@akg_ca +1
Cables are so very system dependent, an extended audition in home is necessary. It just can’t be accomplished at the dealer.
That said, I did make an initial determination between Transparent, AQ and Nordost at the dealer to determine the “house” sound of each brand. It helped that the dealer carries my speaker (though not my electronics.)
What i wasn’t able to do unfortunately, was audition the reference level of the three brands, or anything beyond what my local dealer carried.
So, I’ll always have to wonder if I’d prefer reference level Transparent or AQ. Fortunately, I’ve lost my appetite for that comparison as I’ve told myself Valhalla 2s should be end game.
To @couger4u don’t let us discourage you from exploring Frey or Tyr II speaker cables. They are certainly very good and may indeed provide the results you hope for. Yes, there is always more, but it is certainly a diminishing returns game. Just be aware that if you don’t necessarily like them, it may be that it’s not the speaker cable you actually dislike. I could be that it is just potentially revealing other choke points in your system. Hence, the fun and/or frustrating part of this hobby.
I hope you come back to this thread to let us know how it’s going.
Best,