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Entry Level Interconnect Reccomendations

Hello all,

I wanted to come here to ask you guys’ advice on some interconnects. This is my system:

Spica TC50 speakers
2x M&K VX-7 II subwoofers
Emotiva XDA-2 digital preamp
Adcom GFA-545 amplifier
Harrison Labs PFMod crossover (soon to be replaced by MiniDSP)

I connect my Emotiva to my crossover via RCA male>male adapter, for the best quality. This means I have only 1 interconnect in my entire system (crossover to the amplifier). I have been using these basic Acoustic Research RCA cables. A friend lent me his Aural Thrills and Tara Labs interconnects and I heard a pretty significant difference when replacing my AR cables with them.

So I now plan to buy my own interconnects, and I wanted to come here for your suggestions. Here are some options I’ve come up with, but feel free to add more:

Cardas Crosslink
Audioquest Diamondback
Audioquest King Cobra (same price as Diamondback right now)
Audioquest Colorado (under $175 right now)
Nordost White Lighting (slightly out of budget, but I can pull it off)
DIY DH Labs Pro Studio
DIY VH Audio Silver Interconnects
Edit: Wireworld Equinox 7


I’d like to keep it under $150USD for 1.0M pair.

Again, if there are any other suitable options, feel free to add them. The above list is just some un-educated guesses I threw out there.

Thanks so much!

128x128ocinn
fourwnds's avatar
fourwnds
277 posts
 
ocinn, I can't help with that question, no experience. If your worried about Stager's being thin and they are, no problem with returning them. I'd love to know what your experience turns out to be whether it's Belden, Stager or something else in the end. Good luck, have fun. 

ocinn's avatar
ocinn OP
17 posts
 
@fourwnds 

Sounds good. If I build the VH audio ones, I can't return them, and the resale market is limited, so I'm pretty sure I'll try the Stagers or one of those Audioquest sales first.

Thanks a lot!
213runnin
914 posts
 
I think the VH Audio would be more expensive, at any rate.  Stager makes the cables in a .75 meter length which is what I picked up.  If your system is in a vertical rack you rarely need a full meter.  The .75 length was $125.

The thing is, I'm sure you can get more sound quality out of cables, but you'll have to spend considerably more.
dgarretson
2,588 posts
 

@ocinn

I agree with Erik_Squires about the high quality of DIY Connex/DH Labs bulk IC cabling. I’ve migrated from some very high-priced commercial cables(PAD, Audioquest, Synergistics, Goertz, Fono Acustica) to all-Connex BL-Ag DIY silver ICs for a mere $16 per stereo foot plus terminations(Neutric XLRs or KLEI silver RCAs.) If you must purchase commercial cables, at least consider building one pair of BL-Ag for comparison. Constructing them is simpler than the VH and other DIY recipes. Forget about resale value, as the investment is minimal.

electroslacker
375 posts
 
@ocinn, I haven't tried the Vh.  I was thinking of buying a new tube amp and decided to first try tweaking everything from cables, to contacts, to fuses, to outlets.  I was intrigued by the Stagers construction, cost, and reviews, so i tried them.  I tend to judge audio gizmos by watching my behavior more than my thoughts.  What I thought was that they removed congestion. Instruments and voices seemed more separated.  My behavior was to never remove them or even A/B them with the previous cable. But I didn't try a bunch of cables.  Sorry I can't be more help.
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