Cable Asylum

Posted by Jon Risch (B) on April 18, 2004 at 12:02:08

In Reply to: ...thanks....further thoughts(long) on "beguiling nature" posted by PeAK on April 17, 2004 at 11:51:19:

[ I have notice a number of recent reviews where whole set of cables (power, interconnect, and speaker cables) are tried as an ensemble with great results... ]

Lets look at it from one end first. Let's say we have one set each of a perfect cable.
A perfect power cord
A perfect interconnect
A perfect speaker cable

We place these into a really good system capable of a very high level of sonic discrimination.

If we now substitute any other cable into the system, we can easily hear it's deviation from perfection, compared to the perfect cable we replaced.

Now let's look at it from the other end of things, less than perfect cables in that system. Let's say they are on the order of entry level cables, rather than OEM freebies, etc., or mid-level models.

Now with a less than perfect cable, it will have it's weaknesses. If you mix up the cables in the system, so that they are all different brands of entry level cables, the weaknesses of one brand will be superimposed on the weaknesses of another brand, and you end up with the sum total of ALL the weaknesses of all the cables in the system.

If you stick with just one brand, whatever that cable does RIGHT, will then tend to shine through more, as it will not be compromised by some other cable somewhere else.

I hope you get my point, using similar levels of performance and similar kinds of compromises in the ultimate performance of the cables avoids (or greatly reduces) the "sum total of the weaknesses" additive occurance.

I think that once we get up to a certain level of performance, and the weaknesses are not that strong, you get into much more of a personal choice aspect, what is it that YOU like more than the next fellow.
In this higher level of overall performance, I think that mixing and matching can be a good thing, and allow for greater flexibility in the final system voicing.

[ As I already am using the 89259/89248, what DIY power cord would your recommend? ]

On a well tweaked and refined system, with the Belden teflon based audio cables, such as the twisted pair and the CC89259 speaker cables, I would recommend ChrisVH's power cord designs, which are somewhat specific to various components (there being different 'flavors' for different components)

[ Last, a related question...are you able to listen through to a speaker cable despite what is used for the power cord and interconnect? ]

Yes. It is hard, but can be done to a certain extent, especially when one is intimately familair with the system, and has swapped out the cables many times.

[ Can it be that the threesome of Belden SJT, 89259/89248 interconnect and THHN cable make for a great pairing as in the case of Signal Cable/Soundstring. ]

It might be the case, I can not say one way or the other, as this is one of those synergy/interaction/individual system kinds of things that are very specific.

Jon Risch