You are getting close to the range where you might be able to find a pair of Synergistic CTS like mine for $1200-1500 and if so let me tell you it will be worth the stretch! They will redefine your view of what a cable can do. One reason I highly recommend these, they use Active Shielding. Michael Spallone has found the perfect diodes and caps to mod the Active Shielding MPC wall warts that raises the bar on these already superb cables. These were $7500 cables when new, and still sound like it, only cost a fraction of that now. If you can't swing or find CTS there are others from Synergistic for less that are quite good as well. I would favor the Active versions simply because they start out good but then become unbeatable for the price with Michaels mods. You can see my CTS here but sorry no pics of the mods, they are now hard wired inside my power center. https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8367 |
Nice speakers. Acoustic Zen Satori or Hologram will do everything you’re looking for and you should be able to get them used anywhere from $400-$600 so well within your budget. Highs are detailed and airy yet still very natural sounding and well blended witin the rest of the sonic spectrum. Midrange is likewise detailed with excellent tone, depth, and expressiveness while bass is very full and impactful and well balanced although not the quickest or tightest you’ll find. Soundstaging is outstanding and portrays excellent spaciousness and depth resulting in a very holographic presentation. Given what you’re looking for and your speaker’s strengths I think the AZs would be an excellent fit and a great relative bargain. |
Thanks. Very nicely said. In fact I have been reviewing synergistic as well as AZ cables and have heard very good about them. Especially satori shotgun have had good reviews. Unlike speakers, which we can audition, not all dealers carry these cables, and have to rely on reviews and users experience. So this helps a lot. I am also considering AQ rocket 88 and may be used AQ oak. |
Don’t have the 7T’s but the 7B’s and WyWires work or sound great to me. I am currently using the Silver Series (all copper... Silver is just the series name) but in time move up to the Platinum Series speaker cables. Very open cables that simply don’t draw attention to themselves as do a lot of cables. All my previous wires besides power chords were all silver conductors which I thought were great and indeed they bettered a lot of cables, but WyWires brought me back to copper. I lost nothing my former cables offered but gained more openness, wider and deeper stage, and more importantly my 7B’s just disappeared which is what I mean by WyWires get out of the way and don’t draw attention to themselves.
I listened to my system more without feeling the need to dissect everything. WyWires was and maybe still offering a sale so worth looking into and Alex the owner takes the time to talk to you on the phone to discuss your system and help you chose the right cable. Great guy to work with.
Just like me everyone, is going to have great suggestions what they like and etc. so just add WyWires to your list to read up on. Gook luck. |
What about Canare 4S11 cables? Very inexpensive and can easily beat many other brands regardless of price. |
@stereo5. I have heard a lot good about these "budget audiophile cable". Have you tried these and compared with others ?. I can give a shot on these wires as they are inexpensiv2. |
Have you thought about making your own ?
I made my own using Cardas chassis wire and Kimber spades .
Have you thought about using 2 sets of cables ?
one for the bass and the other for the mid/tweeter or
one cable for the positive terminals and the other for the negative terminals .
Look into Blue Jeans Cables , they use Belden or Canare
and both are very inexpensive .
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@romney80,
The Canare bested a $1500.00 pair of Groneberg Quattro Reference speaker cables I was using since 2010. Bass goes deeper and highs are more detailed without sounding etched. I am extremely happy. Check out Ram Electronics online. I bought my cables from them and they are extremely reasonable. Many recording studios use their cables. |
The Canare is very good. Highly recommend as well. I don’t have Canare speaker cables anymore but I do have several pairs of Canare balanced cables I made with Neutrik XLR’s and they are very, very good and I have compared them to my WyWires and they’re not up to the WyWires. Now, are the WyWires 10x better because of the cost? Note at all, but that’s how it goes; have to spend a lot to get small improvements.
So what’s the difference between my experience with Canare, speakers cables, digital coax cable with their crimped plugs and balanced cables... they’re damn good for the money and no doubt will better a little of higher priced stuff but not all. The Canare does nothing wrong whatsoever but maybe a little closed in and I found a little rolled off on the top which on many systems or type of music that may be a plus. Great thing about the Canare is it’s so affordable it’s a no brainer and a great place to start regardless of ones budget. I agree... try a pair of Canare. They do need a lot of time to settle in so give them time.
Oh, don’t buy a bi-wire set of use the jumper straps that came with, but make a small set of jumpers with the Canare. Go to Nordost web site and see how they show to use jumpers. I use their method on my 7B’s and it made a noticeable improvement.
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Ok. I will get canare 4s11, just to see how it does, as they are not expensive. I am still researching cables. I have shortlisted to these:
Audioquest Oak
Acoustic Zen Absolute
WyWires platinum
Hidiamond D8
May be Audience Au24 SE or SX (if I can get discount).
Would like to see if I can get Synergistic research CTS for discount. |
I use Wireworld Eclipse 7 on my Totem Acoustics Forest Signatures driven by a Levinson no.334. They are very natural sounding, warm, great bass. Highs are very extended. Midrange is right there as well.
I've heard Aerial 7T with Wireworld Eclipse 7 driven by BAT Equipment and Aerial 5T 's driven by an Ayre A-X5 Twenty using Cardas Clear Speaker cables. Both systems were set-up at Audible Elegance in Cincinnati, Ohio. Highly recommended cables.
The Audioquest Oak are solid too. Highly recommended. Arcam88 here on audiogon has a pair driving ATC SM40's. He's using a 200 watt Anthem STR Integrated Amp with ecellent results.
I believe there is a pair of Wireworld Eclipse 7's posted in your price range listed here. Good luck!
N |
You should be able to find a used pair of Analysis Plus Solo Crystal Oval 8’s in 6-8 foot lengths for $1000-$1200.
They offer great musicality with great bass (8 gauge copper) and great detail. Whats really cool though is how open the midrange becomes and the incredible separation between musical instruments (not so much with regards to soundstage but with regards on musical intelligibility / how you understand the music).
The way they untangle complex musical passages is outstanding. Once you pick up on how they don’t smear certain frequencies, it’s hard to go back! |
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I use Audience Conductor SE cable on my Aerial 5T’s. Nice open full sound.
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Great input. I got canare 4s11 and like it. I am surprised how good they are for the price. It does try to separate highs and bids much better than my rocket 33. Soundstage is also better. I still think so far clarus aqua is very good in 3d soundstage and overall. Will run these wires for little longer and decide soon on premium wires. Still trying to figure out. It is so exciting to see how different wires adds different flavors to your music (separation, soundstage, mellowing, sharpness, clarity, bass.... ). Love this hobby, as long as it does not burn my wallet. |
Love this hobby, as long as it does not burn my wallet. Ha! Leave now before it’s too late. |
I had underestimated the "break in" of speaker cable wires. I have to confess now that my clarus aqua cables have had > 150 hours in, they sound "amazing". Big difference in clarity, sound stage, sound separation, holographic details and 3d like sound. Awesome wires for sure. I am going to stick with these wires for long. If aqua sound so good, not sure what Crimson sounds like. I will eventually upgrade to Crimson wires in future. |
