Recommendations for good budget interconnects
- Thread starter beammeup
- Start date
I use cables that comprise Amphenol RCAs and Van Damme XKE instrument cable... Sound pretty good to me.
Link shows a pre-made cable using the same parts as mine, but I make mine myself.
They Cost about $12 Australian (GBP 6-7) in parts for a 1 metre stereo pair at local prices... plus a little bit of my time, obviously...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1M-RCA-Phono-Gold-Plated-Van-Damme-Pro-Cable-Pair-Hi-Fi-Interconnect-Grey/324067292751?_trkparms=aid=1110004&algo=SPLICE.COMP&ao=1&asc=225086&meid=26fb339bd37c4cc4b8cea05fdc1221c2&pid=100008&rk=3&rkt=12&sd=323329359567&itm=324067292751&pmt=1&noa=0&pg=2047675&algv=default&brand=Van+Damme&_trksid=p2047675.c100008.m2219
Link shows a pre-made cable using the same parts as mine, but I make mine myself.
They Cost about $12 Australian (GBP 6-7) in parts for a 1 metre stereo pair at local prices... plus a little bit of my time, obviously...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1M-RCA-Phono-Gold-Plated-Van-Damme-Pro-Cable-Pair-Hi-Fi-Interconnect-Grey/324067292751?_trkparms=aid=1110004&algo=SPLICE.COMP&ao=1&asc=225086&meid=26fb339bd37c4cc4b8cea05fdc1221c2&pid=100008&rk=3&rkt=12&sd=323329359567&itm=324067292751&pmt=1&noa=0&pg=2047675&algv=default&brand=Van+Damme&_trksid=p2047675.c100008.m2219
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torstoi
pfm Member
I stumbled into this topic more by accident lately as I was looking for a cable with very low capitance
for a Goldring 920 IEC that's in my Dual 1229.
The combination doesn't look like much, but with a good phonopre and if you get the capitance dialled in perfectly, the Goldring really comes alive and the deck delivers a performance most surely wouldn't expect in the first place.
So I took the minimal setting from the Phono Box RS, added an average amount of capitance typical for a tonearm inner wire + used the perfect length of a low capitance sommer cable to get to the capitance I was aiming for spot on more or less.
That made a remarkable difference to the 1,5 meters of standardcable that had been in the Dual before.
As I got curious now and the Sommer appeared quite well made, I looked around if I could find something to try with an MC system, as if I hear any differences, it's much easier for me to tell apart between the MC and the phono-pre than from the CD player for instance.
I'm not shopping for ready made cables and mostly try to get away with 20-30 € per meter maximum, found some epilogue from sommer (don't get put off by the prices of the ready-made offers), looking the usual places you can find some ex-studio use often balanced configured and come out at the prices/m I mentioned.
I did that more or less just for fun but the improvement from my previous Van Damme cable really surprised me.
Replaced my Linn black between my DAC and the Pre & also here the sound opened up in a great way.
In my opinion the Linn black is quite a bit overrated, I was nearly a bit angry how much potential I had been throwin away all the years w/o realising it.
Trying the same Sommer between my Pre and PWR amp then, replacing a Klotz5000 there, the sound suddenly became really shut-in. So to me the Klotz is perfect between my pre & pwr, as well as a really good alrounder.
If given only 1 choice, the Klotz everywhere would do the least wrong in my book.
You can do better between MC & phonopre though, the differences there are not subtle at all imo.
No need to spend much money though and the one I found by coincidence is just 1 good brand, there is many employing great technology and a very good quality.
The surprise to me was that the delicate signal of an MC can really ask for a different solution than the link to the poweramp.
If you use the same cable in both places, it may well be you have quite a potential in either 1, possibly even both places to gain.
Doesn't have to be expensive at all, price doesn't mean something is better, but the right cable in the right place can make a remarkable difference imo.
Even swapping around different brands you already have at hands can be interesting to find out what kind of cable may suit best in which place in your setup.
(My Pre for example is known for having quite a substancial output, which is why I guess does not get along too well with a cable aimed at fine signals)
The Van Damme while ~ok-ish can easily be improved upon in my setup & is hence out,
the worst by far was my Linn black, though,,,that was a huge suprise as I had considered them as solidly good solutions up to now.
for a Goldring 920 IEC that's in my Dual 1229.
The combination doesn't look like much, but with a good phonopre and if you get the capitance dialled in perfectly, the Goldring really comes alive and the deck delivers a performance most surely wouldn't expect in the first place.
So I took the minimal setting from the Phono Box RS, added an average amount of capitance typical for a tonearm inner wire + used the perfect length of a low capitance sommer cable to get to the capitance I was aiming for spot on more or less.
That made a remarkable difference to the 1,5 meters of standardcable that had been in the Dual before.
As I got curious now and the Sommer appeared quite well made, I looked around if I could find something to try with an MC system, as if I hear any differences, it's much easier for me to tell apart between the MC and the phono-pre than from the CD player for instance.
I'm not shopping for ready made cables and mostly try to get away with 20-30 € per meter maximum, found some epilogue from sommer (don't get put off by the prices of the ready-made offers), looking the usual places you can find some ex-studio use often balanced configured and come out at the prices/m I mentioned.
I did that more or less just for fun but the improvement from my previous Van Damme cable really surprised me.
Replaced my Linn black between my DAC and the Pre & also here the sound opened up in a great way.
In my opinion the Linn black is quite a bit overrated, I was nearly a bit angry how much potential I had been throwin away all the years w/o realising it.
Trying the same Sommer between my Pre and PWR amp then, replacing a Klotz5000 there, the sound suddenly became really shut-in. So to me the Klotz is perfect between my pre & pwr, as well as a really good alrounder.
If given only 1 choice, the Klotz everywhere would do the least wrong in my book.
You can do better between MC & phonopre though, the differences there are not subtle at all imo.
No need to spend much money though and the one I found by coincidence is just 1 good brand, there is many employing great technology and a very good quality.
The surprise to me was that the delicate signal of an MC can really ask for a different solution than the link to the poweramp.
If you use the same cable in both places, it may well be you have quite a potential in either 1, possibly even both places to gain.
Doesn't have to be expensive at all, price doesn't mean something is better, but the right cable in the right place can make a remarkable difference imo.
Even swapping around different brands you already have at hands can be interesting to find out what kind of cable may suit best in which place in your setup.
(My Pre for example is known for having quite a substancial output, which is why I guess does not get along too well with a cable aimed at fine signals)
The Van Damme while ~ok-ish can easily be improved upon in my setup & is hence out,
the worst by far was my Linn black, though,,,that was a huge suprise as I had considered them as solidly good solutions up to now.
Del monaco
Del Monaco
I use a QED usb. Good well built cable. I think my coax is an old Monster. Just like my wife
hifinutt
hifinutt
normally use RFC cables , but this chap seems very interesting 35 quid for what look like good interconnects , just ordered a pair
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=223977138608
i love his humour ..
My CHUNKY CABLES are not hand knitted by 79 year old virgins in the foothills of the bleak Ural mountains, shipped to the UK in the finest 200 year Oak cask barrels then cryogenically frozen to within an inch of their life before being slowly revived in Yaks milk ETC ETC (YAWN) ............Need I go on?
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=223977138608
i love his humour ..
My CHUNKY CABLES are not hand knitted by 79 year old virgins in the foothills of the bleak Ural mountains, shipped to the UK in the finest 200 year Oak cask barrels then cryogenically frozen to within an inch of their life before being slowly revived in Yaks milk ETC ETC (YAWN) ............Need I go on?
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beammeup
pfm Member
Suddenly all sorts of options. I wonder if anyone can comment on a cheap option I have found, namely AudioQuest Forest Digital Coax cables? I highlight this particular one because it's very affordable - and it you believe it - it scored 110 on Hi-Fi Critic which is a very high score.
This could be my connection between streamer and DAC
This could be my connection between streamer and DAC
I have recently started to use these and they were a revelation in my system.
http://www.rothwellaudioproducts.co.uk/html/rivers.html
Clive
http://www.rothwellaudioproducts.co.uk/html/rivers.html
Clive
hifinutt
hifinutt
audioquest always well made stuff , go for it
Del monaco
Del Monaco
Audioquest is decent and well made.
YNWOAN
100% Analogue
You really surprise me with that view because I've tried this cable before - both as the interconnect NVA make (it's the same cable) and to make up interconnects for experimentation. My findings were that it was firmly in the 'not that good' camp!
I notice Rothwell Audio say:
But that isn't the whole truth. This cable is really made for the transmission of ultra high, microwave, frequencies. As such it is actually a stranded steel cable where the strands are copper clad and then silver plated. the core of the cable is steel though. Now this doesn't matter at ultra high frequencies because of skin effect where the signal is only travelling on the surface, but that isn't relevant at audio frequencies which are all much lower. What Rothwell should really have written is "silver plated copper conductors on a steel core"!
The RG316/U datasheet is here:
http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/32499.pdf
Arkless Electronics
Trade: Amp design and repairs.
I find the free ones that come with CD players to be just fine. VFM is pretty good They fulfil all my requirements ie made of copper, with a plastic insulator between the centre and outer conductors. Now if I was working with 15GHz things would be very different.... Now there's a thing.. I wonder how much idiots erm I mean audiophiles would pay for semi rigid microwave coax interconnects!? Russ! say RUSS!? are you there? I'll go halves with you
They fulfil all my requirements ie made of copper, with a plastic insulator between the centre and outer conductors. Now if I was working with 15GHz things would be very different.... Now there's a thing.. I wonder how much idiots erm I mean audiophiles would pay for semi rigid microwave coax interconnects!? Russ! say RUSS!? are you there? I'll go halves with youI've really struggled to tell the difference between £1.49 no brand half metre ebayed interconnects and other interconnects costing up to £120 in my system. Especially after unplugging and replugging the £1.49 cables a few times.
It's the sort of thing where I could drive myself potty trying to decide if I can hear a difference or not, and if so what the difference is.
Speakers for example, on the other hand, when I've tried different ones in my system, I've always been able to quickly hear significant sonic differences between them.
It's the sort of thing where I could drive myself potty trying to decide if I can hear a difference or not, and if so what the difference is.
Speakers for example, on the other hand, when I've tried different ones in my system, I've always been able to quickly hear significant sonic differences between them.
Hazelberry
sister
I used to make my own DIN to RCA interconnects. A fiddly job. I got tired of remaking the DIN ends and bought cheap stringy readymades. Happy.
Ptah
pfm Member
I bought an Audioquest Chicago at the Bristol Show in Feb for about £60 and it's brilliant on my study system.
Bairnstorm
pfm Member
I happily use Van den Hul interconnects and think they are good value. The only exception is speaker cable where I replaced it with 4mm twin and earth from RS. It now matches the tyres on my car as it is made by Pirelli. It can handle speed and cornering.
As I mentioned before, the 'freebie' interconnects that come with most mass-market equipment, ie. so-called 'bootlace' interconnects, were all we had years ago before the advent of specialist cables from The Chord Company and such like. I remember many hi-fi shops in the city centre where I live used to have stands full of them in plastic bags - phono-phono, DIN - phono etc. etc. They were all the thin black cable with red/white phono plugs/grey plastic DIN plugs and dirt cheap. This is what everybody used. The most exotic speaker cable was QED 79 strand! In fact I remember before Naim introduced NACA4 my dealer sold me some RS mains cable as speaker cable, just a red and black wire that he had twisted together himself at the magic 5 twists per metre as recommended by Naim apparently.
The point I'm making here is that back then I don't ever recall there being any concern that the performance of systems was being badly limited by such basic quality cheap interconnects. Then manufacturers cottoned-on to the gap in the market and suddenly there were any number of 'specialist' cables that sold for silly money and culminating in what we have now, where some wires to connect components sell for thousands of pounds. It is a similar situation with loudspeaker and equipment stands.
My personal experience is that the freebie interconnects work just fine - the system doesn't sound broken with them. I think more expensive cables can sometimes offer worthwhile improvements to my ears which is why I use them. But I'm not really convinced that what they do is 'correct' in as much as sometimes I think that they are merely manipulating the sound - emphasising certain facets unnaturally. I don't know. Sometime I may go back to 'bootlaces' just as an experiment. Just as an example I found that a Lindy red/black cheap USB cable is the nicest I've ever heard and I prefer it to Chord and Supra USB cables that I've tried. Apparently this Lindy cable was supplied by a certain high-end DAC manufacturer as a 'give-away' because they thought it sounded so good and they recommended to stick with it.
Pete