Transparent Reference XL
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Its all about loading... and everything is a compromise. |
I’ve tried Blue Jeans, Audio Quest Granite and 1 other inexpensive cable, I cannot recall the name, before upgrading to Audio Sensibility Signature. The Owner said the AS Signature would be the last cable I would ever (want to) buy and I believe he is right. All of the cables I tried were used on the same equipment and the level of clarity using AS was like lifting a veil from the speakers. There are crisper highs and bass depth I had not previously heard. This is not an ad for AS cables. I’m sure the there are other fine cables that will perform as well. I’m 70 years old and have significant hearing loss. But, I can distinctly hear differences in each one of the speaker cables I’ve tried. Anyone who does not believe there is a difference either hasn’t heard different cables or doesn’t have equipment capable of picking up the sonic differences. |
I’ve tried Blue Jeans, Audio Quest Granite and 1 other inexpensive cable, I cannot recall the name, before upgrading to Audio Sensibility Signature. The Owner said the AS Signature would be the last cable I would ever (want to) buy and I believe he is right. All of the cables I tried were used on the same equipment and the level of clarity using AS was like lifting a veil from the speakers. There are crisper highs and bass depth I had not previously heard. This is not an ad for AS cables. I’m sure the there are other fine cables that will perform as well. I’m 70 years old and have significant hearing loss. But, I can distinctly hear differences in each one of the speaker cables I’ve tried. Anyone who does not believe there is a difference either hasn’t heard different cables or doesn’t have equipment capable of picking up the sonic differences. |
i’ve been using monster cable for almost 40 years. i’ve heard them in stores next to high end cables and cannot detect a difference. i have noticed an improvement with shielded interconnects between components and preamp and preamp to amp. i've also noticed a difference between terminations between amp amp speakers. gold spade lugs soldered to the cables appear to be the best. |
I've tried many cables, including some costly ones, but still using the old Zu Audio wire: Libtec speaker cable and Varial interconnect. There is something about these long discontinued wire that makes it a keeper. Perfect mix of neutrality, transparency and musicality. Also using a Kondo silver interconnect (which is far from neutral) for my old modded RA Opus 21, but they are just a match made in heaven. Also love the old Cardas Golden Power cables and still using it in my system as well as Shunyata Python. |
Back when my ears were "young". The best I heard was a generic "Orange" TrueValue Hardware 12g extension cord with the ends lopped off and terminated into spade connectors with McIntosh tube amps and/or Technics SA-1000 into Inifinty RS-IIs. Granted, back then it was all Lamp-Cord or Bell-Wire anyways. In my 50's now, and although I can still hear up to 15K, I doubt changing cables these days are worth the time/effort/cost. LOL. I stick to BlueJeans and Mogami these days and am totally happy. |
So many different opinions! I personally love Shunyata Alpha v2's. I went from Cardas Golden Cross to Audience Au24 to MIT Shotgun 3.3 to Morrow Audio SP7 and finally to the Shunyata's. I liked every single pair, honestly, but as my system upgraded and my wallet, these do it for me, although I do wonder how the knockoff Nordost Odin 2's sound . . . I have hear very positive reports on them! |
I am 70 years old, and been a stereo enthusiast since age 18. I don't claim to be an audiophile because that means I would have to suspend reality (in some cases) and believe in magic. I envy those audiophiles who do believe in magic as it makes it a lot more fun for them. Like believing in Santa Claus. 16 gauge lamp cord sounds about the same as the more expensive cables I have tried. I don't use lamp cord now, because of other biases we all have in this hobby. I use Blue-Jeans cable. Their Canare 4S11 "star quad" 14 gauge. My system is mainly McIntosh. I have a 400 watt amplifier that drives speakers capable of handling a 1000w. They stand almost 6 feet tall and weigh 170 lbs each. 14 gauge wire is perfectly adequate (as would 16 gauge lamp cord.) |
@jbetanc lol. |
This topic has been discussed many times. You have a pair of $30K mono amps and a pair of $50K speakers, So adding a couple of $2K speaker cables makes your combination more excellent and makes you feel better. The margin of an amp is less than that of a pair of speakers, and so is the margin of cables compared to speakers. It's true for virtually every area from building a house to a car to a menu in a restaurant. |
I’ve listened to Shunyata Alpha and Sigmas, Audioquest Thunderbirds, Oaks, and Dragons, Nordost Odin 1, Wireworld Silver Eclipse, Tara Labs, High Fidelity, Audience, and a couple more. I own Clarus Crimson speaker cables. The best without considering cost were AQ Dragons. In my opinion the Clarus Crimson offer the best value, coming very close to the AQ Dragons in my system. |
After many years of various speaker cables, I’ve settled on Analysis-Plus Solo 8 copper crystal. Straightwire Crescendo is very good, slightly warm. And XLO Reference 5 a great used bargain but quite stiff. I own and use all in my systems. The Harmonic Research Pro 9 , 9+ is neutral and deserves mention as well. All can be found used but for less than $1k. which is where I "play". There are definite synergies in systems.
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I've had StraightWire, Kimber and Morrow before reading Roger Sanders' article about the right cable for electrostatic speakers. It's not about cost, it's about the correct design for the application. After reading it I bought and terminated Mogami 3082 coaxial cable for my Acoustat 1+1 electrostatic speakers. The results were stunning and not subtle at all. It was the equivalent of buying a new amplifier since there was now much more transparency ,a lower apparent noise floor, markedly increased detail, better dynamics and a really good feeling in my wallet because the cable cost $1.30 per foot! If you have electrostatics you should only be using coaxial cable. Sanders writes that coaxial cables present both low inductance and low capacitance to the amplifier, which is what is needed for ESL's. I have had the same system for 40 years (Mcintosh MC60's/Acoustats) and this was the biggest change I've made. Please give it a try. It will cost you about $35.00. P.S. I told another Acoustat owner about this and he experienced the same improvement. |
Not everyone is going to be able to hear a difference between cables for various reasons, such as system resolution or inconsistent evaluation conditions. Some audiophiles simply can’t hear exceptionally well or do not value the subtleties of realistic musical reproduction. On the other hand, having owned a wide cross section of various cables and technologies involved, I have only ever heard serious improvements from the cables that actually offer more than just another wire design. Transparent and MIT stand far above anything else I have ever heard and by a considerable margin… the latest designs of which have improved significantly over their original offerings. The difference is listening to music vs experiencing the music as if you were in the presence of the performers! |
@whipsaw +1 million. There are many reasons why some post such ignorant responses. My guess is fear!!! |
A few people are non believers in cable differences. But my wife who was not even sitting in front of the speakers heard a distinct difference. One cable I had was audio quest type 9. The song I was playing she said sounded too sharp. So I said hold on a second and switched cables to the blue jeans 10 gauge. Same song, same level, and she asked me what I just did. It sounded less sharp. Now, that’s a blind test, cause she wasn’t even really paying attention, but she heard a difference. |
