Best $100 interconnects

[fredpb]

I like Straightwire Encore II's. very happy with mine.
If you want something brighter...exaggerated brightness, the DH Labs Silversonics are ok (I don't like them).

Depends on your hardware too.

 

[Audio Addict]

I really like the Jazz4 for the price and the smaller RCA fits well in the back of the Headroom Little.

http://www.zcable.com/Interconnect-Cables.asp

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally posted by Audio Addict I really like the Jazz4 for the price and the smaller RCA fits well in the back of the Headroom Little. http://www.zcable.com/Interconnect-Cables.asp

ZCables may sound ok, I've never heard them, but their ad copy is very fishy and they allude to but but do not explain many things. This sort of behavior makes me very nervous and want to look elsewhere for someone less prone to blue smoke, mirrors, woofle dust and hyperbole. On top of all of that, these bust the brice barrier established by this thread.

Cheers

 

[JMT]

I have been browsing through UsedCable.com and they have the Tara Labs RSC Reference Gen. 2 in excellent condition for $129.00

I think Jude has or had a pair of these for a while, anyone care to comment on the sonic charateristics of these vs. my current DH Labs BL-1s?

 

[jude]

Quote:

Originally posted by kwkarth ZCables may sound ok, I've never heard them, but their ad copy is very fishy and they allude to but but do not explain many things. This sort of behavior makes me very nervous and want to look elsewhere for someone less prone to blue smoke, mirrors, woofle dust and hyperbole. On top of all of that, these bust the brice barrier established by this thread. Cheers

I agree, kwkarth. I've read their ad copy, and, in my opinion, it doesn't seem very upfront.

It also appears that they've changed their low-end powercord, as it was pointed out that the previous one looked exactly like a ~$10 Quail power cord.

 

[RickG]

Quote:

Originally posted by JMT I have been browsing through UsedCable.com and they have the Tara Labs RSC Reference Gen. 2 in excellent condition for $129.00 I think Jude has or had a pair of these for a while, anyone care to comment on the sonic charateristics of these vs. my current DH Labs BL-1s?

JMT, I bought Jude's Tara's and have switched between the Gen 2's and the BL-1s. The Taras are slightly more "open" sounding to me...by a narrow margin. Very fine cables for the $$...but so are the Silver Sonics. For an extra $85 or so, you can get the Audioquest Vipers which really kick butt in terms of transparency. For the moolah, the Vipers just seem to vanish into the system like no other IC's I've heard in their price range.

 

[kwkarth]

HI RickG,
I am very impressed and intrigued by the AQ Corals that I have, but I've never heard the Vipers or beyond. Have you been able to compare the Corals to the Vipers? Do you think I should pursue tracking down the Vipers, Pythons, or Anacondas?
Thanks,
Kevin

 

[joelongwood]

Quote:

Do you think I should pursue tracking down the Vipers, Pythons, or Anacondas?

Sounds damned dangerous to me, Kevin. Be careful!

BTW...............I'm moving this to the Herpitology forum.

 

[RickG]

Hi Kev,
I have not had the pleasure of auditioning any of the AQ cables below the Vipers. I have compared them to the Silver Sonics, Tara Labs Gen 2,s, SilverLace, and the DiMarzio's (which I adore). The Vipers always slip seamlessly into the "music" and disappear like no others I've heard (hey, I've never heard mega buck ICs, so I really have no idea where it goes from here....

) So far, the Viper's are sounding like the killer dogs of my IC's!

 

[kwkarth]

Thanks for the note RickG,
From the pics, the Vipers look way cool!

(Makes a big difference in the sound, no?

Anyway, in actually reading about the construction of the cables, I find very little in the ad copy to differentiate to Corals from the Vipers, other than of course the fact that they look way cooler. Again judging from the ad copy, I would expect some further transparency from the Pythons, but then again, I'm afraid they may eat my Chihuahua when I'm not looking.

Lol joelongwood!

Ooh, I just noticed the Vipers sport PSC+ vs the Corals PSC copper. Hmmm....

 

[RickG]

Hey, Kev...

LOL....My system is in a transition phase at the moment. I'm awaiting a phono stage from Music Direct and will then patch from my current pre amp (NAD C 160) to the Melos Gold. Point being, I can send the Vipers to you for a couple of weeks if you would like to evaluate them. Just PM me, and I'll send 'em out tommorow!

 

[timoteus]

kwkarth-

Thanks for the heads up on the Outlaw cables. I have been looking for some continuous cast copper cables for quite awhile now.

I tried to get some CCC wire from Chimera Labs and was unsuccessful. The DIYcable.com Superlative is now at a more attractive reduced price of $49.95 for a .5 meter kit.

The Outlaw price is far below this and is shielded, already built, looks good and has positive feedback on their forum. I'm going to give it a try. Nice find.

 

[RickG]

Quote:

Originally posted by kwkarth Thanks for the note RickG, From the pics, the Vipers look way cool! (Makes a big difference in the sound, no?)

I don't think they look cool at all. They sort of look like a crappy afghan throw reject/argyle sock thang your granny made when she was pissed....

 

[Neruda]

I don't like the looks of any of the AQ cables meself...not very important though in the long run though, obviously. The outlaws look pretty cool to me though!

 

[Audio-Me]

Is PSC+ much of an improvement over the regular "pure copper core"? It seems like the only differences between the cables that use the same core are in shielding.

In terms of looks, I think AQ makes some of the ugliest ones.

The Amazon's pretty on the eyes though.