Best advice is that given by elizabeth. Get everything dialed in, then fine-tune with cables.
1st time AG'er. Cables ? ?
First off - what a phenomenal site / formum this is. Have spent several months in research to help get over the false starts and blind alleys in educating myself about this hobby (maybe a way of life to some!)
But on to the point. Began my step "over the edge" last year with purchase of Theil 2.3's. Love that sound - but grossly underpowered with a Yamaha something or other.
Just acquired used Krell KSA-250 and KRC-HR pre from Audiogon. I know - "you love 'em or hate 'em Krell" - but those Theils definately needed some kick.
Equipment is just starting to arrive - so I could really use some sage advice on cables. I am really in a knowledge blackhole as where to start. My equipment choices (I hope) will give me very clear / flat / uncompromising sound.
Any suggestions, recommendations, or enlightenment, will be greatly apprecated. Thanks in advance - and thanks to the hundreds of AG'ers that share their experiences & opinons with others.
But on to the point. Began my step "over the edge" last year with purchase of Theil 2.3's. Love that sound - but grossly underpowered with a Yamaha something or other.
Just acquired used Krell KSA-250 and KRC-HR pre from Audiogon. I know - "you love 'em or hate 'em Krell" - but those Theils definately needed some kick.
Equipment is just starting to arrive - so I could really use some sage advice on cables. I am really in a knowledge blackhole as where to start. My equipment choices (I hope) will give me very clear / flat / uncompromising sound.
Any suggestions, recommendations, or enlightenment, will be greatly apprecated. Thanks in advance - and thanks to the hundreds of AG'ers that share their experiences & opinons with others.
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great purchase you made. my opinion after going through tons of high end cables; i have found audioquest perfect silver surface cables such as niagara to be smooth, detailed and extremely musical. they are discontinued but virtually indistinguishable from the replacement model(wind). i find they give ss equipment a little more lushness. i’d match to aq speaker cables using their highest grade copper. several to choose from. your equipment deserves this quality of cable. copper just can’t do what pss can. finally buy used of course and don’t go funky with garage brands. aq knows what they are doing. |
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. Thanks to all who responded. I'd gone a little wacko trying to sort thru the strings on IC's,etc. - just needed some focus. Much appreciated. I'll explore all these suggestions thru AG and the links provided. To Dave: the dedicated 20 amp line is no problem. As my son went off to college I've taken over a 22' x 24' room with main breaker panel. I can add a branch circuit with a single outlet that's within 8' of amp. Jim . |
If you find that you would need some good budget cables, Cobalt Cables are pretty good: http://www.cobaltcable.com/product/single_speaker_cable.htm Dave |
I have auditioned a Krell/Theil system wired with Transparent cables throughout. Very open and revealing. Transparent has several different price points to work your budget around. I personally ran a pair of Transparent Super Bicable XL's for a couple of years. Only replaced them because the producer of the speakers I am currently running also offers their own in-house built cables (they worked better in my system). Additionally, I have had lots of luck with Harmonic Technology interconnects and cables. Don't forget to search the archives, cable suggestions-o-plenty! |
Use balanced cables on the Krell stuff, I use Harmonic Tech. truth-link balanced. For more money, Acoustic Zen are good. I have Acoustic Zen Hologram speaker cables from my Ksa-250 to my Apogee Duetta Sig's. The Ksa-250 is a great amp that will take on the sonic signature of you up-stream source..so is easy to stear in any direction you want to go. Dedicated 20amp line is a big plus with this amp for many reasons, I would look into that also. Dave |
Love the Krell stuff, see my system below. I have found the Pure Note cables the best match. Sonic Genius' Reference Stereo System a/o January 2004: Martin-Logan Prodigy speakers. Krell FPB400cX power amp. Modified with IEC power inlet. Krell KCT preamp. Sony SCD-1 SACD player. Sutherland PHD phono preamp (battery). VPI TNT-HR-X turntable, JMW 12.5 tonearm. Grado Statement phono cartridge. Pure Note Cerulean Cables, replacing the Epsilon References. Pure Note Epsilon Reference XLR, RCA cables. Rev. 4.0 Pure Note Epsilon Reference speaker cables. Rev. 4.0 Siltech Compass Lake XLR interconnects. Pure Note Sigma power cables. |
Give Analysis Plus cables a try, particularly the Oval 9 speaker cables; used ones can be had for little more than a song. Not quite state of the art, but a lot of cable for the money (literally), and a great set of starter cables that should keep up with your system through at least the first couple of upgrade iterations. |
I would recommend contacting Virtual Image, e-mail is Virtualimage@juno.com, about some interconnects and power cables. Both the PC's and IC's made by V.I. are excellent. If you want to read my previous posts about the V.I. cables, you can do a search here in the Audiogon forums. In terms of speaker cables, I would go with either the Acoustic Zen Satori or the Kimber Select 3035, which ever you can squeeze into you budget. |