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Rja's Responses in Cables	Posts
Gabriel Gold IC's are they really this good? I purchased a balanced pair at auction about a year ago as an experiment. IMO: They are excellent ICs and are well worth what I paid for them. I have recommended them several times. . .	534
Cables more hype than value? Just when one of these threads dies down another rears its ugly head. Agreement will never be reached between the two opposing schools of thought here. Why don't we all just agree . . .	413
Why do digital cables sound different? Hey, U Byte! Oh yeah, U Byte 2! Well I'm thinking about going one box. It's the only solution for this insanity	251
KCI Pure Gold and the benefits Any idea when the "improved" Silkworm will be available	244
Reviews with all double blind testing? I have nothing against double blind testing. The only thing I question is the listening time period. Initial impressions may change over a longer period of time. Two weeks would . . .	185
James Randi vs. Anjou Pear - once and for all Why pick on Pear Cables? They're a small outfit. There are other cable manufacturers who have been around for years and "earned" multi millions of dollars. They sell cables much . . .	152
A New Believer I'm not touching this one with a 10ft pole (or cable	147
Why don't gold based cable fans try Synergistic There are: 1. gold cables 2. gold alloy cables 3. cables plated with gold, so technically there should be several different discussions if we want to compare apples to apples. . . .	90
Cable auditions - Hard Work? Ideally, I like to listen to new cables for about a month before I form an opinion. I also like to have the cable burned in by someone like The Cable Burner Co	82
Do materials alter frequencies and speed? Objective laboratory analysis = data. As with all things audio data (positive or negative) does not necessarily translate to something we want to listen to	78
Anyone else tried the Acoustic Systems Liveline? FYI: Extremecables.com carries them in their online store @ US$995 RCA & US$1450 XLR	75
cable doubter no more What's to argue about? Jrw40 changed cables. He likes what they did to his system. He feels that they made a noticeable improvement. How can any of us feel negative about his . . .	75
Do Cables Wear Out? Obviously there isn't enough to worry about	74
HiDiamond Digital IC One question for those who purchased this digital cable, what terminations are you using; xlr, bnc, rca? What terminations are available? Thanks! PS: I'm always up for trying a . . .	71
Do Interconnects need to "warm up"? Rpg, I've frequently heard the same thing you have. I also leave my system on most of the time, unplugging only if there's a storm approaching or I plan to be gone for an extended . . .	68
Has Anyone Criticized The Choice Of Your Cables? I quote Ricky Nelson: "Ya can't please everyone, so you got to please yourself". Garden Party 1972	68
Gold interconnect comparison help Milen007, Are you sure it's the GG Rev that's "a bit of harsh" in your system? Have you replaced the GG to make sure the "harsh" isn't present without them? The word "harsh" just . . .	64
a great take on big$ cables If I've decided there's do difference in cables (my dogma) and I'm stubborn enough, I'll probably never hear any difference in cables. That doesn't necessarily mean there is no . . .	64
cable dielectric cause of artificial sound Several cable manufacturers are using cotton dielectric. Has anyone identified a sonic signature for cotton compared to PTFE	62
Most "Musical" sounding speaker cable under $1000 Sunnyjim, Can you post your thoughts on the Crimson speaker cables when you get them? I'm using the balanced Crimson ICs and like them so I'm very interested in you assessment of . . .	61
Cardas or Virtual Dynamics power cords? Opinions? Fplanner2000, You didn't mention the magnets sticking to everything in the process. I actually found a bottle cap stuck to one of mine	59
Power Cord Revelation Mootsdude, Trust your ears. Forget about all that other stuff. There's a lot of stuff we don't understand, doesn't mean it's not happening. Enjoy	51
Speaker Wire for a non-anal listener If you are truly "non-anal" then you shouldn't care what the cable "sounds" like. At least that's what my proctologist says	51
VD Revelation Speaker cables - I've got a Bi-wire set of Revelations on the living room floor. Never heard them yet because I broke a speaker binding post when I tried to install them. Yes they are stiff but I . . .	48
How much money for your next interconnect cable??? Why would someone who maintains that all cables sound the same bother to participate in such forums? Seems like a huge waste of time. Sort of like an atheist going to church	47
THE LATEST---Gold plated fuses? There are 2 brands that I know of; the most commonly known IsoCleans and the HiFi Tuning fuses. Believe the Isocleans are Chinese while the HiFis are made in Germany. The Germaan . . .	47
Noise Destoyer Power Conditioner Any difference between PE and PE2	45
Harmonic Technology Cyberlight cables Ah yes, this thread rears its ugly head once again. Great idea, not yet perfected. When they do though, could be awesome. Let's hope	44
Hi Fi burnout. I've seen some who begin to seek perfection, the best. Unforunately perfection don't exist and anyone who thinks that it does is deluding themselves. This stuff is machinery, some . . .	44
Powercord to tame brightness and add musicality You might give a GNSC PASI unit a try. It will eliminate some glare and edge that comes out of the CDP, at least that's been my experience. Only down side, you'll need a another . . .	43
Why Palladium in cables, wiring, etc. . .? Zaikesman, Your post makes sense. Ultimately it's how the cable sounds not how it "should" sound. Just read the reviews of Silversmith Audio Palladium series cables. . . .	40
XLR cable for basic beginner I'm wondering about $100 cables with the components and speakers you've listed. What's the point of going cheap with the cables? I'm not saying you can't get reasonably priced good. . .	39
Kubala-Sosna Cables..... I don't get it ????? IMO: Kubala-Sosna builds quality products although one could argue about their prices I suppose. But, just like everything in this crazy sport, their products are system dependent. . .	39
cable break in Texasdave and Stanhifi, I'm with you guys on this one and I think most with high end systems would agree. Burn-in time varies with different cables. Also, some cables get cooked . . .	39
how much to $pend to claim i am an audiophile? Ask not how much you need to spend but rather, how much have you got? Think black hole sucking money	36
Best "Giant Killer" Value Cables For... Sonic, did you get copper or silver	35
Clear Day Cables Speaker Cables No, it was a "nattering nabob of negativity"! 8	35
to biwire or not? To bi-wire or not, that is the question, the eternal question. There is only one way to answer this question. Get 2 sets of cables, try them. Then try just one set. Then figure . . .	35
Little bit "forward" sound - what cables to avoid? You should audition the Kubala-Sosna Emotion cables if you get a chance. Of the cables you mentioned in your initial post I think these would be most to your liking. Douglas-. . .	32
purist vs. concierto vs. elrod vs dcca power cable Mr. Tennis, Several questions about the VooDoo PCs. Have you heard the VooDoo Tesla 3? Accoding to their net site VooDoo recommends the Gold Dragon for amps over 200 watts. Are you. . .	31
my take on blind tests The only blind test I'd be comfortable with would in my own system with music I'm familiar with. Any other method would introduce too many variables	31
Best Digital Cable, Regardless of Price.... I would suggest trying your present cable with BNC terminations first. I'm not a big fan of RCA for digital. BNC and AES/EBU terminations are superior	30
Anyone have experience with "burn-in generators"? Although I have no first hand experience with the Audiodharma I've heard many positive comments and have read several glowing reviews	29
Cheap Interconnects from Hong Kong Intellectual property? Copyright laws? We don't need no stink'n laws. All I can say is: caveat emptor! 8	29
Why do new cables needs to be "broken" ??? First off let me say, I have no idea why cables need break-in nor I have I ever heard a satisfactory explanation for the phenomenon. Many here dismiss the phenomenon as non-. . .	28
MIT Oracle MA Digital AES/EBU Just want to note that there is another newer Kubala Sosna, Elation. It's a step up from Emotion. Probably could/should be thrown into the discussion	27
Why Rhodium? Interesting discussion so far. Here's an experiment I tried several weeks ago, although it's not specifically about Rhodium it is related to the conversation. I've been using . . .	26
Kimber Select 3033 versus 3035 and 3038 Nighthawk, according to Cable Company all their loaners are fully broken-in to enable customers to start listening immediately. I have auditioned cables from them and enquired . . .	25
What About Loom Theory? I'm not sure it's "loom theory" as much as "loom speculation" which hypothesizes that one can/will achieve better sound if all cables are from the same . . .	25
Anyone tried Acrolink power cables from Japan ? If memory serves there were Acrotec cables available 10-15 years ago. Are Acrolink cables as distributed by Lotus Group new and/or different than those earlier cables? I recall the. . .	25
The best power conditioner for less than $1K? Has anyone tried the Gutwire PLC? It's well under $1000	25
can u cut longer interconnects and reterminate? I think it's cheesy that Kubala won't work on their own cables. They should try to support owners of their cables any way they can	22
Cables that cost more than good loudspeakers Foster 9, It would be very difficult for me to disagree with your sentiments on cable pricing	22
Contact Enhancer Deterioration Curious, has anyone tried Furutech Nano liquid or Silclear	22
The little guys? DCCA PCs are very good, I like the one I purchased very much	22
New cables, help Before going the big buck route may I suggest you try Crimson cables? They offer a trial period so very little risk involved	21
Best Male & IEC plug for high current power cords? IMO: Cost vs. performance, Furutech FI-11 terminations. Available in 3 flavors, bare copper, gold plated and silver plated	21
To terminate.. or not Kijanki, I had those Cardas on my amp. They drove me crazy. I had them removed	20
Food for thought for all us audiophiles The only "convergence" I can discern is that most audiophiles believe that some things sound better than others. That "convergence" starts to disappear when the. . .	20
balance and single ended what I heard In my current system balanced sounds best. I'm sure that in many syatems single ended sounds best. Just need to experiment between the two because it varies from system to system. . . .	20
Do flexible speaker cables exist? Try the Gabriel Gold Revelation speaker cables. Very flexible with outstanding sonics. Not cheap but far from crazy expensive and IMO worth every penny	19
Anyone heard the new Virtual Dynamics Revelation? I'm planning on trying the Revelation Signature balanced digital cable sometime in a few months. Should be interesting	19
Cable confusion What ever you buy, try to get a money back guarantee. Many sellers and manufacturers offer at least a 30 day money back program. That way if you don't like them you're not stuck. . . .	19
BEST DIGITAL AES/EBU CABLES - 2011 I have owned the Sextet (carbon fiber connectors) and currently own the Kubala Sosna Emotion, both 1.5m and balanced. Both are excellent cables, I wouldn't hesitate to use either . . .	18
Help Please....Interconnects...Silver vs. Copper? Personally, I don't like either one (silver, copper). Check out something in the alloy realm like the Gabriels. There are others also worth an audition as well	18
Could some one explain how to buy best cables? A few things to remember. 1. Anyone can build a cable (no credentials of any kind required). 2. Once you've built a cable, you can essentialy say anything you want about the . . .	18
Need Some Advice regarding interconnects Gabriel Revelation MKIIr might be worth a try as well. I've seen them here used	17
Which digital cable to use with a Benchmark DAC-1 In my experience there are significant differences in the sound quality of digital cables. They definitely do not sound the same. The transport to DAC connection is critical to the. . .	17
Jena Labs Model One Fundamental Power Cords I have always found Jena Labs net site to be confusing and poorly done. I don't believe the Model One Fundamental power cord is even mentioned. Can I ask where you got your . . .	17
Recent reviews on Cyberlight IC's There was a recent thread on this subject that IMO got pretty nasty. The conclusions seemed to be that these cables are very system dependent and of course the cable that was . . .	17
DIY Acrolink or Lessloss for Cary SLP-05? The Fim AC terminals (available from Elusive Disc) look promising for a DIY Acrolink PC. I like the blade materials and they're a bit more reasonably priced than the Oyaides. I . . .	16
XLR or RCA cables A Great Northern Sound PASI unit by Steve Huntley would be ideal if you can find one. Takes RCA or XLR in and RCA or XLR out. I sold one on the Gon and have seen several others for. . .	15
Anyone using "jumper" cables? Karmatogdral, If you own bi-wire speakers you basically have 2 ways to wire them, bi-wire cables or single runs with jumper. Experimentation should dictate which way you go for . . .	15
So Many Choices - PCords for Digital Sources? Go to VH Audio or Sonic Craft, in my experience both are excellent sources. Purchase the required lengths of either Neotech NEP-3002 or NEP-3003 bulk power cable and Furutech FI. . .	15
Good USED XLR Interconnect Choices for $300-$400? Ghstudio, Maybe that's why so many CDs sound like crap. There's a lot more that sound like crap than sound excellent that's for sure. It's a shame that audiophiles care more about . . .	15
How do you know if a cable is neutral? I could have asked another way; Can we ever know if a cable is neutral	15
DCCA powerchords VS Elrod statement powerchords ? Mr. Tennis, Having recently gone through this, I do not think the DCCA PCs are available for audition	14
RCA Digital: Stealth, Pure Note, Cerious Rx8man, While I've never heard them I've heard some real good stuff about the VD Revelation and Revelation Signature digital cables. I'm told they can be amazing in the right . . .	14
DCCA PC stiffness? dccaaudio.com	14
Bulk cables: Oyaide vs Furutech I would also consider Neotech bulk AC cable	13
Power Cable Question... I have used many different PCs and AC terminations. I can honestly say I've never had to "force" an IEC connector into any equipment I've owned. Yes, some have been . . .	13
Recommended AES/EBU cables under 800 dollars I've recently seen several Kubala-Sosna XLR Emotion digital cables listed here on the 'Gon in your price range. IMHO: This is one of the better digital cables out there and I have . . .	13
Hey, why do WE have to break-in cables??? Nrchy, You have a valid point. But still, 80-100 hours of break-in by the manufacturer would go a long way toward making life easier for the consumer. I feel that more companies . . .	13
XLR, RCA or BNC? I'm not sure there is a "best" termination. I like XLR for my present equipment because it sounds better than RCA. I don't know why, it just does. If RCA sounded better I. . .	13
Power Cord: Need to choose from these, please help Bob Bundus, Just an FYI: Virtual Dynamics is no longer! Of course, still available used	12
The Best Cable?? Hazard, Get rid of the "Monster"	12
Need help - High-end cabling strategy Just my 2 cents here but I would replace all the stock PCs with something decent. Maybe get a great line conditioner like the Power Wing. Then I'd replace the CDP and call it a day. . .	12
Stupid question about power cables ... Somewhere I saw a 3 prong male plug with a removeable ground prong. Sorry I can't be more helpfull. Maybe someone else has seen it and post	12
Recommendation for interconnect and speaker cables I really like the Gabriel cables I bought on Audiogon. Plus they were relatively reasonable in price. I think they're only available on Audiogon auction although they come up used . . .	12
Recommendations for banana plugs WBT makes several grades of each, spades, bananas and RCAs. The best are very good indeed and I would recommend them. I'm not saying the other brands mentioned aren't any good. . . .	12
Looking for suggestions on good BNC cables Oyaide DB510. Do not listen to it for at least a week, you will want to throw it away. Once it's "broken in" it's a great cable. Not in the "crazy" price range . . .	11
More Liquid & Larger Stage Bal. Digital Cable ? Has anyone heard the i2digital.com cables? Supposedly the same guy who designed the Orchid and D60 Illuminatis. Curious whether there's an improvement over the originals, which of . . .	11
am i done ? Sing along to the Carpenters hit: "You've only just begun...."	10
Satisfied with your DIY power cord? Ardri, Did you connect the shield drain wire to ground? If so, on which end (or both)? Thanks	10
cryoed vs uncryoed wire A/B tests? Just a question on this topic. I know many cable manufacturers cryo the raw wire before assembly while others cryo the entire cable, terminations and all, after assembly. Any . . .	10
Sunny Cables "Wow" They may be fabulous but I'll never know as I could never pay the price of admission. But then again the extremely well heeled may find them to their liking. They just don't make . . .	10
Kimber Hero I/C's and 8TC on C4's May I suggest giving the Crimson cables a shot? I purchased a pair of used ICs on a whim here on the 'gon and was pleasantly surprised. 1. They are excellent IMO. 2. They are . . .	9
Where to buy cable sleeve and heat shrink in USA cryo-parts.com & vhaudio.com are two more sources you could try	9
which is better speaker cable Kenbo, I agree with Nglazer, your equipment deserves some higher price spread. You've got some top drawer stuff there. It should be connected with same. As to brand, that needs to . . .	9
Cabledyne - cable bargain of the century Checked their site, interesting. May have to give them a try. Definitely in the realistic realm as far as pricing plus no crazy, extravagant claims	8
What else sounds like Kubala Sosna? To me, in the context of my system, the Emotion is just a tad too warm. As always; YMMV	8
Cryo Treating Silver Cables? I'm using a cryo'd Oyaide DB-510 (BNC terminations) and I can assure you that it sounds excellent. No problems to report! This cable was cryo'd by the company (CryoParts) from . . .	8
Are the Crimson cables as good as they say I have a pair of 1m balanced Crimson ICs in my system that were purchased here on the 'gon. They are reasonably priced new and a bargain used. IMO: they are an excellent cable and . . .	8
Crimson Speaker Cables? IMO: These ICs perform way above their cost. As I said earlier, I'm very happy with the the ICs. Now I'm seriously considering the speaker cables. One thing though, I don't want . . .	8
input & output cable for Nakamchi tape deck I would try something like Kimbers PBJ	8
digital cable Hale, If you have XLR connections on your units I would definitely give a balanced cable a try. Many times the XLR sounds better than the RCA. Most brands of digital cables come . . .	8
DIY IC cables 47 Labs has an interesting DYI cable set. Not cheap at $600 but builds 2 or 3 pairs. Connectors are very unique. Check it out on their site	8
Digital IC- I use Stealth Sextet- anything better? Having owned the Sextet and the Emotion, I don't think there's a definitive answer here. Both are excellent digital ICs but as always are system dependent. The Emotion may be a . . .	7
Should power cords for power amps be shielded? This is just my opinion but I don't think a clear answer to your question exists. I have used both on my power amp	7
Digital Cable Like Yamamura : Laidback, Smooth My favorite digital cable is the Kubala Sosna Emotion, XLR 1.5m. You should give one a try if possible, might be what you're looking for	7
Which 110 ohm digital? Husk01, You're going to get answers all over the board on this one. There are those who believe that all digital cables "sound" the same and that there is no ". . .	7
Curious. Kimber Palladian Power Cord. Can this "sleeve" become saturated like ferrite cable sleeves? Does this cable work better for amplification or source componants or equally for both? Why so expensive	7
Sonic Diff between a 6' 1.8M & 4' 1.25M PC I would go 5'! 8	6
Acoustic Zen MC2 -best digital cable for $300? May I suggest trying the Oyaide DR-510 or DB-510? DR=RCA terminations DB=BNC terminations Comes .7m and 1.3m lengths. Both cheaper than $300	6
grover huffman cables Old thread but the current Grover Huffman cables are copper, silver and aluminum. What the aluminum does in there I don't know. The price of admission is very reasonable so I might. . .	6
Anyone done a DIY PC with Neotech NEP-3001 wire? I ended up building 2 w/NEP-3001, 1 for amp and 1 for for power strip. Also used Furutech terminations. Only problem as you mentioned is dealing with the heavy gauge of the wire . . .	6
is Lessloss signature that much better than orig? Recent review at dagogo	6
Indra Terminations Neal, Just my opinion here but I believe the Stealth terminations are superior to the Cardas	6
Need Help with Cable/Interconnect Recommendations You bought a $100,000 dollar car don't put 4 for $100 tires on it	6
Silver Power Cord Terminations? 3 out of 4 constructive responses, not bad. Thanks. I've seen several bulk silver DIY power cables and was thinking silver would be best for terminating such a cable. Of course, . . .	5
Unusual Cable Brands I don't consider the brands you mentioned as "unusual". In fact they are pretty much mainstream. There are probably thousands of audio cables available, some of which can. . .	5
New Furutech FI-50 Carbon connectors Have you tried the Oyaide M1/F1 AC terminations	5
Will Japanese power distributor work in US? I don't know the answer to your question, sorry. Be aware though, the shipping can be pretty stiff and you may have to pay US import duty. On the other hand, I buy a lot of stuff . . .	5
The 411 on AT&T I have used the Optimism v1 which is a definite step up from the supplied Wadia. Currently using 2 Optimism v2 between a Wadia 27 and 270SE. These are superb, especially on the . . .	5
Kimber Palladian power cord vs. Non Palladian... That "thing", it looks like a giant burnt bratwurst with a cable running through it. I've wondered what that "thing" is made of and what it does. I've read . . .	5
rca to bnc adaptors- does it hurt the sound?? Avoid the adapters	5
Zendo Cables by Mundorf? Normally I'd say; "Oh boy, another cable?" but Mundorf has a good reputation so maybe worth a listen. Also, prices seem within reason	4
DAC Balanced Cable Upgrade Question I would wait until the Gabriel Gold balanced ICs go up on Audiogon auction. There is a notice that this will be happening soon. You can probabably get them for a reasonable price . . .	4
1/2 Meter Interconnect Good Idea? I think this whole discussion started with digital interconnects 1.5m vs. 1m, with some claiming the 1.5m to be better. I don't know about the validity of the claim because I've . . .	4
Question Regarding Pacific Microsonic HDCD Cables I'd email Berkeley, makers of the Alpha DAC with your question. They may have an answer	3
Do 1M iCs sound better than .5M? Chayro, I've owned the same cables in both .5m and 1m lengths. If there was a difference it was inaudible. I wouldn't worry about it unless the manufacturer discourages the .5m	3
Marigo Apparition 5.8 vs Audioquest EagleEye I owned a balanced Apparition 5.8. Although not a "bad" cable I thought it was over-rated, at least in my system. There are many other better digital cables out there. I'. . .	3
Marigo Labs Apparition 5.6 & 5.7 I have heard/used a number of digital cables. The 5.7 is a very fine cable. IMO: You would have to spend considerably more $$ to beat it. It is a stiff cable and may take some . . .	3
Any opinion on Kharma Grand Reference Digital Cabl Buy a used Kubala-Sosna XLR Emotion digital cable, they show up here occasionally, and be done with it. I have tried many digital cables over the years and this one tops or equals. . .	2
Virtul Dynamics Genests power cords At their price and the fact that they're new you're not going to find a lot of them around (probably ever). But I bet they're great	2
Wadia 7 +9 users, which powerchords are you using? Try the Acrolink 6N PCs with Oyaide terminations from Audio Excellence AZ. I think you'll like them on your Wadias. And while they're not exactly cheap their price is a far cry . . .	2
Virtual Dynamics Master bi-wire vs single wire Although I cannot answer this question from personal experience I did post the same question to Rick Schultz concerning the Revelation speaker cable. He recommends the bi-wire if . . .	2
Kimber select can you biwire with this cable? Kimber make jumpers for use with the Select speaker cables. Three levels to match each speaker cable	2
Oyaide DB-510 Digital Cable? Continuous cast 5N (99.9995% pure) silver conductor. Anyone	1
Need ST/AT&T cable for metronome set Glass is not necessarily the best cable type. And there's varying qualities of glass cable as well. The best are made by Aural Symphonics but are expensive. You'll need to try . . .	1