Speaker cables for paradigm studios


I am looking to upgrade my system. I'm most likely going with the rogue audio Sphinx2 to pair with my paradigms. I have studio v1 and v3 speakers. I have Aq type 4 now. Is it worth biwiring? $300-500 range depending on biwiring. Thanks
urbanfox

Showing 4 responses by ghosthouse

falcon - I have both.   Paul's double shotguns and Morrow Audio SP-4.  
I continue to use Paul's jumpers on my Totem Forests.  Paul's wire was transformative in my system.  I'd been using some Opera Consonance Joplin speaker wire.  When I went to Paul's wire it was like the music put on 20 pounds of muscle.  It just became a whole lot more palpable.  I was worried silver would be shrill and unpleasant.   Not at all.  Because of some speaker placement changes and moving between an integrated amp and mono blocks, I needed some longer wire.  I do not recall the exact reasons that led to trying Morrow wire.  Maybe he was running a sale or I bought used.  Not sure.  Anyway, I got some Morrow Audio SP-4 speaker cable and that's what I'm currently using (along with some of his interconnects).   Current set up is Totem Forest speakers<<Merrill Audio Veritas amp<<Consonance Ref 50 tubed pre<<Source.  With this equipment I thought the Morrow's were a little bit more resolving than the Clear Days but I want to be clear that's a VERY tentative impression. I don't recall the difference in sound being enormous but there's a pretty long break in period for the Morrows and even the Clear Days take some time to settle in when they've been out of the system.  SO it is hard to A/B things.  I haven't gone back and forth switching out wire recently and this impression is based on my admittedly short and not too reliable audio memory.  I did not sell the Clear Day cable and assuming it is long enough to reach, will try to put it back in the system in the near future and provide a follow up to you.  I'm also thinking I'll try the Clear Day cable with the tube mono block amps and Silverline speakers when I switch back to listening that way.  My recommendation, since both Clear Day and Morrow provide for in-home audition is get yourself a pair of each and decide for yourself.  Hope that's a little bit helpful though maybe not all you were looking for.  
Changed out the Morrow SP4 speaker cables for ClearDay Double Shotguns.  I had not previously run the ClearDays with the Merrill Audio Taranis amp.  My initial reaction was one of surprise as I expected the ClearDays to need some time to settle in and open up.  They'd been stored loosely coiled in a box for several months before installation  The sound "out of the box" was very good...not compressed or dull/flat sounding at all.  Will need to do more listening and reinstall the SP4s to be certain but I'm thinking the ClearDays are a bit "smoother" sounding than the SP4.  I don't mean rolled off - but more "relaxed" sounding and easier to listen to.  Cymbal crashes in Falling Star from Trower's In City Dreams seem fuller and not spitty or edgy.  Need to go back and check them using the SP4s.  I'm wondering if what I'm hearing might be the absence of little grain that was present with the SP4s?  Don't hang your hat on that comment.  Though I have tried to keep volume levels the same for the comparison, can't swear I didn't reduce volume a little with the ClearDays.  Also, wondering how much unplugging and plugging the banana terminations have improved contact.  Will need to reinstall the SP4s and listen more over the next couple of days.  Hope to report back in a couple of days.  Right now, however, I'm in no hurry to change out Paul's cable.
Milpai - I have an SACD version of Tea For The Tillerman + some old vinyl versions. I will have to give the SACD a listen. That’s a great album. I still remember when I first heard it decades ago. The massed voices at the end of the title track made a lasting impression.

If anyone at all is interested, it’s now Day 2 of listening with the Clear Days re-installed. Things sound GREAT. I don’t think it is placebo. There’s just something more "euphonic" running the Class D Taranis to Totem Forests with the Clear Days vs Morrow Audio SP4. I also think bass is deeper...maybe that’s due to a difference in the overall tonal balance running Clear Days vs Morrows...Clear Days warmer? Morrows more high frequency??

As I try to reconstruct the history of what led to using the SP4s vs continuing with the Clear Days...Paul’s shorter cables were fine with my tube mono blocks positioned near each speaker. That’s what I was running (Cyber 800SE EL34 mono blocks + Consonance Reference 50 6H30 tube pre-amp) when I switched off from the Joplin speaker cable and heard the transforming difference Paul’s wire brought. When I wanted to run a Hegel integrated positioned between the Forests, however, I needed longer speaker wire (or so I seem to recall). Also, the Hegel was pretty laid back and (to my ear) rolled off sounding in the treble.  The Morrow’s were longer and seemed to liven up the higher frequencies. Yes, I know...don’t use cable as a tone control. I did. When I got the Taranis I just kept on using the SP4s and never thought to try the Clear Days. Reading Falconquests above request for a comparison of Clear Days vs Morrow Audio cable was certainly fortuitous. Right now, the Clear Days seem a very good match for the Taranis/Forest combo.




falconquest - Glad to hear from you and pleased you read my comments. I do think Morrow is good value - especially if you buy used or do a trade in/up. I know what you mean about "SP-5s for a ridiculous price". I frequently haunt his used cable listings. FWIW I am running Morrow Audio ICs from my phono-pre and DAC (MA-3 & MA-4 but I forget which is where...one of those with Eichmann silver bullets). Also running longish (2 meter) MA-3 ICs from pre-amp to mono blocks when those are in the system. I would have gone Clear Day there but Paul was concerned about the length and didn’t want to do it. I am inclined to replace all my MA-3s with MA-4s at some point. Not sure I’d spend again for the silver Eichmann’s, however. The one exception to all Morrow Audio ICs (outside a DH Labs digital cable from my USB/SPDIF converter to DAC) is a Cardas Parsec IC on my CDP. The dual (Cirrus Logic) DACs in the TEAC are very resolving and that translates to harsh on certain recordings. The Cardas helped tame things a bit. So that’s my cable story. Have to admit I am surprised at the results with the Clear Day speaker cable. What amp do you use to drive your Legacy Focus speakers?  Oh, wait...didn't realize your system was posted (I need to update details on mine).  Are you still running the Plinius separates?  Very nice gear.  You are definitely in another price range vs me! on amplification.  FWIW - before I picked up the Hegel was interested in a Plinius integrated for a solid state option.  The Hegel came up first.  Later.