the Nordost Solarwind, flatline ICs ($95) in my home rig, NAD 541 and MG Head . My rig offers up a warm sound, not too bright, non-fatiguing with all music especially with jazz and classical.

I demoed a rig w/c had Nordost Red Dawn ($350 - 1 meter!), NAD 521, and MG Head. The sound with the Red Dawn was too revealing and too bright. I do not know if that is befitting of an expensive cable.

Check out their website - http://www.nordost.com/.

Regards - reynman
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post #6 of 23
6/26/01 at 2:45pm
You could try some of the Van den Huls "cheaper!" alternatives such as the pb5 at around £50.00 Thats english money by the way so not sure what that would come to in us! The vdh's usually give a warm smooth sound so that could be up your alley and they generally get good reviews!
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post #7 of 23
6/26/01 at 4:46pm

Kimber Kable PBJ's

Kimber Kable PBJ's -- they roll off the topmost end a bit, but if you're listening to CD, it's out of the spectrum anyway, and everything else is extremely smooth for an entry level interconnect.
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post #8 of 23
6/26/01 at 4:52pm

Re: Kimber Kable PBJ's

Quote:
Originally posted by DustyChalk
Kimber Kable PBJ's -- they roll off the topmost end a bit, but if you're listening to CD, it's out of the spectrum anyway, and everything else is extremely smooth for an entry level interconnect.
You're certainly more of a PBJ authority than me, as I've never tried them. Most of what I've read, though, would indicate that the PBJ's are generally a brighter cable.

Also, to anyone considering PBJ's, they're unshielded, but, for most people, this shouldn't be an issue.
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post #9 of 23
6/26/01 at 7:29pm
I can recommend van den Hull D102 III. This is midle of the line VDH cable that got many awards and I'd give it one too. Very natural and neutral sounding without any addtional brightness. I used to use IXOS Gamma Audition which is also a very good cable (may put it for sale some day) especially considering its price, about 45USD. Compared to the VDH it lacks just the last bit of naturalness (is that a word?) but is otherwize smooth and detailed.
Generally, from what I've heard in the cable word, avoid the cheaper silver plated cables many of them sound brighter which as you said you want to avoid. My advise, get a reasonably priced cable (say in the 40-50 bucks)from a place with a good return policy, try it in your system for several days and see how much it improves the sound of your system over the supplied one. If you find a lot of improvement you may return it an try to go a step higher say to the 100 USD mark, if not just keep it. There is an old rule for cables saying that one should spend more only as long as clear mprovements are heard.
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post #10 of 23
6/27/01 at 12:21pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks all. I'll look into all the suggestions. I've found a store somewhat locally that carries Kimber Kables and Tara Labs.
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post #11 of 23
6/27/01 at 3:08pm
I would recommend MIT T2s.
They should tame the brightness quite nicely.

AA has them for $80 while they last. Plus you always have 30 days to try them out.


Good luck!
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post #12 of 23
6/28/01 at 6:05am

Homegrownaudio.com

I'm surprised no one has mentioned homegrown. They make an interconnect called the 'Super Silver' that is a highly similiar in construction to the Kimber KCAG, and to my ears, slightly more neutral than the KCAG. It utillizes a similiar three strand, solid silver design, and it costs only $79.99 1/2 m or 49.99 in a diy solder kit. There's nothing more neutral under $100, but then again, Kimber wouldn't want you to know how much they rip you off. And I had to find out the hard way.

homegrownaudio.com

Also check the AR reviews.
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post #13 of 23
6/28/01 at 1:46pm
Van Del Hul cables are generally give the music a nice warmth, in my opinion it's one of the best.

Try VDH D102MKII.
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post #14 of 23
6/28/01 at 6:17pm

Silver cable

Actually, I am familiar with one of the "budget" silver wires, and I was very happy with its design and construction, but -- and I must stress that I believe this to be a characteristic of silver, and not of the cable in general -- it was extremely light in the bass. And it was also of the three- strand variety. Not missing, mind you, but audibly attenuated. Which is why I put up my question about KCTG's in a different thread -- I was wondering if it would help if I just got more silver (e.g., 6 strands, thicker, whatever), since I know of no reason for silver to attenuate bass _by itself_.
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post #15 of 23
6/28/01 at 7:39pm
Thread Starter 
DustyChalk: I sent you a personnal message, but I guess I'll just ask it here. Did you notice any interferance with the Kimber Kable PBJ? And when you say "Roll off the topmost end a bit" do you mean the really high frequency?


Thanks.
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