XLR Interconnect Recommendations sought based on pairing AMP with Speakers

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greg2putt

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With new house construction well underway I'm ~ 10 weeks from needing a number of XLR Interconnects to connect between my PLANNED PrePro purchase and the AMP driving a particular set of speakers. I've seen recommendations from Roberto that electrostatic speakers benefit from 'silver' based interconnects so that's entered into my thinking as well.

The following are the parameters for which advice is sought:
- PrePro plans - I'm delighted with pending release of Marantz 8802 --- I think this solution will future prove me for ALL of my requirements including 3 zones (5.1.2; 2.0.0 and 2.0.0). Any other recommendations at this price band???
- Speaker
AMP
Interconnect
Summit
Jeff Rowland 201
Audioquest Cheetah (currently owned)
Stage
Parasound A31
???? - Perhaps Audioquest Red River???
Fresco I
Parasound A31
???? - Perhaps Audioquest King Cobra ???
Passage
Parasound A23
????- Perhaps Audioquest King Cobra ???
Descent I
none needed
???? - I need a 80 to 100' sub cable - Blue Jeans???
JBL Control 30 Parasound 2125
???? - Perhaps Audioquest Snake or Blue Jeans Cable ??? (these are 'professional' grade outdoor speakers -- weigh 60lbs each!)

With the planned purchase of the Marantz 8802 I have the opportunity to connect my Olive 6HD to the 8802 via XLR cables. What would be recommended here? Perhaps another King Cobra or Red River cable? I currently have DH Labs Silversonic Revelation RCA cables that may be 'surplus' with the above purchases unless of course there's not an affordable XLR alternative?

Thanks in advance for advice/alternatives.

Happy New Year!! (2015 is the year my audiophile dreams will be realized in our new home!)
 
Hi Greg, I would highly recommend the BlueJeans cables for any an all applications in your list. I use them extensively in my rig.

For speakers, the Belden 5000 10-gauge is great, and supports long runs well (the feed to my rears is around 45')

Their XLR's are great, and you can customize the end selections.

I'd say if you are happy with the Cheetah on your summits, keep that, but put the money saved on other cabling into room treatments, as that will for sure be an audible improvement.
 
I agree that Blue Jeans Cable is at the sweet spot of quality and price.

I need a 80 to 100' sub cable -
I hope that it's a balanced interconnect.
As 80 to 100 feet would be a real challenge for an RCA interconnect to a powered sub-woofer.
 
greg2putt;169402 I currently have DH Labs Silversonic Revelation RCA cables that may be 'surplus' with the above purchases unless of course there's not an affordable XLR alternative?[/QUOTE said:
Hi Greg,

I'm a big DH Labs fan and have a couple of pairs of the Revelation.

If you need XLR terminations, why don't you send back to Darren and Greg and have them change the ends?

GG
 
Hi Greg, I would highly recommend the BlueJeans cables for any an all applications in your list. I use them extensively in my rig.

For speakers, the Belden 5000 10-gauge is great, and supports long runs well (the feed to my rears is around 45')

Their XLR's are great, and you can customize the end selections.

I'd say if you are happy with the Cheetah on your summits, keep that, but put the money saved on other cabling into room treatments, as that will for sure be an audible improvement.

Greg,

I very wise and trustworthy recommendation from Jonathan, especially the last sentence !!!!

I'm a big DH Labs fan and have a couple of pairs of the Revelation.
GG

I concur with Gordon here as well.

Also for consideration and what I have always felt to be a great value is Frank's products from Signal Cable. I like very much his speaker cables (excellent low capacitance rating per foot) and I do believe he offers silver wire based IC's as well.
 
Thanks Jonathan for the quick response.
- XLR will now be Blue Jeans (keeping the Cheetah of course)
- I'm using 10/2 speaker cable from Furez FZ102AS 10-2 Advanced In-Wall speaker cable (some lengths will certainly be 75' or so from Media closet --- straight uninterrupted run from AMP up conduit, across attic, down conduit installed in framing and out low-voltage box directly to back of applicable speaker --- Summit, Stage, Fresco I, etc. etc. Note that there is a false wall behind front wall of Great Room with Summits (Stage and TV) about 5' off of wall. The false wall is filled with blown in insulation to keep that 'wall' quiet and prevent sound transmittal into Master Bedroom on wall behind speakers). Optimistic this will benefit solution.
- Descent I subwoofer will get an XLR subwoofer run from Blue Jeans as well --- probably ~ 90 feet! I'll be visiting house under construction next week to do some measurements
- Room treatments --- that's where I'm unprepared to make wise choices... I want to avoid expensive experimentation! My local 'Smart home/Media Rack' dealer is pretty unprepared for a system as complex/robust as mine. 10' ceiling with 14' vault covering 70% of the 18x25' room should help, but house is on slab with hardwood throughout. Glass on rear wall of Great Room. It will be 'fun' to get it right!
 
Gordon, Good advice on Revelation. Help me understand who Darren and Greg are? On this forum?
 
Yesterday I saw a comment on the forum recommending purchase of Summit X spikes to retro fit Summit speakers. I immediately emailed Martin Logan and they kindly responded today with the spike set information and a price quote. However, I was unprepared for a $700 all in price (spikes, handling, tax) for the set of 8 spikes for two speakers. I would have happily (sic) paid about half that, for an adjustable set of spikes. Please offer me an alternative source or advise me to wait and give 'hockey pucks' a try on my brand new oak hardwood floor. The wallet is open.... but then $700?
 
I will throw my hat in here..... Mogami on both speaker and XLR I/C"S not that cheap but not as $$$ as the exotica stuff and built to withstand studio abuse, very low in capacitance works well here.
 
With new house construction well underway I'm ~ 10 weeks from needing a number of XLR Interconnects to connect between my PLANNED PrePro purchase and the AMP driving a particular set of speakers. I've seen recommendations from Roberto that electrostatic speakers benefit from 'silver' based interconnects so that's entered into my thinking as well.

The following are the parameters for which advice is sought:
- PrePro plans - I'm delighted with pending release of Marantz 8802 --- I think this solution will future prove me for ALL of my requirements including 3 zones (5.1.2; 2.0.0 and 2.0.0). Any other recommendations at this price band???
- Speaker
AMP
Interconnect
Summit
Jeff Rowland 201
Audioquest Cheetah (currently owned)
Stage
Parasound A31
???? - Perhaps Audioquest Red River???
Fresco I
Parasound A31
???? - Perhaps Audioquest King Cobra ???
Passage
Parasound A23
????- Perhaps Audioquest King Cobra ???
Descent I
none needed
???? - I need a 80 to 100' sub cable - Blue Jeans???
JBL Control 30 Parasound 2125
???? - Perhaps Audioquest Snake or Blue Jeans Cable ??? (these are 'professional' grade outdoor speakers -- weigh 60lbs each!)

With the planned purchase of the Marantz 8802 I have the opportunity to connect my Olive 6HD to the 8802 via XLR cables. What would be recommended here? Perhaps another King Cobra or Red River cable? I currently have DH Labs Silversonic Revelation RCA cables that may be 'surplus' with the above purchases unless of course there's not an affordable XLR alternative?

Thanks in advance for advice/alternatives.

Happy New Year!! (2015 is the year my audiophile dreams will be realized in our new home!)

I used a 75 quid XLRs from here in London. My Audio Research reference amps were highly sensitive to change in RCA, but when I compared these XLRs with expensive MIT and Albedo I didn't notice a difference. They were just 75 quid, low capacitance, inductance, etc, and with neutrik connectors. Silver cables.
 
Yesterday I saw a comment on the forum recommending purchase of Summit X spikes to retro fit Summit speakers. I immediately emailed Martin Logan and they kindly responded today with the spike set information and a price quote. However, I was unprepared for a $700 all in price (spikes, handling, tax) for the set of 8 spikes for two speakers. I would have happily (sic) paid about half that, for an adjustable set of spikes. Please offer me an alternative source or advise me to wait and give 'hockey pucks' a try on my brand new oak hardwood floor. The wallet is open.... but then $700?

Welcome to the new Martin Logan. They gouge their loyal customers for any replacement part. The sad thing is they seem to me to have taken the idea from Jason (JTWRace) on this forum. Jason made adjustable spikes for us Summit owners long before ML offered them. Now they are offering the same thing at a ridiculous price. I am so disappointed in what this company has become.
 
OregonDV may well have spikes at a more reasonable price than ML's price that constitutes robbery.
 
Thanks Gordon and Bernard Both of your recommendations will be acted upon


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
OregonDV may well have spikes at a more reasonable price than ML's price that constitutes robbery.

Hi Bernard,

I've ordered from them before. Good outfit but to the best of my knowledge, they don't make a robust spike assembly that replicates all the features of the ML adjustable / lockable spike system.

Last time I looked, the the closest thing they can provide is an "outrigger" platform, which may or may not perform as well as the ML product.

GG
 
Yesterday I saw a comment on the forum recommending purchase of Summit X spikes to retro fit Summit speakers. I immediately emailed Martin Logan and they kindly responded today with the spike set information and a price quote. However, I was unprepared for a $700 all in price (spikes, handling, tax) for the set of 8 spikes for two speakers. I would have happily (sic) paid about half that, for an adjustable set of spikes. Please offer me an alternative source or advise me to wait and give 'hockey pucks' a try on my brand new oak hardwood floor. The wallet is open.... but then $700?

Personally, I've found that E.V.A Anti Vibration pads work better than spikes under my SL3s. I use double thicknesses, and even so, at 49cents a piece they are ridiculously cheap. They produce a clearer, cleaner sound presentation. Your results may be different, but it may be worth experimenting before shelling out $700 ;-)

Regards,

Guido F.
 

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