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Double your pleasure with same cable throughout?


Howdy sports fans,

I’m a bit aprehensive and certainly more than a little confused about recent events and would really appreciate some insights from those who have done a likewise effort…. I'm talking about runing SAME BRAND and/or brand & model IC throughout a system. As to culminate this venture by so doing, will be a fairly costly thing and thus delay my finishing things up with my sys…. though I'd rather a delay than a re-do. Been there, done that, on the re-do thing.

I’ve been in the hunt for a different XLR IC from my preamp to amp lately. I found something quite interesting during that process. After (and still), trying several previously ‘untried’ brands in that spot, along with some of the same brand/model, as was/is already exsisting upstream, I’ve thus far found that the EXACT same brand as the source to preamp cable provides the greatest enhancement. The same brand & model, even more so…

Is this common?

Perhaps much of the ‘cabling’ going on in the majority of systems I see here at Audiogone in the various posted systems is a ‘cost’ driven exorcise. Can’t say for sure… and perhaps not, though surely it would be understandable were it so. Given the results, which really speak for themselves, I fail to understand Why then, aren’t more systems running the same brand IC and/or even the same model IC, as wel throughout a system?

Using a MIT Mag 3 on my source, and inserting another MIT offering between pre & amp, remarkable improvements were realized. First was the Shotgun S2, and following it, a Mag 3…. I stopped there as info I gained about which level of IC should be put where seems to indicate the source IC should be of a higher level than the pre to amp IC... or the same, but no further up than the upstream IC as a general rule.

Is this simply a thing MIT has going for themselves? Would even greater positive attributes be realized by adding MIT speaker wires too? Or maybe that’s too much of a good thing?

Or is this just a fluke?

I’m still looking and have a few more items to review before making my choice… but it’s getting closer to ‘buying time’ and I thought I’d ask those in the know… still I want to try both Synergistic REs Ref, and Nirvana SX & SL, as well before deciding. Other cables I've put in have been from decent to outstanding, for the most part thus far, but 'same same' sure has the edge right now.

SURE DO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND INFO…
blindjim
sgr's avatar
sgr
689 posts
 
So far, the best I've used from SR is the Res Ref cable. I will be trying Designers Reference to connect my DAC to the preamp. I also will try the higher levels of speaker cables and the digital cables at some point. I believe that the Res Ref family hits kind of a sweet spot, both in resolution quality and the pocketbook.

Also, Elliot at SR feels that one wouldn't want to use all top of the line cables in my system, but use a blend to get the best sound. Which is kind of regreshing as they are not so concerned with emptying your pocketbook. So far he's been right on.
IMHO, you have to use the Quattro in place of the mini power couplers to really hear what SR can do for your system.
jwpstayman
279 posts
 
Hi - hopefully I can jump in and add something on this issue. There are several companies that produce cables that almost always give the best performance when used throughout a system. MIT, JPS Labs, Virtual Dynamics, Transparent, and Synergistic come to mind. Others like Cardas, Purist, Nirvana,Siltech, Acoustic Zen and Analysis PLus make cables that do stand alone and only in some systems do you benefit from using the same cable throughout. There are rabid opinions on both sides of course ( this IS audio after all), but the above products are consistant performers in both camps when appropriate to the system components. The one common denominator that should be mentioned here is that the GOAL is to try and make sure the relative transfer speed is the same throughout the system - ie - don't mix copper and silver in the same system because of teh difference in transfer speeds. Just trying to help eveeryone here by relating my experience. John
blindjim OP
2,837 posts
 
sgr, good. I've spoken with Elliot previously. I'd say you're right on with that assessment. He did indicate I should be at a little higher level... but figured the RES as a good fit... ditto for speaker ccables... with the Sig 10 an absolutely 'no less than it", speaker wire. Getting up above the Sig 10 will take some real doing... 15 ft runs. and wider spreads for biwiring on JR's than on most speakers. (Using 2 sets of synergistic spkr cabs... Sig 10 mid bass & up, Alpha quad on bottom driver - both are active)

big noticeable improvement using the Quattro? Worth the investment huh? Well if the synergistic RES REF is a keeper I suppose getting one of those things is in my future.... also, not totally sure, but I think the mini couplers allow for or contribute to some DC leakage into the electyrical sys... Quattro's fix that?

thanks.
aggielaw
264 posts
 
I've tried "cabling out" my system with a couple different brands of cable, and found it was "too much of a good thing" in both cases. At the end of the month I'll try a third manufacturer's cables, and if those don't work out I'll likely go back to the combination I have now.

Interestingly, I find IC's from the same manufacturer work great, but when I add the speaker cables I don't like the sound as much.

Maybe I just haven't used the "right" manufacturers yet. :)

If you decide to finish "cabling out" your system let us know the end result!
pops
1,847 posts
 
It is strange how some cables just sound better mixed with others to "tune" your system. I have alot of experience with all levels of MIT and they definitely have a sonic signature that some like and some don't. I do but like to switch in other brands from time to time....cause I'm half nuts. I always put the MIT's back in fairly quick. The synergy you get with all MIT really paints a specific landscape that can be awesome, especially in the midrange region, but throw in a rogue cable, IC or speaker cable and it just makes both sound inadequate in my opinion.
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