giant killer xlr's

Going between a source like a CD player and a preamp, AQ Cheetah 36v. For all other connections, and including source to preamp if you don't want to chance silver cables, AQ Jaguar 36v. In a direct comparison, my Jaguar's beat my Tara 2's. As with all AQ copper cables, you need to work hard to find a connection where they don't sound good.

Wireworld is my favorites. AntiCable comes very close... There is a sense of ease with the Wireworld that Anti's don't have, however, if you don't compare, Anti's are very good.

The Antipodes Komoko would be a no brainer here. They get it right.

I agree with the wireworld recommendation especially the silver eclipse 7. If you want to try something new, I recommend the Audio Sensibility Statement Silver cables. Excellent soundstage, image focus and clarity. Well made. 30-day satisfaction guarantee so little risk. I use all of the above.

thanks guy's...have done silver in the past...any brittleness in the wireworld stuff

Check out Cerious Technology as well, Robert's cables are really fantastic and great values. I haven't tried balanced cables, my setup is all single ended, but well worth checking out. Definitely beat AZ Silver Ref II in my setup. Happy listening!

The only problem you run into with stranded copper like Wire World is that grainy or rough sound in the high frequencies. It varies depending on what cables and equipment you have, but its always there in some form. This usually doesn't happen with silver, but a silver cable can have some brightness in the highs that doesn't always match well with the equipment. The only non silver solution I've come across, is to use a really well designed solid core copper cable. And even then, you have to pick the right one. My Tara 2's and AQ Jaguar/Columbia and Panther/Colorado, are the only cables I've heard so far that completely eliminates this quality. I haven't heard every cable on the market, so there may be others. Maybe call Cable Company for some recommendations.

MarkerTek Canare Pro XLR cables.

Used by the recording pros.

http://www.markertek.com/product/sc100xxj/canare-star-quad-microphone-cable-3-pin-xlr-male-to-female-100-foot-black

This is why: read Atmasphere's response

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?11472-BALANCED-v-UNBALANCED/page3

I've been over that issue with the balanced cables. Ralph was nice enough to explain it to me. There's a catch. In order to have a balanced system where the sound of the cables are eliminated, your equipment has to meet the exact specifications for a balanced component. I'm not talking about the typical SE component that just has XLR connectors, and people are fooled into thinking that the component is really balanced. I'm talking about components about components that are built, sold and not questioned to be fully balanced. Some examples would be fully balanced Ayre, ARC, BAT, Pass, Rowland and most other similar brands. I've owned components, and still do, from all the brands I just listed and more. In every single case, I can hear differences between balanced cables in a system where are the components are fully balanced. According to Ralph, something about all of these components isn't quite exact enough to be balanced in a way to eliminate the sound of the cable. I have no doubt that Ralph is correct, but I have yet to find components that meet these exact specifications. So the chance that you can actually apply that theory in the real world if pretty low from what I can see. Personally, I'd love to hear this for myself. It would save me a ton of money on cables.

I didn't find grain in Wireworld.. Look elsewhere for the grain.

..by the way....I don't think Wireworld is stranded. ..may be a series of solid metal runs placed side by side. By the way #2....Anti-Cable is solid as well.

"09-20-15: Stringreen
I didn't find grain in Wireworld.. Look elsewhere for the grain."

I should have been more clear. Not everyone here's this and it depends on several factors. Its a trait seems exclusive to copper. Your equipment needs to be revealing enough to bring it out, as well. The only success I've had eliminating this flaw is with well designed solid core copper cables. That doesn't mean all stranded cables will do this, but the ones I've tried all do. It can happen with solid core, but all things being equal, its not as bad.

Some people just don't hear it, but I do find that once you hear it for the first time, it gets easier to pick out because you know exactly what to listen for. Its very similar to things like break in and other types of differences in cables. When you are a beginner, most people are naturally skeptical about hearing certain claims made by other audiophiles. And as we all know, once you have that first breakthrough, and here something for the first time that few others can hear, it now sticks out like a sore thumb, and you can't "not hear it" even if you wanted to. I haven't heard this with silver cables. Silver has other issues, like a natural brightness, but that's not the same sound I'm talking about.

Unless Wireworld has changed their designs recently, they make stranded cables. If I remember correctly, the Eclipse IC has something like 50 strands. That's way too many to be a solid core design. If you look at my AQ cables, there are 3 pins on the connector (xlr), and 3 runs of solid core wire, one for each pin.