A number of companies produce them, including AudioQuest. They are cheaper than cheap. I see that the Musical Fidelity NuVista interconnects, which are also silver, come with them built into each cable. Antony Michaelson has spoke on the topic, and considers them invaluable. This is in no way to say that silver is any more prone to RFI than copper. It is related to the cable construction. I also want to just let everyone know that the new HomeGrown Audio Silver Lace interconnects completely obliterate the HomeGrown Super Silver in every conceivable area. Have been holding back on a review, but will submit it soon. Color me stunned!
HomeGrown Audio Impressions
By now, I think enough of us have had the time to gauge the performance of this cable to be able to offer concrete opinions. I am curious as to the impressions of others on this cable. In my system(tubes and silk dome tweeters), I am shielded from the nasty things a silver cable can engender in some systems. They would be brightness, harshness, and irritating distortion. The negatives I have found with this unshielded cable are a significant raising of the noise floor(which you forget about when you start to play music), and a big dose of RFI when using the cable on my tuner. RFI stoppers sent to me by Eldragon(thanks so much) have done a great job cleaning things up. Otherwise, I cannot knock the cable on any level. In fact, I am able to hear farther into the music than with any copper cable I have ever tried. The sound is full, extended, and detailed. Bass response is excellent. I A/B the cable against Coincident. The Coincident has the advantage of not having RFI problems. But the HomeGrown lets me hear things the Coincident doesn't pass through. The fact that this cable is only $70 makes me think it has to be the best kept secret in wire. Better performance than Kimber KCAG, for less than the price of PBJ. Of course, it will not work for everyone. But, I am wondering how everyone else is perceiving this product. Please share with us your opinions of performance in your systems. I cannot say it is the best, because I am now using a cable that has redefined what I have gotten from wire. Just burning it in on my tuner now. Will switch to the CD player over the holiday. If performance transfers, this will be the best cable, BY FAR, I have ever used. Will report then. Thanks to everyone for your impressions.
Showing 5 responses by trelja
I feel the need to clarify my position on RFI blockers. I see they are becoming an item on their own. The RFI I was experiencing was a local radio station coming through my system when the volume of my amp(only when the tuner was selected) was turned all the way down. As soon as music started coming through, this noise was no longer perceptible AT ALL. Perhaps I was a bit too anal about this whole thing. My integrated tube amp has a passive preamp section. It is VERY quiet. I am used to noise with other tube pre/power amps, this one does not have it. When I installed the RFI blockers, the radio station no longer came through, and everything was seemingly back to normal. In no way did the RFI blockers affect(good or bad) the sound of the system when playing music. If you think they will improve a cable, I have no evidence of such. I know Antony Michaelson, owner of Musical Fidelity, includes them integrally on his NuVista cable line(and they look snazzy). He feels the need to banish RFI that important. I did not purchase these. They were given to me by our great compatriot here on Audion, Eldragon. They should be VERY cheap, as there is nothing to them(but we know what things are like in audio). My father also gave me a magnet(ferrite?) in the shape of a ring that had the same effect(the RFI blockers are also magnetic). Only the magnet doesn't open and close, it just slips over the wire. One could just go buy some ferrite magnets(REALLY cheap)... I would say that a person would only need RFI blockers should they be experiencing excessive RFI(in any cable). Otherwise, why not forego them? Thank you all for letting me air my opinions. |
Rcprince, could you please pass along a way I could contact Victor Goldstein. Just for future reference, if I ever need some service. Either here or [email protected]. Thank you very much |
Triotrio, I think you cannot go wrong with any of your choices. I have a Jadis amp(w/Coincident speakers). I own HomeGrown Audio Super Silver and Silver Lace. Also have Coincident CST(currently on my tuner). And I have had Silver Audio Hyacinth in my system. I recommend both Silver Lace or Silver Audio heartily. The Coincident is not silver, but copper. It is the best copper cable I have tried. Very neutral(best point of this cable), detailed, and full. In my system, I prefer what silver offers me. The ability to hear more of the music. Both Silver Audio, and the HGA Silver Lace feature thinner gauge conductors(as does Stealth - which some people will recommend to you, I am sure). I like the Silver Lace, as it has the best dynamics of any silver cable I have heard. Although, I cannot say that Appasionata would take a back seat to any cable in the world(have not heard it, but cannot say enough good things about Silver Audio stuff). If money factors at all into the picture(which it probably does not for you), HGA Silver Lace is the choice. Best cable I have EVER heard. |