Rik @ Musicraft is a genius!

[6th.replicant]

Because I wanted to upgrade my speaker cable, I had a long and interesting chat, via phone, with Rik @ Musicraft on Mon. Wasn't happy with the existing cable - Chord Co's Carnival SilverScreen Biwire - 'cos IMHO it's forced at the top-end, limp in mid-range with a slightly 'gloopy' bottom-end. Not exactly what one would call 'balanced', then? Rik advised that I try his favoured extension-block - a surge-protected 4-way - and similarly endorsed 6mm, oxygen-free copper speaker cable. So, I ordered x4 3m lengths - I'm bi-amp'ist - with Bananas all-round. I sought 'Rik's' extension-block at a local shop. Swapped my Tacima extension-block for 'Rik's choice' and, erm, decided I preferred the Tacima. Why? The Tacima seemed to have more 'body' and a fuller sound, whereas 'Rik's' sounded 'small' and 'thin', but was certainly much more detailed and open. Oh well. Received a call Tues eve' from Rik, confirming that my cables were prepared and would be posted on Weds morn' for Thurs delivery [] Cables arrived today, via recorded delivery. Initial impression was that the cable sounds beautifully balanced but with my CDP/amps/speaker combo, all was too warm, heavy and 'syrupy'. Ah, but what if I now swapped the Tacima for 'Rik's' more detailed- and open-sounding block? Eureka! Compared to the Carnival SilverScreen, I'm now hearing more overall detail and separation; mid-range is now full of texture and depth; top-end has more clarity - eg cymbals - but no brightness; low-end bass is tighter with a tad more extension, too. Will I ever need to upgrade my speaker cable again? Probably not. Of course, such significant upgrades come at a price... [] The 4-way extension block? A Masterplug, available at a supermarket near you for £7. The speaker cable? Dunno which brand, Rik describes it as 'generic', it set me back c. £70, including Bananas and P&P [:|] Frankly, I would've have been happy, and foolish enough, to have paid £600 for such an improvement - although my Caledonian DNA is rather glad I didn't [] Rik, you are a genius. Cheers, mate. []

 

[Anonymous]

Try the CDP in the Tacima, with amps in the wall, else a Rikblock.

 

[6th.replicant]

Will do...

 

[chebby]

Now getting a noticebly 'edgier' and more visceral sound from the Nait since I got a Wilkinsons (Masterplug) branded 6 way surge protected block a couple of weeks ago and put the Tacima in the back of a cupboard.

Just how it should be. It's a Nait after all.

My wife likes Neil Nunes' voice* on Radio 4 even more now

(*A continuity announcer with a particularly 'rich' vocal quality.)

Even with music I have noticed the difference lately. (Been playing it more which is unusual for me.) A case in point was Dianne Reeves singing in the soundtrack to 'Goodnight and Good Luck' which took us both by suprise when (after my black & white film thread last night) we played the DVD for the first time in ages. The N-Sats sounded like much bigger speakers.

I am not going to mess with speaker cables for the present. NACA5 are 4mmý and pure copper so I probably won't hear much difference going for Rick's ones.

 

[grdunn123]

6th.replicant:Because I wanted to upgrade my speaker cable, I had a long and interesting chat, via phone, with Rik @ Musicraft on Mon. Wasn't happy with the existing cable - Chord Co's Carnival SilverScreen Biwire - 'cos IMHO it's forced at the top-end, limp in mid-range with a slightly 'gloopy' bottom-end. Not exactly what one would call 'balanced', then? Rik advised that I try his favoured extension-block - a surge-protected 4-way - and similarly endorsed 6mm, oxygen-free copper speaker cable. So, I ordered x4 3m lengths - I'm bi-amp'ist - with Bananas all-round. I sought 'Rik's' extension-block at a local shop. Swapped my Tacima extension-block for 'Rik's choice' and, erm, decided I preferred the Tacima. Why? The Tacima seemed to have more 'body' and a fuller sound, whereas 'Rik's' sounded 'small' and 'thin', but was certainly much more detailed and open. Oh well. Received a call Tues eve' from Rik, confirming that my cables were prepared and would be posted on Weds morn' for Thurs delivery

Cables arrived today, via recorded delivery. Initial impression was that the cable sounds beautifully balanced but with my CDP/amps/speaker combo, all was too warm, heavy and 'syrupy'. Ah, but what if I now swapped the Tacima for 'Rik's' block? Eureka! Compared to the Carnival SilverScreen, I'm now hearing more overall detail and separation; mid-range is now full of texture and depth; top-end has more clarity - eg cymbals - but no brightness; low-end bass is tighter with a tad more extension, too. Will I ever need to upgrade my speaker cable again? Probably not. Of course, such significant upgrades come at a price...

The 4-way extension block? A Masterplug, available at a supermarket near you for £7. The speaker cable? Dunno which brand, Rik describes it as 'generic', it set me back c. £70, including Bananas and P&P

Frankly, I would've have been happy, and foolish enough, to have paid £600 for such an improvement - although my Caledonian DNA is rather glad I didn't

Rik, you are a genius. Cheers, mate.

Which speaker cable is it then??

 

[6th.replicant]

grdunn123:Which speaker cable is it then??

Don't have a Scoobie - it's non-branded, has a pinkish hue due to the copper showing-through the semi-transparent shielding/plastic sheath/whatever-you-call-it and there's a red line on one side to distinguish +/-.

And it sounds bloomin' marvellous.

 

[subseastu]

I've also got Ricks cable in my home cinema setup going to my MA hd set up. Sounds great. When I get home I'm going to try a couple of lengths of it on my hi fi. Got some black rhodinium jive bi wired from my NAD amp to Dali royal towers speakers. I've always thought the sound was a bit muddy.

I'll have to invest in this fabled multi plug unit as well.

 

[chebby]

Profigold Bassflex 4mmý ?

 

[6th.replicant]

igglebert:Try the CDP in the Tacima, with amps in the wall, else a Rikblock.
Tried, as suggested.

Result was very boomy mid-range bass. Eeek!

Was worth a try, though

 

[Anonymous]

Do you know which bit did it? Was it the CDP into the Tacima? If it was the amps into the wall then you're just hearing your amps!

 

[6th.replicant]

igglebert:Do you know which bit did it? Was it the CDP into the Tacima? If it was the amps into the wall then you're just hearing your amps!
Room layout prohibits amps into the wall, so it was CDP into the Tacima, with amps into the 'RikBlockT'.

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting, might try this again tonight as it's been over a 18 months since I tried no Tacima.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

6th.replicant:Because I wanted to upgrade my speaker cable, I had a long and interesting chat, via phone, with Rik @ Musicraft on Mon.

Wasn't happy with the existing cable - Chord Co's Carnival SilverScreen Biwire - 'cos IMHO it's forced at the top-end, limp in mid-range with a slightly 'gloopy' bottom-end. Not exactly what one would call 'balanced', then?

Rik advised that I try his favoured extension-block - a surge-protected 4-way - and similarly endorsed 6mm, oxygen-free copper speaker cable. So, I ordered x4 3m lengths - I'm bi-amp'ist - with Bananas all-round. I sought 'Rik's' extension-block at a local shop.

Swapped my Tacima extension-block for 'Rik's choice' and, erm, decided I preferred the Tacima. Why? The Tacima seemed to have more 'body' and a fuller sound, whereas 'Rik's' sounded 'small' and 'thin', but was certainly much more detailed and open. Oh well.

Received a call Tues eve' from Rik, confirming that my cables were prepared and would be posted on Weds morn' for Thurs delivery

Cables arrived today, via recorded delivery. Initial impression was that the cable sounds beautifully balanced but with my CDP/amps/speaker combo, all was too warm, heavy and 'syrupy'. Ah, but what if I now swapped the Tacima for 'Rik's' more detailed- and open-sounding block? Eureka!

Compared to the Carnival SilverScreen, I'm now hearing more overall detail and separation; mid-range is now full of texture and depth; top-end has more clarity - eg cymbals - but no brightness; low-end bass is tighter with a tad more extension, too.

Will I ever need to upgrade my speaker cable again? Probably not.

Of course, such significant upgrades come at a price...

The 4-way extension block? A Masterplug, available at a supermarket near you for £7. The speaker cable? Dunno which brand, Rik describes it as 'generic', it set me back c. £70, including Bananas and P&P

Frankly, I would've have been happy, and foolish enough, to have paid £600 for such an improvement - although my Caledonian DNA is rather glad I didn't

Rik, you are a genius.

Cheers, mate.

Hi 6th.replicant

Your welcome and thanks for your support.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft