I have really enjoyed this post, and have used it as a point of reference for my own system. I would like to share my own experiences, as they may help others as you all have helped me.
I have been searching for that interconnect and speaker cable that allowed my system to sound like some of the best I have heard, assuming that my components are up to snuff. After many trials, and a running relationship with John at the Cable Co. I have settled on the Tesla line. It started with my speaker cables...I had been through MIT Oracle, Acoustic Zen Double Barrel, Sunny Cable,Purists Audio Venustas, Zu Cable, and finally settled on Shunyata HELIX for the speed, sound staging, and tuneful bass....not the deepest bass, but it was very clean(?lean), voices were beautifully rendered, and a piano sounded like a piano..except the weight was lacking. the others were all exceptional in one area or another, but those hallmarks that I valued most were best displayed by the Shunyatas, until I heard the Synergistic Precision Ref speaker cable.
The speed is tremendous...you are able to hear the slightest change in tone, the lightest brush stroke of a cymbal, any inflection in a voice...dynamics seem to come at you in waves. The weight in the lower registers of a piano, in fact the presence of the instrument was now immmediately discernable..unncanny! Many of the other cables were musical, but these Synergistic cables began to relay the intent of the performer as well...more later on this. I demoed the Apex as well, but the Precision Ref fit best with my particular taste, being the most neutral of the bunch. I was happy with this until I read about the phono cable as listed above, as I too own a Hovland Music Groove 2. Needless to say, this is one special cable. The amount of information conveyed by these cables is unreal. EVERYTHING seems to get thru, and the background is so quiet..the music just explodes off the vinyl....really deep, taught bass, drum kits appear, horns ....you name it. I was almost ready to give up vinyl. Not willing to spend 30K plus on a super TT, now I don,t need too. These cables let you see/hear how good your system really is. To top it all off I am adding a set of Precision Ref cables from my phono preamp to my preamp. This is when the true intent of the performer that I alluded to earlier, and was hinted at by the speaker cables, began to become more readily apparent. I think it involves not only the significant detail (especially at the edges of the soundstage) that you are picking up, but the dynamic shadings during the performance by the artist....you have to hear it for yourself. There is so much more info in every way. Sorry to ramble on. I am looking forward to adding a set to my CD player and hearing the power cords when they are released.
System:
Usher Audio BE 20 speakers
Edge NL 12.1 Amp
DeHavilland Mercury 2 preamp
Bel Canto CD-1
Michell Orbe TT, SME 309 tonearm, Van denHul Colibri
47 Labs PhonoCube, run Dual Mono
BPT 3.5 Sig power conditioner
