What cable companies make the best cables and sell them directly?
What cable companies make the best cables and sell them directly?
I have a good quality system and I am looking for better quality cables for all connections.
Denefrips Terminator DAC
Martin Logan Expression ESL 13A Electrostatic Speakers
Pass Labs 260.8 Mono Amplifiers (2)
PS Audio BHK PreAmplifier
Sony Blu Ray UBP-X800 CD/Blu Ray Player
SVS PB 16-Ultra Subwoofer
I am looking for good quality cables sold directly to the consumer. I am currently using no name, better than average, cables. I refuse to pay the 100 % markup of the better line of cables that are sold through middlemen. I am looking for companies that have had very good reviews.
This is NOT to be a discussion as to whether or not cables make a difference.
Thank you to all for your assistance.
Hi I have found that Blue Jeans Cable Company puts together a great cable. They use Canare and a great 12g wire by Belden. I have heard the difference ( for real) over other brands. The turn around is fast too! If you visit their web pages you will be provided with an excellent product description etc. Good Luck |
I have had good experiences with Morrow Audio MA7 IC's and speaker cables. reasonable prices and a nice sounding wire. I preferred the MA7 to MIT shotgun 1.3's and Audience Au24 speaker wire, both of which are also great. Morrow punches above its weight class and they give you a large credit if you want to upgrade. Very nice company to deal with. I have to disagree with @fpomposo in one respect. I highly doubt that one cable "blew away" another cable. The differences between cables are not "OMG, its a different system" although there is clearly a difference between cables. Plus, it is a function of how resolving your system is. The more resolving -- like in the stratosphere, the more things like cables can be noticed. I had Focal Diablo Utopia III's with a Pass Labs 250.8 and an MSB DAC, and I could prefer the MA7's over the MIT's for example. Was it a "blew me away" difference? No. Was there a subtle improvement? Yes. When I got Wilson Sabrina X's, I upgraded by speaker cables from the MA7 ($700) to $4000 Shunyata Alpha's. There was a solid improvement -- definitely better. But was I crying with dissatisfaction with the MA7's? Not at all. I was perfectly content with them but got upgradeitis, and there was really nothing more to futz with besides the cables. So take all of this with a grain of salt. Cables in your system will not "blow you away." They can and will make an audible change, but how audible is ear and system dependent. |
Hello: Have you thought of making your own cables? Get the raw cable from Beldin, mogami, or other company that make the raw cables. Then get the connectors from company that make connectors like Furutech. Get your solder and soldering iron and you are on your way. Most companies that make interconnects don't make the cables or connectors, they just assemble them and make them look pretty. I have purchased very expensive cables for my audio system and upgraded several times. But it came to a point where I performed listening test with my executive cables and cables I made up myself using Blue Jeans cables, mogami and Belding cables and I when I compared my DIY cables with my expensive cables I couldn't tell any difference. The reason I went DIY is that after purchasing the expensive cables I immediately heard a difference in the system, but after a few weeks that excitement wore off and I began to wonder why. No answer than to say because it's expensive it must sound better. Nonsense. Try some DIY cables and judge for yourself, only you can decide what sounds best to you. There is no magic bullet in this hobby. |
Audioart Cable speaker, power, and interconnects have worked well for me. And Rob at AudioArt Cable is a great help. My woo audio wa22 headphone amp uses a anticable powerchord. I have been playing with considering the fidellium speaker cable. Jeff there is a great guy to talk with. I have mixed gold and mixed silver and rhodium between different components and noticed I could tune my system that way as others have mentioned in this thread. Hence the anticable power cord on the headphone amp (a tube amp). However, i did spend a bit on usb with wireworld platinum (started with a audioquest carbon). I also agree with others here that if you have the time and money to find the right synergy to your system, the Cable Company rentals can be helpful. I also found cable does get better with a little time; makes a quick analysis on new cables in a comparison a bit difficult. I have a friend using silver smith and fidellium and loves them in his system. Definitely look for some video reviews on some of the brands you are reading here in the thread.that is how I found AudioArt Cables (a New Record Day video review put AudioArt Cable on my radar). My system is a mid system, schiit mono aegirs, and bedini amps, to shahenian obelisk speakers, a schiit yggdrasil, and a freya+ with the woo wa22 and audeze headphones. I don’t think my system is in the same league as yours. However, there is a theme here with my system, how much sound value can I obtain at what is a reasonable cost to my income. I have tried a few other cable brands (cullen Cable, nordost heimdal II, blue jean, audioquest, and they are all in a box. ;) but you know this hobby…. Sky’s the limit and diminishing returns and all. i tuned my system to where I was enjoying the musicality and called it a day. Cheers and good luck.. |
I have used Audio-Envy cables for all of my RCA analog interconnects and speaker cables. I have found them to be really musical and balanced across the frequency spectrum. Captain is the owner and is happy to work with you and I believe they still have a return if not satisfied policy. I highly recommend them for sound and price. |
Sometimes a direct seller is less likely to discount so as to avoid being accused of undercutting their secondary retailers. Sometimes returns are only accepted for replacements and not refunds. When dealing with a direct seller those replacment options can be much more limited than can sometimes be the case with a secondary reseller that might carry additional lines. |
because I see endless debate on things like cables and very little if any discussion about optimizing a room (which includes speaker placement) granted, I don't spend much time here anymore so maybe I'm wrong about that, but historically my view is accurate
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How many people spend countless hours swapping cables but won't spend a few minutes working with speaker placement or invest in room treatments? Cables should be the absolute LAST thing you worry about after EVERYTHING ELSE is perfected. In other words, you should never invest in high end cables unless you have an infinite amount a money or telling your friends how much you spent on cables gives you great pleasure. buy some cables from Benchmark, or make them, and be done with it.
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@firstonetallguy I know you have a lot to work with here but I too think Signal Cable does a good job, and it is a small business. Frank is great. I went with Raven Audio (Texas based, also a small biz) for the Amp AND all Cables for my analogue kit. Their power cable is actually supplied with their amps (who else includes a premium power cable?) and I ended up using their interconnects for the phono stage and 2 REL subs & speaker cables. I think that’s called a full loom? I cannot say either brand are the BEST but both are DIRECT ONLY. The Raven’s are a bargain and they offer a 45 day in home trial on some amps and all cables I believe. James @ Raven is great but backed up with emails so best to call if you have questions, otherwise order online. |
@jerrybj |
@1971gto455ho Move along then. Go hang with the Neanderthals at Audioholics.
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My vote is Anti-Cables speaker wires .. they blew away way more expensive cables I had like Audience AU24, and the 3.1’s only cost like $300 or so. I’ve never tried their interconnects. I use Acoustic Zen Absolute RCA's which are amazing but pricey. The AntiCables are so inexpensive to buy direct just to even try them, and I think they have a 30 day no questions asked return policy which you won’t need |
I reached a point of needing power cables and the problem I have with many of the manufacturers is that they are like Baskin Robbins... WAY too many flavors. Talk about a major turn off. Do any of you non-shill, non-dealer, actual consumers like this? It's one of the many reasons I love Silversmith Audio. One speaker cable. We did our best and here it is. Love it. You do not have to wonder which cable you can afford among a ladder lineup and left wondering what the more expensive models give you that your money did not. No thank you. I wish Silversmith had a power cable. I've been looking at the recommendations here and I'm very interested in Anitcables because they only have two power cable offerings. So far the others have too many for my liking. Others look promising until you have to choose between a standard connector and again, more flavors. Yay! I think one of them reads "audiophile connector" and it's like $80 more lol. Hard pass! I cannot believe this works for other consumers. It's certainly not for me. @firstonetallguy I hope your cable journey goes well. Please let us know what you end up with? |
OP,
I do have another recommendation. Do NOT make a decision based on the information on the manufacturer’s web site. I am not saying it is wrong… it is just not helpful in decision making. If it tells you all about their technology… it just doesn’t matter. It is what it sounds like in your system, with your components in your audio room.
I recommend reading reviews… from legitimate sources, Stereophile, The Absolute Sound, and HiFi+. Also, listen to some and see what they do in your system and compare with reviews. If your system is very modest… great interconnects may do nothing, if it is intermediate or high end it could be jaw dropping. I have spent hundreds of hours evaluating for my systems. I recently tried out a $7K cable from a very high end company… it sounded terrible… this is very uncommon, but can happen.
If your system is already leaning to be too detailed and trebly… a really good clear set of interconnects can tip it over it over into the fatiguing side. While warm ones would provide a heftier mare natural sound. Generally copper is warm, silver coated copper is warm with added details and silver is very detailed but can be harsh. But the design of a good cable can override the underlying material.
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Thank you to all who have responded. I had no idea there were so many cable companies that could fulfill my needs. I will follow up on every suggestion and make up my mind based on the information contained on the cable company's website and your suggestions and advice. Again I truly appreciate all this wonderful and speedy help.
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The best? Who knows as it’s very taste/system dependent, and then there’s budget that I don’t think you specified. Good news is pretty much all have generous trial periods, so read reviews and have at it! Cullen makes very good and reasonably-priced cables as does Audio Envy, Triode Wire Labs, Darwin, and Zavfino among others. One that flies under the radar and if you’re into silver cables is LavriCable — I’ve got a few of their cables and they’re great with both excellent transparency and musicality, which is a tough act to pull off. Best of luck. |
I upgrade my speaker wires, power cords for both my ARCAM and my Bluesound and also upgraded my digital cables. I was fortunate to use The Cable Company. I worked with Jason Ressler and he is by far the most knowledge people I have worked for. He understands everything involving audio. He should be teaching. He is also one of the nicest people I have every worked with. |
Is it pointless to discuss the technology of these recommended brands? I hear people saying how they all sound different which would lead one to believe that there are MANY different technologies involved here that would affect the sound profoundly. What say you, or are there just not that many ways of combining wire within a shield? |
Check out Darwin cables. They do what cables should: get out of the way and impose as little of their own character on the signal. I use them for my ICs and SCs. Vendors at audio shows use their cables to show off their stereo gear. I’ve worked my way up their line and with each step, it got better. They have some of, if not the lowest capacitance around. They are fast, articulate, tight and textured with no smearing or homogenizing of the sound. They also employ four different stereo set ups to ensure across the board performance that doesn't favor any particular type of gear. Check out their Specials section to see what discounts you can get to get a taste. Tony and Bill are great to deal with and if you like, just talk shop. All the best, |
Found these guys. Audio Sensibility. Both direct and easy to deal with And there’s Morrow Audio too. |
