ProAc Studio 130

[Anonymous]

Yura84:Fusion:
SteveR750:Ricky, out of interest, what cable do you use for internal connections? and what about the coil? The thing that I struggle with is the huge cost of supposedly technical connection between amp and speaker, but what about the bit between terminal and driver.....

I know you didn't ask me, but all I can suggest is that the cables chosen by the designers of the amp and the designers of the speakers were a known factor for them. They chose whatever cable they did to get the performance they wanted. And it's sort of a moot point because you cannot do anything about it now. You can't change them. But what can change is the speaker cables and the interconnects you use to hook everything up, and when the signal is running through those things they have the potential to mess things up.

I visited a dealer here a week ago. I brought my amp and speakers to his shop, along with my cables. We tried various things to improve the sound and one of them that worked was a change of speaker cables. It was a big improvement and came as a big surprise to me. So I will be moving from my Atlas cables to a set of LFD cables. Now there is nothing wrong with my Atlas cables, but as the dealer explained (and I might be messing up his explanation), you have to match the load of the amp with that of the cable. It went something like that. In short, he said certain cables have always worked well with Exposure amps, and LFD was one of them. And when we put the LFD into the chain the sound became a lot more organic and natural, and the organization seemed to improve.

So I believe the key is really in how the amp and cables work together. Can you know what cable will work ahead of time? I don't think so, you just have to try it and see how it sounds. By the way, if you are using terminated jumper cables try switching those out for short runs of unterminated speaker cable. This along with the LFD speaker cables made a huge difference for me.

Your post is very interesting but I don't understand which cable change your system?

By the way - Atlas cables are is worst of cable's brands. That's why the changes in sounding are so huge.

It was a cable made by LFD. I'm not sure the exact name. I heard it in my system and I'm buying it. It's not cheap...I never thought I'd buy a cable for this much. It's around $300 Cdn, which in pounds is about 186. 3m and terminated with banana plugs. I think that is less than you want to pay though. Anyways, once I get the cable I can post the name.

 

[Anonymous]

potboyslim:I have Proac speakers and use Van den hul interconects and chord oddy 4 speaker cable.You may not be served well spending so much on cables with the creek evo's.I have had creek evo amp before and creek use DNM cable with the epos speakers they are designed to be used with.Atlas cables are very good and wel recieved in the hifi press.What is it your trying to improve in your system?Save your money and put it towards an upgrade in amp.....

I'm try to improve sounding on my system by change the cables. Now I choose the best interconnect and acoustic cables. I'm planning to stop on cardas production. But I want to try Van den hul, XLO and Audioquest. Then I planning to change power cords on more qualitative. As for Epos - I don't like him for many reasons. Such brands as Atlas, Tchernov audio, Supra, Silent Wire are too "week" brands and I don't respect them. This is my personal opinion.

I don't want to change my system (amp or cd) - I like everything as it, also I don't have a money for serious upgrade. Maybe in future...

As for Creek - it's a good amplifier with neutral tonal balance and a clean high frequences. The sound scene is fantastic and competitors he has just a few models.

 

[Anonymous]

Fusion:Yura84:Fusion:
SteveR750:Ricky, out of interest, what cable do you use for internal connections? and what about the coil? The thing that I struggle with is the huge cost of supposedly technical connection between amp and speaker, but what about the bit between terminal and driver.....

I know you didn't ask me, but all I can suggest is that the cables chosen by the designers of the amp and the designers of the speakers were a known factor for them. They chose whatever cable they did to get the performance they wanted. And it's sort of a moot point because you cannot do anything about it now. You can't change them. But what can change is the speaker cables and the interconnects you use to hook everything up, and when the signal is running through those things they have the potential to mess things up.

I visited a dealer here a week ago. I brought my amp and speakers to his shop, along with my cables. We tried various things to improve the sound and one of them that worked was a change of speaker cables. It was a big improvement and came as a big surprise to me. So I will be moving from my Atlas cables to a set of LFD cables. Now there is nothing wrong with my Atlas cables, but as the dealer explained (and I might be messing up his explanation), you have to match the load of the amp with that of the cable. It went something like that. In short, he said certain cables have always worked well with Exposure amps, and LFD was one of them. And when we put the LFD into the chain the sound became a lot more organic and natural, and the organization seemed to improve.

So I believe the key is really in how the amp and cables work together. Can you know what cable will work ahead of time? I don't think so, you just have to try it and see how it sounds. By the way, if you are using terminated jumper cables try switching those out for short runs of unterminated speaker cable. This along with the LFD speaker cables made a huge difference for me.

Your post is very interesting but I don't understand which cable change your system?

By the way - Atlas cables are is worst of cable's brands. That's why the changes in sounding are so huge.

It was a cable made by LFD. I'm not sure the exact name. I heard it in my system and I'm buying it. It's not cheap...I never thought I'd buy a cable for this much. It's around $300 Cdn, which in pounds is about 186. 3m and terminated with banana plugs. I think that is less than you want to pay though. Anyways, once I get the cable I can post the name.

I just wonder when people buy a cheep cables (10,15$) for their Hi-end system (from 2000$) and says that sounding is very good but they use a 30-40% of potential their stereosystems. But that potential was on all 100% is necessary use a costly cables in their setup.

And difference is huge between cheep cables and costly!

I'm very interesting what kind of cable you have? Please describe a tonal balance this cable.

 

[JoelSim]

When your CDP and amp are in the £1,000 price bracket, you really don't need to spend £1,000 on cables, you can do much better spending the money on upgrading your components.

 

[Anonymous]

JoelSim:
When your CDP and amp are in the £1,000 price bracket, you really don't need to spend £1,000 on cables, you can do much better spending the money on upgrading your components.

Yes, i agreed but I planning to spend about 400$ on good cable

 

[JoelSim]

Yura84:JoelSim:
When your CDP and amp are in the £1,000 price bracket, you really don't need to spend £1,000 on cables, you can do much better spending the money on upgrading your components.

Yes, i agreed but I planning to spend about 400$ on good cable

A cable can help to refine a sound you love, but no more than that.

 

[Anonymous]

Yura84:Fusion:Yura84:Fusion:
SteveR750:Ricky, out of interest, what cable do you use for internal connections? and what about the coil? The thing that I struggle with is the huge cost of supposedly technical connection between amp and speaker, but what about the bit between terminal and driver.....

I know you didn't ask me, but all I can suggest is that the cables chosen by the designers of the amp and the designers of the speakers were a known factor for them. They chose whatever cable they did to get the performance they wanted. And it's sort of a moot point because you cannot do anything about it now. You can't change them. But what can change is the speaker cables and the interconnects you use to hook everything up, and when the signal is running through those things they have the potential to mess things up.

I visited a dealer here a week ago. I brought my amp and speakers to his shop, along with my cables. We tried various things to improve the sound and one of them that worked was a change of speaker cables. It was a big improvement and came as a big surprise to me. So I will be moving from my Atlas cables to a set of LFD cables. Now there is nothing wrong with my Atlas cables, but as the dealer explained (and I might be messing up his explanation), you have to match the load of the amp with that of the cable. It went something like that. In short, he said certain cables have always worked well with Exposure amps, and LFD was one of them. And when we put the LFD into the chain the sound became a lot more organic and natural, and the organization seemed to improve.

So I believe the key is really in how the amp and cables work together. Can you know what cable will work ahead of time? I don't think so, you just have to try it and see how it sounds. By the way, if you are using terminated jumper cables try switching those out for short runs of unterminated speaker cable. This along with the LFD speaker cables made a huge difference for me.

Your post is very interesting but I don't understand which cable change your system?

By the way - Atlas cables are is worst of cable's brands. That's why the changes in sounding are so huge.

It was a cable made by LFD. I'm not sure the exact name. I heard it in my system and I'm buying it. It's not cheap...I never thought I'd buy a cable for this much. It's around $300 Cdn, which in pounds is about 186. 3m and terminated with banana plugs. I think that is less than you want to pay though. Anyways, once I get the cable I can post the name.

I just wonder when people buy a cheep cables (10,15$) for their Hi-end system (from 2000$) and says that sounding is very good but they use a 30-40% of potential their stereosystems. But that potential was on all 100% is necessary use a costly cables in their setup.

And difference is huge between cheep cables and costly!

I'm very interesting what kind of cable you have? Please describe a tonal balance this cable.

The sound was more organic and natural with the LFD cable. It just seemed to open things up and the music flowed through. Whatever harshness and grain that was there before was gone. But sorry, I don't have the name yet I will hopefully have the cable within a week or two.

Do cables only refine sound? I think it might be more than that. They are basically the interface between one component and the next. If different amps output signals differently then it makes sense that certain cables will work better with certain amps and others will not. And even if differences are not monumental, I don't think they have to be in order to mess up things like tonal balance or the organization of sound. When that is off even a little it's noticeable. You can't always place it exactly but the music just doesn't sound right.

 

[Mike_Schmidt]

Good post Joel.

 

[Anonymous]

Yesterday I tried changed my interconnect cable on Audioquest python (~400$). Unfortunately I am with my friend not found the improving sound (maybe it was but very slight). Honestly I don't expect that. Now I am trying to understand that result. Maybe my Cardas Crosslink is very simple and "lock up" to the sound? - then interconnect not help me without replacement acoustic cable at first.

What do you think about that?

 

[Anonymous]

Does nobody haven't any ideas?

 

[Craig M.]

maybe you expect too much from an interconnect?

 

[Anonymous]

Craig M.:maybe you expect too much from an interconnect?

On the next week I will try Van den hul the first ultimate. Anyway I read that Creek is sensible to the replacement of interconnect. And I don't see it!

 

[SteveR750]

JoelSim:Yura84:JoelSim:
When your CDP and amp are in the £1,000 price bracket, you really don't need to spend £1,000 on cables, you can do much better spending the money on upgrading your components.

Yes, i agreed but I planning to spend about 400$ on good cable

A cable can help to refine a sound you love, but no more than that.

Agree totally. I also think that 'boutique' cables are an incredible rip off - I really cannot see why they should cost so much, and I am extremely cynical about the %£ value that you "should" spend - all this does is perpetuate the myth. Even for someone interested in hi fi, some of the prices border on obscene, to an outsider some of us must appear to so gullible.

 

[Anonymous]

SteveR750:JoelSim:Yura84:JoelSim:
When your CDP and amp are in the £1,000 price bracket, you really don't need to spend £1,000 on cables, you can do much better spending the money on upgrading your components.

Yes, i agreed but I planning to spend about 400$ on good cable

A cable can help to refine a sound you love, but no more than that.

Agree totally. I also think that 'boutique' cables are an incredible rip off - I really cannot see why they should cost so much, and I am extremely cynical about the %£ value that you "should" spend - all this does is perpetuate the myth. Even for someone interested in hi fi, some of the prices border on obscene, to an outsider some of us must appear to so gullible.

You just try to listen a more costly speaker cable and you will be surprised. The more expensive speakers should be more expensive and the acoustic cable. Of course to a reasonable limit. By the way - this journal also propose to connect a cheap cables - that is nonsense. A cheap cables needs for a cheap acoustics (~300$) and not for acoustics for ~2000$.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't think it's about price, I think it's about proper match between the cables and the amp. Amps have different output/input impedances and sensitivities, and so certain cables will work best with a particular amp. Very small changes to the sound can make music sound wrong. When you get to the level of detail and resolution that a lot of high end gear can reveal these changes become more of a factor. I think a cheaper cable can work assuming it has the right characteristics. A more expensive cable that has those characteristics will probably give you more of a good thing. But they should both be satisfying.

 

[Bodfish]

Fusion:I don't think it's about price, I think it's about proper match between the cables and the amp. Amps have different output/input impedances and sensitivities, and so certain cables will work best with a particular amp. Very small changes to the sound can make music sound wrong. When you get to the level of detail and resolution that a lot of high end gear can reveal these changes become more of a factor. I think a cheaper cable can work assuming it has the right characteristics. A more expensive cable that has those characteristics will probably give you more of a good thing. But they should both be satisfying.

Well put. I think we (all) forget sometimes that it isn't the cable that 'sounds' different; it is the characteristics of the cable (the impedence, inductance, capacitance etc) that makes the driving amplifier react ever so slightly differently affecting a change in the sound. And the output stage of your source component is just another amplifier at the end of the day.

 

[SteveR750]

Yura84:SteveR750:JoelSim:Yura84:JoelSim:
When your CDP and amp are in the £1,000 price bracket, you really don't need to spend £1,000 on cables, you can do much better spending the money on upgrading your components.

Yes, i agreed but I planning to spend about 400$ on good cable

A cable can help to refine a sound you love, but no more than that.

Agree totally. I also think that 'boutique' cables are an incredible rip off - I really cannot see why they should cost so much, and I am extremely cynical about the %£ value that you "should" spend - all this does is perpetuate the myth. Even for someone interested in hi fi, some of the prices border on obscene, to an outsider some of us must appear to so gullible.

You just try to listen a more costly speaker cable and you will be surprised. The more expensive speakers should be more expensive and the acoustic cable. Of course to a reasonable limit. By the way - this journal also propose to connect a cheap cables - that is nonsense. A cheap cables needs for a cheap acoustics (~300$) and not for acoustics for ~2000$.

No I won't be surprised by the sonic differences, but am annoyed at the ridiculous prices of some cables. It's only my opinion of course, but there is simply no way would I contemplate spending more than £10/m for any cable. Even that when you stop and think about it is slightly ridiculous, I mean do the designers of expensive cables make 1000s or prototypes and then spend a couple fo years listening to them to get the best one? If not, then I personally don't feel comfortable paying such a huge margin for a product.

 

[Anonymous]

SteveR750:Yura84:SteveR750:JoelSim:Yura84:JoelSim:
When your CDP and amp are in the £1,000 price bracket, you really don't need to spend £1,000 on cables, you can do much better spending the money on upgrading your components.

Yes, i agreed but I planning to spend about 400$ on good cable

A cable can help to refine a sound you love, but no more than that.

Agree totally. I also think that 'boutique' cables are an incredible rip off - I really cannot see why they should cost so much, and I am extremely cynical about the %£ value that you "should" spend - all this does is perpetuate the myth. Even for someone interested in hi fi, some of the prices border on obscene, to an outsider some of us must appear to so gullible.

You just try to listen a more costly speaker cable and you will be surprised. The more expensive speakers should be more expensive and the acoustic cable. Of course to a reasonable limit. By the way - this journal also propose to connect a cheap cables - that is nonsense. A cheap cables needs for a cheap acoustics (~300$) and not for acoustics for ~2000$.

No I won't be surprised by the sonic differences, but am annoyed at the ridiculous prices of some cables. It's only my opinion of course, but there is simply no way would I contemplate spending more than £10/m for any cable. Even that when you stop and think about it is slightly ridiculous, I mean do the designers of expensive cables make 1000s or prototypes and then spend a couple fo years listening to them to get the best one? If not, then I personally don't feel comfortable paying such a huge margin for a product.

I agreed with some quote but I just said my personal opinion by testing on the different techniques with different cables. And I heard this difference between cheap and expensive cables!

 

[Anonymous]

I took a few Van den Hul interconnect - The waterfall, The first ultimate, thunderline hybrid. When I was testing them I compared with my chord cobra 3 but unfortunately I don't hear a significant difference between them. Probably I will be start from test of acoustic cables at first and the next - interconnect.

 

[Anonymous]

I took Cardas Quadlink 5C acoustic and cardas neutral reference - interconnect. Quality of sounding increased in times... Scene is big, air and deep, multiple echoes is appeared (long decaying notes), background became more heard. And with that all the scene is very transparent and really sensetive.

But I want take a other brand for comparison...

 

[Anonymous]

Yura, you wanted to know which LFD cable I was going to get. Sorry for the long delay in responding. I don't even have them yet, I should by this weekend, it's the LFD Silicone Bi-wire speaker cable.