Good balanced cable

Hi Guys,
Just wanted to know what balanced cables to try.
Linking Classe CD-10 CDP to Primare A30.1 Amp with Chord Oddysey SCable linking to Dynaudio 1.3's.
So far i seem to be at 2 ends of the spectrum.
I have a Kimber Timbre which is to soft and also flabby in the bass.
I also have a DNM Reson cable which is great for timing and speed but instruments lack reality and vocals sound dry.
Anyone know something in between.
If not i may try a Chorus as i liked that in my system when using the phono outs though i would just have to buy one as no one round here has a dem pair.
Willing to pay upto £200 bit over if pushed.
Ta
Curtis

 

Curt,
Your wasting your time posting about cable section here, If 2 guys post about differences they hear in cables another 2+ will be along to say its all physco babble, do your self a favour, go and listen to some and report back and tell the forum (all in dbt mode of coarse)

 

Oh I dont know Tone we're not all bad you know !

Curt, he's too modest to say, but WM himself makes some very good cables. If you PM him, Im sure he can tell you more.

The budget conscious have had excellent results with proffessional microphone cable, which can be wired balanced of course.

Cables seem to come up second hand fairly frequently, which is great because you can get your money back by re-selling. Others could tell you better than I which are the rated products.

These are the three avenues I would be exploring I think.

Chris

 

Hi Tony,
Long time since we met old friend.
Thanks for the help bottleneck.
I have to say though re cables and is there a difference depends on many things.
I have always found differences between cables but wouldn't say one is better than the other and is never price dependent.
Some cables just dont work in some systems.
Maybe home made cables sound so good because they are not conciously made to sound like anything.
The cables i have tried definately seem to aim themselves a certain types of systems and sound.
For instance the DNM Reson IC in my system gives you great timing and tempo but lacks depth, richness, air, bass is bloomy, vocals are bland they have no soul and theres a total lack of presence.
They also make it sound like a digital system its uncanny.
On the other hand the Kimber Timbers give a huge soundstage but no timing and tempo and the whole sound is soft so transients and dynamics fall by the wayside.
Vocals are good but play anything with get up and go and you are left planted in your seat with your feet as still as can be.
I'm not looking for people who dont believe in these factors to post to this message unless they are taking the piss of course which is fair enough.
However there are major differences in my system and thats all that matters.
I think because previously i had decent cables that worked i never really got into the cable testing thing but since trying to change the Chord Chorus IC for a balanced XLR connection i have found profound differences between cables.
It seems to me to be just like buying a new CDP or Amp.
Some are to soft sounding and others are pacey and hard.
If there are differences there then why cant there be differences in cables.

Curt

 

CURT, Just buy some VDH starquad, a pair of Neutrik xlr's should cost about £22 max, they are championed by a lot on here.
Now are you saying you can hear differnices between cables, surely not?, I mean they arn't any differenices, it's all physco acoustic mind fooling.
Me I just use pretty coloured cables to improved the looks of my system, does nothing at all for the sound.
2 blue leds are needed simply one the best upgrades you can possibly make, puts my shunyata hyrda 8 into the 'bearly audioable difference catorgy.

 

Maybe you should drape some round your head then mate

Curt

 

Thank you Curt I'll take it under advisement
Might as well give this a go, before I have defend us physco-acoustically mis contents
Curt, what are you looking for in the cable?,
give me a clue?, I've listened to the odd one, may be even able to suggest a suitable candidate.

 

Pay attention this time for gods sake
Something between the 2 i have already talked about.
I liked the Chorus as a straight phono.
Basically it has to be dynamic with no fattening of the bass.
It has to hold the music together rather than spreading it all over a 3D image without losing the soundstage.
Just a bloody realistic sound that doesnt go too brash or lush sounding.
I like Chord cables as they are dynamic and more middle the road at least thats what i found with the Chorus.
May try the Anthem.
It amaze's me that with the 2 XLR cables i have i can make my system change from an overly lush analogue system to a in yer face digital teeth grinding affair without changing anything but a bloody IC.
Bizaare

Curt

 

Really, I don't believe you, cables are all B/S
I'll leave this one to Merlin, he's been getting all the stick, I'll politely retire, what you after is possible, but at your price point a US only buy only unless you go to £250

 

Tone, why not give the man an answer? Nobody's stopping you discussing cables, don't be such a sensitive old sod.

-- Ian

 

I will go to £250 if i get what i want.
I need to do a home trial though as after trying the cables so far i would say its like buying an Amp, CDP or speakers without deming them.
I'm serious mate and to be honest flabbergasted.
Maybe going to a balanced connection reveals more.
I have always been unhappy with the vocals of my Record deck and never thought it maybe cabling.
The culprit was a bloody VDH D102 III as i got the same problems when using it with my CDP.
Replaced it with a cheapo QED Qunex 2 and voila saving myself £50 in the process.

Curt

 

Ian,
I maybe advancing in years, but I still won't be as sensitive an old sod as you


No sheilds here, I'm open to attack, but me return volley is some what good
Curt, I know exactly what you mean. We have in the region of 50+ i/c's from £30-£3K that we use as test samples.
Ones to Try (lots of opinions offered on them, but these fit the bill)

Isolda dct 300, used to run this, great tight bass, times well, open and fairly transparent, mids cabn be recessed in certain systems, the Primare is rounded and nice so it may well work well, worth a try used from £180
Chord Anthem
Cardas Neutral ref
Acoustic Zen Matrix ref
Cardas Golden cross (USED)
Acoustic zen silver ref
Audioquest Dimond is ok as well
Harmonic Tech Magic
Omiga Audio Mosquito
should give you a few ideas

 

Cheers mate,
Got any links for who stock these cables and if i can get a free home trial?
I may also try Chord Signature as a dealer round here said i could dem it but £500 OMG.
Apparently its the dogs tits.
Worth a try just for curiousity sakes

Curt

 

Getting or Giving WM It's time for you to rise above this and fight your corner mate, rather than back away into a corner and criticise.

Come on! I reckon AZ might be good, I recently had a Chorus. OK, seemed inoffensive enough, but I wouldn't be rushing out to buy one. Curt, much of the US kit can be demoed by contacting the UK dealerships, but to be honest, you can buy the things for about one third of UK retail on the net so long term it's not really a sensible option unless you are buying UK product.


Cheers

 

Curt, why not try a few cables from WM?

Im sure he would home dem some for you.

His top of the range one sounded exactly like you are describing (isnt life a bitch!!).

As for the Isolda, Im convinced you can make up a few pairs by canabalising the speaker cable. Its not shielded though (which I NEED) so I never bothered.

 

WM

are you back from France?

 

Merlin, you raise a fair point, but as for bothering no thanks its like a broken pencil, pointless.
More than a few people realise the effects of signal transmission devices, those that don't I don't have a problem either.
So why bother with all excess anality, those that do will do those that don't, won't .
I really can't be arsed in the slightest.
Our top cable Chris would be 'Too honest' for Curt's system, maybe a little too truthful, it certainly doesn't suit all systems.
Curt are you still running the Silver annversery?
Penance still in Gaul land yes

 

WM - hope its a damn good time

Curt, i would back up WM's idea's on the cables. The Mosquito was excellant in my system, the Gladiator was ruthless on the top end though. Nothing wrong with the Gladiator, just my system

 

Is the Gladiator the one I heard on your system Tone?

It would be great to hear what it does with valves, if youre ever passing?


Chris

 

Van den Hul D102MkIII balanced (£75 for a 1m pair) is what I use in my system and I like it. Whether it's any better than a £4 balanced mic cable or any worse than some £2K Nordost effort I don't know but I doubt it

Michael.