Interconnects for valve system

[admin_exported]

Hi

Over the past 3 years I've been updating my hifi, starting at the source and finishing with the speakers (with only the speakers left tpo be upgraded).

However; I need some advice regarding some interconnects for my system, at the moment I'm using Russ Andrews Cu Crystal interconnects - which were fine for my previous system but I now feel that my current system deserves the next step up in the cable dept.

The system contains the following:

Townshend Rock 7, Rega 301, Lyra Delos, EAR 834P, EAR 834L, Croft series 7 Power amp, Monitor Audio S1

The interconnect I've been considering between the phono - pre and pre - power is Van den Hul's The First Metal Screen; mainly based on good reviews and that I should be using shielded interconnects for valve amps.

Any thoughts on the VdH's; any other suggestions would be gratefully received.

Cheers

Steve

 

[bemaniac]

May I simply say that as a proud owner of monitor audio s1s in my second system they are lovely and if you go for s8s which I've heard you will simply absolutely infinitely thank me. The s1s actually have more bass than my main q500s!

 

[CnoEvil]

Hi Steve

My 3 favorite makes are Cardas, Telurium Q and Atlas - which one depends on how much you want to spend, and needs to be in relation to the cost of your system.

Have a look on each of their websites, to get an insight into the philosophies of each one.

 

[oldric_naubhoff]

I would second Cno's recommendation. those brands produce cables out of pure copper which IMO is a better solution than using some hybrid materials; copper and silver or carbon and silver as in VDH cables.

I don't really think that particular brands and models in cable dept matter as long as cable geometry and materials are the same, ie. every single ended RCA, shielded, pure copper interconnect characterised with similar electric values is bound to sound the same.

you didn't really mention why you want to change your ICs, except for the fact that you need shielded ICs. if you get the kind of sound you are happy with right now with your Russ Andrews ICs I'd say you should stay with shielded copper wires and don't go for experimenting with some exotic materials. in the end, copper is what you'd most likely find inside your EAR and Croft boxes (but who knows, maybe silver?). if you want a change of sound though, I'd say you'd get more satisfying results fiddling with the tubes, rather than cables.

 

[CJSF]

When you get to this level, I recon you can go round and round in circles eventually disappearing up your own proverbial . . . with a very light bank account to boot! Been there, don that, Townsend Rock and EAR's were the basis of my main systems. I ended up with IC's: 'single silver coated, hair thickness steel conductors' of my own sourcing . . . it was not until I spoke recently to Max Townsend that I realised why my own cables worked so well. There was an element in the type of conductor, but the screen and isolating inner sleeve had/has a lot to do with it, I'd suggest having a talk to Max and Russ for the technicalities

I am still using some of my original IC cable to connect the DAC to the old Rotel integrated amp I now use. One of the interconect cables perceived attributes in the valve days was control and base extension, seems to help in my current basic system as well. As for speaker cable, we did loads of listening tests, they seemed to be 'to the taste of the listener' and ended up with simple, 79 strand, QED, center spaced copper cable, again, still using it today.

ET