Cables for Audio Research

Any good cable will do. Recordings to play are more of a challenge.

congratulations. That is some excellent gear. FWIW I have been using Kimber HERO XLR from the LS15 to the VT100 and to my tired ears it sounds marvelous.
I think the KS may be a notch above that so rest easy!
D

I'm using Kimber Select 1011 with a PH 5 with nice results.

I used Kimber Select between a GNSC modded LS15 and a VT100 mk III. I thought it was a bit bright. I ended up trying, and liking, Cardas Cross very much. I prefer it to Cardas Golden Cross, in fact...it's a bit more laid back. So I outfitted my whole system with Cardas Cross.

That having been said, I later read that Kimber Select has a long break-in period. I only used it for about 20 hours new out of the box, so I didn't get the benefit of it being broken in. I'm glad I kept the cable, and intend to give it another try. Obviously, a lot of people like it, and, once broken in, brightness is apparently not an issue. But I'd be interested to hear comments about that.

Which Kimber Select Eweedhome?

I used the KS 1030 Single Ended and KS 1130 Balanced with my ARC Ref 1. Doing a lot of tests, I finally switched my single ended to Siltech Gold, and my balanced to MIT Oracle. ARC and MIT are an excellent combination. Their new interconnects that let you match the impedance are the best choice "to my taste". Regards.

I am using a Audio Research Ref 3 and Ayre V-5xe amp with Kubala-Sosna Emotion cables and it sounds incredible. BTW, I have heard the Kimber in my system before. You can definitely do better.

Pops, in response, it was/is KS1011, which was recommended to me by a guy I've done business with for years in Austin.

Breaking in gear is a major pain, you know? What I've heard about the Kimber Select is that it really needs 400+ hours to get where it needs to be. So far, my patience isn't that long. And I haven't figured out an easy way to set something up elsewhere in the house and leave it...it's complicated by most of my gear being tube gear.

Cheers

Eweedhome, I understand, breaking in cables is a PITA. The bad news is the 1011's do get much better after 200+ hours. They have a nice top end and pleasant full bodied sound right out of the box but they really open up with air and seperation after burn-in. I think they are more neutral than I initially thought even though I would say slightly on the sweet side.

I finally put a secondary system together for burning in cables because I can't stand to cook the tubes in my preamp breaking in wire! But, If you can hang in there with the 1011's I think you will be pleased. Good luck.

One other thing I like about the 1011's is the detail and pitch definition in the bottom in. Electric bass and bass strings on acoustic guitars have a very sweet tuneful sound, sounds closer to my Martin Jumbo with a big rich presentation.

acoustic zen Matrix Reference synergizes well with ARC