Marvey's Cable Rolling Adventures

Discussion in 'Modifications and Tweaks' started by purr1n, May 7, 2016.

  1. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    That's not a bad idea. See how they sound and if you get itchy about trying cables I know Amazon carries Pangea and some BJCables that you could return if you don't hear an improvement.
     
  2. Thenewerguy009

    Thenewerguy009 Friend

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    Radioshack still exists?
     
  3. winders

    winders boomer

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  4. msommers

    msommers High on Epipens

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    +1 for Bluejean Cables. Everything I've ordered has been of very good quality and whenever I've had questions, Wayne has been incredibly quick to answer.

    I have read XLR interconnect cables aren't as susceptible to material variation as RCA interconnects (maybe someone smarter can confirm or deny). BJC uses Belden 1800F which some recording forums have said is more transparent than Mogami and Canare quad. For such short runs, I don't see the point of using quad unless you have known RFI/EMI issues.
     
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2017
  5. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    I have both the Belden 1800F XLR and Canare L-4E6S and find that while they are both good cables there is a difference in very high frequency extension with the Belden being superior. This makes sense as it has the lower capacitance.
     
  6. e.schell

    e.schell Friend

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    +1 BJC Belden 1800F XLR interconnects are great sounding, i use them between Freya and Jot. Had been using a pair of PYST (which are great cables if you are planning to stack equipment) between Gungnir Multibit and Freya until i got a pair of Kimber Hero XLR IC's in a trade...so far i think they Kimber Hero's are a notch or two better than the short PYST xlr's. I've also tried DH Labs BL-1 Series 2 IC's and in my system found them to make everything a little more bright leaning than i like (probably because they are silver coated copper?)

    I have never considered spending high dollars on cables, for my money I enjoy the the BJC's. Would definitely grab another pair of the kimber hero's if i found them for a good price or in a fair trade. WIll probably try out Gotham cables and a few companies who use good Mogami and nice connectors for decent prices (Worlds Best Cables on amazon i believe?) next time i need another pair.

    My 2 Cents.
     
  7. winders

    winders boomer

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    After a lot more research, I decided to try a nice Mogami setup and last night ordered a pair of RCA interconnects from "Worlds Best Cables" made with Mogami 2534 (Neglex Star Quad). I figured I couldn't go wrong for $37.95.....
     
  8. a44100Hz

    a44100Hz Friend

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    Since this thread is about cables...

     
  9. johnjen

    johnjen Doesn’t want to be here but keeps posting anyways

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    a44100Hz said:

    Just as a PSA, I got these Hosa XLR splitters. They suck. I realize I also had some Hosa RCA cables, and they suck too. (My only shitty RCA cables, in fact. Monoprice or even Amazon Basics cables are trivially easier to hear as more transparent.) Do not use Hosa products, despite their cheapness, unless you absolutely do not care how flaccid the sound becomes.


    I guess this could be considered as a polar opposite to, "cables make no difference".

    JJ
     
  10. winders

    winders boomer

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    The XLR "Y" splitters I had Dyson Audio make are working out quite well for me!
     
  11. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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  12. winders

    winders boomer

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  13. e.schell

    e.schell Friend

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    Would like to hear your impressions after you get them in your system and become familiar with them!
     
  14. TheIceman93

    TheIceman93 El pato-zorro

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    Another cheap / decent cable worth considering is the Wireworld Luna 7 - https://www.amazon.com/WIREWORLD-Luna-Audio-Interconnect-Cable/dp/B00GF9EVJ6

    I also own a pair of 3ft Blue Jeans LC-1's. I picked up the .5m Luna 7's for two reasons. First, the connectors on the Blue Jeans were super beefy, so much so that they actually pushed the cables slightly apart at an angle on my Modi Multibit's very close RCA outputs. Second, the Blue Jeans are made from a very thick Belden cable, super high quality stuff but not very flexible which made the placement of my Modi Multibit difficult. The thick Belden cable would push the Modi Multibit away from where I wanted it to stay.

    The Wireworld's feel less substantial, both the shield and the connector barrels are much thinner but the Modi Multibit stays right where I want it. Some may be turned off by the fact that the Wirewrld's shield is fused together (easily separated though if you wanted to make them separate cables). I actually like that they are stuck together, it looks a bit tidier.

    I honestly, can't tell if there is a difference in sound. Maybe the Luna 7's seem a hair brighter? I terms of build quality, the Blue Jeans LC-1 edges out the Wireworld's, but the Luna 7's were more easily routed in my system so I'm sticking with them.

    [​IMG]
     
  15. Daveheart

    Daveheart Friend

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    The actually connectors aren't all that large on BJC (though they're not small), but the strain relief they use is both wide and long, so it certainly can present issues in certain situations. As far as flexibility is concerned, they do offer Belden 1505F and several more flexible Canare cables. They also offer other connectors, but I have no idea whether or not they still use the same strain relief.

    Other options for closely spaced connectors are some Straightwire models (like the older "entry level" musicable) or pretty much anything that uses Switchcraft connectors. On one of my earlier ST-70's I the RCA inputs were so closely spaced that even without the strain relief on the BJC, their connectors still wouldn't fit.
     
  16. winders

    winders boomer

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    The "Worlds Best Cables" Mogami RCA cables I just bought are very flexible and look like this hooked up to my Modi Multibit:

    IMG_1364.JPG
     
  17. TheIceman93

    TheIceman93 El pato-zorro

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    Tight fit on those Mogami's but it works. I do wish the Modi Multibit's RCA's were space a little farther apart.

    This is what the Luna 7 looks like connected to my Modi Multibit:

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 6, 2017
  18. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    "Signal Source > Signal Direction"

    Do they sound any different connected the other way round? :p
    I'm being a bit facetious, but curious too. It's an AC signal so I don't see how there could be any directionality. Not even for DC, really.
     
  19. TheIceman93

    TheIceman93 El pato-zorro

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    The cable direction thing is a joke in my opinion. My Wireworld cables as well as some Surfcables silvers I picked up this week both have directional arrows. They sound the same to me in either direction. What is the theory behind this?
     
  20. johnjen

    johnjen Doesn’t want to be here but keeps posting anyways

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    Not to be snide nor rude, but if you define it as "a joke", then for you that IS what it is.

    And if there is no difference when you reverse the cables then for you it makes a, no never mind, either way.

    But my experience has shown me that some cables are designed and made with differences from end to end.
    And experience has taught me that unless you spend at least ≈ 10 hrs listening to both configurations you may well never hear any let alone all of the differences, just because.
    Of course for some it may not take all 10hrs, but to slap the cables in and expect there to be an immediate night and day difference is unrealistic.
    We are talking subtleties of intonation, and harmonic structures that may be shifted slightly (or more) but it takes a while for us to 'learn' the 'new' acoustic presentation.
    And in some systems there may be other 'limitations' which can tend to 'cover up' these subtle differences to begin with, and so "And if there is no difference when you reverse the cables then for you it makes a, no never mind, either way".
    So you get to save your money and not have to worry about those crazy $$$$$ cables and as a bonus NOT get caught in this Audio Nervosa trap.

    And as was pointed out in a recent post, cable 'tuning' is the LAST (or near to it) type of tweak to perform if you really want to gain worthwhile results from this tweak.

    However there are a few exceptions.
    Larger gauge, better and clean connectors, shorter lengths, better metallurgy, and other 'processes' that can emphasize or enhance these subtle differences.

    Wyrs-R-Majic, and subtle Majic requires being able to hear these degrees of subtlety, which is a whole nuther topic.

    JJ
     
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2017

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