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Best Cables for ARC gear

OK, I started a few months ago upgrading and can't stop! The current question is one frequently asked but if I may I will pose this question again:
Best balanced cables for ARC gear, ACR CDMKII-ARC LS25MKII-ARC VT100MKII. I have Single ended cables (Cardas Gold Ref and Transparent Plus) They each sound different for sure but when switching to standard mic cable, it totally blows the RCA's away. Not just more gain but cleaner, clearer,deeper, stronger, etc. I cant let my friends see cheap mic cables in my rig so I would like some opinion from those who have ARC gear. BTW for the purpose of this IC quest I have paired CD/PRE with my pair of Genelec studio monitors which in the near field can reveal EVERYTHING! Thank you
vdosc
etbaby
137 posts
 
Hi I have a similar setup:
ARC Ref 3
ARC CDMKII
ARC VT100 MKIII

Change you power cables first! This will give you the biggest bang for the buck. Try Shunyata Black Mamba
lostbears's avatar
lostbears
479 posts
 

I have a similar system. ARC Ref CD7, LS25 mk2 and Ref 110 amp. I have also owned a VT100 mk3 and CD3 in the past. I use Audio Research Litzlink II Balanced Interconnects between my LS25 mk2 and Ref 110 and a double run of Audio Research Litzline II between my amp and speakers. I have an old pair of Synergistic Research cables between my CD7 and LS25. I played with a number of cables including Cardas in the past but have always found the ARC to be the best match for ARC gear. Until recently it was the cable Audio Research used in house.

Excellent cable for the money and especially used as they are no longer made. My cables are 8 to 10 years old and I really believe that cables get better the more they are used.
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
If you like the cheap cables, swap the ends of your cheap fun balanced cables for those ultra high end Cardas XLRs connectors.
That should impress the hell out of your friends, AND you can just say: "I had them custom made".
Great.
rrog
1,958 posts
 
You can buy a jacket to slip over the mic cables just like the ones many high end cable manufacturers use or buy ARC wire.
vdosc OP
44 posts
 
Ok that was just a joke about what my friends think about cables.
My comments about the "cheap" cables were more to point out a reality (given the electronics that I have) that going balanced even with "cheap" cables noticeably out preformed some "hi-end" single ended cables.
Therefore I am interested in some really good Bal interconnects that will again make a noticeable improvement. I would like to try the ARC cables but I never see them for sale. And I will try the power cords as well.
Thank you for responses...all of them!
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