Entire system cable recommendation


I wondering if anyone can share what cables they've had success pairing with components below. I'm looking to spend from $5k-7k, new or used. Any recommendations are appreciated.

Thanks for the help,
Rodrigo

- Audio Research DAC8
- Musical Fidelity M6500i
- Monitor Audio PL300 speakers
rodrigoeliedson
I strongly suggest used cables...of any kind, although my personal preference is for solid core AQ stuff. I have a pile of clean AQ cables bought here and there for a fraction of their original cost, and the system synergy sounds stunningly soundstage stable, sonically superb sans silly spending seeking something assumed to be superior somehow.
I agree, used cables are great! For your system I would look into Kimber,Nordost,Morrow Audio. Stay away from cables that use network Boxes of any kind, It dosen't matter how expensive. Cables should be uncolored,transparent. A good cable allows you to hear your components...good or bad.The above mentioned are some of the most uncolored cables I have heard in 30 yrs in the hobby. Morrow Audio cables are Highly recommended by me. I use Nordost speaker cables and Morrow IC's. Speed,detail,precision,accuracy is what you will get.
DNM HFTN IC's and Speaker Wire, solid core copper so neutral it is like having co cable at all. If bought new you could do your system for about 1k depending on length, and send the rest to the Rodge827 Hurricane Sandy Recovery Fund :-). OK maybe not, but you don't need to spend that much and get superior quality sound.
Thanks for all feedback. Audiogon's forun is fantastic!
Here in Brazil we don't know about many good brands on market.

I like "uncolored cable" idea. Already tested Kimber and Transparent.
Kimber is better for my ears. Most natural sound, but models that I have (8TC and KS1111) can hear touch of "Warm" sound. I think nordost is fantastic but not for my tastes.

I've read good things about audioquest. The currently line is very expensive. Will look for useds!!!

For power cord? Some especific recomendation?
It is even more simple: Purist Audio powercables, Audioquest loudspeakercable. Interlinks I would go for AQ or Kimber. I have sold many Pl-300's. I played with them for over 5 years with the Nordost Valhalla. But the new AQ loudspeakercables are superior to the Nordost cables. Audioquest and Kimber works very well both with Monitor Audio. These days I play with the Pl-200 and PLW-15 togheter. The Pl-200 is in timing and focus superior to the Pl-300. Wenn yo use a PLW-15 it will winn every single battle with ease. They use a better and different filter what makes it a much better speaker.
Try some silver or silver with gold, maybe Siltech http://www.siltechcables.com/ , if you like.
Recently, I auditioned SilverFi cables and they are fantastic, you can find more info up here http://www.silverfi.com/
Purist Audio make in my opinion the best powercables. Audioquest does not even come close. I tested them and compared them. Purist Audio does every single part better than there competitors.
Noooooo Slissssstech. I am from holland and tested many Slisstech cables. Overrated brand. The former distributer of Siltech was so dissapointed in the quality that they stopped selling it. I understand why, and yess it is a very average quality. Nothing more, nothing less!
Thanks Bo1972 I shouldnt even mention, as I never tried them, but SilverFi are great, have 3 of them and you dont have to buy the very expensive one to get the results.
The thing with many Siltech cables is that thew work like a filter. The filter in the mid freq. So people think they get more in the low and high freq. But.......yessss you get less. But I understand why people make this misstake often. Siltech is not so big in europe anymore. Because there are many brands who do a better job these days. As time goes on....
I do not offend people personally. And I am sorry if they feel so. I hate those products who make average quality for a long time. Because I want people to get more value for there money.
HiDiamond! Read the forums about this brand here on Audiogon. I've had a lot of cables come and go. The HiDiamonds are here to stay. I'm using their higher end cables. Sablon audio cables are also excellent!.
Thanks everybody!!!

So many recomendations... That's great!

And JPS Labs powercables? Could be good choice?
Ok, here I come!, Taralabs top tier cables on the used market, you will be shocked of the sound quality!, Good luck op!
Audiolabyrinth is right Taralabs is also a very good combi with Monitor Audio. In the past I sold a lot Taralabs with the Platinum series.
Go with WyWires! 30 day happiness guarantee, moderately priced and sound great look wywires up on google and you'll find tons of comments and reviews.
Hi Bo1972,

Did you hear Kimber powercables?
What do you think about Kimber Kable Palladium PK-14?
I sold many Kimber PK-14 cables. The Palladium is not that special. The Purist Audio powercables are superior in this price range. With the PG-14 gold you buy a very good cable for the money. It does everything right and has no flaws. We also compared them with some Audioquest powercables. They were better. But the Purist Audio 20th Ann were of a higher level. Also different price. Audioquest is in technique further compared to Kimber. More precise and have more dynaimc and also resolution. Even the focus is sharper and the stage is wider and deeper. Kimber has to develope new cables to get a higher level.
08-01-13: Ozzy
HiDiamond Cables are the best!

No ability to audition these cables before making a purchase.
08-01-13: Ozzy
HiDiamond Cables are the best!
HD is a good place to start. I have all (7) HD PCs and IF I ever have the urge to try a different IC or SC, HD is high on the list.

Their price to performance ratio is tough to beat IMHO. Cables is the one area where I have found SUPERIOR sound with much much less $$.
Hidiamond cables can give a very pleasant warm overwhole sound. But the weakest point of many of there cables is speed and timing. They are not the best cables in speed and controle.
Bo1972 ,have you try ansuz cable ,diamond or ceramic line. I have all top of the line Hi diamond cables and hi fidelity ct1e ic and sc, both were very satisfying but yesterday I received ansuz cables from Lar which I've never heard of and is not top of the line, to my surprise it better both cables that I have by a big margin, l like to hear your opinion if you have heard them compare to purist and AQ as I want to make sure I've make a right move.
08-20-13: Bo1972
Hidiamond cables can give a very pleasant warm overwhole sound. But the weakest point of many of there cables is speed and timing. They are not the best cables in speed and controle.
Bo1972 (Reviews | Threads | Answers | This Thread)
HiDiamond sounds the OPPOSITE in my system. Neutral, fast, detail and great PRAT.

Bo1972, what cables do you use?
I have to admit that in 2009 I have done the last tests with Hidiamond. These days I work a lot with Audioquest, Kimber and Purist Audio Design.
Bol1972,

Did you say that sold a lot of PL300 speakers.
What kind of amplifier do you recomend for it?
Could you list some models?

Cheers!
Always choose an amp wich can give a deep and wide stage:

- I sold a lot Primare with Platinum.

- Pass labs is s very good match.

- Pathos also works also very well. also to create a deep and wide stage.

* What I said earlier I sold a lot Musical Fidelity in the past. I also gave presentations for MF in the past. It is a good match. But it cannot give the deep stage that other amps can make ( see above). Depth makes the Platinum speakers special and how they can top brands like B&W, Kef and Dynaudio in the same price league. Wenn you use amp's which can give a 3-dimensional image. Platinum speakers reach a much higher level than B&W, Dynaudio or Kef ever can reach. Because this part gives the most thrilling and convincing sound for the search for the absolute sound.
The difference between Transparent and Audioquest is timing and blacks. The Audioquest redwood 2013 I sold this year gives a touchable image I only experienced with some life music in a small setting. I used the Nordost Valhalla for over 12 years. I bought it wenn it came out. I never thought that the Redwoodwood would be better in timing even compared to the Valhalla. The 2013 redwood is a lot more dynamic than the Valhalla. But the low freq are faster and shorter. A bassdrum has the speed what you hear also in real. The Platinum 200 is a lot better in timing and speed thena the Platinum 300. in 2012 I went from the Pl-300 tot the Pl-200. Many of my clients also went from Pl-300 to Pl-200. After my demo's. The stage is also wider and deeper. I did not like classical music witht the Pl-300. Since I use the Pl-200 I love classical music again. The Pl-200 has a more natural ( realistic) sound compared to the Pl-300. Before the Pl-300 I had the B&W 800S. These were great with classical music. The Pl-300 were disappointing for classical music. So I stopped hearing in the period of 5 years I owned them. The Pl-200 with the PlW-15 is a stunning team. At a big audioshow this year with all the big brands I was the absolute sound with my own system.
Rodrigoeliedson , try KCI cables, their silkworm + ICs are very good cables. Their owner is great person to deal with. KCI also makes great power cords and speaker cables. The whole loom may cost you no more than $5000. I sold my top level Hidiamonds cables (HD8 speaker cables, XLR D3, and P4 power cords) cables after extensive A/B with KCI. I also agree with Bo1972 that purist audio makes great cables, but they can get very pricey if you go up the models range.
Dude, your price range is way too high. My advice: Try USED Synergistic Research, or even cheaper, Grover Huffman. Spend the rest on music.
I did test many brands of cables in my life. Also small companies. Often they were ok till good. But never extremely good. They do not have the money for research and knowledge some bigger companies have. Purist Audio is one of the exceptions of a smaller brand which is capable of making stunning cables.
Bo1972
Agree on purist, but in order to get to the stunning results with purist you have to get into at least proteus provectus model range. This is were magic starts. But this is very pricey even with good dealer discounts, they cost a lot, not accessable for many. So, what is your recommendation fo the cable brand (speaker, ICs power cords) within more affordable price range, lets say ($3000-$4000 for the whole loom). This is were some small ( basically one man operations) may be a better choice.
Audioquest is great in loudspeakercables, interconnects and hdmi cables ( usb etc) and subcables There powercables are ok, but not good enough for me. Kimber PK-14 is a great affordable powercable. To have every cable of the same brand doesn't say anything. I am Always only interested in the best endresults, that is all that counts. Audioquest is one of the few brands who have all properties in one cable. Normaly you need at least 2 brands to get all the parts in your system.

- a deep and fast low freq. respons
- a very sharp indivual focus of all instruments and voices. ( instruments and voices have the right ( very small) proportion as in real)
- a deep and wide stage.
- a very open and musical mid freq.
- open high freq. without harshness.
- very good blacks to get a touchable image of all the instruments and voices.

Wen you buy Audioquest with DBS 72v you get a much better timing and blacks compared to competitors.
In my system, the Found-Music cabling has been a significant upgrade: http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?10639-Found-Music-Cabling-A-System-wide-Upgrade

The ability to home audition is a nice feature.
Wenn you want to buy a good cable for a poweramp or integrated buy a powercable with enough awg. This cables are not the best for amps. For example; I sold many Valhalla powercables. And I did hundreds of tests with them. Purist Audio powercable are superior on poweramps compared to Valhalla on the same amp's.
Went the one house approach recently, and did Acoustic Zen through my whole system, and it never sounded better.

It was inspired by a friend who went Audience AU24 through his whole system, and it sounded fantastic, too.

He uses a Thiel 2.4 system, and I use an NHT Classic 4 system. Both our systems are extended listening, fatigue free fun.

Both companies have a large dealer list in the U.S., both should be in your budget, both companies are great to work with, and both sound very, VERY good.
I don't have your equipment but you might want to look into Silnote Audio's IC line - to my ears they are very musical, non-fatiguing
Hi, Taralabs has a wonderful full loom sound, many used cables are available on the used market for your price point you mentioned, Happy hunting!
08-25-13: Audiolabyrinth
Hi, Taralabs has a wonderful full loom sound, many used cables are available on the used market for your price point you mentioned, Happy hunting!
Audiolabyrinth (Threads | Answers | This Thread)
What took you so long? Now we FINALLY got our Taralabs recommendation, time to close the thread. LOL!!!

Now if a Vandersteen and JBL 1400 managed to get in the thread, we got BINGO!!!
@Audiolabyrinth; does Taralabs not have a job for you? You are there best ambassador they can get!!
Hi Bol972,

I just bought AQ Rocket 33 biwire cables and think they are
great with my new B&W's. I put off buying AQ for a long time
but can't believe how good they are for the price.
If I like the Rocket 33's so much, what would be the next
logical AQ upgrade for $500-$1000 do you think??

What about the Gibraltar with the 72V DBS??

Sorry don't mean to hijack the thread.
For me it was the same. I did not had Audioquest for a long time on my radar. They have made a good step to a higher level. The Gibraltar with 72V DBS will be a great improvement. I love 72v DBS, and it make a big difference. I do not work for Audioquest, because I am still a perfectionist. In my world there powercables are not good enough. As you know I like Taralabs as well and sold it a lot for over 3 years of time.
i have baught a couple of month ago from bmi 2 pcords hammerhead gold wich i am using for my cd,it is a spectacular pc for either cdp or pream or tuner,it's not fully brocken but it is giving lot of very good surprise wherelse the bmi oceanic honestly using it to feed the amp is so far one of the best pc if not the best*the most natural ever heard before and anywhere i could*must be heard...and even campered to the very very very best pcords.please do yourself a favour...have a try for the sick and respect to the music.the pcords are not fully brocken so the best is on its way yet to come..wondering if i don't get 2 others pcords hammerhead for my pream and my tuner magnumd t106. These pcords are exceptionels.they have rised my system sound to another level when others pcord could not,words can not discribe the changes.thx for the opportunity.thx to bmi manufacturerand* may god save the music.*