2. cables
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Dont laugh

I have a respectable system and have been using several different balanced IC's in the $500+ range, but I was getting a small bit of noise, so I borrowed a 10 foot Stagg mic cable from the local guitar store, just to see if the the issue was in the cable or in my equipment. With the mic cable the noise went completely away. But I could not believe the improvement in sound. The highs more natural and the low and mid bass more weighty and articulate. So I ordered Stagg's one meter mic cable XMC1XX which they list as their audiophile grade with Neutrik connectors at a cost of $30 a piece. I put them in and crossed my fingers. What I heard was wonderful. I listened at high volume for three hours last night with no fatigue, yet all the detail and sparkle was there. Best I can tell from the diagram on the package the IC uses OFCopper, surrounded by air tubes, wrapped in a copper shielding. Give them a try against your best and see what you think. By coincidence this week Jim Smith of Get Better Sound mentioned using mic cable that he liked better than a $10,000 IC that he had.
gammajo

Showing 3 responses by foster_9

foster_9
1,638 posts
 
I've used Mogami balanced mic cables in the past and they are decent, have a good reputation among philes, but were eventually replaced by other aftermarket cables. I'm wondering how the performance of Mogami cables compare to Stagg? I'll have to give them a try.

Gammajo, where in your system are you using the Stagg IC's?
foster_9
1,638 posts
 
Grannyring, in my opinion and experience, it is listening over an extended period of time after making a cable change that reveals the true differences in performance. I feel that cables need time to be connected, settle in, and go untouched, for a period of time (weeks). Not to say you are mistaken, just that exchanging cables in and out of a system in a short period of time and making comparisons may not reveal the true end of changes in a system's performance. (the end result) I would advise that you not fall prey to a rush to judgement as a result of short term trials.
foster_9
1,638 posts
 
Al, as usual good catch. I too thought in his post Grannyring was comparing xlr to rca, I just wasn't sure. I felt that if that was accurate, it would skew the results.
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