Well, this has been a frustrating thread. But for CABLES!!; I am a big fan of Audio Envy & also the Duelund 16ACG. Just a reminder that cable is interactive. What may earn an under rated vote for one system may sound very good in another.
After auditioning 100s of cables as a cable beta tester. High Fidelity cables wins (loses) as the worst cable in every system I've heard them in-awful.
Funny how some lines of higher priced cables results in worse sound.
Best underrated cable=Grover Huffman cables (under $900 ICs, A/Cs, Coax, etc. for the premier Pharoah line, half that for the Empress line). Speaker cable commensurate with the length. Heard many fine systems with under $1000 cables at shows.
Unbelievably (the right word) underrated (& this may make no sense until you’ve heard them in this way) is the 1970’s JBL 2500 bookshelf speaker (used & often available for 50 to 75 dollars) - PROVIDED you put in a kick-ass capacitor in the xover (a top WIMA in the pair I heard). Replacing the wiring helps too. It then sounds like a really, really good $1000 plus (maybe 2000 plus or 3000 +) pair of bookshelf speakers. No bass to speak of, but transparency & musicality that are authentically jaw-dropping. The titanium tweeter is honestly better than any rebuilt titanium tweeter I’ve heard on any Wilson. The midrange driver is surprisingly, quite nice & detailed beyond all expectations in this context with good equipment, but overall no Watt. Someone did it as a lark & I was well, astonished. I’m no modder (I’m not good with my hands) but this I GUARANTEE. Highest quality parts are critical here. Add a sub & you’ve got a budget system for a relative, gf or someone else, that will make you look like a hero. For good reason. The other speakers in the range (2600, 2800) do well with this done to them, but this speaker has the best midrange driver. If I thought this could come back at me, I’d never suggest it here.
Underrated- MG Audio Planus (silver). I never heard any buzz, nor have read any reviews on these, but I was home demoing a preamp, and needed an extra set of interconnects to make the demo easier for my home set up. Dealer loaned me a pair of these. Their affect was more dramatic than the preamp. Ended up passing on the preamp, but have now purchased multiple sets of these interconnects, replacing all others in my system.
Under: Schiit - brilliant company and fantastic products. Wharfedale - fantastic speakers *(EVO line is best $$ investment) Polk Audio (LSIM series is gorgeous quality/sound for the price)
Of course, e have to include Bose, because we would not want any fans to think we can stand it! TeeHee Seriously, McIntosh. Sorry. I would add Rotel, which I really do not like at all, but since I have never heard anyone say anything good about it, I can;t claim it is over rated.Also Maggies. I have owned them and Electrostatics. They have some of the same deficiencies, but the best soumd from the 'Stats is far better than the good sounding part of the other.
I would not comment about overrated, but for underrated, for sure is Audiokinesis speakers. The best bang for the money. As for the audio gears, Aesthetix and Atma-sphere are entitled for bigger acknowledgement.
Almost all electronic design component part in audio nevermind his branded name.... 😁
Way under rated:
The sum total of all the means, materials, and devices controls (at low cost) to embed rightfully the audio system, mechanically,electrically and acoustically... 😊
I apologize but i could not resist to speak the truth instead of advertising my "tastes" for example " Sansui" in the underrated section... And "Schitt" in the over rated section...
Who give a dam about my tastes and limited experience among the sea of electronic components on the market and why i underate or overrate them, perhaps rightfully but perhaps wrongfully?
Not much people, not even me.... 😁
Anyway the thread is interesting like any audio thread for an audiophile like me .....But sometimes a better truth is awaited...
FYI, for the cold of life and body, this is a little thing called dark humour. And the Queen’s humour most definitely has a ’U’ in it. For the remainder that don’t get it, well, "don’t touch me, man!"
I know this discussion is about cables, but Erik brought up some of my past so I am compelled to share. I have been a "fanboy" of Wilson Audio and B&W for many years because that is what my dealer had, and what I focused on when attending shows. Then my wife asked me one day, has there been a speaker you have heard many times and always liked. I thought of Vandersteen's rooms at shows. I found a dealer and did extended listening.
Eric, speaking of “bass management and room integration," that is what made me write a response as this also stood out in my initial listening. You are absolutely correct about these capabilities being “outstanding” but to my surprise, these qualities were not their most redeeming. The timbre of instruments, how the harmonics interplay with each other, a profound ability to convey an emotional connection to the music, and the ability to spatially place instruments in the sound field is palatable and was also noticed by my wife. This long-term experience with a first-order filter, time-coherent speaker has changed the perspective from listening to a very fine stereo system to being immersed in the music. I catch myself holding my breath, just like at the symphony. Vandersteen is rightly mentioned as under rated.
Overrated: the audiophile creed that everything matters. Underrated: the idea that correct AWG copper wire is overkill for the job it is tasked to do in a sound system.
But that's from outside audiophilia looking in. Since I have an audiophile brain, I believe (or have nervosa) that eveything matters, and I obsess looking for the ever-moving weakest (or less magical) link in the path. It's kinda like being Catholic or a biker-- some things come with the passion, and those outside it do not understand the sacraments or the bliss. But self-awareness should inform the audiophile brain that it's easily manipulated by marketing evangelists.
Oddly, streaming has dampened my equipment obsession. The system seems good enough as is as my interest turns to exploring the musical horizons and things "out there" like Qobuz or RP sound amazingly good on their own...but I'm beginning to compulse over some digital-to-digital converters.
Probably overrated: Any speaker cable priced at more than about $2/foot, unterminated. Add about $30 per terminated cable (for one pair of locking bananas at each end.) These, roughly, are Blue Jeans Cable prices for Canare 4S11.
Underrated - Audio Musikraft DL-103 cartridge. I think folks are thinking it's just another modded Denon DL 103, but to me its a great value. No need to wait in line for a retip that could take up to a year..., just buy a 103 DL or R, whatever your preference.
Overrated - cartridges in general that cost over $2k.
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