Speaker Wire Developments in last 10 years? Need advice.

[E-Stat]

Hey Mash and PG. If you feel this way about cables then why are you wasting your time in the cable forum?

In context to the original poster's receiver, I would agree. Why bother?

[emaidel]

This argument seems to crop up periodically, year after year. "Wire is wire," and "cables don't sound different" are statements made often, with which most of us at this site disagree, based on our own experiences.

I'm often shocked at the high prices (in the thousands of dollars!) some cables demand, and have no intention of every trying out any such cable. On a more "down-to earth" scale, I've had many success stories when it came to replacing speaker wire, interconnects and power cords.

The "bug" bit me in the late 80's when I replaced 14-guage zip cord with "Original" Monster Cable, and noticed a very significant improvment across the audio spectrum. Years later,I spent a small fortune (even at a substantial discount) for Audioquest "Crystal" solid core speaker wire: harsh, "in-your-face" and just plain awful, plus it was almost impossible to work with since it was so stiff. Monster Z-3 replaced that cable, and I've been delighted with it since, though I suspect there are still better cables out there, but at a price.

The largest single difference any cable made in terms of improvements was the AlphaCore TQ-2 solid silver interconncects I used from my SACD player to my preamp. I believe at the time they cost $275 for a 1-meter pair, but rarely was money better spent.

Audioquest has an arrangement with Audio Advisor for an interconnect called "Black Mamba II" which, for the price, is certainly worth trying. It sure improved the sound of my system by replacing Monster M-1000i, which sounded pretty good to begin with.

Then, there are the Pangea power cords, all of which cost a fraction of most "audiophile" power cords, and all of which made BIG differences in my system.

All that said, I'm sure several will still say I haven't a clue what I'm talking about. Be that as it may, others who,like me, have dabbled in this area, know what we hear. Would replacing my power amp and pre-amp with new units, costing about the same as my car make a difference? I'm sure they would, but expenditures of that nature are out of the question. If I can spend a few hundred dollars (or less) and hear an improvement, that, to me, is an "upgrade" well worth the effort, and deserves to be recommended to others.

[JohnMichael]

This argument seems to crop up periodically, year after year. "Wire is wire," and "cables don't sound different" are statements made often, with which most of us at this site disagree, based on our own experiences.

The largest single difference any cable made in terms of improvements was the AlphaCore TQ-2 solid silver interconncects I used from my SACD player to my preamp. I believe at the time they cost $275 for a 1-meter pair, but rarely was money better spent.

Emaidel are your TQ2 silver? I have the copper TQ2 and I was using them between the Marantz SA8001 and Krell S-300i. They are a good match when I use the RS6 speakers with their peaky treble but they soften the sound too much when I am using the OML1's. I was thinking I might like the TQ2 silver since I am listening exclusively to the OML1's.

[emaidel]

Emaidel are your TQ2 silver? .

Yes, they are. Years ago, I spent what seemed to be a small fortune on a pair of Kimber, solid silver, twisted interconnects that were used between my CD player and preamp. I ultimately found them excessively bright, harsh and with little bottom end. Perhaps the silver in the AlphaCore cable is somehow different, because it sure sounds a whole helluva lot better.

But then, cables don't make any difference anyway, as we've been told. When will we ever learn?

[JohnMichael]

Yes, they are. Years ago, I spent what seemed to be a small fortune on a pair of Kimber, solid silver, twisted interconnects that were used between my CD player and preamp. I ultimately found them excessively bright, harsh and with little bottom end. Perhaps the silver in the AlphaCore cable is somehow different, because it sure sounds a whole helluva lot better.

But then, cables don't make any difference anyway, as we've been told. When will we ever learn?

You have to stop listening with your ears and listen with your speculations.