Buy great cables or save money for Paradigm upgrade? (1 Viewer)

[Mark Austin]

Since you are going from generic 12 ga., as you put it, maybe you should make a lower grade step, just to determine what you want from a cable. It's really a personal preference, and jumping from generic to the price points you are talking about are definitely at the point where you don't want to go wrong. You could go with some more moderately priced cables and a good power conditioner like the Vans Evers, and go from there. With a receiver your results are not going to be as dramatic as with seperates. Cables tend to be a journey, at least they have been for me. What it sounds like though is that you are taking a huge leap into something that you may need a little bit more personal experience with to determine what you like.

 

[DavidY]

As a rule of thumb (yeah, my thumb), cables and interconnects should cost 5-10% of a HT system.

I, too, have Studio/60 V.1 mains (Studio/20 V.1 rears and CC-450 centre) with Ultralink Reference series and Monster XP 14ga speaker wire and Ultralink Challenger and Radioshack Gold interconnects.

If I had the extra bucks, I would put the $$$ into a 2 channel (150-200WPC) amp to better drive the Studio/60. I think that this would be better off than spend the bucks on "cable". Cable upgrades may or may not be noticeable sonically....always audition first with your system to see if YOU can notice the difference and if it's worth it.

Dave

 

[Howard_S]

I've been looking for "value" cables:

Ultralink Excelsior Biwires

Boldercables

Maple Audio Ambience

These are the ones I'm leaning towards right now. The Ultralink cables because they're available locally and at very good prices so I consider them as a step up from my 12g cables but nothing special of course.

Boldercables is my mid-range cables. I've only heard good things about them.

Maple Audio represents the high end of what I'm looking at as they are the most costly.

Unless someone tells me to just go with the Ultralinks I'm planning to spend at least as much as the bolders. I'm thinking Maple Audio would be better but they also come at a much higher price. So that's why I'm stumped. I have no idea what would be the best for me. There are obviously not enough reviews out there to make much of an informed decision.

 

[Mark Austin]

I would probably disagree with the 5-10% rule, as I have had what I consdier significant gains at about the 20-25% point. If I figure all the cabling, and that's 4 video cables, 2 digital cables, speaker cables, and another pair from the CATV box, plus others, there's no way 5-10% would cover it. And don't forget your TV source. Good cabling makes a good bit of difference there as well. I'm running a pair of reference II's from my digital cables box for regular TV listening, and it is a marked difference over mid priced stuff.

 

[Mark Austin]

I have heard teh Maple Audio's and they are very good cable you couln't go wrong. But again it is system dependant. If they have a return policy, give them a shot. I'd be interested in what you end up with. Good luck.

 

[Howard_S]

I'm pretty sure I'll be "happy" with all three of them. I've heard great things about Maple and Bolder. I think what I need to know is Maple vs Bolder vs Ultralink and how much of a difference between each other if any. After knowing that then I can consider the price to see if it's worth the extra. But obviously it's going to be hard to figure that out. Mark. I like you have quite a few cables to buy so that's why the costs seem really high to me. I have to decide real soon though.

 

[Chu Gai]

ok mark, i'll leave the silver question for you...how?

 

[Mark Rich]

Because Doug sells silver cables. Thats why he uses and advises others to do so.

I dont buy into silver being a step up in performance. Different sounding yes, but not better. You may have a problem with silver cables and paradigm speakers. Could make highs a little too bright and possibly edgy.

For Home theater powered by mid level speakers and a receciver I dont think you need to spend that much on cables. Simply buy good retail speaker cables and some affordable interconnects and enjoy your system. Leave the tweaking for at least 3-6 months. Get used to your system first and improve on its weakness when and if you encounter any. I would stick with roughly the 10% rule for a system like yours. By shopping around you should get some very decent cables for that budget.

If you had seperates and were really into 2 ch hi-fi sound then yes maybe buying expensive cables would be worthwhile.

I also dont think you will gain a lot with stepping up to the 100's. Once again if you were running them full range in stereo then yes they would be worthwhile. But for home theater in an average size room I really dont think you will notice the $1000 differance in sound over the 60's with the servo-15.

 

[Ricky T]

Get Active 40s...should be superior to both studio 60s and 100s above 50hz. The two "open" channels also provides your elite receiver more headroom to drive the other 5 speakers.

 

[Steve Zimmerman]

You asked for opinions so I'll offer mine... It sounds like you simply have a case of "upgrade-itis". Happens to everyone. Your current system sounds like a good one. Why not simply enjoy it for a while?

OTOH, if you have up to $2000CDN that you really want to spend it is my opinion that you'd get a better sound improvement for your money by purchasing a new sub (SVS CS+ for example) or an amp (Outlaw 1050, perhaps) than by buying premium cables.

And although there seems to be disagreement in the HT community regarding the effectiveness of Bi-Wiring--and premium cables in general--there seems to be a consensus on the effectiveness of Bi-Amping. Why not spend the money on that instead?

--Steve

 

[dougW]

Mark, actually, I think I can answer for myself, regardless of my reasons. Since I never mentioned my cables I sell, your point is irrelevant. BTW, I also sell copper.

Chu, not being a metallurgist, my explanation may be simple in nature, but basically, with copper and silver your looking at a different metal makup, and electron flow IS different. Cable ney sayers go ahead and take your shots here, but you cannot change the fact that different metals conduct signals in a different mannor. For solid silver, the metal purity has something to do with it. At it's best, oxygen free copper probably still has impurities that 99.99% silver won't. But even if it doesn't? The metal makup is simply different. Ask a scientist or chemist about the Chart of Elements.

Really, many people could chime in about the virtues of solid silver audio cables in their system. But yes as one of you said, they are not right for all systems. Whether they do the right thing for a system is of course, system dependent.

Lex

 

[Mark Rich]

Doug,

Actually my response was relevant. BTW nothing wrong with you selling or even mentioning you sell silver cables on this forum or any other forum.I think its great having your input even though I rarely agrre with it. Lighten up and have a great and prosperous New Year.

 

[Mark Rich]

Doug W,
Just noticed that you are plugging your brand of cable with your link to your home theater. Hardly seems fair now does it? Nice method of getting free advertisng but against the rules,no?
Maybe you should consider paying for an advertising spot and supporting the forum rather than spamming like that. Think we get enough of that junk everyday in our lives.
Sorry I didnt bring this up before but I only cheked out your incredible HT set-up today. Think you could afford a nice advertsing spot with that kind of set-up

 

[dougW]

Actually Mark, some people do see fault with direct selling through posts. While you personally may not, that doesn't necessarily represent the views of this or some other forums. But I can talk about cables generally all day long everywhere. Just not normally about specific reference to the ones I manufacture. I can however to the best of my knowledge, talk about what's in my system, just as you can yours, or anybody else. I just can't normally use sales statements. My policies on posting try to respect all forums I post at, and their views. Yes, I do have some different styles according to the forum of interest.

Thanks for the complement on my theater. Whats on my personal web page though is not spam. Giving credit for sponsorship is not spam. It's fair business practice. If I didn't have personal space there, then I would have to buy space. So, any promotional value is payment for hosting my web page.

Lex

 

[Chu Gai]

i believe the silvercats are 22 gauge. being that silver's conductivity is about 6% better than copper that would mean that a copper cable of say 20 or perhaps 18 gauge would have a similar overall resistance (i didn't do the math on this one, after all its new years). this suggests that the upper frequencies using 22 gauge silver would be somewhat attenuated compared to 12 gauge copper. for short lengths i don't believe there is an audibility issue. now if it were, would that suggest that the transparency of the high frequencies is a result of their nominal attenuation?

as far as impurities go, to my knowledge at the level's of purity we're looking at I don't see how that's an issue. purities for both silver and copper are available in the several 9's area but the need for such purities depends upon the application. btw, you do make an attractive looking cable.

 

[dougW]

Chu, thanks for the complement. Really, I don't have all the numbers, you may well be correct on the resistance numbers. But metallurical make-up is different, regardless of metal density and purity. I think that has something to do with silver's performance capabilities. I don't have all the answers, but I do know what works for me, and for most of my customers.

Lex

 

[Mark Rich]

Doug w,

You own Catcables. You do not need to advertise the fact by having it on you home theater web site. This is called spam marketing IMO. Being a web master I know the costs involved as I design, develop and administer a few of my own. You can get free web space to host your HT pics which is what most people do have. Please do not insult me by sugesting that the company you own hosts your HT pics therefore you owe them the credit. Its not fair business practise. Its abusing these forums to market your cables. What a load of .... No different than having a pop up appear with the Catcable special of the week! Damn I gave you an idea.

I would much prefer you simply stating on your posts that those intersted in checking out Catcables can go to your web page for further datails. That leaves the decision in the hands of the viewer. By using your HT link you are commercially advertising your products to the unwary. A simple text link within the listing of your components stating you use catcables would be fair.

 

[TerryC]

IMHO anybody recommending a mega buck cable upgrade over a speaker upgrade is on crack.

 

[dougW]

Well Mark, you have your opinions, and I have mine, which from now on, I will keep to myself on matters such as this- Simply, I have better things to be doing.

Lex

 

[Mark Rich]

Fair enough Doug,

Best of luck in the New Year. Look forward to seeing Catcables grow with the best.Yes,I am green with envy over your HT. Truly something to aspire to own.