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Morrow SP7 Upgrade.

Currently using Morrow SP4 Speaker Cables on Low Frequency (bass) in bi-amped system. Various Speakers used, at the moment Revel Ultima Studio. The Morrow's sound best of the cables I have driving low frequencies. At the moment Morrow have 60% off in their trade up program, (I would trade up SP2's I have in a budget system). Anyone have experience going from SP4 to SP7's, and how much better? What other alternatives for bass frequencies would you suggest if not the SP7's?
initforthemusic
bondmanp
1,783 posts
 
Thanks, initforthemusic. I continue to try and put more hours on the MA-3. I am prolly at about 300 hours. Although overall I am very pleased, the bass response remains puzzling. Sometimes, I hear wonderful extension and weight, sometimes there seems to be a lack of bass energy. An email from Mike Morrow confirmed that the bass is one of the last areas that will get fully broken in. I really need to spend more time listening to familiar music, but, like you, I suspect, I am not in this hobby to hear the same audiophile-approved songs over and over. With listeninng time being a very rare and precious commodity, I want to listen to whatever I want to listen to. So, I will try to be more patient with the MA3s. Interesting that you noted more impactfull bass as you moved up the Morrow line. Maybe I need to move up as well... ;-)
initforthemusic OP
282 posts
 
@bondmanp In my main system I use a balanced pre-amp so use XLR cables. Anyway had a small issue with the Pre. so I placed in the Doge 8 which only has RCA in's but XLR outs. I put in a fairly new pr. of hybrid (copper/silver) RCA's. The reproduction with these in place was a little on the bright side, so put in the Morrow MA-4's,allowing time to settle, not as bright, but not quite there overall. I placed in a pr. of Silver Litz RCA's, these were a massive step-up in this configuration. Hmm, the Doge 8 with the Silver Litz, RCA's sounds sensational. With this set-up I may have to re-appraise the Doge 8, a Pre. I've always had question marks on.

I also swapped around the Speaker Cables, allowing them time to settle. The SP7's on MId's/Highs & Cullen's on Low's. Nope sound's nowhere near as good when used around the other way. The SP7's on low & Cullen's on mids/high's just sounds so right, at least on the Revel Studios.


213runnin
914 posts
 
I’ve had Morrow IC’s for a few years. I sold off most of my electronics and started over early this year and bought a couple pairs of stranded wire IC’s along the way. I began to think that my new integrated amp wasn’t able to take advantage of better cables until I moved things around, and took the stranded wire IC’s out of the mix.

I put in all solid core stuff. MA3, MA1 and an Audioquest, along with Wireworld speaker cables. Wow, the clear focused sound was back in spades! Tighter bass, no harshness in the midrange, and imaging so well. Long story short, those stranded cables are staying out. I ordered a pair of MA5 with Eichmann silver to go with my MA3.

The trade up program is really a nice way to upgrade!

BTW initforthemusic, I've got the little brother to your Pioneers, the BS-SP22, that I swap into the system.  For the money, these Pioneers are quite shocking.
bondmanp
1,783 posts
 

initforthemusic:  Thanks for the update.  I ordered another MA3 IC to connect my tape outputs to my parametric EQ (from there the signal goes to my CD recorder). 


So far, I have mixed feelings about the MA3 with Eichmann plugs I installed between my DAC and my pre.  In some respects, it blows away the Monster Reference it replaced.  As noted above, it eliminated the drifting sibilants that, apparently, the Monster was misdirecting.  (Interestingly, a friend says he has a trick that fixes this issue in cables, and has offered to apply this fix to my Monster cable... I will let you know if this works).  It is a clean sounding cable, with a wide soundstage, excellent detail and very good decay.


On the other hand, the bass is, well, funny.  It is clearly extended very deep.  But, and this may indicate more break-in is needed, the bass quantity seems reduced, almost as if it were a bit out of phase.  Some recordings have strong deep bass, but others, the bass is MIA.  This may be the recording, and I am spending time with more and more recordings to try and get a handle on this.  It could be that the MA3 exposes out-of-phase recordings better than the Monster.  Maybe the MA3 is "correct" and the Monster was "incorrect", but I was used to it.


Then there are the highs.  No question that the MA3 is more open, more detailed and more airy than the Monster, but I feel like I might have lost a bit of the warmth and lushness I had enjoyed with the Monster cable (that's a strange sentence). 


I am willing to keep putting more hours on the MA3 (I would guess I am at about 300-325, including the 10-day break-in I ordered), but I am still uncertain as to whether these are the right cables for me.  Overall, they clearly best the Monsters, but I may need a warmer cable.  I know, I should not use wire as a tone control, but I want to simply enjoy listening... principles be darned.  I am looking at other cables, including the Hyper-Litz Cardas cables sold by KAB-USA.  I wonder if the Cullen ICs are worth a try?

bondmanp
1,783 posts
 
213runnin - Thanks for the input.  I wasn't aware that AQ made solid core wire.  And yet, some folks swear by stranded wires.  For a guy who just wants to enjoy listening to his tunes, this can be a little overwhelming.  I will give the MA3s more time and hope they warm up a bit.  I wonder what an upgrade to the MA5 would do?  Uh-oh.
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