novice needs help with cables


Please help. I am a relative newcomer to the game and need help with speaker and interconnect cables. I have JM labs micro beryllium speakers, benchmark media systems DAC1 used with an old sony CD player as a transport, B&K AVR 507 receiver (I was into home theater before discovering high end audio). I am not interested in upgrading amp or preamp at this point, as I am satisfied with the CD performance currently and want to wait until there is some sort of standard high rez format including a standard high rez connection between it and the preamp. I am looking currently for a high quality sub (rel, revel, velodyne dd, etc). I want to try to do the cable thing right instead of continually changing. I will likely upgrade to a more full range set of Wilson speakers within the next couple of years. I know they rec. transparent. Should I use transparent reference throughout or maybe use a different brand of interconnect, like nordost valkyrja or valhalla. I listen to a wide range of music but mostly rock (hard to soft) and Norah Jones type music. I love hugh dynamics and intricate detail (hence the aspiration to Wilsons), but not to the point of overly analytical uninvolving.
bigsam2

Showing 1 response by chuckaolcom

Hello Bigsam2.

It has been my experience that choice of cables is as serious a decision as choosing components. I receently assembled a system around a BAT VK75 SE (75 wpc) SET amplifier and Wilson Sophia speakers. The Sophias are the least expensive and least efficient speakers in the Wilson line. They are great sounding speakers but they still require careful system matching w/ associated gear, including cables. The Wilson speakers are known for throwing a very sizeable soundstage. I did audition a number of products with these speakers (e.g. Acoustic Zen, Transparent, Synergistic, Analysis Plus, Kubala Sosna,and Nordost). They all had thier sonic merits and deficiencies. I ended up going w/ the Nordost Valkyrjas. Although the Valyrjas were not perfect, they seemed to be one of the only cables that did not compress the size of the sound stage that the Wilsons are capable of delivering. The Transparent audio cables were very detailed as well as very transparent but were among the worst offenders in terms of compressing/shrinking the sound stage when hooked up to the Sophias. Please keep in mind that these were the results heard with my associated equipment. The Nordost Valhalla is a superb and even costlier cable. It definitely allows more of the musical detail to come through than the Valkyrjas, but still there may be trade offs. In my system, the Valhallas seemed to rob the Sophias of some of their bottom end. Higher price does not always translate to the best component for a given sound system. So please keep in mind that sonic results with cables are very system dependent. I believe conventional wisdom would have it that you choose the speakers before you choose the cable. That doesn't necessarily mean the upgrade path you have chosen is unreasonable but the speaker cables you seem to be considering are a costly investment and you need to be careful.