Best Cables for around $500

I know that some of these threads can end up "try my cable, it is the best" however, this thread has already been very helpful so far. I have been checking out the two, new to me, cables from Crimson MusicLink and Gabriel Gold Revelations. The Crimson MusicLink is $537.00 in 1 meter XLR and I have emailed the company for prices on the newer Gabriel cables.

I have now tried two pretty good, but inexpensive cables. One is the Morrow MA 1.1 XLR retailing for $239 but often on sale for much less. The other is the Silver Serpent II Balanced XLR for $99.00. Both of these are pretty good but I feel that both are holding me back from hearing all the music. The Morrow's were initially tipped up in the treble and I had to pull them but later put them back in the system and used the Isotek CD conditioner. Now, I feel that they are, if anything, tipped down in the treble almost like a blanket has been put over the speakers.

I believe I can pick up a pair of AudioQuest Colorado 72v 1 meter XLR cables for about 1/2 retail (normally $900). Anyone have thoughts on this. I understand that the AudioQuest cables were a big discussion on another site but couldn't find the thread.

Thanks to all who have contributed so far!

The following will lose me street creds on my audio skills but just found out during my break in of the W4S STI500 and DAC2 when reaching around the back of my equipment, I had switched my Xindak digital cable off of the DAC2 and replaced it with identical looking Xindak audio cables (the difference was only a small band around one end of the cable). I had been connecting my Netgear 9150 system to my DAC2 with an audio cable!

The results were very interesting with tipped down treble as mentioned in my last post but rock music actually sounded pretty good! The sound was much more diffuse which seemed to work well with rock but took all the life out of the classical music. I was in the break in phase with the STI500 and DAC2 and had just used the ISOTEK CD conditioner. I was beginning to think I had screwed up my system using the conditioner CD!

Highs are back using the Morrow MA1.1 XLR cable and sounding very detailed. Will listen for a week or so with the Morrow Cable to get a fix on the sound before purchasing new cables.

Dave_b - amazing that you have experience with 5 of the 7 cables that I am looking at! Just curious, but what other equipment do you have?

I noticed that you singled out the AQ Columbia. I can get the AQ Colorado XLR normally $900 for $450-$500. Any thoughts on that vs. the MIT AVT1? Looked up the MIT AVT1 and for the XLR it goes for $699 retail.

You mentioned that "online prices are 50% msrp." Other than the AQ Colorado's, I did not see any prices at 50% off for the other cables.

Dave_b - looks like the cable he sells is demo or trade-ins. Would like to purchase new. What do you think new MIT AVT1 1 meter XLR's should go for?

I have received some excellent ideas from your comments and those who have sent me emails directly. This has been very helpful. As it stands now, I have narrowed the list to the following:

1. AudioQuest either Columbia or Colorado XLR
2. MIT AVT1 XLR - need to get a fix on pricing
3. Morrow MA4 or MA5 XLR (I can trade in my existing Morrow Cables for what I paid for them off of list/discounted price of the new cables)

The Morrow MA1.1's XLRs that I have now with fully broken in W4S STI500 and DAC2 do sound very very good with maybe just a little emphasis on the mid to high frequencies. These are great bargain cables.

I too have never had harsh highs with the MA1.1's. My system is a little tipped up at whatever frequency violins play but this doesn't mean it is the Morrow's. It could be the Magnepan 1.7s, W4S STI500 or DAC2.

Last night changed the Digital cable from Better Cables Silver Serpent to a Xindak digital cable. Minor difference but liked the Xindak better. Will listen more today.

Working behind the scenes on pricing of the cables I identified previiously (AudioQuest, Morrow and MIT). Also tracking down the possibility of trying the Crimson Music Link XLRs to demo. I know that I will need 30-60 days to really get an idea of how they sound and don't know their "demo" terms.

MIT Cables. I also looking at pricing of the MIT Shotgun 3.3 cables along with the CVT's but to be honest, their two overlapping cable systems is very confusing and their website is not much help. Never seen a cable company where you have the option to click on cables available in their retail stores and cables available online. Very confusing.

However, all the reviews I have read about the MIT Cables have been very good. Didn't find any reviews on the AudioQuest Columbia or Colorado.

Finally hooked up with Joe Abrams and in the process of ordering MIT Shotgun 3.3 XLR cables. Can't wait.

In the interim, I have been tweaking my system (W4S DAC2, W4S STI 500 and Magnepan 1.7s). I am blown away how small changes in the system have made some dramatic improvements in the sound and how sensitive my system is to the changes.

Tried three digital cables (Silver Serpent Digital, Audioquest inexpensive digital and Xindak). I was just frustrated with the system sound using the Silver Serpent and Audioquest digital cables. When I hooked up the Xindak I heard another level of clarity. It really has opened up my system. I would never have believed that there would be such a difference of three relatively inexpensive digital cables.

Another very surprising impact to the system was switching the W4S STI-500 from a fairly heavy APC UPS conditioner to a $50 dollar version. I don't know what the SPC UPS conditioner was doing, but had no depth to the music and clarity suffered. Can't believe going to the cheap model actually sounded better. Tried going directly into the wall outlet. Sound was very clear through the wall outlet but without depth. Best of the three choices was the $50 simple filter and surge protector.

I also have tried a number of ridiculously inexpensive tweaks that have all contributed to better sound from my system - total cost of all three tweaks is less than $100. Will share these on another thread.