2. cables
  3. 119205-355

Remind me again why...

Some time ago I spoke of for how I piggy-backed two different speaker cables for really good sound and the response, though positive, advised me not to do it due to, whatever (I forget). On another recent thread someone spoke of how he runs his speaker cables in series, using different brands and gets great results.
All this led me to try using my Mapleshade Clearviews in addition to my Mapleshade Double Helix speaker cables resulting in 3 runs per post. The results were rather nice as it added body, weight and across the frequency range fullness without losing any of the qualities I like in the Mapldeshades: agility, litheness, detail, air, etc.

Not content with that, I removed them and put in an old pair of Zu Mission SCs and my newish Supra Ply 3.4W SCs and it almost floored me. The combination of the two had none of the drawbacks of either singly and more than all the strengths of either alone. I'm talking an almost regal (kingly, presidential, stately) sound, rich and broad and yet detailed and toned, with air, decay, ambience. etc. Nothing really amiss that I can tell.

The sound I'm getting from my Clearview Duet 6 monitors reminds me of the sound  I got from my Legacy Classic floor standers (more than 70# heavier) which had 2 10" bass drivers among it's 7 speaker array due to the way it pressurized my room. I'm now listening some 3-5db lower and getting the same sensations of being alive and present. 

The biggest improvement seems to be in the upper mids to the highs which seem to have grown some, having the same presence as the lower mids and bass. Most welcome indeed. Brass, cymbals, high hats and leading edges of percussion have more weight and impact, even at lower volumes.

It's kind of odd looking, having two mid sized cables running behind everything but I could care less right now. One has spades and the other bananas so the connections are tight and snug. I'm beginning to wonder if all one needs is some high quality copper of a large enough gauge to call it a day. Or it could be some serendipitous system synergy I stumbled onto. This setup really exploits the speakers ability that lay hidden from me, allowing me to really appreciate them all the more. Nice way to end the year.

I know this won't stop here as I'll look into some larger gauge speaker cables, maybe some Anaylsis Plus Oval 9s or something that won't break the bank but now I at least know the answer and way to go. For now, I'm content with the looks only because of the sound. I even tried some old ECM jazz CDs and they came to life like never before. Not an easy thing to do.

Happy New Year everyone!


All the best,
Nonoise


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Showing 3 responses by nonoise

nonoise's avatar
nonoise OP
10,627 posts
 
Well, it didn't take long to for something to pop my bubble. Every CD I tried prior to penning this benefited from the double run of cables, be it  with the Mapleshades or with the Zu/Supra combo. Both had more presence than previously experienced with that fuller presentation from the upper mids to the highs. The Mapleshades had it for that clearly defined, almost holographic feel while the Zu/Supra had that immense presence.

Then came Johnny Cash with 'American IV' and it all went two dimensional: flat and rather boring, loss of detail, lack of air and space. Same with Black Keys 'Brother'. I had to remove the Supras for the recordings to come alive again. Head scratching time.

It might be the recordings as it's the only two CDs so far that point to something amiss but I've miles to go and a whole new year to slog through. Tell the guys with the white coats there's no need to pay me a visit.

All the best,
Nonoise

nonoise's avatar
nonoise OP
10,627 posts
 
douglas_schroeder, thanks for reminding me of something so basic that it's often overlooked: the weak link can be the recording.

jl35, thanks for letting me know what Pierre feels about his cables as the Mapleshade combo gave me the greatest insight into a recording without the analytical etch while remaining quite robust down low without a hint of bloat or smear.

The funny thing about all of this is as the Zu Mission SCs ran solo for awhile, they started to come alive again. I've been too quick to assess all of these cables natures, alone, and in combo, to let them speak for themselves. I've forgotten that even old cables that haven't been used for years don't sound their best until they've spoken for awhile. 

It's not a matter of my ears getting used to them but they acclimating to my system. It's a really short break in, comparatively speaking, but it took a couple of days. As they near their stride, they sound really nice.

Time to get back on the merry-go-round. My retirement is 3 months away so I'll have plenty of time to drive myself crazy. :-)

All the best,
Nonoise
nonoise's avatar
nonoise OP
10,627 posts
 
I think systems, once settled in, remain the constant in the equation with the power delivery side (peak hours, late night, amount imbibed, etc) being one of the biggest factors in how it will sound along with mental attitude and quality of pressings.

It's that or we're all quite insane.

All the best,
Nonoise
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