recommended speaker cables and interconnects

I've read a lot of good reviews on Audio Envy. They have a 30 day return policy.

What components do you have and what do you think of the current sound quality?

I have had experience with MIT, Kimber, Monster and Audio Quest. You should be able to do much better. I will admit not being impressed with the lot.

Consider used. Typically they will sell at 1/2 the cost. Look here or at usedcables.

DH Labs, WireWorld, Cardas and Transparent are highly regarded dependable brands. If your equipment is not really high end, Cardas can be a really good choice… it tends to be a touch warm and detailed so it can really complement many systems. The advantage of not buying the “interconnect of the month” which everyone is raving about is products from established companies have a house sound. You can move up their product lines to get better performance without going through the huge effort of evaluating overall sound qualities again. 

When I had a much more modest system I used a lot of Cardas and now it is all Transparent… with an AudioQuest power cord on my amp.

+1 for Audio Envy.  You can't go wrong there, with trial period and return if necessary (unlikely).

thanks every one for the suggestion.
i will read carefully on each of them.
the problem with the "trial period", is that i'm not sure they will have it in my country.
and not all brands are available here.
i planed to buy those in the usa, that i'm planning to visit on june.
but i will check here as well.

I have done  very well with Audio Envy . better  than stuff  twice as  much .

Analysis Plus is the only manufacturer of cables that I use for Speaker, Interconnect and Power Cables.  I find them clean and neutral sounding, with no "house" sound.

 I use Audio Envy cables,and I use Analysis Plus cables. I’m very pleased with both. My only real recommendation,would be to buy USED.   

I use Signal Cable and have some Raven Audio cables as well as Blue Jeans Canare 4S11 cables.

Love the Signal Cable IC, PC and Speaker cables. 

It's inevitable that everyone will post about their favorite cables. I'm no different. I'm partial to Nordost products. All power cords, interconnects and speaker cables in my system are Nordost. 

I've been an audio hobbyist since the early '80s. I was also in audio retail for years. I've owned cables by many different manufacturers. I won't list them now because I don't wish to disparage anyone. What doesn't work for me might be just fine for someone else.

In My Experience, Nordost cables pass more information and editorialize less than other cables. I urge you to seek them out if possible. Also, I believe in using cables of the same manufacturer throughout the system.

Honorable mention to Analysis Plus and Shunyata cables.

Good luck!

As previously mentioned... DH Labs & Wireworld. Many different price levels to select from. Audio Envy interconnects & power cords are a great bang for the buck, as is the Audience Forte F3 power cord.  Around $160 for the Forte F3 & it competes with cords at twice the price. Highly recomended for the money. I have all of those brands in various systems.

I use Synergystic Research digital cable and interconnects. But I use Nordost Tyr speaker cables because I came across an incredible deal on them for my 4-meter requirement.  I tend to mix and match  Shunyata and Synergistic Research in the power department.

Don't waste money on uber expensive cables. Just for the heck of it I bought a pair of Canare 4S11 Quad speaker cables for US65 including postage to Australia from the USA on Ebay to try against much, much more expensive Nordost cables and Morrow cables. I couldn't hear any difference so the Nordost and Morrow were sold. If YOU can't hear the difference don't spend the bucks.

Buy used purist cables if you can find them. Not the Uber expensive line. They sound great but can add a little warmth if your system is on the brighter side. 

@stone1 

i completely agree with @gita .  Stick with one manufacturer throughout. In other words I would not mix and match manufacturers just because you might get a special deal on say an interconnects or speaker cables. Usually if you work with a dealer they will take whatever you buy back in on a trade to something higher up in the line. That is how I have worked up in my system. Started with blue heaven Nordost and now on tyre 2 and Vahalla . In my humble opinion the most improvement came on the power cable side of things. Also the power cable from the wall to a nice power supply like a Nordost QB8 or and Audioquest Niagra or something similar. My most expensive cable is the wall to my qb8. Also I did get a dedicated 20 amp line which cleaned things up as well.

I can recommend the new Decware power cable, and also the interconnects.

Fairly priced and a big improvement  

If your lucky enough to have a dealer near by, try and demo as many as possible in your system. I believe the Cable Company has a demo program.

try to find wires that are OCC single crystal that's the best wire for audio to use, far superior to anything OFC, check out companies like Harmonic technology acoustic Zen their prices are quite a bit cheaper than all the other companies selling OCC single crystal wire and stay away from MIT and transparent because those boxes screw everything up unless your speakers are exactly the right impedance for those wires and they're very overpriced as well.

Well, trust your ears….  I had expensive Chord Company Epic Twin cables and thought they were very good in my system - which they were.   But then I tried GR-Research 24pr cables that blew them away at 25% of the price.    Again this was all in my system and to my ears - but that’s what I cared about.

My advice is to try different cables and see what you and your ears think.   The challenge is the system.   Great cables in one system do not automatically translate into great cables in another system.   It’s the integrate whole that matters to your ears and brain.

As mentioned, Transparent has a house sound that does run a bit through their line. They have good entry level cables all the way up to stratospheric. Shunyata doesn’t quite have the range of low to high, but they too have similarities in the line. Overall, I prefer Shunyata power and speaker cables. I have a bit of a hodge-podge of interconnects each that work well with the given component. You don’t have to spend tons to get great sound, but usually there is worth when moving up a line. It is hard to recommend anything specifically as the answer really lies in the synergy of the whole setup. The only way to figure that out is to try some brands and see what you like.

Notice you received almost as many different recommendations as the number of responses you received.  What does that tell you about alignment and/or agreement between audiophiles on cables?  I will share one more recommendation similar to what you already heard from @mazian, don’t spend your money on cables, at least till you get components and speakers you are happy with.

If you believe you need new cables, then try this cable for ICs (terminate with these or these) and this speaker cable, or this speaker cable, cross-connected and terminated with these or these.  For power cables, try this with these and these connectors.  You could do the whole system without breaking the bank, leaving you plenty to spend on upgrading components and speakers.

thank everyone , it's really lot of recommendations.
i'll need to do some homework.
 dancarlson10
what do you mean by "the power cable side of things. Also the power cable from the wall to a nice power supply"/
what is the difference between the two?

After much research, I bought Audience AU24Sx RCA cables.

Best buy for me in a few years. I lent them to my cousin 6 months ago, and haven't got them back.

When I eventually upgrade my speaker cables, will go for Auditorium 23.

If you’re handy with a soldering iron consider making your own. A quality cable manufacturer like Mogami offers great options for both speaker and signal cable. A high quality set of cables can be made for much less than the high profit boutique brands. There’s more markup, hype and BS marketing in the cable industry than in any other audio related products we purchase.

Have a look at Blue Jeans cables.

About $80 for a pair of 3 ft. Canare 4S11 14 gauge 4-conductor speaker cables terminated with locking banana plugs at both ends. Bi-wire terminations are available (as well as spades etc.) .

Not to long ago I was having the same debate on what cables to add and how much to spend. Someone here recommended Douglas Connections. I reached out to Doug and he was extremely helpful. I ended up working with him to get my speaker cables and interconnects.I have not listened to a ton of different products and others here have a ton more experience but he was helpful. Good luck.

anything but blue jeans interconnects: bought a pair for patio system - dynamically constricted garbage and a total waste of my money. Going cheap can be a false economy..

@ghdprentice  +1 This is the best advice you'll get and Cardas will hold their price.

learn to make your own just as good as $10K speaker cables.  Plus most companies use Mogami cables and just use their own design.

btw, i found that the best sound i got from speaker cables is with direct connection, whiteout  spades or anything else that is solderedץ
in some configurations its not so practical

I’ve recently got a full complement of Triode Wire Labs cables (speaker, interconnect, pier & digital) & think they’re very good & reasonably priced. Handmade to order in  Massapequa Park, NY  in a week or two. Very  well made, very flexible, come burned in & sound excellent! They’re not bargain basement cheap but you generally don’t get what you don’t pay for. You can email or call Pete, the designer & owner & learn a lot . Check them out!

Audioquest type 4 is really all you need. Audio Advisor will make a pair up any way you like at a reasonable cost. Audioquest has been making the type 4 cable since early 80's and is unchanged to this day. Yes, the Audio Advisor version of the type 4 will not be as pretty as a pre-packaged pair, but it's the same cable.  I am very happy with my 2 pairs 4 meters each, as I run them in a bi-wire configuration. I do not hear anything that displeases me using these cables, as I feel they are rather neutral across the frequency spectrum. Yes, ideally I'd run 2 pairs of Auditorium 23's, but one 4 meter pair goes for 1600 bucks. 

I too am searching for a loom.

I have learned from experience that there is a huge number of counterfeit cables on the used market. Steer clear unless the seller has positive proof the cables are legit. Look for receipts and contact the manufacturer with sale photos to help confirm the cables before you commit. 

Great advice above about in-home auditioning. It's the only way to do this right. The cable company does this but I do not believe you get your money back. Money spent goes into your account for when you're ready to buy. It's not a bad thing if you're serious because you will likely find cables that work for you. I have been in touch with someone there and so far am impressed with their knowledge of what I own and they have a large history of what has worked best for multiple customers and brands, etc. I am on the fence going forward for three reasons: 1. I am not ready to spend a ton of money on cables. I am trying to get something that works for me at a bargain. 2. My system is new and not what you see on my profile. I went a completely different route. Your system needs to be settled before auditioning cables because every new component has the ability to change the sound. I only need a streamer, which is imminent. 3. There are lines they don't carry (that I've seen) and those lines have their own try before you buy offers.

@artemus_5 Thank you for the heads-up regarding audio envy. I am going to reach out to them today. 

Regarding Cardas - My local dealer was supposed to get them a while ago but has yet to receive product. Does anyone know if they are backed-up? Several of us have been waiting months for them to arrive...

I recommend listening- get different cables and try them. I did and was very surprised at the results. I ultimately went with Kimber Kables for interconnects and speaker cables and Shunyata for power because I perceived value. 

I’m jumping in rather late here but also looking for some interconnect advice.  As I’ve seen on the prior posts ; your level of equipment means allot.  My equipment is as follows:

Parasound Halo A51 amp- Parasound Halo JC2 Pre -

Gustard X26 Pro DAC - BluSound Node Streamer 

My main concern are the XLRs from DAC to Pre Amp and Pre Amp to Amp for now

I have a Pangia digital coax from Streamer to DAC 

I need 1 meter from DAC to Pre Amp and .5 meter from Pre Amp to Amp

Audioquest Yukons?  They come up used and on price but wondering if any other thoughts ?

I've enjoyed the Mogami 3082 speaker cables sold through Worlds Best Cables on Amazon. High quality oxygen free 14 gauge pro audio cable with Eminence Gold connectors. I don't have comparative experience with higher end cables, but the bass extension and overall coherence are a clear step above the mid-priced cables I had been using. 

I have some Analysis Plus cables and I am a big fan.  One thing about them is they took almost forever to break in and they sounded horrible for the entire break in time. 200 hours easily. Then one day BOOM.  They arrived.

unfortunately there is no huge selection from this in my country, and it's not so easy to ask to audition several of them.
i'm planning to visit nyc , so i'll try my luck there.
that's the reason i asked for some recommendations, but i got more than i taught from it 🙂
so i really appreciate all of your suggestions.

Talk to Jason Ressler at The Cable Company Larry Edwards sent you.  Synergistic Research.

The very worst and best interconnect I have ever heard on my system were Nordost. I tried a ~Frey 2…. Did not get along at all with my system… but the Odin 2 interconnects were absolutely heaven. Unfortunately, they cost a bit more than I could justify ($17K).

You have to match the interconnect’s likely character… then try it. It usually works… sometimes it doesn’t.

I have tried Blue Jeans… I do not recommend them. I found them comparable with what comes with your component.

Hey @bobbyloans,  I also had the Parasound Pre/Power set up, Mine was JC2/JC5.   I'm writing in past tense because I recently got a new preamp from Cary.

Anyway, I was using Kimber Kable Hero balanced for my digital chain:  Streamer -> Pre -> Power, and was mostly happy with them.  I think they are pretty good cables for the price.

I recently upgraded from Hero to their Select line, specifically the KS-1116, and got a nice improvement especially from Pre -> Power connections.   I then was comparing the Kimber Select with Cardas Clear Reflection for my Streamer -> Pre connections.   They both sounded pretty good, and I ultimately kept them both, and for now I'm using mostly the Cardas for Streamer -> Pre connections.  The Cardas has a bigger soundstage, and nicer separation of instruments, whereas the Kimber Select is a tag fuller on the bass.

I know there are a lot of believers on using a full loom of cables from the same manufacturer.   I try to follow that path myself, but ultimately I let my own ears to make the decision.

Kimber Kable does sell directly via their website, and has a very generous 60 days home trial policy.

Hope this helps.

Thank you for the input. It does help. My slight OCD want me

to keep all the same cables throughout so I’m going to research why you mentioned. I’m also thinking future for the rest of the home theater interconnects and will probably stay within the same line. 
 

Search “Silversmith Fidelium” on the Forum. You will see that Pretty much everyone who bought them say the same things. That they are the best they have used. I replaced very fine $6K speaker cables that are now relatively junk in comparison. For $1200 an eight foot pair, they are one of the best bargains in the biz. I agree that there is a synergy when using all the same brand. Silversmith will have IC soon if not already. Even if you don’t get the new ICs, get the Fideliums.

There is also a trail period.

Anyone a fan of Pangea "no shortcuts" XLRs

I’ve heard a bunch of recommendations for the same stuff over and over, yet when it came to where I dropped my hard earned $ for interconnects it was Hapa Audio that blew everything else away. Known more over on AudioCircle, Jason is a one (possibly two) man show and does phenomenal cables. They are not real cheap, but comparatively speaking I have been able to put off big time gear upgrades because the cables boosted performance beyond what I ever thought could be done. At that point, his cables are an absolute bargain.

Hapa Audio

For speaker cables, if you’re handy with a soldering iron then have at a DIY set for pennies on the dollar. I made a set that took me most of a day to build, and were a big improvement over the Audioquest I was using. I finished mine in KLE banana plugs, but most importantly just don’t use gold or anything plated over brass. Yuck.

DIY speaker cables

Another option for DIY or if you feel like just paying someone else to make you a top notch set of speaker cables, look at the GR Research. It’ll run you a few hundred $, but again a bargain compared to a similar performing option from another big name operation.

GR Research cables

Check out Stager Silver Solids interconnects, also speaker cables,

Great reviews and user feedback (including mine).
These are a true high-end bargain.

website: https://stagersound.com/silver/
review here at Audiogon:

@stone1 

i mean power cables vs. interconnects and speaker cables.

i have heard a tremendous change from changing the power cables. Of course interconnects and speaker cable matter, but I noticed the biggest noise riddance with power cables, then speaker wire, then interconnects. Meaning I would put your money at the source. Power cables first then speaker, then interconnects. I was told by a dealer, first speaker cable and interconnects. I could not disagree more. Power power power. Cables from the front end make a huge difference. So I suppose I would pony up big on that end. Then add interconnects and speaker cable. That is of course only what my ears hear. Noise really goes away when adding great power cables. 

@stone1 

another way to think of it is good food. The source. Everything comes from that. Feed the plants. Give them good food. That is why I am so happy I have a dedicated line with a nice dedicated cable. Of course many will say that is useless. In my opinion, it is not. I am always chasing white noise, and that crappy film in the sound, like a bad TV fuzzy view. I hate noise. I am a classical violinist and really hate fuzz in sound. Power cables and dedicated line go after that for a cleaner listening experience. 

I use Audience Ohno cables for $160 M. I also use their speaker cable or Kimber TC12. My digital coax is a Kimber D60 but for ten percent of the cost and most of the sound a Mogami 2964 digital coax from Amazon is quite good for only $45. 

Straightwire - recommended to me here on Audiogon - is very good and great value. https://www.straightwire.com/mobile/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstraightwire.com%2F