what type of sound are you looking for compared to what you have ?
it is not a question of which one is better. it is what sounds best in your system ie, synergy..
most cables fall into 2 camps.
1. laid back/bloom/"slow cable" -cardas is a great example here. laidback with little image specificity and has a midbass hump.
2. "fast cable"/ detail/images well/bass- xlo is a great example here.
transparent cable is a good cable in some systems..it is a lttle rolled off in the top but is extremely cohearent ( you have to compare it to others to know what i am referring too)
i would go to the local shop and try as many cables as you can to get a idea of what you like / works well with your system. audtion a cable before you buy it. if you cant, pick it up used at a good price, so if you have to sell it, your lost will be minimal. i try to break even or lose $25 maximum.
for example i use xlo signiture II between pre to amp ( it is a very fast, revealing cable that is very neutral and has incredible bottom end). and i use wireworld eclipse v between cd to pre that is neutral with a incredbile midrange. this is the best combination i have found to date. the point being..........in my system...
if you use the same type of cable in your system ( such as cd to pre, pre to amp, speaker, and power cable (btw that is the cable heiarchy) then whatever sonic signiture that cable has, is grealty magnified. what this means, the more you use a certain cable the more of that sound you hear ( 1+1=3) your components are taking that signal and amplifying as it moves down the chain. so if you find a cable you think you like......be careful if you deciede to go with one brand for everything...audition and compare everything.if you havent picked it up by now, cable matching to a system is a art form. there is a learning curve invloved and it is fun to experiement.
i would suggest buying used when you find something you like. the markup in cable is horrendous and depeciate the fastest of all audio components. i picked both pairs of interconnects for $400 used vs. $1000 new.
if you are looking for neutral players - try coincident or wireworld products. the coincident interconnect is a bargain @ $150 used.
also be prepared to change your power cables....i was quite unprepared when i changed just 1 power cable in my system. it made that big of difference.
in regards to speaker cable.. call the manufacture and ask them what they used when they designed the speaker or what works well with the speaker. tell them what amp/pre you have and what you are looking for. that is a good starting point.
you can also check with fellow audiogoners..
hope that helps !!
mike
