The most transparent speaker cable

Elrod Power Systems Statement Gold (latest generation); Elrod is known for his killer power cords but he builds equally impressive Interconnects and Speaker Cables. I have a pair and the Signature Golds before them and they are excellent!

theppd-

my fave subject:  much will depend on your gear to create true system synergy.  On your part, you will have to do much listening and auditioning on the brands that you find interesting.

My experience: the best, most transparent speaker cabling was w/
(no pun) Transparent Reference XL and/or OPUS. Not inexpensive by any means, these products belong in a $50k and up system.

The good news: there are so many Cable manufacturers now, literally, something for everyone. Choose wisely and you will be rewarded.

Consider the Cerious Cables as in my thread in the Cable Forum below. Highly impressive!

" Can anyone recommend me the speaker cable which will be the most transparent with best detailing, not harsh and not muddy with the deepest bass and beautiful transients? "

Klee Acoustics loudspeaker cable would fit your request with outstanding results.

Second vote for Cerious. Very good all around.

Look into Tempo Electric Big Twist solid-core silver cables. I have two sets, one for each amp, which even now would probably cost much less than one pair of, say, the Transparent cable mentioned.

I've used Synergistic Research, Auditorium A23, and now these. These are my final speaker cables.

G'luck,
Dan 

No such thing as final anything in high end audio. I have got rid of all my expensive speaker cable ( MIT, High Diamond 8, Auditorium 23 and Nordost) and replaced them with cheap Western Electric 16 gauge speaker cable. $160 for 3 meter pair. Best I have ever heard. Really stunning cable. Also Belden 1804 interconects. $60 for 1 meter pair. Has all the qualities you want
Alan

Don' listen to any of the High Fidelity Cables.

Don't listen to any of the High Fidelity Cables.

tbg, I wish you had said that earlier.  Been a slippery slope since I heard HF Cables.  Most amazing improvement in 40 years of audio.  

You should give a serious audition to ClearDay loudspeaker cables. Listening to Roxy Music Avalon currently on my system and they are so musical. Compare them with other recommendations in "your own system" and then decide. Key is - you should decide. Paul will send you a pair of cables; just let him know your configuration.

You should listen to Stage III Medusa speaker cables.  They are very heavy due to lead insulation.  Best I have ever heard in my system.

Taralab's is the one and only cable!, A class by it's self, The Evolution Grandmaster speaker cable's is 000 gauge,  that's right!, 000 gauge, there is none more transparent,  deepest bass, none exaggerated,  most detailed holographic cable's available today 😎

What I like in solid core cables is that they giving me the best and coherent bass I heard but at a price of the transparency. Of all three, the most transparent however was the Russian noname solid core AC in-wall cable but it lacks the bass slam and finesse.

Well, as you can see by the myriad of responses, there really is no clear cut recommendation. All cables depend on system synergy and personal musical taste.

However, as you have already noticed, no cable can do it all either. The more transparency a cable gets, the more bass slam (weight) it loses.

Generally, you can either get more speed and resolution, or more musicality and bass weight. Just as one cannot head East and West at the same time, you must make a choice in which direction you wish to head.
Ultimately, sacrifices must be made when choosing the cable that mate best with your gear, to your ears.

The new TC line from Kimber are quite transparent, at least one leg.
The old flatline from Nordost were very transparent as fas as I could tell, good luck to find them now.
There's always monster xp and some other rope style "zip" cords...

Great thread! Thanks everyone for your input!
Yes, most of the cables are out of my price range but it's always interesting to know where are the skies located. Mostly I'm interested in under 3k range for a used cable, better is 2k :)

Any thoughts on the WW family? Maybe even Argento or Stealth?

Use the link below to see the video on TARA Labs cable technology:

https://youtu.be/C4ODI10n84w

Their labor intensive construction techniques and materials are unsurpassed and the sonic result proves it.

bugman03-

I like Stage III Concepts for power cords (PC) only.
The best that I have ever auditioned (even better than Transparent OPUS).

Audioquest delivers fantastic value and have great transparency while retaining hefty bass.  I find MIT DELIVERS the most low level detail with warmth and deep taught bass.  Transparent also delivers wonderful balance.  Only flawed designs force you to choose detail or bass... bad designs come in many forms.  Ahendler has deeper issues than can be addressed here:)

I've been in the hi-end audio game for just over 50 years, and during that time I have owned or used some 20 brands of speaker cable. The most transparent cable (both speaker and interconnect) in my system is the Nordost brand. Try to borrow several models -- starting in the Norse "family" -- or rent from The Cable Company.

Go to Marigo Labs web site. Peruse or just call them in Washougal, Wa.. Number is there. Ron Hedrich will have EXACTLY what you crave. EXACTLY. I promise.

Nordost definitely should be tried...I have found their designs to fall into the flawed camp.  Not balanced in their presentation.

Another vote for transparent cables if you can start at at least the G5 plus or ultra or better.  

Sablon cables Panatela Reserva has all those points checked. You gotta to listen to it. 

I have been floored by the Omega Mikro Interconnects and Speaker cables. The soundstage and space between instruments are hypnotic.
No pets or sticky fingers though, they are fragile!

dave_b1,706 posts08-26-2016 7:35pmNordost definitely should be tried...I have found their designs to fall into the flawed camp.  Not balanced in their presentation.

Hmmmm....... Certainly not my experience. I would put them at the top of the list.

I agree with milpai.  Clearly cables are (in addition to great value) remarkably transparent.  They do take quite a while to break in, but you can test drive them for 30 days with no risk, and Paul (the guy who makes them) is a pleasure to deal with. 

typo!  Meant Clearday!

The most transparent cables will let you know what your speakers and electronics really sound like.... They will be the most neutral cables.  If your amplification is not transparent?  You may blame what you hear on the transparent cables if you think the cables will make your system sound more transparent.  Catch 22...
You like the solid core because they eliminate the signal transfering mish mashing that takes place when you have all those tiny strands rubbing against one another in the typical stranded cables. The signal is jumping all over those strands.  The solution?  Solid core.. but it has its limits.  The best of both worlds? Many strands. But, having each strand insulated from one another. Look into  Litz wire cables.  You'll have to Google for that. It gives the benefits of solid core,  but allows for greater dynamics and detail because of the fine strands.  Its what I have used for the last thirty years.

I'll mention 3 brands, MG Audio Designs, Anticables, and Mapleshade, all overachievers in the transparency arena.

genez, Morrow cables use that design, solid core, many strands individually insulated.

Kimber 8TC are transparent and very affordable.  

Hear it is in order... Nordost, Morrow Audio, Kimber, Audio Quest, are the most invisible I have listened to.  And I have heard the MIT's, Transparent, Cardas, Analysis Plus. didn't care for them much.

I am by no means an audio expert, nor do I have a $10,000+ system.  However, the best cables I have ever used in over 40 years of listening, are the Reference Series from Anti Cables.   $12 a foot!  While you're at it, check out their Zero Box impedance matcher.  You can multiply the speaker impedance your amplifier "sees" by 2X, 3X, and 4X.  This can come in quite handy when using low impedance speakers with many tube SET amps.

I am very surprised that no one has mentioned Audience AU 24 SE cables. I have found them to be a very transparent with strong bass clarity and no harshness.  But, as so many have mentioned cables will be system dependent.  I do agree with NORDOST high end cables being the fastest most transparent cables I have experienced.

AntiCables are a true bargain. Every time I read someone write about "Temp Electric" "Big Twist" speaker cables ...I want to listen to them. I should just do it!

Purist Audio Design

Lot of good suggestions. I have some expensive cables but the Western Electric and Belden recommendation is one I can easily support. I have both 14 and 16 gauge WE speaker cables and think that both work well.

Antipodes cables...probably the best I have experienced. 

Where do you buy these?

No such thing as final anything in high end audio. I have got rid of all my expensive speaker cable ( MIT, High Diamond 8, Auditorium 23 and Nordost) and replaced them with cheap Western Electric 16 gauge speaker cable. $160 for 3 meter pair. Best I have ever heard. Really stunning cable. Also Belden 1804 interconects. $60 for 1 meter pair. Has all the qualities you want.

As above- the Sablon and Omega Mikro are on my must-demo list.

I experimented with several DIY recipes - starting out with Temp Electric's recommendation and ended up with a single conductor per pole in untreated cotton sleeve. If you can handle the stiffness try dead soft fine silver round wire from riogrande (less expensive). I am now using AWG 6 gauge (SIX - no typo!) bare wire (no termination) in heavy untreated cotton rope. This is by far the most transparent and best speaker wire I ever had. Downside is that you may hear things from your system that you don't care too much for. But it will allow you to determine shortcommings of your components.

I am a big fan of Jena Labs cables. These are the most transparent I have ever heard.  Ultra pure copper in a strand-woven format with clear insulation... you will know exactly what you are getting because you can see it all.  The more expensive versions have more copper, which further reduces the coloration and electromagnetic field interactions with the floor and nearby components. 

So many cables...so little time and money!!

This really clears things up.  Enjoy.

http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm

jafant3,833 posts08-25-2016 9:54ambugman03-

I like Stage III Concepts for power cords (PC) only.
The best that I have ever auditioned (even better than Transparent OPUS).

Interesting feedback Jafant. I know Fred Crowder who loves the Jorma Prime xlr's & sc's swapped out the Jorma Prime pc's on his power amps for Stage III Concepts Minotaurs, noting the Minotaurs work well on power amps, whilst Fred preferred a Jorma Prime pc on his phono stage. Though of course, it is all system-dependent.

This really clears things up.  Enjoy.

http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm

Roger Russel's writing is entertaining at times but very dangerous! He mixes good and true data with his own biased (and often times wrong) opinion.

For example:
" What if you use wire heavier than the minimum size recommended in the table? There is no audible improvement but there can be a considerable increase in cost."

This is plain nonsense! I compared silver wire from 16 AWG up to 6 AWG - the differences were everything but small. I just stopped at 6 AWG because the difference between 6 and 8 AWG was rather small compared to the improvement changing from 10 to 8 AWG. BTW - my speaker wires are 7 feet long - Roger Russel's table states 22 AWG is sufficient for an 8 Ohm load!
I can only recommend you try it for yourself and get 8 or even 6 AWG silver wire from riogrande, stick it in cotton rope and listen for yourself. You will be amazed - no matter what speaker cable you're currently using!

The roger russel table is right, but you have to pick the gauge based on length and the lowest impedance your speakers dropped to and some. Then after that, the benefits of larger gauges become lesser.  You get 10-12 gauge with conectors that do not screw things up and you can rest relaxed... you'll have sound good as good as your system can produce.... guaranteed or your money, back!