Looking for a reasonably priced good quality interconnect
I’m looking for a quality interconnect to couple my Oppo 105D player with my vintage CJ P11 preamplifier. I’m looking to spend in the low hundreds of dollars.
51 responses Add your response
I've had My 105D a year as of October. It's not my primary CD player, but I like it a lot. My current interconnect of choice for the Oppo BDP105D is Cardas Golden Reference, (balanced). I also use Audioquest Colorado,(balanced). I auditioned the newer AQ Water but still prefered the Colorado's. I have Audioquest Cheetah's,(balanced) as well, but find them a bit on the "cool" side of neutral on the Oppo 105D. I would suggest an aftermarket power cord as well. I find the stock cable leaves the bass somewhat ((bloated)). I'm using Cardas Golden Reference. However I believe there are "Many Reasonably Priced Power Cords" that will ge with the Oppo. I spoke to Brian of Cardas a few weeks ago. He mentioned Audio Advisor had a promotion on the Cardas Clear M. It's designed for sources and preamps. I have not heard the "M". http://www.audioadvisor.com/mobile/prodinfo.asp?number=CRCLMPC Good luck in your search. N |
rv - if you've not used Morrow wire previously, just be aware of the long break-in needed (which Mike is very upfront about). Early on you can think things are sounding great one night and the next night, not so much. I call it "tizziness"... the treble gets kinda unpleasant - not smooth, grainy, a bit harsh. Mostly, things do eventually settle down and the sound becomes more consistent. I'm inclined to see Mike's wire best paired with things that are warm or darkly voiced. |
Look at the thread about Cerious Technologies Graphene Extreme cables. Fairly good for not a whole lot of money. https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/cerious-technologies-new-graphene-cables |
I second DIY. I use solid core silver signal conductors, OCC neutral conductors and KLEI pure harmony solid silver connectors. I utilize a helix design (on all my cables, actually). Reasonably easy to make and less than $200 in materials. Most importantly, they sound incredible. Here's a link to the helix design. It comes from williewonka, a member here. http://www.image99.net/blog/files/category-diy-cables.html |
I visited Morrow's Audio Records shop a couple of weeks ago. Very nice. Mike has a lineup of Legacy Speakers on one wall. Not sure if it's the same now, but for years Mike's cable operation was in his home and literally less than five miles from my home. It sounds like Mike did you a solid! Enjoy the cables and let us know your findings. N |
The Morrow cables all use solid-core conductors (which is very good), but they are all silver-plated. If the sound turns out to be too bright with too much upper mids/highs push (after 200 hours burn-in of course), then I would go with some of the Audioquest interconnects that do not have silver-plated connectors, such as the Big Sur series. These use really nice copper solid-core conductors. |
Huh, I went to work and missed all of the action I see! Rvpiano, you really can't go wrong with the MA3. I presently have them and liked them so much I bought a pair of the MA5 and MA1.1. I believe they'll blend well with your CJ pre, but as others have mentioned, they do need break in, probably more than other brands, because of the silver plated copper conductors which take time to sound their best. |
I used Morrow Audio MA 3 with silver Eichmann RCA’s for years. Very good cable and Mike is a great guy to deal with. I used these cables with mid-fi CD, DVD & SACD players. They beat out higher priced Tara labs, Cardas and JPS in my system. Do burn them in for 200+hours with your most demanding music or a “white-noise” CD. OR radio static. |
I have been gradually adding Morrow cables (mostly MA3) to my system. I am very pleased with the value they offer, and I really like Morrow's business model. But the burn in process with Morrow wires is for real. I get them with a 10 day burn in from Morrow and they still go through noticeable changes. If you want to try them, make sure you can put several hundred hours on them within the 60-day return period. If not, pay up for the burn in service from Morrow. BTW, I used to own a Connie PV11. A wonderful preamp. I only had to let it go because I needed more range in the balance control than the PV11 provided. Otherwise, I might still have it. |
I'm also a big fan of the Morrow MA3 interconnects. I use MA3's with the optional Eichman terminations between my Chord Hugo and VAC preamp. I have found nothing better in that application. I am also trying a pair of XLR MA3 between pre and power amps. In this application the MA3 is less spectacular sonically than my more expensive cables but somehow makes the music more engaging. They are a 1 meter pair and barely reach so today I ordered some MA4 in 1.5 meter XLR configured. The Morrow cables give me the perception of excellent phase relationships and timing whereby different parts of a musical selection are cohesive as a whole. They are more 3D in presentation than any of my other cables. Morrow cables are a bargain. BTW I agree with the long burn in time. I ordered the MA4 with burn in but that is just a start in the process. |
I am presently using a ballanced pair of .5 meter MG Audio Design nteronnects between my OPPO 205 and Rega Orisis integrated amplifer. They run for $900 a pair. I learned about them from Arnie Nudell mentioning them and have later learned thar Paul McGowan of PS Audio prefers them. Suppoidly the Colorado Audio Society compared them to top of the line Nordhost and preferred the MG Audo Design. I know that even the lowest priced MG Audio Design interconnects, which go for $700 a one meter pair are superior to my pair of Audience 24AU SE interconnects, and their $1100 inbetween interconnects are easily best buys. Again, being able to ue a half meter pair of the top of the line MG Audio Design interconnects makes an incredible improvment for the money. And for the money, nothing else comes even close. |
Hi! It also depends on what you are looking for in terms of sonics. That bucket is deep too. An all around good working well performing cable is the harmonic Tech Magics. Current edition I’d suspect. Does most everything well. Its not the end of all cables, just pretty darn good. Deals ought to be had on older bversions of higher end cables too. Wires like the MIT magnum line, SR Resolution Refs with active shielding,, etc.. Audio art are a very decent performer without lengthy run in times. Cardass neutral refs were a slam dunk appealing to many and I used one for my main IC for a long time. For more input on cost effective wires search here for ‘Cables that won’t break the bank in 2017”. It is extensive in its feedback. Enjoy. |
I have owned Morrow Audio cables for years and highly recommend them. I have all MA5’s and SP5’s in my system. I always get the 10 day break-in because the time it takes is no bs. Definitely read everything that comes with your Morrow order. I continuously ran white and brown noise through mine when I wasn’t listening. It takes at least 400 hrs for them to sound their best, but is well worth it when you get there! That’s why I get the 10 day break-in cause that takes the break-in process out of the equation for you. They will still change as they settle in to your system but not as many hours. You’re really in for a treat! |
Nothing wrong and everything right with https://www.bluejeanscable.com/ for all your cable needs, unless of course one has boutique gear costing snobbish amounts of money. |
You would need to burn/buy a CD of pink noise. You can generate it using a variety of software. Or just use the pink noise generating software and hook up your computer to the USB input. I’ve not done that yet, so I can’t speak to its difficulty. Or just put Tidal or Pandora on with a mix of music and you’ll be fine. You don’t have to have the volume on the preamp turned up at all, but the pre should be on. I've used blue jeans cables. They are solid performers, but I'd think you'd notice the improvement using 'fancier' cables. Equipment doesn't have to be expensive to notice the difference in cables, just resolving. |
This may be a dumb question, but since both my optical cable and coax cable are plugged into the DAC does the burn in time count for both cables at the same time when I have music or pink noise playing? In other words, will I be getting the benefit of coax burn in when I have the signal actually sounding in the optical input? |
rvpiano - According to Mike at Morrow Audio, what matters is that there is signal flow into the outbound end of the cable. IOW, as long as there is signal flow into each cable, you are burning them in. I have no idea if optical cables even need burn-in. Intuitively, I would think they do not. But I am sure others who know more about this than me will chime in... |
