Speaker cable recommendations please


Starting to think about what will replace my AQ Rockefellers. I feel like these are now possibly my weakest link.

Amplifier is the Ayre AX-7e, speakers are Amphion Argon.

I guess I like what many others do: excellent detail retrieval, tight punchy bass, realistic mids on the warm-ish side, non-fatiguing highs. Overall I prefer clarity/neutrality/detail over warmth.

Budget would be up to 1000, for used.

At some point I may give the anti-cables a trial run, just to gauge the hype. I don't see how these wouldn't be a downgrade though given the cost difference against what I have now. Who knows....?
joncourage
I have extra Anti-Cables - balanced interconnects and speaker cables 1.2 price. Let me know
I agree with Snopro. The Clear Day Double Shotgun are very good speaker cables. If you want something cheap but good, try Virtue Nirvana cables.
How about the 12 gauge Monster cables you can buy in a roll of 100' at Radio Shack with some gold inter connectors? ..no good?
I've been using the Acoustic Zen Satori shotgun for a long time and after comparing to others I think they exhibit a lot of the qualities you're looking for. Best of luck.
I'm not familiar with your speakers, but I would think the Alpha-Core Goertz AG or MI 1 series would work well with your Ayre. Alpha-Core offers a generous free trial, do ask about their RC networks.
I will sound a little air headed here but I wanted to respond Dfgkali. I changed speakers out a year ago and have been trying to fine tune them. I took out my Audio Magic Sceptor stranded silver cables and thought I would try some ht cables I had, Monster XP-HP. In my system (Vienna Acoustic Mozart Grands, Moon D100 dac, Marantz 6050 transport, Sumo Polaris amp, Van Den Hul ic's, Lightspeed) , and I felt they were a lot better in this context. I was actually pleasantly surprised. I think I might be able to do better but I am not sure much, if any. I am thinking of trying Analysis Plus cables.
If you are already using AQ try the Oak. It is as you describe in your "wants" charactoristics, neutral, detailed, etc. Disclaimer, I have a pair for sale, but will continue to recommend them in the future.
Marqmike, So I got curious and went back and checked my cable, Printed on the cable says: "Monster Cable High Resolution Speaker Cable with Duraflex insulation". big fat 12 AWG cable.
I purchased the 100' spool from Fry's Electronic for about $120 Ten Years ago. I have no choice w/my speaker placement, they have to be across the room, so I just cut the cables to both speakers to equal length of 45' and connected them up.

My speakers are 4ohm DCM Time Window 7's. I am running two Carver A500x Amps which operated in Bridged Mono putting out 800WPC for many years. I just changed my PreAmp and per a members suggestion I turned off the bridge mode and I am currently running the amps in simple bridge mode, the highs are much softer...but I digressed!

I guess what I was trying to get at was that at least for me, it just wasn't feasible to spend the kind of $$ on cables due to them being 45' long, but I am almost sure that the sound I currently get w/the Monster Cables from Fry's isn't that sonically inferior to some 10 foot $300 to $500 cables....

well when I move I'll find out. :)
At this point I'm considering

AZ Hologram II
Kimber 8tc

And will likely trial the Clear Day and Anticables.

I've also read plenty of good things about audience au24e. Are those worth delaying the purchase until I can afford the difference in price, against the other choices?

Would any of these *not* be a noticeable upgrade to the Rockefellers?
Clear Day Cables double shotguns are $450 delivered with a 30 day free trial. These cables changed my life. So amazing in their clarity and balance, and they allow music to play through them with a holographic sound stage. You cannot go wrong trying these cables. They are my best system upgrade to date at a fraction of the cost of other upgrades, including speaker cables. These cables should cost three times what Paul charges for them.
01-21-12: Snackeyp
These cables changed my life.

In what way did speaker cables change your life? Just curious, this stuff amazes me.
More accurately, they changed the sound of my system so dramatically for the better that I would classify them as creating an epiphany in my audiophile evolution.
01-22-12: Snackeyp
More accurately, they changed the sound of my system so dramatically for the better that I would classify them as creating an epiphany in my audiophile evolution.

Well, that's a lot different than changing your life, I think !!!!
I disagree, frankly, but I also believe that using metaphor is often more descriptive than a pure descriptive. When one reaches an epiphany it changes that person's perspective on things. While for some it might not seem that their life has changed, for others it is more obvious. Tpreaves, it sounds like you are a naysayer of the difference cables can make in a system. Whether true or not, I can identify with that thinking, because until I got my Clear Day double shotgun cables I really didn't believe that cables made much difference. I have tried four other speaker cables and have noticed only minor improvements, but their cost was very high. In fact, their price far outweighed their benefits, so I returned them to the dealer I borrowed them from and continued my search. Then I discovered Clear Day on this site and was blown away by them. I was and am a skeptic of the audio snake oil market, especially when it comes to multi-hundred dollar tweaks like turtlewood cable risers and carbon fiber hockey pucks to put under your equipment. Some may find these items to alter their understanding of what great sound is but I refuse to believe that they can help.
I believe cables make a difference Snack, I've proved it to myself. I was just curious as to the "these cables changed my life" statement, that's all. I'm happy for you that something so simple has brought you so much joy.
Joncourage, depending on budget, the Supra's that you mention in your other thread are very good for the money. If you are interested in a cable that is quicker and more able to support future upgrades upstream, then I would recommend some of the Nordost cables. Starting with the new Red dawn line and going up the line to Valhalla, these are some of the best cables that I have heard. Unlike the other posters on the Supra thread, the only suggestion I would have is to maybe listen to these yourself and see what you think. Your impression of how the cable works in your system is all that matters.
There are no absolutes in our hobby, it's whatever works best for you and you alone.
Thanks Davey.

Yeah, I realize system synergy and subjective preference are significant determinants.

Thanks for your recommendations.

I'm definitely not stuck on Supra (or anything else). Just trying to figure out what others like and think could be worth trying.

I can probably afford up to about the Frey, maybe Tyr, if second-hand.

Guess in the end I really have to figure out how to get trials so I can listen for myself, or just resign myself to cycling through purchases.

So the exercise probably boils down to creating my short list. Which at this point seems to include - Nordost, Synergistic, Clear Day, Audience.
I have the same Ayre AX-7e but with PSB Sync 1s, just ordered a used set of Morrow SP3s --- as much as I have researched an excellent cable from a great company -- at a great used price (and already broken in!)will have them in a few days and let you know how they sound.
the neotech ns-0225 with wbt connector is the best for your system,i bougth 1 pair i love it and i got 1 more pair to used bi amp,sound like over 3k speaker cables on the market.
How about some Cl2 12/2 or 10/2 featuring >99% pure OFC and quality insulation?
I mean, I hate to be The Cynical Guy, but...we're talking about electrical signals and the most appropriate/efficient conduit for them from point A to point B.
Pretty hard to beat insulated pure copper stranded wire for this task.
Clear Day is far superior to the anti-cable magnet wire. The first all silver cable that is not hyper or has that metallic haze to them. Very well rounded cable with good depth that all the speaker cables I have tried did not have. Great sound and a better bargain. Save and spend some money on a pair of Gabriel Gold Reflection ic's or KCI Silkworm plus.
Joncourage - I've had both the Cleardays and Kimber 8TC in my system and would recommend you try both. It might also be good to include something from Cardas in your shortlist, as it's meant to work well with Ayre and could balance out your Amphion's slightly analytical qualities.