Wich ic and sp cable?

Hello all,

I have a Opera-audio Droplet 5.0 cd player, a Jeff Rowland Concentra II amp and ML Aeon's.

I have to buy some sp cables and ic's. Thinking of
-Cardas Golden Cross
-PS Audio x-stream statement
-Siltech Q88 classic

Can anyone help me out with this. I never heard the PS audio's'

Greetings John

nordost is the way to go. i have tried many, let me tell you.

Or save a pile of money and buy from www.bluejeanscable.com because wire is wire and does not make a huge difference. If you ever think about going with cardas I will send you some pictures of a cut up neutral reference and you will change your mind.

Kevin, may i ask you if you have an interest in blue Jeans Cables since you are always pushing them for any and all systems?

please, oh please, lets not start this thread into another dreaded "wire is wire" debate. to each his own preference, i have happened to try many and have found that different types of wire construction possess different sonic characteristics.

True what Anthony said. I used to be a skeptic like Kevin,then I heard Nordost,the rest is history. If you hear the differences fine,if not then buy Monster Cable or something like that.

There are however some outrageous claims being made out there,so use your own ears.

If you're looking for a low priced alternative, try cobalt cable. I've been using them for both speaker cable and balanced interconnects and have absolutely no complaints.

Kevin, may i ask you if you have an interest in blue Jeans Cables since you are always pushing them for any and all systems?

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No. I rewired my whole system with there products. They use the best that Canare and Belden have to offer. There shipping is fast and customer support is tops.

nordost is the way to go. i have tried many, let me tell you.

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Very expensive.

True what Anthony said. I used to be a skeptic like Kevin,then I heard Nordost,the rest is history. If you hear the differences fine,if not then buy Monster Cable or something like that.

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I use to be a believer in cables and spent a crap load of money on them. Then I started to do some research and the rest is history.

You should also try DH Labs Cables. http://www.silversonic.com

I personally just placed an order for the Clearview Golden Helix Plus from Mapleshade yesterday. I hear good things about these if you prefer natural sound as opposed to using cables as tone control.
They don't look like your typical garden hose "Name your Brand" speaker wire and are a small solid core wire that is supposed to be a giant killer. Mine should be here in 10-14 business days since I went with the cryo treatment on mine.
The records they produce are simply the best available, so hopefully these frail looking wires will be as good as everyone says.

Oh and did I mention that they are $85 for an 8' pair with a 30 day unconditional guarantee?
It is an additional $70 for the cryo and magnetic treatments but still a bargain.

Mapleshade Records

Check out this review of their stuff Vs. Acoustic Zen
Review part 1 Review Part 2

I've heard $2000 speakers with off-the-rack wires that sounded worse than little $100 Radio Shacks with good cables.

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Here is what mapleshade records has to say about cables. Damn I should throw away my Ascent i's and go to radio shack. Do you see there products? If you think that wrapping a plastic bag around your cables will make a difference you need help.

<---- Doesn't need help

Trust me, I am a complete skeptic also. I was hard pressed to not catch the 20% off Cobalt Cable sale and go with the Mapleshade stuff. However, I spent most of Sunday searching as many forums as I could to find dirt on the Mapleshade stuff.
For every 15 good reviews there are 1 or 2 bad reviews.
I talked to the designer Tuesday night and asked him why his stuff looks so wierd. His reply was "they were made to sound good and that is what they ended up looking like"
I have not used them yet so I cannot say they sound incredible, but for the money anyone can afford to try them.
As for the inter connects..... they are supposed to make a bigger difference than their speaker cable.
Supposedly the lesser the dielectric the lesser the sonic flaws.

But I do have to say it sounds like "magic voodoo snake oil"
As for cryo, I don't know what it does, but those who have had it done claim that is has taken abrasiveness out of the mid-treble and has made a huge difference in softer passages.


So...... it had a money back guarantee and I ordered it I will let you know what is up when I get them.

Mapleshade cables & products

I'd certainly be interested in your experience with Mapleshade cables with any of the voodoo they do to you.
I purchased and was pleased with the Mapleshade 4" maple amp stand with his ultimate triplepoints and cork/rubber supports. I talked to him about my setup and he recommended this for my amp on a concrete slab floor. It did noticeably tighten up the image and bass as well as producing more bass energy.
Unlike most of us who are merely critical listeners, he does have rather extensive experience with design of a variety of audio stuff, in addition to producing and recording some very well done cd’s with artists some of us know and like. Even his cd’s are returnable if you don’t like them. That he is willing to have a real dialogue is an additional plus.
As much as I wish I didn’t hear a difference between cables, I generally do. That being said, I think it all comes down to a matter of preference in one’s own system and room. There are so many variables between the musical event and the eventual reproduction of it in our rooms , that it seems very unlikely that the notion of an absolute sound has any validity. Since every element on the chain (room the event takes place in, microphones, cables, recording system, recording media, etc., ad infinitum) interacts and has an effect on the sound, including the room and its ambient temperature and humidity, the idea that there can ever be a sonic hologram of the event identical in any room seems to be the real voodoo. As it is, some cables do seem to produce an improvement in certain areas that are appealing to some listeners in their rooms with their systems.
Years ago, decades actually, the editor of Stereophile, Gordon Holt, wrote that to the extent that listeners followed more and more of the recommendations of a particular reviewer, the more correct his recommendations might seem to them because their systems would become more like his with the particular set of colorations his had. While I see some flaws in that line of reasoning, it seem much more reasonable.
I’d like to hear, or rather, read what That1WhiteKid’s feelings about the speaker cables are. My experience with his products, particualrly at their price points has been good.

You know I am finding it hard to continue or even get into discussions on cable here at all. Kevin your point is made. Now for the sake of the rest of us who do think and know better cables make a difference why don't you defer your comments. I have seen almost 50 posts from you on this subject and frankly your ridiculing know it all style is a turnoff.

We all know your point. Let it rest man.

Loudspeaker cables

Hello from Demark.


I have been testing a lot of cables.
First of all - I think, the best way is BI-AMPing when you play Martin Logan, and Bi-AMPing with two power amps, one for bass and one for the treble.
It gives a lot of possibilities for you choice of cables - the best loudspeaker cable to play bass, and the best loudspeaker cable to play treble, and the same way when we talk about interconnect cables. Many tests show us ML better likes BI-AMPing.
My choice of cables is Nordost Valhalla as interconnect, but I also have SPM, Valhalla plays much more and better. My choice of loudspeaker cables is SPM.
By the way, I think the Nordost RED DAWN is a very good choice – sometimes I think it’s maybe the best Nordost choice, and the price is also more acceptable.
But with Nordost you have a “big problem”, what you send in you also will have out again and for “full program” – so if you’re electronic parts (CD and amplifiers) send a lot of bad sound / garbage, you will have a lot of irritating sound and garbage in your ears.
And when you in the same time use ML, the problem will not be smaller, because ML has the same high quality and possibility - to play neutral sound and all the sound.
If we test and put in cheap cables we often hear different sound – but so the result is music without details, more closed and without room and less musicality.
Cheap cables can often help bad playing electronic, for me cheap cables often sounds like a filter, and so I don’t need Martin Logan loudspeakers.
If you want top loudspeakers, you need top electronic and to transmit it, you also need top cables.
I know, off course it’s possible to find other and well playing cables, and also cheaper cables that can play very nice.
And in the end of all, I have deep respect for all of you and your experience with tests and cables.

Best regards
Jorgen Toftdahl (Denmark)
Sorry for my English I hope you can read and understand it.

"..If you want top loudspeakers, you need top electronic and to transmit it, you also need top cables.
I know, off course it’s possible to find other and well playing cables, and also cheaper cables that can play very nice"

I am to the point now that cables, amps, preamps are not the issue. It is a diminishing return. It really comes down to the quality of the recording. IMHO it is easier to find the amps, preamps, cables etc than it is to fine good recordings.

By the way Jorgen your English is excellent.

That1WhiteKid said:

I personally just placed an order for the Clearview Golden Helix Plus from Mapleshade yesterday. I hear good things about these if you prefer natural sound as opposed to using cables as tone control.
They don't look like your typical garden hose "Name your Brand" speaker wire and are a small solid core wire that is supposed to be a giant killer. Mine should be here in 10-14 business days since I went with the cryo treatment on mine.
The records they produce are simply the best available, so hopefully these frail looking wires will be as good as everyone says.

Oh and did I mention that they are $85 for an 8' pair with a 30 day unconditional guarantee?
It is an additional $70 for the cryo and magnetic treatments but still a bargain.

Mapleshade Records

Check out this review of their stuff Vs. Acoustic Zen
Review part 1 Review Part 2

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i just got the Double helix PC i ordered, and there is no possible way these passed UL testing. its not even safe to pass 1 amp thru by the wire gauging. scary.

Bonedust said:

i just got the Double helix PC i ordered, and there is no possible way these passed UL testing. its not even safe to pass 1 amp thru by the wire gauging. scary.

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The current through an Interconnect is not really high so why does the gauge matter in respect to that specific issue?

risabet said:

The current through an Interconnect is not really high so why does the gauge matter in respect to that specific issue?

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I think he's talkin about a power conditioner.

-D

yes, their power cord is what i purchased.