wnat to downgrade my cables

Excellent responses. Sugarbrie- I'm not downgrading too far but want to free up some cash for a great deal on a SET amp and I'm thinking of replacing the speaker cables with Sonoran cables so they should still be good enough for my system. S23Chang- Your last suggestion is exactly what I am planning to do. I am planning to try out an integrated 15Watt 300B set that a friend of mine is selling. It's not so much that anything is "missing" but to do this I need to free up some money and like I said, I think the cables can be replaced with a less expensive cable and still keep the strengths alive. My room is truly the weak link but there's nothing I can do about that right now. Maybe I'm wrong to switch cables but I figure there's really only one way to find out.

The question is for suggestions. (I was rushed)

Listener57- I wrote to gregg for more info.
I replaced my yam5000 with sonoran desert cables and eeks! not even close. Any ideas?

I've now been switching between the Sonorans and the Yamamuras, the Cary amp and a Vaic 300B SET. Basically I want a good quality less expensive cable but I'm inclined to agree with S23chang to some degree that I will likely be sacrificing quality with the money saved. It's also such a synergy thing that it's really gonna be alot of trial and evaluation and in this respect Ernie has a very valid point. Merci bien and thanks for all your thoughts. I've never had the luxury of two nice amps to show how the cheaper can have strengths the more expensive lacks and vice-versa. The Sonorans don't even sound that bad with the Cary SLI-80. OF course the Vaic with the 302B's is quite revealing but it's bass is less defined than the Cary with the quad of KT-88's. Again anyone familiar with any of my gear, I'd like to hear what you're using and thanks. BTW it is mainly the speaker cables and IC's(to a lesser extent) that I am talking about and not power cables at all.

I have borrowed and now bought a Mastersound/Vaic 300b SE, 15w SET integrated amp. Much more revealing of cable differences and now I feel that my choices are much harder. In fact I have no idea how to choose anymore. It's my first foray into the low watts class A amps and though I love the midrange, I find the bass definition a little lacking. I know it's a stretch to use cables to help out a system but just before I sent off the Yamamuras I did an A/B with the Sonoran Deserts I also borrowed. Made me wish I hadn't sold the Yamamuras. The Sonorans kind of undid some of the beauty the SET imparted to the music. Brought everything forward and cut the depth considerably. I guess I prefer the warm side of neutral, or so I assume considering my choices, but now I am looking for the depth again. All the comments about my room are not usefull, though I appreciate them and the importance, but I cannot do anything about it considering my current living situation. Speaker placement is about as good as I can do and the stands are filled with sand to about 70lbs a piece. I think I am going to have to bite the bullet and spend some money because I just can't settle for the sound I have now. Signal Cables, Verastarr? Any of these even worth the effort or am I going to have to buy another set of Yamamuras or P.A.D. Colossus (I like the IC), or Audience Au24s. Can't really audition any around here especially since I have no intention of buying new from a dealer. Any other ideas. Ernie, I have had Nordost Blue Heavens in the past but found them thin, but then again, my system has no common components since I owned them. I too have fond memories of the HT Truthlink.

Well my price range has changed. I started this looking for a $200 cable(used) that would replace the $450-500 Yamamuras (used). I was hopeful that someone would know my gear or the type of sound I would like and give me some avenues for research. I've gotten many ideas but after my latest experiments(YamM5000,SonoranDesert/XLO pro1200) I admit that I am leery of dropping the $200 because I realize that my expectations were, likely, unrealistic. I know there's alot of overpriced cables but some are expensive AND good and some are moderate and good. I'm starting to wonder about the cheap and good. So maybe my budget is going back up to the $600(used) mark because it'll be worth it if I hear what I know is there.

Ouch! You slay me.

So how does that stuff work? Can you just chop a 25' lenth into four and bare-wire it to the terminals? Guess I'll look it up.

Did you terminate the speaker cables? I see some used lengths for sale that seem cheap enough for an experiment. Hmmm...

Thanks for all the sources! I have ordered a set of speaker cables from Gregg Straley as recommended from Listener57's post. We had a good correspondance so I thought I'd try his DIY design for 8' pair of sp. cable for $175 with a 1m pr. of IC's tuned for tube gear for $90 all on money back guarantee. Should be arriving in a couple days. If successful, I will continue my "downgrades". Thinking of selling my Audio Magic Stealth and going for a balanced power unit from Transcendent Sound. BTW. I don't have the Cary amp any more. Now have the Mastersound/Vaic 300b SE, 15w SET integrated.

I bought the cables recommended in by "Listener57" and I am very pleased. As much as memory serves they turned out to be every bit as good as my Yamamuras. Very detailed, clean and precise sound. No etchiness or harshness at all. Very musical. Sucessful experiment I'd say. Not thinking I'll ever need to replace these.

Further success on the Power Cord front. Sold my Shunyata, electraglide and PS audio, bought Ernie M's Prelude PCs and put some $$ into a new CDP and my system sounds GREAT!!!.....