Canare Star Quad 4S11 too Mid-Fi?

Hi Tvad,
I'm not sure STUDIOS use this stuff, but recording engineers and roadies use it all the time for monitoring, as it's easy to work with and sounds great. I too have an EMC-1 SE, but probably will NOT blow another $1400 to have it tweaked by Empirical. Nonetheless it has such exquisitely natural top octave detail that I heard an improvement in going from Red Dawn to SPM on my Verity Audio Parsifal Encores. Yes, yes, I realize that 25' is a longish run, as I have 30 footers on my HT system surrounds, but there's a difference between applications here that makes me think twice about your options. Certainly you want enough copper to push the VR4 SEs from 25', with NO loss in rez or top octave detail provided by the EMC-1. Try the Canare, but I suspect that other high-current LINEAR cables MIGHT give you more life up top.
I very highly recommend the CANARE for budget systems, all HT, and for long runs for surrounds in any system. If you try it as an inexpensive first shot I suggest that you'll find it RELATIVELY very dynamic, but slightly softer on top than the most open, linear (Nordost, et al) cables, resulting in a neutral-to-laidback soundstage. It's indeed perfect for my Spendors in a HT setup, where most programming is too bright anyway, but with your (and my) 2 channel ref system just keep in mind its limitations. When I'm setting up friends' budget systems I start with it, then try Blue Heaven when more "life" is desired, but NOT at 25 feet. Keep in touch. Ern

Ern,
Thanks for your thoughts. I am installing the Canare today, and will be receiving my modified EMC 1-UP next week, so I'll report back later with my impressions of the sound. A little softening of the top might not be a bad thing to my ears. Any specific suggestions for high-currnet, linear cables for my 30 foot run? You have mentioned Blue Heaven, but not for 30 feet.

I'm sure others have much more experience with other suggestions. Who knows, maybe the Canare WILL be good enough!

FWIW, a number of studios, at least the independants that I am aware of, use Canare and Mogami cabling extensively, for everything from mic cables to interconnects, to speaker cables (though most use primarily powered monitors, so not much speaker cabling going on). Following advice which I received from several engineers, I have set up my home studio with mic/instrument/interconnect cables made using Canare or Mogami cabling and Neutrik terminators. I picked up my from PerformanceAudio.com. Their prices are very competitive.

Hope this helps, Tom.

I now have the system complete:EMC 1-UP modified by Empirical Audio, First Sound Presence Deluxe II, Bryston 14B SST, Von Schweikert VR4 SE, MAS Black and HT Truthlink IC's. The VR4's are bi-wired. It's too early to do a definitive crtitique since the First Sound and VR4's are still in the break-in phase, but thus far the Canare StarQuad is performing marvelously with no loss up top. Bass is deep and tight. Soundstage is holographic at times with the proper CD (Roger Waters' "Amused to Death" for example). More later, but for now the 4S11 is working very well for my 30 foot installation.