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You're absolutely right. This is a stunning cable

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Dave Pogue

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In Reply to: Re: Recommendation may be too strong of a word (long) posted by kavakidd on April 17, 2004 at 13:13:33:

The "HD14" surpassed and replaced Omega Mikro passives -- the older model copper foil speaker cables -- which shocked the hell out of me. They won't get much respect here because they're too cheap, but if you have an open mind and twenty bucks (for the 25-foot extension cord plus some Rat Shack spades), you're likely to be real surprised.

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Re: stunning ....and an errant sacrificial TAS lamb - PeAK 10:43:28 04/18/04 (2)
If I can come to any conjectures based on upon your posted "system vitae" and that of kavakidd ...always a questionable outcome...the choice of adjectives (stunning, surpassed, replaced) struck me as strong recommendations. It peaked my interest to look further into the products that you replaced.
I have not heard the Omega wires, but Loyld Walker's reputation precedes him. I tracked down a link to his Omega Mikro cables and they seem to be a informed effort at taking a unique approach coming out of working with those in the production chain.
Those using his efforts are definitely in the "deep end" that few seldom tread....myself included. I probably need to come up for some air and walk over to my local Home Depot to ask for more their plebian/pratical opinions of copper foil as a cable....or stutter out something like:
I'm not sure which query would get me the the larger of the raised eyebrows but I think that I may need to retract my comments about Paul (Seydor) and his role as an errant sacrifical lamb at TAS. As the Omega Mikro begain over a decade ago(and is still a listed product at MapleShde) that has made the review circles at major publications , it would be interesting if RH or HP care to chime in and comment on their personal opinions of the HD 14 gauge as a sleeper cable ?
PeAK
- Confusing links - Metralla 12:00:58 04/18/04 (0)
  You are baffling me.
  Your link RH leads to http://www.theabsolutesound.com/back_issues_117.html
  Your link HP leads to http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/740/index2.html
  More proof reading required perhaps?
  
  Regards,
  Geoff
- Re: stunning ....and an errant sacrificial TAS lamb - kavakidd 11:49:13 04/18/04 (0)
  Just returned from Home Depot - 80'on sale for $18.99 (+\-)
Needs be said: It takes guts to come out in favor of Home Depot ext. cord cabling. Thank you! - SCEvans 08:03:00 04/18/04 (6)
Hey, I'll admit I'm on a short budget relative to many audiophiles (love my modded vintage Empire tt yet lust for an all-wood Teres, for example) and B4 long I WILL be trying HD cables between amp and speaks. When I have results that seem adequate I'll post, for good or ill...but if they're good you'd better believe I'll say so!
Far, far too much bunk and/or simple unknowns in this cable biz, IMO.
- PS - Cables do matter - SCEvans 08:11:29 04/18/04 (5)
  For the record I believe cables DO matter...the idea that they really don't has been disproved completely in my own system AFAI concerned. It'd just be soooo nice to pay less and avoid hours spent sorting through the hype.
  Scott
  - Oh, they matter all right - Dave Pogue 11:41:11 04/18/04 (4)
    At least they matter to me -- I've got a closetful to prove it. In the case of speaker cables alone, the Omega Mikros replaced Mapleshades which replaced Kimber 8TCs which replaced Straightwires which replaced Monsters. Each new cable was compared to the predecessor and won handily. There wasn't as much difference between the Home Depot cables and the Omega Mikros, but I have a couple of "problem" CDs and records I use as references, and there was a clear, if slight, advantage to the HDs in terms of clarity, detail, smoothness and that old standby, "musicality."
    This is to my ears in my system. JMMV and all that.
    I'm going to make a second pair and send it off to be cryoed and then compare again.
    - Question - Jon Risch 13:47:26 04/18/04 (2)
      Do the HD 14 seem to have PE instead of PVC for the wire insulation as was claimed in an earlier post by a fan?
      The PE should be harder and more slippery than PVC.
      
      Jon Risch
      - Re: Question - Bob_C 18:42:55 04/19/04 (0)
        
        In Reply to: Question posted by Jon Risch on April 18, 2004 at 13:47:26:
        
        It is PVC, so says the maker. The orange without the black stripe is also the same cable.
        BC
      - That's a tough one, Jon - Dave Pogue 16:18:21 04/18/04 (0)
        
        In Reply to: Question posted by Jon Risch on April 18, 2004 at 13:47:26:
        
        I honestly don't know. I've been feeling up my speaker cables, trying to figure out whether they're harder and more slippery (and feeling faintly foolish). Is there any other way to tell the difference?
    - Point of clarification - Dave Pogue 11:46:51 04/18/04 (0)
      The Omega Mikro speaker cables are NOT the current versions and are at least 8 years old. I'm pretty sure the current OMs would leave the Home Depot jobs in the dust. But given the cost, I'm not about to find out.

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