Audioquest ICs and speaker cable

[titan7]

I just purchased a new system, all Rotel seperates with Monitor Audio GR-10 speakers. I am using AQ sidewinders for the ICs and Monster XP on the speakers. I plan to upgrade the speaker cable and was thinking Cobalt, or AQ type 4 or CV4. Would the diamond back IC sound better? I am trying to stay at 10% of the system total with is about $4.5k and I am finding that really hard to do. Diamond back ICs are $95 each for .5 meters and and about $110 for .75 meters. I only need 2 .5 meters and one .75 meter IC but that comes out to about 7% of the total system price and the speaker cables are another $180-200. Where do I stop? Should I just get the CV-4 speaker cable and keep the AQ sidewinders I just picked up? I got a screaming deal on them .5 meter pairs for $25 and $40 for the .75 meter.

thanks for any suggestions you have.

[Bernd]

I just purchased a new system, all Rotel seperates with Monitor Audio GR-10 speakers. I am using AQ sidewinders for the ICs and Monster XP on the speakers. I plan to upgrade the speaker cable and was thinking Cobalt, or AQ type 4 or CV4. Would the diamond back IC sound better? I am trying to stay at 10% of the system total with is about $4.5k and I am finding that really hard to do. Diamond back ICs are $95 each for .5 meters and and about $110 for .75 meters. I only need 2 .5 meters and one .75 meter IC but that comes out to about 7% of the total system price and the speaker cables are another $180-200. Where do I stop? Should I just get the CV-4 speaker cable and keep the AQ sidewinders I just picked up? I got a screaming deal on them .5 meter pairs for $25 and $40 for the .75 meter.

thanks for any suggestions you have.

Hi,

I would keep the Sidewinders as the difference between them and the diamondbacks will not be that great.
Then I would get the best AQ Speakercable I can afford and start from there.
If you would be starting from scratch I would of course get all wire from the same range, but in your case you can later bring the ICs up to the quality of the speakercable. Then again you could get a speakercable from the same range as your IC's and buy some music.Your call. Hope that doesn't confuse the issue to much.

Have fun

Bernd

[adam01k]

Im using Rotel 1072 with NAD 216 and some Mission 783s. I have been using AQ Slates for some time now and am actually satisfied. You might give them a spin.

[titan7]

Thanks, The dealer will let me trade up to the Diamond Backs but I just don't know if that's going to make a difference I will hear. So is the AQ CV-4 a good speaker wire? I think it's only a 4/15 AGW cable, would a 2/12 SoundKing sound about the same?

[Resident Loser]

...some Home Depot extension cords for your speakers...they got some good word-of-mouth from those in-the-know...

jimHJJ(...dontcha' know...)

[daviethek]

I recommend Bedrock at about 200.00 for a 10 ft pair (audio advisor). Neutral and precise. A noticeable step up from Type 4 in my system. I've heard that you have to go way up in cost in the AQ product line to notice imprivements over Bedrock. It may be the "point of dimishing return" cable for AQ. Its a good one IMO.

[ToddL]

Thanks, The dealer will let me trade up to the Diamond Backs but I just don't know if that's going to make a difference I will hear. So is the AQ CV-4 a good speaker wire? I think it's only a 4/15 AGW cable, would a 2/12 SoundKing sound about the same?

CV-4 is 16 gauge solid core. The dedicated "bass" wire is thicker

[bipper]

I had some free time yesterday and just decided to test speaker wires. I compared dh labs ST-100 ,kimber 8tc biwire and monster xp cables (what you own)..

kimber 8tc
the highs were a bit grainy and low were very pronounced but fast, midrange fantastic even with the overwhelming lows

dhlabs ST-100 (budget speaker cable) excellent highs, less pronounced midrange and slower and less bass than the 8tc

monster--overall sound was good but the highs were muffled and midrange was weak.

overall the monster would be a good cable for an old garage receiver or guest room stereo system.

definitely audition the dhlabs t14 speaker cables and kimber 4tc or 8tc cables, you will be sold within the first 10 seconds ....

good luck

[titan7]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will try a few things out!