Results 1 to 8 of 8
Like Tree4Likes
  • 1 Post By blackraven
  • 2 Post By blackraven
  • 1 Post By Mr Peabody

Thread: New XLR's

  1. #1
    Forum Regular blackraven's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    St. Paul, Minnesota
    Posts
    5,421

    New XLR's

    I just ordered a pair of Audioquest Colombia XLR's from Music Direct who is selling them on clearance for over 1/2 off. I bought a 1m pair for $200 and they normally sell for $500. I don't know if they will sound better than the 1 pr of BJC XLR's that I am using along with my Cardas Parsec's but I figured that I could turn around and sell them if there is no improvement in sound. They also have the cables in single ended for the same price and cheaper in shorter versions.

    I will give a report on how they sound next week.


    Music Direct has a lot of stuff on closeout at excellent prices right now.
    topspeed likes this.
    Pass Labs X250 amp, BAT Vk-51se Preamp,
    Thorens TD-145 TT, Bellari phono preamp, Nagaoka MP-200 Cartridge
    Magnepan QR1.6 speakers
    Luxman DA-06 DAC
    Van Alstine Ultra Plus Hybrid Tube DAC
    Dual Martin Logan Original Dynamo Subs
    Parasound A21 amp
    Vintage Luxman T-110 tuner
    Magnepan MMG's, Grant Fidelity DAC-11, Class D CDA254 amp
    Monitor Audio S1 speakers, PSB B6 speakers
    Vintage Technic's Integrated amp
    Music Hall 25.2 CDP
    Adcom GFR 700 AVR
    Cables- Cardas, Silnote, BJC
    Velodyne CHT 8 sub

  2. #2
    Forum Regular blackraven's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    St. Paul, Minnesota
    Posts
    5,421
    Well, I received my XLR's today and all I can say is WOW! I have them placed between my amp and preamp where I was using Cardas Parsecs. I placed the Parsecs between my DAC and preamp and took the BJC XLR's out of the system. At first I tried the AQ's in place of the Parsecs and noticed an improvement is sibilants which was driving me nuts on certain recordings. I also noticed a slightly more neutral presentation with a blacker background and a little more detail. Bass was tighter but there was an ever so slight decrease in the bass and mid bass. High frequencies were more detailed with more transparency but smoother at the same time..

    Then I removed the BJC's and inserted the Parsec's back into the system between the DAC and preamp and there was a much bigger improvement in clarity, texture, sound stage and detail with a little warmth added back into the system. Bass and mid bass are still a bit toned down but I can live with that and adjust my dual subs accordingly. Sibilants were further decreased and high frequencies further improved. Overall the sound is smoother, more liquid if you will with more detail and a blacker background.

    Next week I will swap the AQ and Parsec positions to see if there is any further improvement or a little more bass.

    This is the first time that I have heard a major difference in interconnects. I am very impressed. My system tended to have a little upper frequency edginess and sibilants on some recordings and that is totally gone.

    What a steal at the price I paid.
    Last edited by blackraven; 07-22-2016 at 01:17 PM.
    Pass Labs X250 amp, BAT Vk-51se Preamp,
    Thorens TD-145 TT, Bellari phono preamp, Nagaoka MP-200 Cartridge
    Magnepan QR1.6 speakers
    Luxman DA-06 DAC
    Van Alstine Ultra Plus Hybrid Tube DAC
    Dual Martin Logan Original Dynamo Subs
    Parasound A21 amp
    Vintage Luxman T-110 tuner
    Magnepan MMG's, Grant Fidelity DAC-11, Class D CDA254 amp
    Monitor Audio S1 speakers, PSB B6 speakers
    Vintage Technic's Integrated amp
    Music Hall 25.2 CDP
    Adcom GFR 700 AVR
    Cables- Cardas, Silnote, BJC
    Velodyne CHT 8 sub

  3. #3
    Suspended
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    St. Louis, MO, USA
    Posts
    10,176
    Good deal. Your level of gear should be revealing differences in cables.

  4. #4
    Forum Regular blackraven's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    St. Paul, Minnesota
    Posts
    5,421
    Well, I could not wait till next week to swap cable positions. I just swapped them and the bass and mid bass is back to about where it was. Things are still much improved. The AQ's definitely give a blacker background than the Cardas Parsecs along with more transparency. I lost a little of the black background and transparency compared to when the AQ's were between the amp and preamp. But it is still better than with the BJC's. I think I prefer the sound this way.

    It is almost like I have a new system in a way. I am stunned.
    Mr Peabody and JohnMichael like this.
    Pass Labs X250 amp, BAT Vk-51se Preamp,
    Thorens TD-145 TT, Bellari phono preamp, Nagaoka MP-200 Cartridge
    Magnepan QR1.6 speakers
    Luxman DA-06 DAC
    Van Alstine Ultra Plus Hybrid Tube DAC
    Dual Martin Logan Original Dynamo Subs
    Parasound A21 amp
    Vintage Luxman T-110 tuner
    Magnepan MMG's, Grant Fidelity DAC-11, Class D CDA254 amp
    Monitor Audio S1 speakers, PSB B6 speakers
    Vintage Technic's Integrated amp
    Music Hall 25.2 CDP
    Adcom GFR 700 AVR
    Cables- Cardas, Silnote, BJC
    Velodyne CHT 8 sub

  5. #5
    Suspended
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    St. Louis, MO, USA
    Posts
    10,176
    What about getting another set of AQ for between the amp & pre to see what happens?
    JohnMichael likes this.

  6. #6
    Forum Regular blackraven's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    St. Paul, Minnesota
    Posts
    5,421
    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Peabody View Post
    What about getting another set of AQ for between the amp & pre to see what happens?
    I think that the AQ's would take too much of the tube bloom out of the sound. Although currently I have my subs crossed over at about 48hz, I could bump that up to 60-80 and see what happens.

    I am really diggin the sound now.
    Pass Labs X250 amp, BAT Vk-51se Preamp,
    Thorens TD-145 TT, Bellari phono preamp, Nagaoka MP-200 Cartridge
    Magnepan QR1.6 speakers
    Luxman DA-06 DAC
    Van Alstine Ultra Plus Hybrid Tube DAC
    Dual Martin Logan Original Dynamo Subs
    Parasound A21 amp
    Vintage Luxman T-110 tuner
    Magnepan MMG's, Grant Fidelity DAC-11, Class D CDA254 amp
    Monitor Audio S1 speakers, PSB B6 speakers
    Vintage Technic's Integrated amp
    Music Hall 25.2 CDP
    Adcom GFR 700 AVR
    Cables- Cardas, Silnote, BJC
    Velodyne CHT 8 sub

  7. #7
    Super Moderator Site Moderator JohnMichael's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Central Ohio
    Posts
    6,307
    I have enjoyed AQ cables for many a year. Welcome to the solid core magic.
    JohnMichael
    Vinyl Rega Planar 2, Incognito rewire, Deepgroove subplatter, ceramic bearing, Michell Technoweight, Rega 24V motor, TTPSU, FunkFirm Achroplat platter, Michael Lim top and bottom braces, 2 Rega feet and one RDC cones. Grado Sonata, Moon 110 LP phono.
    Digital
    Sony SCD-XA5400ES SACD/cd SID mat, Marantz SA 8001
    Int. Amp Krell S-300i
    Speaker
    Monitor Audio RS6
    Cables
    AQ SPKR and AQ XLR and IC

  8. #8
    Forum Regular harley .guy07's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Springfield, Mo
    Posts
    1,594
    Well that's good to know, I have been using bjc xlr interconnects between my Nuforce preamp and Pass for a while and after the dust settles and I see if my new speakers will be what I will keep once I get them there might be some playing around with different cables in my future just to see what I can achieve. My Nuforce preamp is a great unit but it is not true balanced as I understand it but allows Xlr out which Pass amps love and was a huge improvement over rca within itself. I also might at some point look at more options for preamps that fit the pure balanced bill later on after my speakers purchase settles.

    Marantz SR5008(HT)
    Nu Force P8 Preamp (2 channel)
    Pass Labs X150.5(2 channel)
    Adcom 545 mk2 power amp(rear channel amp)
    Spatial Audio M3 Turbo S Mains Speakers
    Dayton 8" HO custom sealed subwoofer(2 channel)
    Yamaha NS-c444 center channel
    Emotiva ERD-1 surround speakers
    JBL e250p subwoofer highly modified
    Samsung 46" LED TV
    OPPO BDP-83 blue ray/multi format player
    ps-audio NuWave dac (2 channel)
    Dell I660 music server running fidelizer windows 8 audio optimizer
    PS Audio Quintet power center



Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •