Help with speaker cables and interconnects

Take a look at "Poiema" by Ridge Street Audio.You get the detail you want without losing the body you need.....Check the reviews and you'll know why they are so popular....

I'm also interested in your question. The Valhalla has amazing detail and energy but can be a bit dry sounding. I'm wondering if previous Valhalla owners have found something that conveys the detail without the mid-range leanness. I'm a bit skeptical that one could have it both ways.

Rob

Thank you for your responses. Since starting this thread, the following cables have been suggested to me: Marigo Apparition digital cable, Synergistic Research,Purist Audio Designs, Audience Au24 and Ridge Street Audio Poiema cables. Unfortunately, there arn't many UK companies which stock these, let alone loan them to you, so unfortunately, I feel like a fish in a big sea! I know many people say that you shouldn't use cables as tone controls, but how do you know that it's the cable that's either adding or detracting from the sound? Anyway, back to the matter in hand, how well would any of the above suggestions go towards bringing more warmth to a somewhat neutral system? Would I be better off avoiding silver based cables - I understand that Synergistic Research make some very good copper speaker wires - any suggestions please?

The Marigo Apparition digital cable, already suggested to you, is natural, musical, with the flow, and pace of music beautifully conveyed, without any listener fatigue. Abundant detail is present, but without calling special attention to this aspect of a very natural presentation.
Overall, the Marigo listening pleasure is analogous to that of tube equipment users who usually have better luck avoiding a cool, neutral quality which can often drain great recordings of their emotional content. Conveying emotion as part of the audiophile experience is perhaps the hardest part to get right, especially since feeling emotion in any aspect of life is so personal an experience.
Somehow, Marigo Apparition digital IC not very often mentioned in Audiogon discussions despite having devoted, enthusiastic users. I have used in a variety of systems with headphones, and with both cone, and ribbon loudspeakers.
If there is a company in the UK that lends, or rents cables, you would be better able to really know what works in your present system, if you don't feel ready to pick from among the recommendations here on Audiogon. But, I don't think you can go wrong with Marigo, if any cable is to be your solution for an antiseptic sound quality.
The other parts of the Marigo product line would work beautifully with their digital IC. Perhaps an email to Marigo would uncover a UK source for home trial.

I currently own the Marigo Apparition 5.6 and think the Transparent digital cable is better based on what I heard playing it on my system. For the other cables, I would go audition Transparent or Synergistic. The Ridge Street Audio, while good, are not in the same league as the other cables you listed in my opinion.

Hello.
I have used a pair of MA20SE speakers for some 10 years now. I used to drive them with Krell KRC pre & KSA-150 power combo. with a Trichord modified Teac P-700 transport Theta G3 DAC. Wires were home made using a combination of silver & copper conductors. Sound balance in my previous place (10 x 15 ft room) was OK, slightly on the lean side. The 20SEs do have a slight tendency to sound lean, with a "clang" (as described by Martin Colloms in his review from many years ago) in the presence region which solid state electronics can exacerbate.
Now that I have moved to a bigger place, the balance became too lean. To correct, I have tried various cable changes - interconnects from Tara Labs Air 1s; to Siltech SQ28 G5 and Speakers from XLO to Audioquest Gibraltars. I finally settled on Eichmann Express 6 I.C. & bi-wired speakers. I would say the richer sounding cables amongst the ones I tried were the Tara Labs Air 1 I.C. & the Audioquest Gibraltars. However, I would also add that changing cables to correct tonal balance is rarely 100% successful. It sound like your problem is caused by that change in the front end. In my case, I can tell you that the most beneficial effect I had in making the sound less lean was in changing the Theta G3 for a Musical Fidelity Trivista 21 DAC. So you might consider trying alternative CD/DAC combos too.
One last thing, if your 20SEs have been filled with sand in the base cavity, remove them. Sand filling leans out the sound even more.

Jena labs= detail tranparency and warmth.

Are they not working for you, Snook2?http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cl.pl?cablspkr&1125341470

10 months later and I have now managed to get closer to the sound I am looking for. This was achieved by adding another pair of Audiolab monoblocks and changing all the interconnects to Purist Audio Venustas - WoW what a difference! The sound is much warmer now with added weight - I now find myself spending hours going thro' my CD collection. In reality, I suspect that the PAD cables have been the key factor here, I'm sure I could have got away without the extra mono's, but hey, I can continue to build on this. I must say however, IMHO whilst the PAD's are very good, the Nordost's were more holographic and better at conveying the human voice. Interestingly, I also think that the LAT digital DII mark 2 cable is better in my system than the PAD Venusta digital and represents excellent value for money (unfortunately, I wasn't able to do a comparison with the Nordost Valhalla Digital. I believe the weakest link now is my speaker cables which I have narrowed down replacements for to:- the PAD Venustas (cable seems a bit too thick for my liking) or the Nordost Valkyrja's - unless anyone else has got any suggestions.....

Try Oritek X-2 interconnects. I would also recommend analog(I say this as a Libra with a Taurus moon-music is unbelievably important to me.).

If you are looking for a little bit more weight and palpability and slight warmth, try out the Analysis Plus Big Silver Oval speaker cables. Don't let the Silver fool you, this cables is not lean or bright, or the typical sound associated with inferior silver speaker cables. The AP Big Silver Oval is actually silver and copper and provides the weight,palpability, slight warmth, a smooth analog sound while maintaing the resolution of your system. See if you can get a 30 day free home trial.

Good luck !

Can I mention that Signal Cable Silver Resolution speaker cable is now 3 parts silver(after being all silver before), and two parts copper. I can't give any info, other than anecdotal. People with the Silver Resolution interconnects and speaker cable, aren't sure about the speaker cable, but seem to be questioning the interconnect a little bit. Let me just say, if you have analog, and this was recommended by Plato(thank you, Plato), that the combination of all Signal Cable Silver Resolutions with the Nuforce amps was right on!

If there is a way for you to get your hands on some Virtual Dynamics cables, you will probably not believe your ears, from Master Series on up. Detail, warmth, body, speed, musicality,imaging - its all there in spades. People also rave about the VD digital cables.