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Audioquest vs. Others

   I realize that this post will probably open a landslide of responses but my question is focused on the comparison of Audioquest vs other manufacturers. This is not aimed to address power cables or speaker wire but only interconnect cables. Like Audioquest, many brands offer cables in a range of prices....low, medium, high, and super high. My interest is not to compare a lower price/quality cable to one that is far superior but to ask if comparisons have been done within equal price ranges of different brands.

   Yes, some systems are capable of distinguishing minute changes in a cable makeup. Some manufacturers even offer a free trial and return policy. I know that. But, in a moderately priced system, are there any opinions that would deter one from using the Audioquest brand vs another brand? Remember....staying in a comparable price range.

jrpnde
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Anybody who believes L, R, C is all that’s going on with cables and power cords must be living in a cave. We know it’s much more complicated than that. Everybody and his brother can find some anti-audiophile pseudo-scientific screed on the internet without breaking a sweat. This is not the 1980s, gentle readers. 

I used AudioQuest Truth Silver and Truth Copper air dielectric interconnects and digital cable respectively way back in the 90s. Even back then AudioQuest honored the inherent directionality of wire so the sound is more resolved, more natural and just plain better. I’m currently using AQ Carbon HDMI cables which also honor wire directionality and use some percentage of silver in the connectors which translates into a super duper picture.
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motown-l
166 posts
 
My local dealer sold me some used AQ Copperheads and G-snakes, some years ago. At one point, I had separates and used a set of "Better Cables", silver plated 99% OCC cables between the amp and preamp. These cost $80/ft. in 2006. I was using this cable, later, between my DAC and the amp, I currently own. I had to switch back to the G-snakes due to re-configuring my system set up. At the pricepoint my system is, I really couldn't hear much difference. In my mind, the Better Cables had slightly more detail but it might have been influenced by the difference I paid per foot.
jayctoy's avatar
jayctoy
3,677 posts
 
JR if I were you I consider to try kimbers, cardas, MIt,trAnsparent , Nordost, this guys has been doing cables for at twenty yrs
turnbowm
353 posts
 
I had some Audioquest Emerald ICs and always felt that there was too much HF emphasis. On paper, they were the answer to an audiophile's prayer. Functionally-Perfect Copper (FPC) wire including the connectors. I disected one of the cables and found four incredible small gauge wires, explaining the titled response. These were very expensive cables at the time.

More recently, I tried some AQ Type 8 speaker cables and they were totally outclassed by Kimber 8TC.

I'm sure that Audioquest has many fine cables in their current lineup but, based on my experience, they are expensive for what you get..  
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