I have a full loom of AE (Audio Envy) cables in my system: 2 pair XLRs, 5 power cables, 1 coax, and SP-11 speaker cables. They sound FANTASTIC! I also happen to have 1 pair of SR Foundation XLRs. When I insert the SR Foundations into my system before or after the BHK preamp I lose sound stage and music detail, top to bottom. Must be the SR loom effect is missing? Here I thought maybe the AE XLRs were just better cables. Errr, maybe it's the AE loom effect I'm missing when SR Foundations are in the system? Lol, actually I don't know the tech stuff but I do know what I hear. AE XLRs are better in MY system than SR Foundations, for way less money. Audio Envy will give you a trial period. Cap is a great guy to work with and makes moderately priced incredible cabling. Try them! BTW the SR Foundation XLRs sound good just not as good.
Audioquest Angel vs Synergisitic Research Atmosphere Alive
I am currently running Synergistic Research's Foundation cable and want to upgrade the cable for more clarity. I had previously upgraded from Audioquest's Yosemite, which was a fantastic cable, but lacked high frequency detail. I wanted to move into using silver cables over copper. I saw the Synergistic Foundation line to be an affordable entry way into silver cables. It was an improvement in high frequency detail, but a loss in mid bass body.
This was not a big issue at the time, because I was running Audioengine's A2+ speaker system. It had a 3 inch woofer which physically couldn't produce a robust mid bass sound. Now I have upgraded to Audioengine's HD6. Now I have a 5.5 inch woofer and the Foundation is a bit too anorexic. The HD6 is really revealing in high frequency details and it turns out that the details provided in the Foundation line are no longer enough.
After much research and discussion with some sales reps and the Synergistic tech, I discovered that what they say is an "air dielectric" is actually silver conductors inside a hollow tube. That tube is Polyethylene. This is the same setup that Audioquest uses in its lower end cables. The Sydney and the Victoria both use a hollow Polyethylene tube as its dielectric. Polyethylene absorbs high frequency signals, including those that would be audible. That means the silver cable in Synergistic Research's Foundation line is being slightly rolled off.
In Audioquest's Yosemite, they changed the hollow dielectric to FEP, a fluorocarbon Teflon-like material. The Angel also uses the same FEP. The Synergistic Research Alive Level 1 is the same cable as the Foundation, but uses Teflon as a dielectric, as well as uses better connectors.
So the question is, which is better? Does the Synergistic Research cable punch above its weight class with no active shielding but with graphene? Or do I get the Audioquest, which has no graphene but does have active shielding?
I do have other Synergistic Research in this system and feel like it would benefit from staying within the same product....but...if I am being honest, I can get the Audioquest Angel anywhere and quickly, but pay a bit more. However, I can't get the rep I work with at The Cable Co to answer my request for purchase, and I would have to wait two weeks while the cable is being created and burned in. I am not exactly a patient consumer once I have made up my mind to make a purchase. ;)
In the end, I could save more money going with Synergistic and The Cable Co and wait, but I would be willing to spend the extra money and not wait to get Audioquest if that cable simply sounds better and resolves better than Synergistic's.