Interconnects for MHDT Orchid

I’m using Audio Envy with my Orchid. I like it over either the Audioquest Earth or A Z Absolute Copper. I have the Satori Shotgun speaker cables.

Bluesound Node (latest) with power board and LPS upgrades.
Herron 360 pre

Pass Xa-25 power

A Z Crescendo 2 speakers

REL s/5 SHO

i would go with a fairly transparent, lively cable, rather than one that smooths... the orchid already does that somewhat...

Connecting my Orchid I used as short of large gauge cables as I could find.  Not a lot of money but the Amazon CESS-163-8i Low Noise 12 Gauge Premium RCA Audio Line Patch Cable (8 Inches) sound really good.i know expensive cables are in fashion but these are definitely worth a try

Thanks for your responses. A "transparent, lively cable" was mentioned.

Any specific name of cables? Any other MHDT users out there?

The Audio Envy are inexpensive, transparent and lively without sacrificing the bass. Click on the link. (In case you missed it)

in addition to others mentioned, i would try lower to midgrade cables from

kimber

zu audio

nordost

@jjss49 i would go with a fairly transparent, lively cable, rather than one that smooths... the orchid already does that somewhat...

+1 to what jjss49 said. The other reason is you can fine tune from here with tubes in the Orchid, various to try that are bright, neutral, smooth. 

What are you using currently?  I use Satori shotgun biwires and am very familiar with the RM25 sound, but if I’m you I plug the Orchid in and see what direction in sound u wanna go from there.  Again, let us know what interconnects you’re currently using and communicate what you’re looking for.  It may be that your current interconnects are a great fit, but no way to know without your feedback and goals. 

I have been using an old TADAC DAC which had balanced outputs. So I had been using Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference II balanced cables. So, with the Orchid I need to switch to RCA cables. I know they make an adapter (balanced to RCA) but I read some negative things about them. With regard to what I am looking for, better soundstage and softening of high frequency treble/less high frequency brightness. 

I'm using Audience Ohno RCA cables with my MHDT Orchid DAC. The sound is smooth and balanced.

I’d highly suggest waiting until you have the Orchid burned in and see which direction you want to go from there. My guess, the Orchid is a little on the warmer side so you might wanna consider the AZ Silver Ref l or lls. They’re naturally detailed but with good tonality and huge soundstage. But again, there’s no way to gauge this without you hearing the synergy with your current electronics and cables.

@weinhen

1. The function of the non-oversampling R2R ladder technology will help solve some of the digital grain, and provide you "less high frequency brightness" as you are looking for. That’s part of it. Not all of it, burn-in, tubes and cables are next.

2. The stock GE 6570 or Triple Mica version of that same tube can sound a bit neutral, nice, maybe a tad tipped up on top at first ’til full burn-in, but nice and ties in directly to whatever interconnects you choose, so you are asking the right questions.

- I use the Tesla tube instead (mid level) smoothness. The WE396/2C51 is too smooth in my setup. Works for some with brighter sources and metal dome speaker systems. Let that stock GE5670 burn in for a while w/new ICs.

3. My theory is "you can easily change the tube" or "change the caps inside" for less cost than buying and trying different interconnects. Choose interconnects well w/o adapters if you can help that situation. Try CableCo for demo loaners if totally uncertain. I follow what others said, start with a first loaner pair, go +/- from there.

Thanks or all the responses, decooney, which Tesla tube did you use?

@weinhen NOS Tesla 6CC42 (2C51 / 5670 / 6N3P)

Looks like this. There is another "pinch waist" version too, but felt the regular version was fine. Looks like this in regular form.

If this is too soft or veiled over for you, go back to the GE5670, and *5 ***** star triple mica version preferred if you choose to buy one. 

Hated the WE 396A (too smooth) until I put the “transparent, lively” cables in.  Now they’re just right.  
There is a socket adapter that allows the use of 6922 family tubes.  Some love it.  I did not not.  Another option though.
 http://garage1217.com/g1217_011.htm 
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i have used the garage1217 adapters for both 6dj8 and 6sn7 octals... they are well made and bring a whole world of old stock tubes into play for the mhdt tube buffered dacs

only downside is the top cover won’t fit or the tube + adapter will sit high above the top plate line of the unit, so you need to willing to run the dac ’nude’ or topless - that sounds a whole lot sexier than it actually is ... he he he

I used the 6922  adapter from Amazon and am currently using 7308 halo getter.  It seems to have more output than the 6922.  My favorite was the Amperx D getter 6922 from the late 50s early 60s.  I an leave the top on but the tube does stick further out.

Thanks for all the input about tubes. Any other suggestions about the cables and/or cables/tube combinations? Thanks