Experience with Black Cat and/or Triode lab Wires


I am considering Triode Lab Wire or Black Cat. I’m aware of the unfortunate passing of Chris, so I’m willing to buy used or new. My price range is $400 per meter for (rca/rca) interconnect, and $600 for SC’s. The Triode wires are priced in line with my budget, as are the entry level offerings from Black Cat. I have concern that while the Triode cable have a strong following, perhaps they’re geared toward low power amps and high efficiency speakers. Their company is called Triode after all. My system is a Naim XS integrated with phono and Harbeth C7's. I need Interconnects for Well Tempered Simplex 2 (RCA outputs) and then for step up transformer to phono. Also need speaker cables. 

fjn04

Ditto @jerrybj on the Black Cat Silverstar digital cable.   

Not to muddy the waters, but I'm a fan of Duelund speaker cables and IC's.  Pretty low cost and high value in my experience... and both the IC's and speaker cables can be had within your budget new or used.  Parts Connexion carries them

https://www.partsconnexion.com/duelund-interconnect-cable.html

If you can find them used, you can possibly avoid the 150-200 hour break in period for them to settle it.  Often times posting a "wanted to buy" ad on Audiogon or Audiomart will generate some offers.

 

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I went from a full TWL loom to a full Black Cat loom. PM if you’d like more detail.

In short, TWL makes a warm, pleasant, “meat on the bones” sound. Downside is, I ultimately heard it (in my system) as bloated, sluggish and low resolution — too much music was missing, and what was there was distractingly filtered…I lost interest in listening.

Black Cat is very different. Downside is, the very entry level (Copperwave or tone or whatever) isn’t that good — can sound unrefined and tizzy. You’d need to step up to the mid-range or higher stuff to appreciate the benefits without those downsides — speed, dynamics, transparency into the music, yet natural.

Shoutout for Vertere cables as well. Similar virtues as Black Cat, and they have cables in your price range that are excellent. Have fun out there - if you hate something, don’t hang onto too long because somebody on a forum told ya it’s great…

Thanks you so much for all the suggestions and comments. It was a crazy stretch leading up to Christmas, but alas I have the day off. Last comment is extremely interesting as it coincides with others above, and ads the perspective of actual comparison between the two lines. At one point prior to Chris’s passing, he had a new entry level cable. I’m going to botch the name, but I believe it’s called Keuro Neco. It essentially replaced the Coppertone/Copperzone line. Perhaps I am wrong on that but I know the first part is correct. Maybe the Triode lab will be too warm for what I consider an already warm system. The Naim integrated is a tad warm, and the last generation Compact 7 (ES3)’s are certainly on the warm. I’m so trying to have this 2nd setup as a casual listening, stay off the Merry-Go-Round system. I should mention that I do have a speaker cable right now, which is A23. I have 2 sets, one in my main setup, and an extra set which I have been using in this system when playing digital. I have previously owned A23’s interconnect. and did think it was quite good. An easy step would be to just seek out the interconnect, but it’s a little pricey for what I’m trying to do here. I believe it’s around $900 per meter, and having the Step up, I would need two sets.

I had A23 speaker cables prior to making the switch to Duelund 12 gage.   The A23's have strong resale value, but I prefer the sound of considerably less expensive Duelund, with the only downside being an extensive break in period of 150-200 hours.  I have no experience with Vermeer or TWM.