2017 Honest Cabling that doesn’t promote bankruptcy

blindjim,

Yes, over the years I always had a full loom of matching SR cables & typically purchased their most costly model starting years ago with the Tesla Apex series, then Element CTS and most recently the Atmosphere Level 4 line. I also had a number of their accessories including the Tranquility Base XL, the Power Cell 10, the Transporter Ultra and the really worthless Speaker Cell.

On a few occasions I had to return their products for lack of sufficient QA testing. How do you not test a speaker cable to make sure there's no loose connection at the spade. 

Regardless of the QA issue, IMO most of their stuff seemed over-priced and not a good value for the delivered SQ in my system. Perhaps that's why they provide such an attractive trade-up program to keep SR users from switching brands as they continually introduce new technologies & tell us why it's so much better than last year's model they raved about.   

pops
more or less, I’m fully on board with your idea.
The problem as I see it is having a known quantity at some point with wires. Even placing an IC into source to per, from pre to amp can alter things substantially.
But I’d thereafter not revert to a configuration which lessened the outcome. Regardless. I’d simply sell the wires I’m not digging in my rig, IF trickling them down into another system was a poor notion.
Trickle first, sell after, when possible.

Blindjim
you are correct about quantity of cables - I have plenty in back up but none that are ultra expensive. I do sell those if they are not in use.

I am currently using a loom of Kubala-Sosna Fascination, IC’s, SC and PC’s. They are a very solid match to my system which includes Thiel speakers. I have had them about 3 years and have craved to upgrade to the Emotion level. And there I go again - trying to get into 4 figure cables again. Since I retired recently they are just a little pricey for me and quite frankly, my system….and the Fascinations do a fine job. Don’t know if you have tried KS cables. Full bodied with nice tonal balance - in my system.

I seem to remember you had MIT’s for a while. I have owned and tried a ton of those...

I made a pair of the cables Erik recommends.. they do sound great and are a reasonably inexpensive way to try silver. I ended up making another pair of ICs from solid silver in cotton from vh audio based on a design by @williewonka. I think they sound even better, but I really haven't had a chance to listen as much as I should to form a definite opinion, as I only had them in my system for a couple of weeks before I headed off to Europe. I'm typing this from the Black Forest right now, with my system thousands of miles away..
Here's the williewonka design: http://www.image99.net/blog/files/4127b5fe2694586e383104364360373b-74.html
 I did a few things differently: I used some of the hyperflex tubing from vh audio instead of the teflon tubing in williewonka's recipe. It's listed on the vh audio site alongside the continuous crystal silver in cotton signal wire. I also used OCC copper magnet wire from eBay for the neutral and did away with the floating shield, as I have a basement listening room and rfi is not an issue.

Last comment. If you pick up used AQ Niagara interconnects you'll never look back. Can be had for 60-70% off if you are patient. Was a $2000m silver cable before newest model came out of which I can't discern the difference. Very smooth and detailed.

@blindjim ,
You have so many cable on hand. Why not get the Clear Day cables and give them a shot? As of now have you shortlisted the final 3?