Got new SIGNAL speaker cables for my system. Wow!

I ordered new speaker cables for my left front and right channels. I have all Krell amplification, processor, and SL3's and Theater i center. I was using generic cable from my local audio shop and it sounded good... I thought.
I purchased the Ultra line and bi wired my SL3's and ran single cable to center channel. I was never a huge believer that cables make a huge difference but I proved myself wrong! The detail and clarity improvement is stunning. Usually when my wife and I watch TV shows (Revenge) we have a hard time understanding the dialog sometime and I usually have to turn up the center channel by a few db. Now dialog is crystal clear. I did not tell my wife that i swapped out the cables (doesn't interest her in the least bit!) but when she asked me "what did you do? I can hear the TV way better!", I guess that is all the proof that I need.

For around $300 that was a great investment in my system! Just thought I would share!

Cable

gordonmenninger said:

I ordered new speaker cables for my left front and right channels. I have all Krell amplification, processor, and SL3's and Theater i center. I was using generic cable from my local audio shop and it sounded good... I thought.
I purchased the Ultra line and bi wired my SL3's and ran single cable to center channel. I was never a huge believer that cables make a huge difference but I proved myself wrong! The detail and clarity improvement is stunning. Usually when my wife and I watch TV shows (Revenge) we have a hard time understanding the dialog sometime and I usually have to turn up the center channel by a few db. Now dialog is crystal clear. I did not tell my wife that i swapped out the cables (doesn't interest her in the least bit!) but when she asked me "what did you do? I can hear the TV way better!", I guess that is all the proof that I need.

For around $300 that was a great investment in my system! Just thought I would share!

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What type of speaker cable did u buy?

The brand is Signal Cable and the model is Ultra:

http://signalcable.com/ultraspeaker.html

I also have Frank's cables that wire my home theater system and they truly are excellent and at a killer price. Frank's a great guy too. Highly recommended!

It's always great when you make a change without telling your wife, and she spots the difference immediately. Much better than DBT

I've had that happen a few times, and mentioned it here, but the DBT brigade rationalized it away, pooh-poohing it away.

I am sitting firmly in cable skeptics camp. Not that I deny that cables CAN have an audible influence. I simply object to the standard nonsense normally used to justify ridiculously priced cables.

Visiting the signalcable webpage was therefore an absolute joy for me. Not only is it completely free from any nonsense. The prices are very reasonable and - lo and behold - they even state capacitance, inductance and resistance! These are cables even a skeptic like myself is now considering! Congratulations with your purchase. May I ask which cables you had before?

Yes, Signal Cable is awesome. My system is completely wired with cables from Signal and a few from Blue Jeans. They make excellent products at reasonable prices and they are upfront about the electrical characteristics of their cables. What more could you ask for?

Rich said:

... What more could you ask for?

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- That others would follow in their footprint, perhaps...

Rich said:

Yes, Signal Cable is awesome. My system is completely wired with cables from Signal and a few from Blue Jeans. They make excellent products at reasonable prices and they are upfront about the electrical characteristics of their cables. What more could you ask for?

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agree with Rich as well, I've used Frank's 'Ultra' cables for years.

I'm using one of the Signal "Silver Resolution" cables between my DAC and Pre-amp and have been very impressed compared against my former reference (Synergistic Research), especially given the price difference. They are also MUCH easier to route compared against the amazingly stiff Synergistic cables.

Has anyone tried the silver reference speaker cable that signal makes?

Signal Cable sounds interesting but I have a problem of having a really long run of around 30' from my amp to my summits! Should I move the amp to between the cable with long interconnects? Are long interconnects ok? Thanks

khenegar said:

Signal Cable sounds interesting but I have a problem of having a really long run of around 30' from my amp to my summits! Should I move the amp to between the cable with long interconnects? Are long interconnects ok? Thanks

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Can you run balanced or does it need to be single ended? That's a pretty long run for single ended.

Cable

MiTT said:

Can you run balanced or does it need to be single ended? That's a pretty long run for single ended.

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It would have to be single ended, preamp does not have balanced outputs. Kind of figured it would be to long
Thanks for the reply.

I'm running 7 meters (about 23') single-ended, with no problem.

Yes, I wasn't saying it wouldn't transmit a signal, I just think there would be some degradation due to the added resistance.

And a long run of single-ended is much more likely to pick up noise.

I have to agree that signal cables can make a tremendous difference with the very fast and transparent Martin Logan speaker.

Gordon, I noticed you have the 1200u working the great Fathom subs. Does that unit have any DSP? How much time did it take to get the room to sound right if you do not use DSP? Can you tell me more how you decided on that Krell unit? What did you have before the Krell? I use Krell mcx with hifi tuning fuses and I am considering replacing my modified Lexicon, but I am concerned with DSP under 250k or so. I like Krell and Martin Logan, so if you ever have the time, please write back.

Thank you

Duke

khenegar said:

What type of speaker cable did u buy?

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so sorry - I bought the ULTRA which is the middle of the line! I love it!

Duke, No the 1200U does not have any DSP. I am just running xlr cables out of the SUB output on the Krell to the stacked Fathoms. I ran ARO and was meticulous in setting phase/polarity correct on the fathoms. I bought the Krell unit about 5 years ago and it was their next step down from their $30,000 Evolution processor. I got a pretty good deal on my unit and bought it right when it came out! I love this processor, the dacs in it are very high quality, it is rock solid, heavy well built and sounds like a dream. Crystal clear, absolutely no noise, incredible surround processing even for music which I use.
I am really not a fan of the current design / looks of the new processors... They look like cheap Emotiva units. Even their new amps look cheap. I love the older Krell amp design that imho was built with a more "no compromise" goal in mind.
Oh and I started out with the Lexicon CP1, then the CP3, then a Theta CasaNova and finally the Krell. Let me know if you have more questions!

Duke said:

I have to agree that signal cables can make a tremendous difference with the very fast and transparent Martin Logan speaker.

Gordon, I noticed you have the 1200u working the great Fathom subs. Does that unit have any DSP? How much time did it take to get the room to sound right if you do not use DSP? Can you tell me more how you decided on that Krell unit? What did you have before the Krell? I use Krell mcx with hifi tuning fuses and I am considering replacing my modified Lexicon, but I am concerned with DSP under 250k or so. I like Krell and Martin Logan, so if you ever have the time, please write back.

Thank you

Duke

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Nice to hear nice things about signal. Met frank dickens myself, he was the one who tried to sell me his tad ref 1 speakers. Went to his place twice. We didn't get to audition cables but I'm sure part of the goodness I heard that evening was due to his cables in his system.