Interesting review Mr T, however, I will still hold out on the High Fidelity cables due to my experiences with Virtual Dynamics cables. From your description, they sound fairly similar, but what really bothered me about the VD cables was their immediate presentation. They threw a very large, 2 dimensional soundstage, that had no depth at all. I felt like I was immediately transported to the front row of the event, with the band/orchestra playing right in my face. I prefer a more laid back, 3 dimensional soundstage presentation, more like a mid-hall seat.
Don't get me wrong, I would be willing to listen to these cables if someone wants to let me listen to them for free. LOL!!
I hope do give some presentations in the US as well. For me it is very easy to set a much higher level in sound than most other brands can give. Nice to read that people appreciate it. I received personal mails in the last few months from people at Audiogon who bought things were I was talking about I have a very direct way of talking about audio. For some it can be to hard. I want people to open there eyes and ears. With the right advice everyone can get a much higher level for the money they spend.
Love reading your posts on this topic Bo1972. They are very informative and what you are saying is true, thank you. I have recently discovered the difference between 2d and 3d sound from my hi-fi system and it's evolution. I think that a great amp, cables, and speakers helped me achieve this type of holographic presentation. Most others here on this forum will experience the difference for themselves. If they have an ear for music, they will choose components capable of reproducing three dimensional sound everytime!
Soon I will have a new website. I will do it in dutch and in english. I have Sony professional cameras for highest level in Full HD without compression. I will make a lot of video's of different product. I will inform wenn it is ready.
The most important thing is that I sell most of the time 3 dimensional systems. It is very easy to learn people the difference between 2 and 3-dimensional image. I even use the stores of competitors. I send them to listen to particular amps, sources and speakers. Because I want them to understand the difference. I use the most important competitors in the same price tage. Sound has become like 1 and 1 is 2 for me. For me it is very simple which brands ( if I know them) are 2 or 3-dimensional. That is what I want to know wenn I test it. I want to know all properties of the stuff I test. I am only interested in the best. I hate all the average and poor audio there is on the market. So many people spend a lot of money on shit. I want all people to get a stunning sound for the money they would like to spend. It is that simple!
Bo1972 - if it were possible I'd invite you to come listen to my rig, since it is far from flat and quite nicely 3D - perhaps not as good as your amp, but still very good compared to many other that I have listened to.
I attribute this 3D image to the upgrades in cables - power/interconnect and speaker and very much to the Gershman Acoustic speakers
I do have several tracks where the instruments are positioned very accurately in the sound stage with the venue acoustics adding significant height to the performance - just as you described.
The most recent improvement was due to a change in the mains connectors on my furutech 10 gauge cable, which improved the 3D image to levels never experience before.
Granted - the amp out of the box with standard power cords has a flat 2D presentation - but then so do many other brands.
The biggest improvements I have made with my rig is with the power cords - they have transformed the whole sound.
I do believe that your opinion is based on what you have experienced - but then again - so is mine. So I think we will just have to agree to disagree.
The nice thing about Agon - there are many different opinions available for people to evaluate.
@ Mordante, Hi, you can call Taralabs direct, the factory, They will make any size cable you desire, A few months ago, I had Taralabs make a fellow member here a 5-meter interconect, that said, I do not believe they will have any problems tring to accomadate you, you can get any size speaker cable you desire or interconnect,,,, cheers.
The cheaper Taralabs were better in dynamics compared to the 352. I owned in the past the best pure silver xlr Vdhul made. It was a good cable, these days you can get a much higher level compared to this. The difference are in timing, sound realism and in backs. I also Judge cable in depth and in wide. Here on Audiogon most people still play with 2-dimensional amps. They see threw total different glasses then I do. I have done maybe a few thousands of tests. Because I do this for over 15 years. I see you use a Naim amp. This is a full flat 2-dimensional amp. I personally could not sell this because it has nothing to do with music and sound in real. I had these discussions with the distributter many times. Instruments and voices have there proportions and also there is depth easy to hear. With Naim focus is quite poor compared to the extreme touchabel image I can create. And there is no depth. Wenn you use a recording with only 3 instruments and there are placed a few metres from eachother in depth. The Naim will place the instruments on one line. I showed this in a demo for the Naim people. They said: you are right. But an amp of 100 dollar does it the same way. Depth is the most thrilling part in highend audio. Wenn it is not there you are out of the competition. Most people who own Naim do have little experience with live recording. I taught many of them what a full 3-dimensional image is. For 95% it was new. That is why I learn people the difference between 2 and 3-dimensional image. All agrred that 3-dimensional sound is superior over 2-dimensional sound. The difference is big as to compare between compromised and uncompromised music.
Cabels like 352 with a little silver many times causes problems with the high freq. Always choose for pure copper in these price ranges. Focus of instruments and voices is less sharp than Audioquest or Kimber. The more expensive cables are no match with the better Audioquest. The differences is the better timing and superior blacks of the Audioquest.
@ Mordante, Hi, Have you tried Taralabs best offerings of cables?, They have a great presatation, Not forward!, very revealing and have very good transparency with the blackest of black back grounds!, very exceptional!
Vdhul? Are you kidding me. I am from Holland and I sold it for many years. I also did test them. There are enough better brands. VdHul is a very nice and funny person. There was a big audio show every year. Then he was waiting for me and wanted to look around with me togheter. We did this a couple of years. He is even graduated in colours at the university.
Mordante - have you looked at Van Den Hul? - I think they are local to you :-)
I've used three of their Speaker cables and have been very happy - Currently using their 10 gauge D352 Hybrid cables with my Naim 50 Watt integrated amp - cost around $250 for 10ft pair in Canada
I have always used their bulk cable and put my own termination on them.
You can always step up to their Carbon Fibre - supposed to be completely transparent - bit pricey though
I have a hard time in believing that there are many "bad" cables. I think with brands like Cardas, Pink Faun, Kimber and Nordost you cannot really chose a bad cable. But I am open for suggestions. I am more or less looking for new speaker cables I live in the Netherlands.
Differences in cables is huge these days. What I do is many many blind tetst. Only wenn you do it this way people understand how big the influence is. What I said earlier: I give many blindtests with expensive amp/spource with cheap powercable or interconnect. And cheap amp/source with expensive powercable/interconnect. In most of the test people choose for the cheaper amp/source with more expensive cables. The thing is; use the right cables. There are many cables for sale who are not that great.
I honestly think many audiophiles people spent far too much on cables. Even though I use rather basic cables mostly I probably fall into the same category. I my current cables:
That is 2180euro spend of my current cables. The retail price of my entire system is about 25000euro (I did not play close to that)including cables. If you look at it like that I spent far too much on cables. I think about 5 to 8% of the system costs should be on cables.
Why do people spend so much on a simple piece of copper wire? I can honestly not tell. Yes cables can have a minor influence on the sound quality. But it is rather marginal and for digital BNC cables I am not sure if there is any difference between a 50 and 5000 euro cable.
I posted to this thread back in May only to fall silent again. I have made two changes to my system since I last posted. The first is earth shatteringly big (for me). I replaced my PSB Synchrony Two speakers (WAF issues, room issues) with a pair of ProAc Response D Two speakers. H O L Y Cow, Batman! What a difference! I am in love.
I tried a pair of Kimber Kable 8TC cables that fell flat....very flat after a thorough break in. I returned them. Then, I tried Morrow Audio SP5 biwired cables (5 day burn in). I immediately noticed a big improvement in sound stage, clarity, bass, etc. Piano music sounds great now. {Sure, a big part is the new speakers, but the SP5 cables make a real difference.
Have any of you tried Morrow Audio speaker cables, and what was your experience? Has anyone tried Clear Day Cables?
What else is out there that I don't have to spend $1200 on?
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It solely depends on where you're at in your "system evolution" and how much passion you have for going to the "next level". The "next level" may be of no consequence to 99% but to you, it can be everything! Listen to no one. Judge for yourself!
@ waxwaves, That was the best review you have ever wrote!, If I was A publisher for high-end audio, I would ask you to use this!,, you got humor, truth,and then the joy of music all wrapped up into one review!, cheers!
@Mental, sometimes I think that Blue Jean cables are marketed to the old school cable skeptics who feel like they will get close to the same presentation of the music from the "comfy ol blue jeans". I can hear them now..."my ol blue jeans are just right" and I don't wanna change. Well, my linen pants feel just right too. The fabric feels even better on my skin and there is plenty of sack room. My ol Levi's are a bit restrictive in that area and a little rough at the seams. My Tara Labs Air 1 are not at all restrictive and allow my good equipment to do what it was made to do. The Blue Jeans cables just weren't capable of allowing me to hear this kind of intimate and lifelike presentation of the tunes that the Air 1 are capable of. Yeah, I had to spend a lil more $ to have this. But music is very important in my life, so it was definately worth it to me. My point is, there are somewhat inexpensive higher end cable offerings out there in the used market that will amaze you! Did me anyway. I did not realize my equipment could make music that sounded this good. IMO, it is worth the time, trouble, and $$ to find good high end cabling that works for you. You can audition many different high end cables at the Cable Co. Website and find what you like best! Then find a deal on the used marketplace. With better cabling in my system, I enjoy listening now more than ever! In fact, it is downright exciting! Hope this comes across as me trying to be helpful! LOL! Happy listening!
@ Brownsfan, Good to see you made it here, I Agree with everything you have said!, what an awsome company!cheers to Chris for a quality product that does not break the bank!, Happy listening!
Audiolabyrinth, the Airsines are though to beat at the price. I only have one component in my system that prefers another power cord over the AirSines. VH Audio can offer a generous trial period for a reason. I'm guessing Chris doesn't get many returns. Huge bang for the buck with these power cords!
I recently took a peek at the VH Audio internet site and liked what I saw!, Brownsfan really got my interest stirred!, man, what a great company, you can litterally make your own cables buying the material from them!,they also carried multiple name brand tweeks, etc...,, and to top it off, for all of you people that make over $40,000.00 a year and can not bring your selfs to spending money on cables that are over a $1,000.00 a meter I/Cs, this VH Audio sine a/c power cable to me is the best $800.00 retail 6 ft power cord in the market place! Congrats to Brownsfan for a great choice he made!,, cheers!
07-05-13: Mental Audiolabyrinth says the Taralabs are to die for, I can try those to see if what he says is true. It's the dinero they want for a simple interconnect that costs nothing to produce that bothers me.
Keep in mind that there are many paths to audio nirvana, and Audiolabyrinth's is but one path. It works for him, and that's great, but don't fall for anyone telling you there is only one way to reach musical heaven. I've read many different opinions about many different paths over the last decade or more on these forums, some have worked, many have not. Many are simple hobbyists, while some have hidden agendas. Buyer beware.
"Audiolabyrinth says the Taralabs are to die for, I can try those to see if what he says is true. It's the dinero they want for a simple interconnect that costs nothing to produce that bothers me."
If you wanted to make a rectangular solid core conductor to put in an audio cable, how would you go about doing that for nothing?
@ mental, It all depends on system synergy!, As stringreen said, you should audition the cables before you buy!, In my situation, I do not need too!, I have been with the Taralabs house sound since the incarnation of their company, I simply buy componets to match my cables, If the componet does not sound shockinly good on Taralabs cables, I get rid of that componet!, leaves a narrow window for mistakes, I do not believe in mixing brands, I call that chaseing the cables by the tail syndrome!, you will never find absolution! I would need to know the amp and pre-amp in question before a recomendation!, I bought the Taralabs zero gold i/c, the Taralabs omega gold speaker cables, now the Taralabs cobalt a/c power cord with the up-graded top tier oyaide plugs terminated at the Tara factory, then I have the Tara the one i/c and speaker cables for another system, and I own the Taralabs omega jumpers for bi-amping on the main system.,,,, cheers!
@ mental, Hi, Cool name!,In a way, you have a good point, I do not agree with top performance cable pricing!, However, I bought into the best Taralabs makes, very over the top exspensive!, Its a cable right?, As much as I hated to pay the prices of such cables, there is no comparison to the performance you get!, I have no regrets!, what most audiophiles do not want to realize is that cables are one of the most important part of your sound set!, many times have I taken Taralabs exspensive cables and showcased them on inferior componets only to out perform much pricer componets and speakers with inferrior cables!, thats my life factual experience!, Happy Listening
"Now if you need eye candy there are vendors everywhere sell that to ya and all kinds of snake oil available too."
I think I found the problem. We are talking about audio cables here. You need to listen to them, not watch them. Try that and you'll get much better results.
The people of AVS are F.......insane. Wenn you do not let other people give ther own opinion. You never can and will be subjective. I never met such blind people in my life before in this business. Let them be happy with there simple sets and screens with budget cables. I guess they like to limited themselves. Who am I to Judge!!!
"07-02-13: Bo1972 @Jmcgrogan2, this was new for me. If you were not allowed to have your own oppinion. And they really believe that cables do not matter. They do not want to talk about it. How stuppid you can be? I Always say; more than 90% of everything in sound and vision is not that special. But......I Always want to Judge first before I know how good or bad it is. And wenn I do not know it, I say: I can not say anything about it. How simple things can be.... Bo1972 (Reviews | Threads | Answers | This Thread)
07-02-13: Jmcgrogan2 @Bo1972, there are many out there who believe in listening with their eyes. They let specifications tell them what they can and cannot hear. Go figure. "
I don't get those people either. They claim to be objective yet everything they do is subjective. They advocate the use of science to evaluate audio equipment, but they do it from such a biased and emotional standpoint the science becomes a joke. Only the tests that yield results to support the objective claims are used, while others are labeled no valid. What I find is the most amazing thing in all of this, is the amount of time they dedicate in trying to talk other people into believing they have some type of psychological issue if you disagree with them. You would think its their lifes work.
Yesterday I met Bill Low from Audioquest. I had spoken to him about 5 years ago also. Also a very nive person like Jim Aud from Purist Audio Design. He still developes there new cables. They do this with only 2 persons. He still does the main part of of. Yesterday I heard the way I like it to be. Extreme 3d touchable image with blacks to die for. Just like it would be in real. Cheeeeeers!!!!
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