Swapped cables on my MR88 Tuner

[stereo_5]

Comparing the sound from my MR88 tuner through the system to the rest of my front end components left me perplexed. The tuner just did not seem as involving as my other front end components. It sounded a little closed in and a little lifeless. Just for fun, I removed the Acrolink Mexcel digital cable from my Esoteric SACD player and used it on the MR88 Tuner. Holy cow, this $1500.00 cable really woke up the sound from the tuner!

I am perplexed because earlier this year, I tried my Wireworld Starlight 7 digital cable and the sound wasn't any better from the tuner than through the analog cables. The Acrolink cable really seems to have done the trick. I really didn't need the Acrolink cable on my Esoteric player as my player uses the PCM1704 R to R ladder DAC which sounds better than the digital chip inside my C2500 preamp. I am astounded that the 10 times more expensive Acrolink cable made that much of a difference. Why is this so?

[edkoz]

that make two of us

[PeterMusic]

Cables often have a profound impact not necessarily ranked by price. Visit your local dealer and borrow 3 different sets to try at home between different components. You''l be surprised again. (My personal faves are Transparent Supers)

[modlin]

....astounded that the 10 times more expensive Acrolink cable made that much of a difference. Why is this so?[/QUOTE]

hmmm...maybe because digital zeros, which are, as we know, oblong - got reshaped to nice full blown circles, thus moving through a digital cable much smoother ???....just a wild guess ...

[stereo_5]

Since my original post on this, I did further testing. I removed the Acrolink digital cable and put it back on my Esoteric SACD Player. I bought a used pair of Nordost Red Dawn(flat cables) and inserted them into my system between the Mac preamp and Mac power amp. I could hear the difference right away. The sound got much livelier, but too much. After listening for 3 days and my ears bleeding, I removed the Red Dawn and inserted it from the MR88 Tuner to the preamp. This was just what the doctor ordered. The sound from the tuner opened up nicely and all my cables are playing nice with one another again. I have been listening to the tuner extensively over the past 10 day and everything is still all positives. This is the final home for the cable and the sound from my tuner is better than ever!

[PeterMusic]

Originally Posted by stereo_5

Since my original post on this, I did further testing. I removed the Acrolink digital cable and put it back on my Esoteric SACD Player. I bought a used pair of Nordost Red Dawn(flat cables) and inserted them into my system between the Mac preamp and Mac power amp. I could hear the difference right away. The sound got much livelier, but too much. After listening for 3 days and my ears bleeding, I removed the Red Dawn and inserted it from the MR88 Tuner to the preamp. This was just what the doctor ordered. The sound from the tuner opened up nicely and all my cables are playing nice with one another again. I have been listening to the tuner extensively over the past 10 day and everything is still all positives. This is the final home for the cable and the sound from my tuner is better than ever!

Thanks for the follow up. Not surprised on the ear bleed effect. I had the same problem with a Goldmund optical. Ended up with a Nordost Blue Heaven instead. Not quite as extreme--I found Transparent Super RCAs equal or superior to the Transparent Ultras that cost 2X the price. Good cables are a terrific way to upgrade, but they REALLY need to be auditioned at home