2. cables
  3. 132316-17741

Suggestion on XLR Cables

I’m looking for a suggestion on reasonably price high-end XLR cables. By reasonable I mean <=$1k. I prefer pre-owned cables because I hate paying retail, especially for cables.

The rest of the system is

PS Audio DMP Transport
PS Audio DSD Dac
NAT Audio Magnetic Preamp
PS Audio BHK Stereo Amp
Wilson Audio Duettes
Synergistic Powercell 10 UEF Conditioner
Acoustic Revive RTP-2 Power Distributor
(2) Acoustic Revive R-777
3 Furutech Flux 50 Power Filters
Various Furutech Power Cables
Dueland XLR interconnects
Acoustic Revive Speaker Cable

Most of what I listen to is Jazz, Vocalists (Diana Krall, Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald) or Pop/Rock (Eagles, James Taylor). Occasionally classical but then mostly solo piano.

Thanks in advance.





ihmeyers

Showing 6 responses by inna

inna
5,245 posts
 
If you are willing to experiment read my thread regarding Tchernov cables.
And forget all this pro junk, they use them because they want to save a lot, that's all. Ralph, at least at times, uses Purist Audio cables for shows, no matter how much he might talk about Mogami. He is doing business here not socializing for the sake of it.
inna
5,245 posts
 
ghosthouse, no, they can ship to the US from Berlin. I talked to them a few times. But this is not the best option, I guess. The best option is to deal with the Canadian distributor. He doesn't have everything in stock but he would order what he doesn't have from them quickly enough. I first got Tchernov Classic MK II RCAs a few weeks ago and liked it so much that I just ordered the Reference MK II. Both Tchernov people and Jim from Canada assured me that the Reference MK II would be on a totally different level. We'll see. If it is not I can return it, no problem.
inna
5,245 posts
 
You need balanced cables, not tone controls. So no "more highs or mids or lows". If you think that you need this, your equipment or component synergy is not good.
inna
5,245 posts
 
ghosthouse, I treat cables as components, no less no more, and I have found that the higher you go the more performance you extract from the same set-up without changing anything else. But I do not try to adjust the sound, only bring out more of it. I believe, that sound manipulation should be done at the level of speakers and maybe cartridge and table. The rest is 'wire with gain'. Our active components are really often better than they seem. No, my Redgum integrated will not sound as good as Gryphon with any cabling, there is always a limit, of course, but signal transmission importance is obvious to me.
inna
5,245 posts
 
ghosthouse, I generally categorize audiophiles as belonging to two schools of thought - school of realists and school of dreamers or romantics. I mostly belong to the former with elements of the latter.
Also, I view speakers as both devices and even more as instruments.
Two equally good guitars may sound very different. When choosing speakers I choose the instrument first, device second, but both are important. The question of turntable and cartridge is a complicated one, but I would say that I choose more a device than instrument here.
inna
5,245 posts
 
It depends on the equipment and length, and you always should compare if you can.
More to discover