Audio RCA Cables Question

[lewburgh]

Just bought a new Marantz CD5001 and will be connecting to my HK 525 receiver. Anyone have any suggestions for cables? Was looking at some Monster Interlink 400 MKIIs but have read some bad reviews. Will it really make a difference from Radio Shack red and white standard audio cables?

Thanks,
Lew

[lewburgh]

Anyone use Audioquest Copperhead audio cables?

[Dusty Chalk]

Two different things -- the freebie red-and-white cables that come with every component, and Radio Shack. I actually think that the Radio Shack Gold Series are half -decent. That's what I use whenever I'm installing a layperson friend's system (I'm cheap when I'm giving stuff away, what can I say?).

I've also heard good things about Bluejeans cables, anti-cables "anti-ic's", and Outlaw PCA's.

I'm fond of Straightwire, myself.

[royphil345]

I tried the Monster 400s a long time ago and hated them. They really do make a dramatic difference with their multi-gauge wire networks. just not a good difference IMHO. Seemed to make the bass boomy and the highs recessed. Mids went AWOL. Music sounded "grainy".

The only Best Buy interconnects I used to recommend were the standard Monster Interlink 100 cables. They were basic and had larger conductors, more advanced insulation than many cables. Opened up the sound a bit without doing anything questionable. They've recently stopped selling them. Wouldn't be surprised if Monster stops making the lines that Best Buy dropped. They are now selling Acoustic Research in that price-range instead. They look fancier for the money. Better plugs, separate ground and sheild... Problem is, the two conductors are just as thin as those in any standard "red and white" cable and they sound the same. Made my tower speakers sound like bookshelves. Was nice to be able to pick up a decent cable at Best Buy in a pinch. No more... But they still sell the expensive, strange-sounding Monster 400s.... I hate Best Buy...

[2chAlex]

Check out www.CablesForLess.com and www.PartsExpress.com

[lewburgh]

Bought the Audioquest Copperhead RCA interconnects (1M) for about $45 on Ebay. One step below the Diamondback cables. Can't wait to compare them to standard radio shack RCA cables with my Marantz CD5001. Hope they make a difference. Think I got a deal on them were priced for around $90 or so almost everywhere I went. Should I buy a better power cord than the one that will come with my Marantz?

[royphil345]

Nice deal!!! I think you made a good choice.

The Copperheads actually have a very similar design to the Monster Interlink 100s I like. Thick conductors and a drain wire that makes contact with a foil shield. Solid instead of stranded though. The Copperheads have better plugs and are sure nicer looking. I think the worst mistake in cable design is when they insulate the drain wire from the shield without making the main conductors beefy enough.

Enjoy!!!

[lewburgh]

Thanks royphil345!
It was a hit or miss decision for me considering I don't know what the hell I am doing. Almost too many cables to choose from. Another audiophile recommended bluejeanscable.com for speaker cables. Bought a pair of 12 foot terminated Canare 4S11 Cables to cut and run barewire to my fronts and center. Know anything about these cables. Definetely want to run barewire versus bananas or spades. Any suggestion for fronts with my system other than the Acoustech HT-75. Will spend more money maybe $600 for pair.

HK 525AVR
Toshiba HDTV 51H84
Samsung HD-850
Marantz CD5001
XBOX 360

Acoustech HT-65 Center
Athena RS1 Rears
Velodyne DPS-12 Sub
? Fronts probably Acoustech HT-75s

[Smokey]

Almost too many cables to choose from. Another audiophile recommended bluejeanscable.com for speaker cables. Bought a pair of 12 foot terminated Canare 4S11 Cables to cut and run barewire to my fronts and center. Know anything about these cables.

Those are excellnet speaker cables. They have RF/interference rejection property already built in :)

[daviethek]

Bought the Audioquest Copperhead RCA interconnects (1M) for about $45 on Ebay. One step below the Diamondback cables. Can't wait to compare them to standard radio shack RCA cables with my Marantz CD5001. Hope they make a difference. Think I got a deal on them were priced for around $90 or so almost everywhere I went. Should I buy a better power cord than the one that will come with my Marantz?

I don't really know if you are going to see a difference in sound with a different power cord in a 300.00 CD player. I upgraded the power cord on my Cambridge audio and the jury's still out if any differences can be noticed. If you must, go cheap. the PS power Punch is aout 50 bucks from Audio Advisor. For less, you can make your own with no special skill involved. Try these for connectors

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?Partnumber=110-403&raid=32&rak=110-403

and use some 13/3 wire from home depot. The total project will be around 35.00.
Wise choice on the copperhead IC. Far better than the cheaper IC's from RS or monster. The diamondback is a little better and you can get them used in 1m for around 50-60 on e-bay. have fun.

[lewburgh]

Thank for all the input. Looks like a made a good decision. Even a blind squirell finds a nut every once in a while I guess.

Side Note- My brother happens to be an audiophile. Trying to get him on here. He used to work at a Stereo store in college at PSU. Now he's married with 4 kids but still manages to buy some nice toys. He loves hi-fi stuff and has quite a bit of money in his system. Hell of a lot more than me that's for sure. I know he's owned some older Klipsch Heresseys, Polks, B&Ws and a slew of other speakers. I think he is running B&W803s now, not sure what else. It's funny because anytime I bring up anything audio related he goes on and on and never shuts up. It's in his blood I guess. Gotta get him back in the game. He's been out too long.

My old Staffordshire Bull Terrier was wrestling with another dog in his living room once and just so happened to knock over one of the B&W speakers. He was not very happy to say the least! Speaker was fine however thank god. Thought I might not make it out of there alive! Never forget that day.

[PeruvianSkies]

You may want to check out WhiteZombie Audio...they are custom handmade cables that are made with pure silver, not gold. I have had phenomenal success with mine and highly recommend them!

[gjpham]

Let's hope your HK avr525 can pruduce enough clarity so you could hear the diff.

[JohnMichael]

Bought the Audioquest Copperhead RCA interconnects (1M) for about $45 on Ebay. One step below the Diamondback cables. Can't wait to compare them to standard radio shack RCA cables with my Marantz CD5001. Hope they make a difference. Think I got a deal on them were priced for around $90 or so almost everywhere I went. Should I buy a better power cord than the one that will come with my Marantz?



The Marantz CD5001 has a fixed power cord. I use the Alpha Core MicroPurl interconnect with my player. http://www.alphacore.com/interconnect.html#MP

[Feanor]

Just bought a new Marantz CD5001 and will be connecting to my HK 525 receiver. Anyone have any suggestions for cables? Was looking at some Monster Interlink 400 MKIIs but have read some bad reviews. Will it really make a difference from Radio Shack red and white standard audio cables?

Thanks,
Lew

Good cables for less. They give no-BS discussion and recommendations. Bonus is you get your own choice of:

Cable type: two or three choices per application, (i.e. analog vs. digital, etc.), depending on your circumstances;
Color: your choice of several for some applications such as analog stereo;
Exact length: they make them to order to your exact specification.http://www.bluejeanscable.com/