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System Cable Upgrade Recommendation

Hi all,

I posted recently in the Digital forum and got some great advice (new Mytek Brooklyn DAC on the way), and now I’m hoping to do the same over here.

I’m a believer in the cable voodoo (but not the eye-watering pricing and insane margins they must have). The nice lady that sold me my Triton 2s heard I was running RadioShack spool speaker cable and begged me to home audition a pair of Transparent The Wave, which were night and day different in performance and remain in my system today. That was enough to convert me, but all other cables are still my "whatever’s cheapest on Amazon" curation. Recently upgrading from a Marantz PM8005 amp to the Mc MA252 was a huge blessing (curse for my bank account) as it’s fantastic and a new performance bar I'm building around system-wise.

I primarily listen to indie and a lot of electronic production, with the occasional jazz album thrown in. Budget is flexible -- just want to hit the cost/value apex commensurate with my system, where the components total about $8k.

Bluesound Node 2i
Marantz TT-15
Brooklyn Mytek DAC
McIntosh MA252
Goldenear Triton 2s (in powered mode)

Based on this, I believe I’d need:
Optical from TV to DAC
Digital Coax Bluesound Node to DAC
Interconnect (balanced or unbalanced) DAC to MA252
Speaker Cable
3x Power Cord (Amp, 2x powered bass amps)

I saw Shunyata recommended elsewhere for a McIntosh-based system, and I’d also be willing to go the DIY route. No access to soldering equipment though -- stripping wire and adding connectors would be about the limit of my capability).

Default plan was to get some Blue Jeans cable all around and audition various things through The Cable Co library program until I heard what I like. However, that’s going to take a while and you have to put out a 5% fee to try, which is only refundable as store credit. I find more value in the used market picking up hot deals. If there’s something highly recommended I could go ahead and get, I’d do that.

Thanks in advance.


bfjones01
bfjones01 OP
6 posts
 
Thanks for the suggestion -- read a lot of reviews and seems great. Would benefit me systemwide and be safer than 2 $10 surge strips daisy-chained together.

Just scored a refurbished Elite 15 PFi for $500 delivered.

Would also appreciate thoughts on cables.  Do power cables now matter less with the line conditioner?
gdnrbob
2,421 posts
 
I would check out Audioquest. I, too, used Transparent, but found AQ to be much better with my speakers/amp.
Plus, their prices are much more realistic-unless you want to go to the top tier. Even the lower ranked models perform well above their price range.
I would either call AQ, or PM John Rutan (aaudioconnection). He knows AQ as well as you other components and can give you some great, free information without a hard sell.
Bob
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
For the Toslink optical from TV to DAC I suggest checking out Lifatec.
bfjones01 OP
6 posts
 
Thanks Bob & Elizabeth -- will do some research on that Lifatec cable.

I actually pulled the trigger on a full set of Silnote Morpheus II Reference II w/ Poseidon power cords thanks to their holiday sale, after confirming a 30-day trial period. I’ve also ordered a set of Blue Jeans Cable interconnects and digital coax (keeping stock power cords). My plan is to do some blind A/B testing with friends and see if we can reliably discern a difference. For $65 in cables vs $1700 (and 3x that at list prices), I’d certainly expect to -- otherwise they’re going back. I’ll update on our findings in case they’re of interest to others.  This will be my first real experience with "high end" cables, even if it's just dipping a toe into that range.

Incidentally, Mark at Silnote has been great thus far responding to a couple questions about return policy and recommended burn-in period. This contrasted with The Cable Co who have not responded to my inquiry in 4 days. Good experience thus far and I should have his cables in-hand in a couple weeks.
stereo5's avatar
stereo5
2,766 posts
 
I found The Cable Company horrible for returning calls or email.  That is the main reason I no longer do business with them. 
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