Quote:
Originally Posted by alamak
Thanks Caelin.
Would you be able to describe the sound character difference between both Alpha HC and Alpha NR? From what i gather from reviews & forums, it seems that your cables had slowly evolve to become more “neutral” as compared to the earlier series where they are known to sound “sweet”.
While i understand that sound can be subjective and varies across different setups, im just curious of the sound traits of each of the above cable so that i can determine which might be more suitable for my setup.
Appreciate your insights. Thank you.
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Well to be clear about this - the Alpha HC is one the best cost/performance cables we have ever built. It can compete with any other cable at any price. If you are a second-hand buyer or someone looking for a bargain, look for a used one from a reputable source.
I would not trade an Alpha HC for an Alpha NR. The cost differential to do the transaction is higher than what I would accept for the relatively small gain in performance. If you want a clear jump in performance, save your pennies and get the Sigma cable.
That being said: The Alpha NR is superior to the HC in purity and coherence. The HC sounds bigger in the bass but if you listen long enough you will realize that the NR has better bass definition and is likely more tonally accurate. If your preferences tend toward “more bass is always better”, you will likely choose the HC. The NR is very pure, even and linear in sound quality. But like I said above, these differences are subtle and splitting hairs. Which I suppose is what being an audiophile is all about. And I have no doubt that one of you will tell me that the difference between the HC and the NR was “huge”. I hear this feedback often and I trust it - your system, your room, your ears. When I go to visit people I usually hear what they hear in their system. So I encourage people to be tolerant of differing opinions. Context is everything.