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K1000 recable - Balance?

post #1 of 10
10/8/06 at 4:41pm
Thread Starter 
Well, I guess its already hardwire recable time for me, but I can't decide which cable is right.

I know the Equinox is well respected and loved around here, but based on most of the feedback, I don't want to add warmth to my K1000s, but more of a balance/neutrality, and fixing the harsh highs of the stock cable.

How does Headphile BlackSilver or BlackMax compares to the Equinox or the stock cable? Any other suggetions of what cable can improve overall performance without emphasising any frequencies?
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post #2 of 10
10/8/06 at 4:45pm
fyi headphile's AKG page states that larry doesn't offer k1000 hardwire recables anymore....

http://www.headphile.com/page24.html
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post #3 of 10
10/8/06 at 7:38pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks, I knew it, but I'm sure its possible to just buy the cable and have it recabled somewhere else.
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post #4 of 10
10/9/06 at 11:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by gevorg
Well, I guess its already hardwire recable time for me, but I can't decide which cable is right.

I know the Equinox is well respected and loved around here, but based on most of the feedback, I don't want to add warmth to my K1000s, but more of a balance/neutrality, and fixing the harsh highs of the stock cable.

How does Headphile BlackSilver or BlackMax compares to the Equinox or the stock cable? Any other suggetions of what cable can improve overall performance without emphasising any frequencies?
Vinnie from Red Wine charges $200 to do the recable. Plus you will spend somewhere in the range of $300 or so for the cable, depending on brand. Before making that jump (investment), IMO you may want to consider upgrading your amp. I'm one of only a couple K1000 owners using the new Red Wine Audio Signature 30 ($1,400), but feel that it sounds amazing. The highs are very smooth and seductive, even using AKG's stock cable. In my case I selected the Sig 30 over a direct comparison to the First Watt F1 (about $1,900) and my Ayre V3 ($3,500 - which I still use to drive my home theater system).

The Sig 30 is the only amp I've tried where I can listen to an entire CD without have the urge to skip from song to song. Many nights I pick out a favorite CD, put my player on repeat, and listen for an hour or more until I fall into a blissful sleep. The sound is absolutely lush and seductive, unlike anything you will likely hear from any other solid state amp (the Sig 30 is battery powered, and uses the T chip, so it is not a standard design -- the sound is most closely compared to a very good single end tube amp).

Vinnie from RWA offers a free trial period, and I highly recommend that more headfiers give this amp a listen before taking the jump to a cable upgrade.

One caveat: The amp sounds its best after being run for an hour or more, so I usually let mine run an hour or more before settling in for my nightly listening session.
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post #5 of 10
10/9/06 at 7:02pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alwayswantmore
IMO you may want to consider upgrading your amp. I'm one of only a couple K1000 owners using the new Red Wine Audio Signature 30 ($1,400), but feel that it sounds amazing. The highs are very smooth and seductive, even using AKG's stock cable. In my case I selected the Sig 30 over a direct comparison to the First Watt F1 (about $1,900) and my Ayre V3 ($3,500 - which I still use to drive my home theater system).
Thanks for your reply.

I have actually auditioned DAC1 + two highly modded ClariT monoblocks, and found my current setup to be better overall. I'm sure that Sig-30 is better than ClariT at least in some ways, but for its price I rather go with Tact audio gear, like M2150.
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post #6 of 10
10/9/06 at 8:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gevorg
Thanks for your reply.

I have actually auditioned DAC1 + two highly modded ClariT monoblocks, and found my current setup to be better overall. I'm sure that Sig-30 is better than ClariT at least in some ways, but for its price I rather go with Tact audio gear, like M2150.
I haven't heard the Panny, but here's a direct discussion between the Panny Digital XR series and RWA Signature 30. Apparently the Panny is a good HT receiver for the money but not capable of competing with a true high quality stereo amplifier. The K1000s need some serious juice to power them, so I'm inclined to agree. I would also look into amps designed for the K1000s, I auditioned a pair fed by a pair of Krell monoblocks and the sound was, yech, horrible. The dry and lean Krell was not a very good match with the already lean K1000.

http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/i...?topic=31837.0
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post #7 of 10
10/9/06 at 8:24pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by skyline889
I haven't heard the Panny, but here's a direct discussion between the Panny Digital XR series and RWA Signature 30. Apparently the Panny is a good HT receiver for the money but not capable of competing with a true high quality stereo amplifier. The K1000s need some serious juice to power them, so I'm inclined to agree.
I disagree, if XR57 is better than a pair of ClariT monoblocks, it says a lot. These ClariT amps were able to give lots of "true high quality stereo amplifers" a run for their money, in efficient systems of course. When people at audiocirle and the like, talk about Panny's lack of juice, they comparing it with speakers, not "earspeakers".

I'm sure that Sig-30 synergises in some setups better than anything else, but for its price, it is superiored by Tact/Lyngdorf gear.
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post #8 of 10
10/9/06 at 8:31pm
Could we get back to the original topic? I too want to recable my K1000 and might look into alternatives besides the Equinox, which seems to be impossible to obtain.
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post #9 of 10
10/9/06 at 9:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by applebook
Could we get back to the original topic? I too want to recable my K1000 and might look into alternatives besides the Equinox, which seems to be impossible to obtain.
There aren't many choices, you have the option of a Moon Audio Black Dragon, Silver Dragon, Blue Dragon, Stefan Audioart Equinox, or DIY.
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post #10 of 10
10/9/06 at 9:31pm
I recomend the Nordost Valhalla power cord mod, a la Patrick82, specially the soldering part...OMG!!!.......
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