Better cables closer to the source. The better the quality of signal feeding the pre, the better the output from the pre.
Interconnects - better before preamp or after preamp?
If you have a World class preamp, is there a need to go nuts buying some really nice cables before the Signal reaches the preamp?. Let the preamp do its thing and then provide Royal treatment for Signal‘s Journey to the amplifier.
If you had to choose between before or after a preamp what would you do?
Op, you’re going to get responses all over the map. Do yourself a favor and figure out for yourself what works best in your system. Find a company that has cables you are interested in and have a return policy, buy 2 of the same cables and put them in your system before and after, listen and assess. Then swap in your lower end cable before, listen and assess; and likewise after. Your system, your ears, your assessment, return one better cable if you don’t think it matters to have 2 better cables on both ends. Easy peasy |
@noromance +1 — IME the interconnects that make the most difference are closer to the source. I used to use silver interconnects from my DAC to preamp and then copper from my pre to the amp. Didn’t work nearly as well the other way ‘round. |
It only seems logical to me that you would want the signal arriving to that fantastic preamp in the most pristine condition as possible. And it also only seems logical to me that you would want the signal leaving that great pre in the same condition. That could just be me, however. |
@noromance +2 |
I just replied to another thread, more or less on the interconnect topic. I relayed the advice I received from a highly regarded seller of vintage NOS tubes, and since typing is such a laborious task for me, I am going to copy & paste that post I just typed.
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This surprises no one. I'm sure of it....... |
Here's an exception.. I had Nordost Frey 2 in both locations. Swapping Tyr 2 between pre and power was much better. Logic says once the signal deteriorates there's no getting it back and I agree. It must be something else. The Frey and Try have identical architecture differing only in the number of conductors. My take is the larger signal after the pre was better handled by the added conductors of the Tyr. With the Tyr between the source and pre there was little increase in SQ. I swapped back and forth a few times to make sure. |
noromance +3. Basic rule of system building that will will give you better results than most other approaches; many which simply keep us chasing our sonic tails. Every component, including cabling will degrade the signal to some degree. NO component can “improve” the signal and the best we can hope for is that the component will degrade the signal as little as possible, Of course, how much any one component degrades the signal is not an absolute; electrical compatibility with the component that preceded as well that which followed will also be a factor. In short: Any information lost on the way from A to B cannot be recovered by C (upstream). This approach has worked for me, Good luck. |
EXACTLY! NO cable can possibly improve your signal. The goal is to compromise the signal's integrity as little as possible. Think of cables as windows, between your components. Just a single dirty one, anywhere in your system, will result in a compromised reproduction of your music. |
+1 @rodman99999 |
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@jumia - BAT VK-D5 CDP to TacT RCS 2.2X pre = KS1130 Kimber TT to phono pre = Tricon Analog SR phono pre to TacT = KS1030 Kimber Tact to Cary SLM 100 main amps = Tesla Apex SR* Tact to Hafler 9505 sub amp = Gold Eclipse 8 Wireworld mains speaker cables = Big Silver Oval AP subwoofer cables = 8TC Kimber two runs of 10/3 Romex from mains box/same 20A breaker to room/Hospital Grade outlets outlet to Stealth XXX power conditioner = AC Master Coupler SR* outlet to Hafler 9505 = AC Master Coupler SR* PCs to all other components from Stealth = ZU Mother wall to VPI SDS = stock SDS to tt/SAMA = Zu BOK *MPCs modded by Michael Spallone Nothing fancy or expensive. Happy listening!
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Your preamp does not improve the signal. The better the preamp the less it degrades the signal. Consider that your source is a 100% signal. But the DAC/streamer/phono takes 2% of the goodness. You're down to 98%. Interconnects take 2%. World class preamp only takes 1%. next interconnects take 1%. Amp takes 5%. speaker calbes take 1%. You get to the speakers with 88% of the quality that was on the source. Those thinking cables cords and components add something have it backwards. The artist added everything you're gonna get to the recording. Your goal is to get as much of it to the speakers as possible. Speakers job is to get it to your ears. Jerry |
There is no 'better' cable. Cables interact with the connected devices. The 'best' cable is the one that provides the listener with the most satisfying sound with the equipment they own. I flat out guarantee that most AudioPhools who purchased cables by brand or other people's opinions have sub optimal sound.
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Very good points herein. I think why everybody gets so excited it's because they hear differences between cables. And sometimes the differences improve the experience. But lots of cables with all those twisted strands that are creatively shielded inside a cable Color the sound. Coloring the sound and making it sound different is what audio quest, cardas and especially Shunyata do to the sonic signal. I think it's really deceptive as hell that High end audio Cable manufacturers do this. You buy it it sounds different and you are impressed, all this for several thousands of dollars. It's a scam. Coloring cables is a scam. Producing a neutral Cable is what should be pursued if you want the Signal to not be impacted by the cable. Very tough to figure out who these companies are that do this. |
There is no guarantee that any particular cable brand or style works best with any particular component. Add in the listeners' sonic preferences and all bets are off. I've had 'critical' listeners with expensive HiFi systems tell me that my system has 'no bottom' and and another 'no sparkle' while those who know live music make comments like "Joe Pass is sitting right T H E R E !!" It's time correct with a slight downward drop from ≈25Hz to >22kHz - ala concert halls.
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