Interconnects/Cables of your choice, and why?


This can include the following: 

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- Balanced interconnects 

- RCA interconnects 

- TOSLINK Cables 

- SPDIF (Coax) Cables

- Ethernet Cables 

- USB Cables (USB-A)

- USB Type C (data-line cables)

-  HDMI Cables 

 

I’ll share what I use too, later on. Once this discussion post receives some responses. Let’s talk about cables for knowledge transfer and making the right purchasing decisions. Sometimes it's just fluff, other times it's the real deal.

 

thesummit

In my "big rig" all line level interconnects are Cardas Clear Reflection; this has replaced a mix of older Golden Reference and Clear Cygnus.  Balanced from DAC to pre, otherwise RCA.

The Clear Reflection cables are perhaps (definitely?) just on the warm side of neutrality, but, at line level, seem to do no damage.

The phono connect is a Transparent Super Phono.  I tried Cardas in that position but the sound seemed to lose air and space.

USB is Cardas and Ethernet cables are whatever - my Esoteric K-01XDSE DAC seems to be completely insensitive to its digital input provided the data is correct.  It is my experience that today's well engineered DACs are relatively insensitive to cables, unlike the situation 30 years ago when jitter on the input to a DAC was a serious problem.

The clock cable is a 10 giga Hertz bandwidth broadcast level transmission cable.

Power is from a Monster Cable surge protector/filter.  Amplifiers are connected via MIT Z-cords, other equipment via 16 ga. "hospital grade" power cables.  My equipment is on a dedicated line from the panel, I am the only house on the line from the 13.8 kV (I think) transformer 100 feet from my house.

Single ended interconnects between my dac to preamp and preamp to amp are Black Cat Silverstar 88. Unfortunately, they are no longer available.

Silversmith Audio Fidelium speaker cables. 

Acoustic Zen mc2 digital coaxial cable. 

Graham Slee CuSat50 interconnect elsewhere. 

Just bought a Veritas Optimus 50 hdmi/I2s cable.  So far, it's sounding quite good. 

I like silver.

Audioquest Wel speaker and interconnects.

Zenwave D4 interconnects and Coax

Power AQ Dragons and SRA Signature

Ethernet Amazon essentials

- Balanced interconnects - Nordost Tyr 2 nice balance of air, details, and relaxed presentation 

- RCA interconnects - can’t use RCAs with my amp

- TOSLINK Cables - N/A

- SPDIF (Coax) Cables - N/A

- Ethernet Cables - Wireworld Starlight 10 Twinax and Audience Hidden Treasure have a full fleshed out sound while remaining laid back and realistic 

- USB Cables (USB-A) - N/A

- USB Type C (data-line cables) - N/A

-  HDMI Cables - amazon basics - TV sound is not as critical to me