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Cables Galore Speaker cables, Interconnects & Power cords

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Old 07-14-2019, 12:58 PM
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Default 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?
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Main System: Theta Casablanca V preamp/processor; Wadia 8 CD transport and Digimaster DDC 2000 DAC (w/all updates); Theta Compli CD transport; Oppo UDP-203 disc player; Lumin T2 music server/DAC; Roon Nucleus+ core (w/Teddy Pardo LPS); SOTA Sapphire turntable (w/ Premier FT3 arm and Hana SL cartridge); SugarCube SC-2 non-destructive "click and pop" removal device; PS Audio Stellar phono preamp; Magnum Dynalab MD-102 FM tuner (w/MD-205 Signal Sleuth FM antenna amplifier and ST-2 FM antenna); McIntosh MC 611 (3), Krell FPB 200C, and KAV-250a power amplifiers; Revel Ultima Studio (2 - L&R), Voice (1 - center), and Embrace (2 sides and 2 surrounds) speakers; SVS PB-16 Ultra (2) and 3000 Micro (2) powered subwoofers; WireWorld Silver Eclipse 8 speaker cables; various Kimber Kable, MIT, Shunyata, and WireWorld interconnects; Shunyata Denali 2000/T (2), Denali 6000/S, Hydra [original], Hydra 2, and Venom PS10 power conditioners; various Shunyata Delta, Venom, PowerSnake, and Sidewinder power cords, and Venom Defenders (2); Richard Gray's Power Company Substation and 400 Pro; Luxul AGS-1024 Ethernet switch; Sound Anchor amplifier stand; VTI (2) and Billy Bags (4) equipment racks.
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  #2  
Old 08-23-2019, 08:22 PM
Charles Charles is online now
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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.
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Old 08-23-2019, 08:43 PM
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I have quite a few Systems with an entire loom of Wireworld cables. I am extremely pleased with the end results.
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Reference System: BURMESTER 911MK3 AMP(3), 088 PRE-AMP, 089 CD PLAYER, 100 PHONO PRE-AMP, 948 POWER CONDITIONER, ACCUPHASE DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, AVID ACUTUS REFERENCE SP TT, GRAHAM PHANTOM II SUPREME ARM, BENZ MICRO LP-S CART, GRANDIOSO P1X/D1X STACK, G1X RUBIDIUM MASTER CLOCK, N05 NETWORK PLAYER, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS-SXR CUSTOM RACK w/ M3X SHELVES, SONUS FABER AIDA SPEAKERS, JL FATHOM F113v2 SUBS(2) SOUND ANCHOR STANDS(2) WW PLATINUM CABLES

Library System: GRANDIOSO M1 MONOBLOCK AMPS, C1 LINESTAGE PRE-AMP, K1X CD/SACD PLAYER, G1 MASTER RUBIDIUM CLOCK, E02 PHONO-PRE, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, AERIAL ACOUSTICS 20T V2, AERIAL SW12 SUBS(2), CANTON REF K1’s, VPI HRX TT w/ SDS POWER SUPPLY, ORTOFON CADENZA BLACK CART, KLAUDIO RCM, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2, SHUNYATA OMEGA QR’s, WW PLATINUM CABLES
Esoteric/Bryston System: ESOTERIC C02-X PRE-AMP, P-02X TRANSPORT, D02-X DAC, G02-X CLOCK, BRYSTON 28B3 CUBED MONOBLOCK AMPS(4), BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2(2) EVEREST 8000 POWER CONDITIONER(2) ALTAIRA CG & SG HUBS, AMR-DP777-SE DAC, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, TAD REFERENCE ONE MK2 LOUDSPEAKERS, QUADRASPIRE RACK, WW PLATINUM CABLES
Accuphase/Canton System: ACCUPHASE E800 INTEGRATED, DP570 CD/SACD PLAYER, T1200 FM STEREO TUNER, DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, PS530 POWER SUPPLY, CANTON REF K3’s, CANTON REF K5’s, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS MXR REFERENCE MAHOGHANY RACK w/ M3X2 SHELVES, WW GOLD CABLES
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Old 08-23-2019, 08:48 PM
Imapo Imapo is offline
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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.
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Old 08-24-2019, 05:55 AM
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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.
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Last edited by prepress; 09-02-2019 at 06:11 AM.
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Old 08-25-2019, 04:59 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles View Post
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 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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Old 08-30-2019, 12:05 AM
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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.
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