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Best IC cabling under $1000 for tube system

I'm not sure of how to put together a strategy on how to find the best cable set for my hifi system.

I would like to end up with a pair of 1m rca analog IC to run between both a Musical Fidelity TriVista 21 DAC and my JOR and another pair to run between the JOR and a Valab NOS DAC. So 2 pair of analog IC's.

I need a 1m Digital IC to run between my Teac VRDS-10 and my TriVista.

I have the other USB cables from my Mac Mini to the Valab and my speaker cables, which are Synergistic Research Tesla Accelerators. I also have a couple of decent OFC Silver-plated Audiophile Power Cable + OYAIDE C-079 which I bought off EBay.

So...
2 pairs of 1m analog IC's
1 1m digital IC
.... best ones for under $1000.

Virtual Dynamics has their Nites on sales now.
I really like the Tesla Acellerators.

.... those are cables I really like but, that I might be able to find preowned here on AGON that might fit my budget. And that also makes me wonder if I should keep all of my cables from the same maker. The mix I am using now sound great.

Again, I am just trying to learn how to logically find cables that I love and will be able to live with for a long time without continually looking for something better.

I hope this makes sense. Thanks in advance.
mattzack2

Showing 6 responses by mattzack2

mattzack2's avatar
mattzack2 OP
175 posts
 
At this point, I was speaking of all 5 cables for $1000. They are a couple of ways that I could modify that amount of cables ...

If I eliminate the TriVista DAC on this system, I will only need 2 analog IC's between the Valab and the Jadis, and only 1 digital between the Teac VRDS-10 and the Valab. In fact, I could run a fiber between the Teac and the Valab. That boils it down to just great analog pair between the dac and the amp.

That might be the wisest thing to do at this point.

So that modifies the original question to be looking for the best analog IC's on a tube system.

I think the Gabriel Golds were highly recommended a few times throughout this thread, so I will be on the lookout for a great deal on those.

Does it realy make any difference what type of fiber toslink used? I would think jitter would be practically non existant on even a mediocre fiber.
mattzack2's avatar
mattzack2 OP
175 posts
 
I just ordered a pair of Gabriel Gold Revelation MK2's and a pair of Amphenal glass toslinks.

I hope to have these early next week or sooner, so I will be comparing these to what I have been using and let you know what I find out.

Next on my project list is the Obbligato bypass capacitors for my Valab.

Thanks for all your advise !
mattzack2's avatar
mattzack2 OP
175 posts
 
The Gabriel Gold Revelation MK2's came in this afternoom. Very nice to look at and hold, like a sexy lady's leg.

I connected them between my Jadis Orchestra Reference and my Valab (2009) DAC. I connect my Valab to my Teac VRDS10 with a new Amphenol glass fiber.

I have been listening to some Dido and a few other new age electronica type artists for about the last 4 to 5 hours. It sounds terrific. The soundstage is wider and a lot of the effects seem to lasso around the room. It makes for a nice, spacey entertainment. The clarity is very noticable also. You seem to hear a lot more texture in the electronic sounds.

Tomorrow, I will playing a lot of soul music and I am anxious to hear how great the bands sound, but for tonight, I am trapped by the likes of Dido and Oystein Sevag, and enjoying every minute of it.

Happy listening !
mattzack2's avatar
mattzack2 OP
175 posts
 
Ed -
Now, I'm fairly new to all this high end stuff, but I know that the stuff that I know as fact is the same stuff that I used to find totally unbelievable about 2 or 3 years ago. After looking at those skinny little wires, I had to actually stifle a chuckle.

But I only chuckle because I know that you are probably right. I think the only cables that I have seen so far that seem outlandishly funny to look at and still get the rave reviews are the Mapleshade cables. No offense to Mapleshade or Morrow. I can see your loyal followers and read your excellent reviews.

I think Ed's previous post just struck a funny bone. I'm loving the HiFi hobby so much.... Thanks for the chuckle Ed, and I honestly believe the Morrows might be able to compete with my Gabriel Golds, and I think it would be fun to be able to have a face off. Someday CyberSpace might allow auditioning the products with a virtual reality system that includes HiFi audio in it.

Happy listening !
mattzack2's avatar
mattzack2 OP
175 posts
 
I just did Bobf. I think Steve is really going to keep getting better and better with his cables. I see you have the Raptures. I bet they sound heavenly.

I have been listening to my new GG almost non-stop since they arrived yesterday. They have made a huge improvement the soundstage and clarity. I better get some work done or my wife is gonna get a little cranky.... even though she is getting all my hand downs when I upgrade my system. She is getting a MF TriVista 21 DAC, an Amphenol Glass Toslink, and a pair of Straightwire Serenade IC's this weekend, so she has been pretty happy so far.

Happy listening !
mattzack2's avatar
mattzack2 OP
175 posts
 
John,
Nothing would surprise me in this hobby. The point I was trying to make was that the 2 cables that I mentioned both have a look to them that do not come close to the rest of the pack, yet they have a very loyal following.

I hope I didn't come acroos as disrespectful to any brand. I am having a great time since I found Audiogon, learning a lot, improving my systems, and enjoying the ride. I was amused with the look of the cables, because I thought I had seen a lot of remarkable things in HiFi, and here was another.

Happy listening !
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