New Speaker cables for Cyrus / B&W CM8s

[DandyCobalt]

I've currently got my Cyrus "stack" (Mono X300s, DAC XP+ etc) mono biwired to my B&W CM8 front speakers using £6/metre Chord Carnival Silverscreen. My Inspired turntable via EAR 834p phono amp also goes direct to the Cyrus.

I'm thinking of "upgrading" these speaker cables, but going the single wired approach (so that I can afford it, and also as there is a lot of debate on the actual benefits of biwiring).

Does anyone have any suggestions for likely cables that I would enjoy?

I was looking at Tellurium Q Black (I'd need about 3metres pair) so would be around the max of what I'd like to spend, but trialing different sorts can't be easy.

(Especially as cables need to burn in?)

Please don't suggest I change speakers/amp etc etc..... divorce would follow rapidly 🙂

 

[abacus]

Unless you’re going with very long cables, stick with standard 2.5mm sq. OFC copper cable as exotic speaker cables make absolutely no difference to the sound. (In spite of what some manufactures and Hi Fi mags try to con you into believing)

Stick to the cables used in studios (Which produce all the music you are listening to) if you want the best. (Mention exotic speakers cables to music producers and technicians and they will just roll all over the floor laughing)

Hope this helps

Bill

 

[BigH]

Have you seen this post: http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/tellurium-q-black-speaker-cabels

 

[CnoEvil]

TQ Black is an excellent cable and worth a try.....for my taste, with your system, it would be the TQ Green (if it's not too pricey).

Other brands I rate are Atlas and Vertere.

Make sure you home dem, as cables can get expensive........it is important to see if they are worth the money.

 

[BigH]

I would get a few and test them out should not need long to burn them in and then return if no good, you will have 7 days or 30 I think on the Graham Spatia ones.

 

[DandyCobalt]

Have you seen this post: http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/tellurium-q-black-speaker-cabels

Thanks. interesting read. Looks like I'll try and get some cables for home demo - I'll also have a look at the Graham Slees and Atlas.

 

[BigH]

Have you seen this post: http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/tellurium-q-black-speaker-cabels

Thanks. interesting read. Looks like I'll try and get some cables for home demo - I'll also have a look at the Graham Slees and Atlas.

You may want to check with the manu. how long you have to test them? I look forward to the reviews, just make sure you go back to your old ones to check the difference, if possible do a blind test.

 

[DandyCobalt]

Ok, just taken the plunge and ordered a pair of Tellurium Q Black from Analogue Seduction - they've offered to burn them in for me before I get them.

That way, when I use them first time, it will be as if they have been used for a year. I should notice any difference.

I can return them if not happy.

 

[BigH]

Ok, just taken the plunge and ordered a pair of Tellurium Q Black from Analogue Seduction - they've offered to burn them in for me before I get them.

That way, when I use them first time, it will be as if they have been used for a year. I should notice any difference.

I can return them if not happy.

I would get the G Slee as well so you can test them together, they have a 30 day return I believe and are cheaper?

 

[DandyCobalt]

Ok, just taken the plunge and ordered a pair of Tellurium Q Black from Analogue Seduction - they've offered to burn them in for me before I get them.

That way, when I use them first time, it will be as if they have been used for a year. I should notice any difference.

I can return them if not happy.

I would get the G Slee as well so you can test them together, they have a 30 day return I believe and are cheaper?

Not sure my credit card can come with multiple cables at the same time

 

[abacus]

Why is it Hi Fi Nuts think that very expensive cable makes a difference? when music producers, film producers, musicians, general public and the laws of physics prove that they don’t?

Still if you have money to burn, why not? There’s no law against it.

Enjoy the emperor’s new clothes.

Bill

 

[ISAC69]

Hi

I upgraded my cabels from Chord Carnival Silverscreen to the Tellurium Q Black 4 months ago and the improvement is huge ;

the sound is more focused and detailed , the bass is tight and poerful .

Try also the Van Den Hul ( VDH ) cabels they are a good match with B&W speakers .

 

[DandyCobalt]

Why is it Hi Fi Nuts think that very expensive cable makes a difference? when music producers, film producers, musicians, general public and the laws of physics prove that they don’t?

Still if you have money to burn, why not? There’s no law against it.

Enjoy the emperor’s new clothes.

Bill

I'm going to give them a try and see/hear if any difference. Hope you don't mind, Bill?

If I can't hear a difference then they are going back, and I will let you know what my experience was.

I'm very pleased that AS are willing to burn them in for me first - as I want to hear what an optimum sounding cable sounds like (and not a brand new unused one - or is that hokem too?)

 

[datay]

Why is it Hi Fi Nuts think that very expensive cable makes a difference? when music producers, film producers, musicians, general public and the laws of physics prove that they don’t?

Still if you have money to burn, why not? There’s no law against it.

Enjoy the emperor’s new clothes.

Bill

I'm going to give them a try and see/hear if any difference. Hope you don't mind, Bill?

If I can't hear a difference then they are going back, and I will let you know what my experience was.

I'm very pleased that AS are willing to burn them in for me first - as I want to hear what an optimum sounding cable sounds like (and not a brand new unused one - or is that hokem too?)

The only way to know is get them to send an "unburned-in" pair for you to compare, but as you say, you can't front for two sets. I really wouldn't worry about it.

You could see it another way. Burn-in effectively makes them used, so perhaps you should ask them for "ex-demo" pricing...

 

[andyjm]

Why is it Hi Fi Nuts think that very expensive cable makes a difference? when music producers, film producers, musicians, general public and the laws of physics prove that they don’t?

Still if you have money to burn, why not? There’s no law against it.

Enjoy the emperor’s new clothes.

Bill

I'm going to give them a try and see/hear if any difference. Hope you don't mind, Bill?

If I can't hear a difference then they are going back, and I will let you know what my experience was.

I'm very pleased that AS are willing to burn them in for me first - as I want to hear what an optimum sounding cable sounds like (and not a brand new unused one - or is that hokem too?)

Just to be clear, of course speaker cable can sound different. Thin, weedy, high resistance cables will probably sound different to thick, low resistance cables.

What is certain however is that 'burning in' speaker cables is complete claptrap. No basis whatsoever in science or engineering. I can only assume the retailer is having a laugh.

 

[matt49]

What is certain however is that 'burning in' speaker cables is complete claptrap. No basis whatsoever in science or engineering. I can only assume the retailer is having a laugh.

You want laughs?

http://www.mains-cables-r-us.co.uk/hi-fi-equipment-supports/267-blue-horizon-proburn-.html

 

[MakkaPakka]

When they did the test flight of the Airbus A350 today, do you suppose they made sure all the cables connecting everything up were burned in first?

Do hospitals burn in the cables that hook up life support machines before they put someone on one?

 

[DandyCobalt]

Help. Just a hifi-enjoying joe.

if burn-in might be a variable, then I'd rather take it out of the variable list. unless a week's usage can make the cable worse.

All the magazines seem to consider that cables improve with a bit of usage, so I'll hopefully hear what a pair of week-used cables sound like straight off.

 

[andyjm]

Help. Just a hifi-enjoying joe.

if burn-in might be a variable, then I'd rather take it out of the variable list. unless a week's usage can make the cable worse.

All the magazines seem to consider that cables improve with a bit of usage, so I'll hopefully hear what a pair of week-used cables sound like straight off.

You are of course free to believe what you like. You may believe that listening to music with your foot in a bucket of water improves the sound. A good way to check whether others agree is to search around for reports of tests on the effect.

I have. I cannot find a single report, reference or test that in any way validates burning in cables. I can find a lot of nonsense about burn in from people trying to sell me something - but I tend treat that with caution.

I would invite anyone to post a link to any scientific paper, test report or independent analysis of the effects of usage on the electrical parameters of speaker cables. You can search while you are waiting for your bucket to fill up.

 

[ISAC69]

I am not sure about the burn in issue but once you plug in a new speaker cabels into your system you should notice immediately a difference in the

sound , Don't worry to much about the burn in issue .

 

[Jame5]

I don't see how speaker wires can make much of a difference. They're in series with other conductors (banana plugs, wires inside the amp and speakers, connectors on both) so surely you just want something that offers low resistance and isn't too long, i.e. a couple of lengths of £2 per metre wire from Richers. I haven't read a damn thing said by a wire manufacturer that sounds like a bona fide scientific argument to the contrary.

In the short time I've been into hi fi, my only regret is having been taken in by a certain manufacturer's line on its own speaker wires (at £20 per metre), a line which I believe said manufacturer has now dropped.