Budget Interconnect Recommendations

[admin_exported]

I am in the process of upgrading the cables on my girlfriends old Marantz seperates system, already sorted some Chord Silverscreen speaker cable but want to ditch the standard interconnects but still need a relatively budget option (max £40 to spend on an amp-CD connection and amp-TV connection)

Richer Sounds seem to mainly do the Cambridge Audio range, which I dont see featured much in the Reviews section on the main page.

http://www.richersounds.com/products/hi-fi-separates/accessories/hifi-interconnects

alternatively Superfi have the QED Qunex from £10, this seems to be an older model but quite highly thought of, again though it is not reviewed on the main page so not sure how this stacks up against more modern counterparts.

http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/Product_ID/4419

Finally, of the stuff reviewed on the homepage it would seem some of the Ecosse Models (Best Boy & Producer would seem to be in budget) or QED Performance Coxial if I search round online for a good price? What would the experts here recommend.

I am not particularly bothered about digital or analogue, from reading round various topics. I think anything I replace the standard stuff with will be a vast improvement!

 

[stephennic]

Hi,

Chord crimson are a good match for your other chord cables. They have a five star review in what hifi.

Cheers,

Steve.

 

[Anonymous]

also look at the Silver High Breed ...

there is a new one called Avatar ... sells for £33 ... have not heard this one, but have the Coherence LE and am happy

Not sure how it compares with the Chord

 

[Anonymous]

generally speaking the shorter the interconnect the better

they have far less impact on the sound than speaker wire anyway so just buy one that is well made any of the brands mentioned here would be fine

 

[Anonymous]

Afraid I disagree on the i/c being less important than speaker cable comment ....... they are both important !

Kimber make good i/c's at varying prices and also do shorter 0.5m lengths, which can save money, or enable a better cable for the same money, if a short length is good for your kit placement. You can also upgrade them over time with their upgrade scheme, so that can help you save money over time perhaps too!

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the advice, very useful. Another silly question from a seperates virgin.......

It seems that all the interconnects are significantly longer than I require for my needs, even a 0.5m length is much longer than the distance between my amp and CD player so I will have a lot of mess behind my system (which is already pretty messy!). Is there anywhere that I can get these in shorter lengths, or is it possible to purchase to custom lengths, presumably this will be cheaper also, if I only need 20cm rather than 50cm which seems to be the shortest available in any of the cables I have looked at.

 

[JoelSim]

I'm happy to send you an Ixos 1002 if WHF will give me your email address. Don't worry about money.

 

[Andrew Everard]

dim_span:also look at the Silver High Breed ...

there is a new one called Avatar ... sells for £33 ... have not heard this one

So why on earth are you suggesting someone should buy it?

 

[Andrew Everard]

JoelSim:I'm happy to send you an Ixos 1002 if WHF will give me your email address. Don't worry about money.

If the OP agrees I will, but we really don't have time to keep setting up these trades. Sorry.

 

[matthewpiano]

With your speaker cables I'd opt for the Chord Crimson. It is an excellent interconnect for the money.

 

[JoelSim]

Tenacious Doug:
I am in the process of upgrading the cables on my girlfriends old Marantz seperates system, already sorted some Chord Silverscreen speaker cable but want to ditch the standard interconnects but still need a relatively budget option (max £40 to spend on an amp-CD connection and amp-TV connection)

Richer Sounds seem to mainly do the Cambridge Audio range, which I dont see featured much in the Reviews section on the main page.

http://www.richersounds.com/products/hi-fi-separates/accessories/hifi-interconnects

alternatively Superfi have the QED Qunex from £10, this seems to be an older model but quite highly thought of, again though it is not reviewed on the main page so not sure how this stacks up against more modern counterparts.

http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/Product_ID/4419

Finally, of the stuff reviewed on the homepage it would seem some of the Ecosse Models (Best Boy & Producer would seem to be in budget) or QED Performance Coxial if I search round online for a good price? What would the experts here recommend.

I am not particularly bothered about digital or analogue, from reading round various topics. I think anything I replace the standard stuff with will be a vast improvement!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you need an analogue cable, not digital.

 

[Anonymous]

JoelSim:I'm happy to send you an Ixos 1002 if WHF will give me your email address. Don't worry about money.

Very kind man!

 

[Anonymous]

Andrew Everard:dim_span:also look at the Silver High Breed ...

there is a new one called Avatar ... sells for £33 ... have not heard this one

So why on earth are you suggesting someone should buy it?

because it's within budget of what the OP has requested, ...

and because I have read hundreds of good reports of all the silver high breed models (except for 1 that was done by a hifi magazine) ...

and because I own a silver high breed and am happy ...

so that's why I suggested that the OP consider one

 

[Andrew Everard]

I see. Probably not best to recommend people buy things based on things you've read, rather than personal experience.

 

[Anonymous]

Doug,

I have tried all sorts of cables from budget to expensive, but if I were you I would stick to the Chord Crimson. It even beats my more expensive Siltech interconnect. What Hifi gave it 5 stars and they were absolutely right about it. It's a stunner for the price.

Jan Danhof

 

[idc]

Tenacious Doug:

Thanks for all the advice, very useful. Another silly question from a seperates virgin.......

It seems that all the interconnects are significantly longer than I require for my needs, even a 0.5m length is much longer than the distance between my amp and CD player so I will have a lot of mess behind my system (which is already pretty messy!). Is there anywhere that I can get these in shorter lengths, or is it possible to purchase to custom lengths, presumably this will be cheaper also, if I only need 20cm rather than 50cm which seems to be the shortest available in any of the cables I have looked at.

A lot of the more 'audiophile' cables are thicker than freebie bell wire ones as more effort id put into the construction to sheild the cable and reduce the effects of EMI and RFI. So they do tend to be longer to allow them to be able to curve without putting pressure on the connections. The thinest I can think of are Kimber cables which are braided instead and have thin sheeths over the wire. They are available from Riuss Andrews, who will do special lenghts, but for a price. I tried googling ribbon interconnects and found some. for $120. But further searches for such may turn up more results.

Stuffing cables down the backs of systems and cable management is probably the most unpopular job in hifi!

PS I think Dim Span's recommendation for Silver High Breed is a good example of a maker who may be able to help you with getting very short lengths, but my SHB cable is too thick to be made any shorter than its 0.5m

 

[Anonymous]

Andrew Everard:I see. Probably not best to recommend people buy things based on things you've read, rather than personal experience.

No Andrew, I read several forums (and several magazines) ... so when a poster asks for advice, I will give my honest advice based on my personal experiences aswell as what I read on other forums from several people who own an item aswell as what I read in different magazines ...

this is a forum, so there will be lots of different advice and opinons

If I have not heard or tested an item, I always state so (as I have on this thread) ...

the OP will get several recommendations, and it's up to the OP to research further and decide for himself ...

If we were to only suggest or recommend what we actually own, there will not be much of a discussion .... (unless we are dealers who only tout what we stock and make the most profit on, .... or magazines who review items that the manufacturers pay for advertising space ... but even then, I read with interest, but also with a 'pinch of salt, ...

I then personally audition, base on recommendations' and decide for myself

suppose it's like buying a car .... what may suit many, may not suit others

 

[Andrew Everard]

Fair enough - at least people now know where you're coming from when you recommend things...

And where you're coming from with that hoary old suggestion that reviews are influenced by advertising.

Really expected better from you, but then given the aggressive nature of some of your posts in the last few days...