Quattro Fil vs Valhalla

Thanks for your suggestion. Maybe I will check Cardas caps out. Anyone out there used them?

I think it's possible that any unused input/output is letting RFI into your system--I know that's why people use shorting plugs or things like the Cardas Caps on their unused preamp inputs. Maybe that's happening here?

I guess the answer was always going to be fairly obvious. I was suprised at how different each recording sounds with Valhalla, having been used to QFil, and that threw me a little. I can now honestly say, after listening a while, that Valhalla is miles better.
One strange thing I did notice, and it may have been my imagination, but the overall system sound was better with the QFil still plugged in (my CD has two outputs) in an A+B test. If you take out the spare cable altogether, the remaining I/C loses a little sparkle - or is that just my imagination ...running away with me...? Is this teaching me something about system synergy, and that even unused channels and i/c's have an overall impact on the sound you hear?

Valhalla is better to my ears than the Quattro Fil in precisely the areas you mentioned--basically, it's a little less lean sounding overall, which I view as a good thing. That's why I replaced a run of QF with the Valhalla. Ultimately, though, it still wasn't my cup of tea, being too lean and slightly dynamically compressed compared to Siltech and NBS Omega in my system--there are others, though, who would disagree, as the Valhalla is highly regarded and many people like its sonic signature. Great carrying case, though, I gotta admit!!!!

Yes. Valhalla is better.

Buy or try the Kubala-Sosna "Emotion " much better in all areas. They have a 30 day free trial truly amazing in every way. I had the Valhalla and found them bloated in the mids.
hope this helps.