Best of Class vs. Uniformity
 

Over the last few months, I've made a serious investment in the power conditioning/delivery aspect of my audio system. This has included the purchase of a number of Shunyata Venom HC and 14 power cords, a Denali 6000/S conditioner and even one Venom Defender (so far). Pleased with my discerned sonic improvement in my system, I then purchased my first Shunyata interconnect -- one of their HDMI cables – and am again very happy with the result. Generally, I have always done as much research as practicable for me before purchasing a component -- even a cable. In this way, for example, I recently decided to use WireWorld's CAT 8 Ethernet cables, and a few years ago I opted for a MIT phono cable.

My assumption is that no one cable supplier is capable of offering the best performance (at a comparable price) for every application. However, particularly in Europe, a growing number of audio equipment manufacturers do offer complete audio systems, including the cabling, and no one can argue with the resultant quality of those systems.

This has caused me to wonder: is there any benefit to be gained by having an audio system essentially "wired" by the cables of just one manufacturer?

Excellent question. I use all topline AQ for this very reason. However I am not a cable aficionado like many. I went with topline cords power conditioning and cables to never purchase any of them again. I believe they did make a very significant contribution to my sound.

I have quite a few Systems with an entire loom of Wireworld cables. I am extremely pleased with the end results.

I am overall a Transparent Audio cable guy myself (speaker, lan, interconnects, power cables). However, I recently added a Cardas power cable from the wall to a Cardas Nautilus power strip. I had wondered if I screwed up the single maker loom rule. I am also pondering a mid-line Nordost interconnect from my phone preamp to my integrated amp. So many choices. I am looking forward to the comments on this thread.

Except for my turntable (captive cord), LD player, and a secondary BD player, all my component power cords are Transparent. My power conditioners and TV have Shunyata Venom products. My interconnects are all Transparent except for the tuner, which has Kimber Hero on it; I never replaced it and don't see a great need to, unless I want to be a completist. I could say that on digital sources in particular, the Transparent is slightly smoother on top than the Kimber, which is the main reason I moved to Transparent ICs. The tuner is analog and the Kimber seems just right for it. I had an all-Hero setup before, but some bright CDs moved me to seek a change.

Going with a single manufacturer has psychological advantages and offers uniformity, eliminating a potential variable I suppose, but then does it matter if all the cables/cords are the same model within the manufacturer's line? Do they need to be? For example, my power cords are Transparent HPPCs on components, but on my amps I have Premiums; before those were HPPCs also. The Premiums gave me a better bottom end. Should I switch to all Premiums because of that? I think not, perhaps the preamp, but not everything. I can't afford it anyway.

So, my perspective is to use whatever cable does what I want/need to happen, and also consider the components involved in my choices. Maybe I lack a discerning ear, but I don't notice anything untoward when I play my system.

I am all in with AudioQuest as Charles is... The only piece in the puzzle I don't seem to have is the Niagara Power Conditioner. Instead I'm using an IsoTek Sigmas and I'm very pleased with it. Never tried a Niagara though.
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Amp: BAT VK-655SE
Pre-amp/Digital: exaSound e32 w UpTone JS-2 Power Supply; SOtM tX-USBultra w UpTone LPS1.2; Apple Mac Mini w UpTone DC Conversion Kit & UpTone JS-2 Power Supply; Squeezelite w Logitech Media Server 7.9.0
Speakers: Triangle Magellan Cello II
Cables: AudioQuest WEL XLR, AudioQuest Everest, AudioQuest Hurricane HC, AudioQuest NRG-1000, AudioQuest Diamond USB
Rack: Solid Tech Hybrid
Tweaks: Omicron Stabilizzatore Armonico & Gold Evolution SE; IsoTek Sigmas GII w Optimum EVO3; Furutech FT-SWS (R) AC Outlet; Synergistic Research Blue Quantum Fuse

I have Shunyata PCs and Synergistic Research IC's and speaker cables. I have thought the same as I figure out which power conditioner to go with. Decisions, decisions.