This cable game is making my head spin

@blue_collar_audio_guy “That would make all my cables that model. Giving me a baseline.”

That is a great idea. If you like the overall tonal balance and presentation you can move up the product models. If you don’t you can move to a different brand emphasizing the characteristics you want. You are creating a known starting place.

I did the same decades ago… then came up with about six or seven variables each to be rated on a ten point scale. With my standard set. I would compare others with them. If what you have chosen isn’t “neutral” it doesn’t matter… because several variables will always be high or low… showing how these place in the greater scheme of things.

An excellent logical approach since there is no absolute neutral standards available.

Look at used Cardas cables. This puts you in with high end manufactures with a propensity towards natural sound… great if your equipment isn’t high end. Using Audiogon or used cables.com will get you in at half the original price. Also look at used Harmonics copper.

OP,

No question speaker cables are really important. I would say in most cases they are the most important. If I upgrade my system, they are the first thing I look for.

Cardas are warm, accentuate the bass relative to the details and can hide some noice / hash from some overly detailed electronics.

Wire world Silver tend to be detailed and pretty well balanced.

‘’DH Labs are really good budget. Silver… take a while to break in. Very good for the money.

Transparent are well… really transparent and convey the full spectrum of your components. I use all Transparent.

I would recommend used. Audiogon or UsedCables. You can get them for 1/2 price… and rent to try.

Just because a cable is good for some people here it does not mean it is going to be good for you. Everyone’s system is different. If you buy mainstream, you can buy used and they will retain value. Buying the “newest great thing” may work. Make sure you can return them.

Top selling brands are WireWorld, Transparent, and Audio Quest.

@decooney

The newer Cardas Clear Beyond, Clear Reflections are not as warm as the old reference, golden matrix, etc… but they are on the warm side, slightly emphasizing the bass and attenuating the details.

I am not trying to be argumentative, but this is how they sound in the spectrum of cable companies products.. I have had several pair of Clear, Clear Beyond, and Clear Reflection interconnects as well as power cords and compared them directly with Wire World, DH Labs, Transparent, Nordost, Harmonics (several versions), for nearly a year, Nirvana, Straight Wire, and a couple more. I have compared them on several systems. They are, and have been for decades notably on the warm side. This is not a criticism, it is just how they sound. In many systems, this is what you need.

@decooney

I’ll have to look around and see what WireWorld I still have around. I have gone through a purge of the ridiculous pile of expensive cables I was not using.

Long ago I used to take notes… came up with a detailed rating system. Spent hundreds and hundreds of hours evaluating cabling (speaker cables, interconnects, and power cords) in different configurations of components. I learned a lot. I don’t bother any more.

There were a couple things I was surprised at the consistency of across time, one of which has been at the consistent warmth of Cardas. Every time, in every system (this works well in many, many systems) they are warm in comparison to all but notably warm cables. My dealer carries Cardas, and loves them… so he keeps dropping them by for me to try. I recognize everyone has different systems, preferences, and perceptions… so there are lots appropriate observations as there is no real empirical ruler… but this generality of mine has been reinforced repeatedly over decades… so I feel somewhat obligated to say so. Just trying to be helpful to the general community.

I will say that until you get into very highly designed cables the greatest predictor as to the sound character is Copper (a hierarchy of the actual CU quality / character within this category), silver coated copper, hybrid copper/silver wire, all silver… tends to be warm —> cool / detailed. Which it sounds like you are alluding to.

@decooney

Thanks for your response. Yes, it can be fun.

Cool about you zeroing in on the occ/ohno cable. I completely understand your interest. It is really fascinating to zero in on subtle differences in the materials and isolation techniques. I spent a lot of time noting the difference with earlier systems of mine with different formulas of copper. My systems at that time we’re high resolution and mostly solid state. Copper was usually the best solution. As my systems evolved, then silver coated copper struck the right balance.

I have to say that my experience has been that as components get better one can move up on the metal scale. The very best cables I have heard are Nordost Odin 2. Heavy silver. Upper end Nordost are incredible… lower level not so much. The Nordost Odin 2 are just frighteningly good with the right components. But the average cost of my components is $20K and the Odin 2 interconnect $17K… after a week… I had to yank them from my system as they were starting to sound too good.

I guess what I have learned is that you work with and carefully differentiate the materials / technology that works with your current system and close variants. As you move up in the compliment of components to really high end stuff the components require greater neutrality to sound the best. This is why the upper tiers of Transparent, Nordost, and some of the other brands exist. I use almost all Transperant now. I remember connecting a set of Transparent speaker cables (and Straight Wire interconnects) to my system thirty years ago and clasping my hands over my ears in horror… but in my current, much better system… the same interconnects sound great. So, it all depends on your current system.