Need advice on cables

[Shub]

I am looking to get a good interconnect between my receiver and amp. I have AudioQuest Type 4 speaker cables and have been happy with these. Right now I have been looking at getting either the AudioQuest Sidewinder:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...t_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

or....

The Esoteric EA5:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t..._shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=A385A0XNQBW8HY&v=glance

I have never heard of the Esoteric and not sure if they are any good... I think they just got my attention with all of their feature babble :ROFL:

Phase Flow® Dielectric
Ultra thick 24k gold plated contacts
Class II shielding
Ultra Sure Grip™ custom connectors
Ultra Grain™ OFC center conductor


I am leaning towards the AudioQuest since I have experience (some) with their other products... really just looking to see if anyone has heard of the Esoteric... any good... or just stick with AudioQuest.

I know I can go crazy in the interconnect department, but for now, the AudioQuest is at the limit of what I want to spend for an interconnect....

Thanks in advance....
Shu

 

[renpar61]

You may draw a ton of different opinions in this department. I have never spent a fortune in cables, so I can't speak for the likes of Nordost, Tara Labs or Shunyata. In my experience, AudioQuest is the best bang-for-buck.

 

[akm3]

I don't think you can get what you need from any message forum.

If a person believes that the interconnect makes a difference (past a basic point, especially for digital signals), then they probably should audition the cables themselves to find the set that sound the best to them.

I just use the cheap monoprice.com stuff, I've tried the nicer cables and felt like a sucker afterwards. /edit: So obviously I don't have the required sensory fidelity to determine a difference from one piece of copper to another. I'm NOT saying other people don't

 

[twich54]

I am leaning towards the AudioQuest since I have experience (some) with their other products... I know I can go crazy in the interconnect department, but for now, the AudioQuest is at the limit of what I want to spend for an interconnect....

Thanks in advance....
Shu

shu, I believe you have answered your own question and are looking for a little assurance...no problem, I concur, AQ is good quality cable that will fill the bill nicely.

FWIW, while I believe that cabling can and does make a difference, I firmly believe one need not spend ludicrous amounts of $$ to get top flight performance.

in the areas of affordability / performance I also like DH Labs, Signal Cable.

As others chime in you will get many more !!

One last thought.......'The Cable Company' offers I think a buy and try type of approach whereby you can demo your heart away.

 

[Shub]

Thx

Thanks for the replies...

Yes, Dave is right, I pretty much have made up my mind and was looking for some assurance:music:

The DH Labs looks nice!! I think I will check them out next time I need a cable. Right now I also have a gift cert from Amazon that I need to use... otherwise I think i would be tempted to try DH....

Thanks
Shu

 

[robertawillisjr]

Thanks for the replies...

Yes, Dave is right, I pretty much have made up my mind and was looking for some assurance:music:

The DH Labs looks nice!! I think I will check them out next time I need a cable. Right now I also have a gift cert from Amazon that I need to use... otherwise I think i would be tempted to try DH....

Thanks
Shu

Please be careful when buying from Amazon's affiliates. Many cables are ripoffs. If the prices seem too good or the discription is somewhat odd, contact the manufacturer and report it to Amazon. This almost happened to me when looking for an HDMI cable.

Amazon (via e-mail) admitted to "some problems in this area".

 

[Shub]

Thanks

Please be careful when buying from Amazon's affiliates. Many cables are ripoffs. If the prices seem too good or the discription is somewhat odd, contact the manufacturer and report it to Amazon. This almost happened to me when looking for an HDMI cable.

Amazon (via e-mail) admitted to "some problems in this area".

Thanks for the heads up - yes, it makes me nervous whenever it is an affiliate that I have never heard of. In this case, the AudioQuest cables are being sold by Amazon and not an affiliate - so I am not worried in this case ...

Shu

 

[Mantana]

check audioadvisor.com also...they usually have some closeout audioquest
stock. I've bought both interconnects and speaker cable at very reasonable prices. Also check out zebra cables as another alternative to signal cable.
zebracables.com

 

[Mantana]

i haven't heard these speaker cables but here is a review from absolute sound (and they're cheap!)

The Anti-Cables have now been awarded The Absolute Sound's Editors Choice Award three years in a row (2006, 2007, & 2008), which means they are considered to be "the best of the best". This is quite amazing, considering they cost 1/100 as much as others on the list.



Actually, we have a customer who sold those other $8,000 "Editors Choice" cables because in his words, "the Anti-Cables out class them".




Printed below is the original TAS review:


Paul Speltz’s “anti-cable” speaker cables are a godsend to those of us who want good sound but are repulsed by the astronomically high prices some cable manufacturers are asking for their goods. I know cable manufacturers need to make a living, and I have no problem with that, but there’s a limit to what I can conceive of spending on a hunk of wire. (And yes, I know how essential that hunk of wire can be to the sonic integrity of one’s system, but when all is said and done, it’s still a hunk of wire.) Thus the name “anti-cables.” This stuff goes against everything most high-end speaker cables are typical known for—like ridiculously high prices, haute couture designer jackets, and compromised sonics.


At this point, I’ve only had a few weeks to audition them, so it’s possible that extended listening could reveal a shortcoming or two. But so far, I have to say I’m blown away by the neutrality and lack of coloration I’m hearing and by the absence of any apparent downside. The high frequencies are open and clear with no tizziness; the midrange has exceptional clarity, transparency, and detail; and the bass is extended, with remarkable articulation. Miraculously, the cost is only $80 for an 8 foot pair with spades.


If you visit Paul Speltz’s anti-cable Web site you can read the story behind these cables along with technical info and testimonials up the ying-yang. In a nutshell, the anti-cables are constructed of 12-gauge solid-core copper wire with a very thin red coating or dielectric. According to Speltz, it’s the minimal dielectric that accounts for the amazing clarity and virtual lack of sonic signature. These cables are a bit stiff, but still easy to work with. They do require shaping to keep off the carpeting and away from other components and cables, but I’d say the bending and shaping, at most, might take an extra few minutes per cable. SK

 

[MickeyVee]

I have AntiCables, Signal Cable, Nordost Solar Winds & have used Transparent. To be honest, as nice as the Nordost are, the Anti Cables & Signal Cable are just as good (in my system) and the Transparent, well, they're not so Transparent (and did not work in my system).

I can easily recommend the Anti Cables & Signal Cable (which I switch out every three months or so) to anyone with an entry level system.
I've been so happy with Signal Cable that I pretty much have done my whole system with Signal.. speaker, interconnect, sub-woofer, optical, and DHMI.

 

[Steelhead]

I had audioquest speaker cables on demo with my reQuests. I also had and preferred the Goertz copper.

When I bought a Zu Xaus tonearm cable (Great tonearm cable) I also bought Julian speaker wire. I still liked the Goertz better.

When I bought my Summits I was in contact with Paul Speltz about Mr. Sanders paper on speaker cables for stats. I ended up with anti-cables and I don't think much of anything can touch them for the money.

Having said all that, I have never had Nordost in my system or heard it in anyone else's system and that is one cable I would like to play with. Another is Esoteric. Their engineering is for real and they are one company that might have a cable worth the price of admission.

My advice: buy anti-cables and then try loaners or demo's and see if you can top it.

Have Fun!