Mixing different brand cables a good idea or not?


I have mostly Synergistic Research cables for interconnects but have been experimenting with other brands for speaker cable. Is mixing cable brands recommended or just a bad idea? I know many people have said its always a better advantage to get the same brand when it comes to amps and pre-amps. Does the same advise hold true for speaker and interconnects?
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Showing 1 response by hifiman5

After so much tinkering with cables and footers to "tune" my system, I have found that it may be best to select cables that complement the timbre of your individual components regardless of the manufacturer. One example, I have a Kimber Select 1021 from my table to phono pre and another from phono pre to preamp. It was the cable that brought out the details I wanted and supplied the air that good analog reveals. I use an AQ Colorado coming out of my CD Player because I wanted the tight deep bass of this cable but also its slightly relaxed high end for the digital signal.

For speaker cables, my experience has shown conductor quality to make the greatest difference. I am a fan of PCOCC copper conductors as they seem to allow for lots of detail but in a relaxed, pleasurable manner.

After getting the cables right, tuning with footers allows that last bit of fine tuning that allows the music to flow. I have had great success with Herbie's Tenderfeet and to a lesser extent, Black Diamond Racing puck/cones. Emperiment, mix and match until you hear that "musical flow" then just sit back and relax and enjoy the MUSIC!

If you are emotionally connected to what you hear you are there!

Enjoy the quest, revel in the accomplishment.