Wywires has a 30d return policy and is having a big sale right now.
Strategy for upgrading long interconnect cable run
I am looking for advice regarding the best way to try out a replacement set of long, (6 m), XLR interconnects that run between my preamp and my amplifiers. I am running VAC electronics with a Grimm Audio digital source, a technics sp-10ii turntable, and Avalon Eidelon Diamond speakers. Most of my interconnects are Shunyata alphas except for this long run, which is (relatively old) Purist Audio Genesis Praesto revision. I am wondering if they may be holding back my system. Since 6m (5m may work) cables are relatively rare… playing the used market may not be the best idea. I am OK with buying new, in which case I would prefer a brand that allows returns after audition, and/or a brand that does not increase the cost very much in proportion to length (Purist used to operate this way, not sure if they still do). Basically, I am wanting to minimize my risk, but willing to pay if I find a notable improvement to what I already have. I realize there is the cable company… But I doubt they have that many long balanced runs. Any suggestions for which brands to try that might accommodate my needs? Budget around $2-3k. Thanks very much in advance.
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https://snakeriveraudio.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=12
Give Jonny at Snake River a call. |
As I have said many times, if your equipment supports the AES standards, then XLR interconnect shouldn't be affected by distance. Ask Ralph Karsten (@atmasphere), who is a member here on Agon. FWIW, I use 12 meter interconnects between amp and pre. The Mogami Ralph supplied performed just as well as a pair of AQ (non DBS) cables, at a fraction of the cost. And, yes, my equipment does adhere to AES standards. Bob |
I use a pair of 7 m balanced interconnects in my system. None of the boutique cable makers I tried was willing to send such a long cable on approval (it would have to be made up special), so I ordered cables made from Mogami W2549 and Neutrik XLR connectors. The total cost was under US $200 from ProAudioLA (many years ago). A couple of years later, a dealer convinced a well-known manufacturer to send me a $2,500 pair of long cables. In single-blinded tests, every listener preferred the Mogami, finding the boutique cable to be notably colored in the treble. So you could leave behind the fancy stuff (as @gdnrbob suggests, too), and use Mogami's excellent cabling and Neutrik's top-of-the-line XLRs. You can save a lot of money that way and get great performance. |
Peter, I have an 18 foot run from preamp to amp. Before I settled on Wywires and was fortunate to find a very long Wywires pair I daisy chained cables for the better part of 2 years. I found that the last 3 to 6 feet impacted the sound and reflected that cable's signature onto the sound. Now, you can't run a Morrow MA1 bottom of the line cable with a Snake River cable and have all the goodness of the SR come through, but you can get a taste for it. So I was in your same dilemma where buying a 6 meter cable you did not like or didn't match well would be a very frustrating and expensive adventure. I took copious notes and mixed and matched all brands of cables. Check my 2023 TN page for some info. I was using XLR's, so very easy to daisy chain. I ended up buying 1 or 2 meter cables and switched them in to see what worked best over 2 plus years. Finally, in the end, Wywires were magical and I got lucky finding a used pair in a length longer than I required. So, take this as an option to get you there or a promotion for Wywires (Diamond or Platinum only). With your system, stay with the higher end cables, they are definitely worth it.
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