Comparison:
'AutCreation' 12 AWG 99.9% O2 free copper (5ft long pair with plugs) $20 vs
2x 2 meters of QED 12 AWG (generic from the roll in the store... banana plugs added) $36 vs
Monster 12AWG speaker cable (can't remember price, perhaps $36 plus cost of plugs) vs
pair of QED XT25's (6ft) @ $130
With: Yamaha R-N800a / Q Acoustics 3050's streaming Qobuz Hi Res direct via UPnP
The QED XT25's seem to have a slight edge in clarity and rhythm (depending on source material) but it may be psychological as they cost 4 x more?!
Of course, Q Acoustics pushes QED cable for their speakers (a subsidiary company)? But the XT25's banana plugs only go 1/2 way into the speaker terminals on QA speakers (wouldn't more contact be better)? the same plugs go all the way into the amps. speaker posts.
I'm keeping the XT25 cables as there is a slight 'overall' improvement (a tiny bit more separation, air and rhythm on for example; Steely Dan's 'Aja' and Kari Bremnes 'Norwegian Mood').
But could it be 'in my head' as I haven't had my 'meds' today?
BTW, if you like 'folky' 'Norwegian' stuff (but sung in English) check out 'Norwegian Mood', it's really good (and very well recorded and mixed). You can almost 'touch' the breath on her soft vocals (while the reverb trails just drift off beautifully). Some of the backing harmony vocals just sit right underneath the main vocal line... almost touching but leaving just a tiny little gap... just enough to hear the individual notes as 'separate' in the 2 lines. You can hear beautiful percussion bits and pieces off in the distance (in a very deep left/right soundstage)... along with shimmery soft dark and bright rides and little percussion things going on at various depths in the field.
One track has a little 'bouncy ball' sound (left and right and at various depths) that sometimes comes out and touches you on the nose! It's pretty freaky!
'AutCreation' 12 AWG 99.9% O2 free copper (5ft long pair with plugs) $20 vs
2x 2 meters of QED 12 AWG (generic from the roll in the store... banana plugs added) $36 vs
Monster 12AWG speaker cable (can't remember price, perhaps $36 plus cost of plugs) vs
pair of QED XT25's (6ft) @ $130
With: Yamaha R-N800a / Q Acoustics 3050's streaming Qobuz Hi Res direct via UPnP
The QED XT25's seem to have a slight edge in clarity and rhythm (depending on source material) but it may be psychological as they cost 4 x more?!
Of course, Q Acoustics pushes QED cable for their speakers (a subsidiary company)? But the XT25's banana plugs only go 1/2 way into the speaker terminals on QA speakers (wouldn't more contact be better)? the same plugs go all the way into the amps. speaker posts.
I'm keeping the XT25 cables as there is a slight 'overall' improvement (a tiny bit more separation, air and rhythm on for example; Steely Dan's 'Aja' and Kari Bremnes 'Norwegian Mood').
But could it be 'in my head' as I haven't had my 'meds' today?
BTW, if you like 'folky' 'Norwegian' stuff (but sung in English) check out 'Norwegian Mood', it's really good (and very well recorded and mixed). You can almost 'touch' the breath on her soft vocals (while the reverb trails just drift off beautifully). Some of the backing harmony vocals just sit right underneath the main vocal line... almost touching but leaving just a tiny little gap... just enough to hear the individual notes as 'separate' in the 2 lines. You can hear beautiful percussion bits and pieces off in the distance (in a very deep left/right soundstage)... along with shimmery soft dark and bright rides and little percussion things going on at various depths in the field.
One track has a little 'bouncy ball' sound (left and right and at various depths) that sometimes comes out and touches you on the nose! It's pretty freaky!
Last edited: