Speaker cable for Yamaha / Q Acoustics?

[Petherick]

So, I know that it's yet another cable question, but I have recently changed from a Sony AV amp to a Yamaha RX-V667 and I'm now wondering if I should change the speaker cable. Although I like a relatively bright sound and my hearing's not what it used to be, there's now a little too much brightness. Speakers are Q Acoustics 1030i / 1000Ci /1010i and current front cable is Atlas Basic BiWire (rear is QED Micro, which I think is fine). So any suggestions? Please don't tell me they all sound the same, because they don't! Thanks

 

[aliEnRIK]

How recent are we talking? Ive found amps do take a while to sound their best (that said, av amps tend to have very little run in time)

All im saying is that the treble might not sound as harsh after a while

You might also consider NOT biwiring. Biwiring in my personal opinion is generally a no no. Whilst bass and treble tend to be over emphasised, it 'phase shifts' frequencies and you get a 'hole' in the crossover. Some speakers are designed to be biwired, but most have the biwire terminals simply because consumers feel they need them.

I seriously doubt the Q Acoustics are really designed to be biwired

 

[Petherick]

Hi aliEnRIK and thanks for the reply.
I've had it about 3 weeks, but only used it for about 20 hours. I have the front speakers bi-amped and wondered if this might be the issue. It also means I can't use the dining-room speakers, so I was thinking of changing this anyway.
Interesting point about bi-wiring; I have some old QED 79 cables tucked away, I may try these to see what happens. I did have the 1030s bi-wired on my Sony amp and 'thought' I preferred the sound this way. I'll have to find some time to experiment and perhaps give it a couple of weeks to settle down.
Any cables you've used that you'd recommend to replace the Atlas?

 

[aliEnRIK]

Hi aliEnRIK and thanks for the reply. I've had it about 3 weeks, but only used it for about 20 hours. I have the front speakers bi-amped and wondered if this might be the issue. It also means I can't use the dining-room speakers, so I was thinking of changing this anyway. Interesting point about bi-wiring; I have some old QED 79 cables tucked away, I may try these to see what happens. I did have the 1030s bi-wired on my Sony amp and 'thought' I preferred the sound this way. I'll have to find some time to experiment and perhaps give it a couple of weeks to settle down. Any cables you've used that you'd recommend to replace the Atlas?

20 hours is nothing for an amp in my opinion

I had my monitor audios biamped, which I thought I was happy with. Took quite a while to realise that voices didnt sound right

hmmmmm. cables.

Thing is you state you like 'bright' sound, which I hate. And in my experience, bright sounding cables do so at the expense of true detail. Id normally recommend Van Damme UP LC-OFC as theyre so very natural sounding (And very cheap for how good they sound)

As it stands, id recommend single wiring all speakers, and let the amp run in for 100 hours or so. If your still not happy then id start looking at cables or whatever

 

[Petherick]

I didn't actually mean very bright, just highlighting the fact that I could accept a little, which I think the Q's show already. So not looking for bright cables, quite the reverse really. I listen to acoustic and female vocal type music mostly (at least when I get the chance) plus some orchestral and electronic and general poppy-rock. So I'd like a fairly neutral 'open' sound really. Sound advice about the running in, thanks. At the current rate it'll take me a while to reach 100 hours - I'll have to leave them on when I go out; what music do cats like? I'll think about getting some of the Van Damme cable, after I've tried bi- and single-wiring with the QED. Cheers

 

[the record spot]

I won't tell you that speaker cables "all sound the same", all I would say is that with my many experiences of late in trying various interconnects and, to a lesser degree, speaker cable, I have yet to hear a difference that made a £200+ interconnect sound any better than a £30 one (or, for that matter, the cheapo £10 job) and it's all paired up with pretty revealing equipment.

I had been using Audioquest Type IV, which is an excellent solid single core speaker cable, absolutely not bright, but recently replaced this with 322-strand / 14AWG instead. The latter has since replaced the former and the system sounds as good as it always did. Highly recommended, £5.50 for 10metres, unterminated (I use bare wire connections).

Either the Audioquest or the unbranded 322-strand will do absolutely fine.

 

[steve_1979]

I've been using a Yamaha RX-V667 for about 6 months now and didn't notice any change in the sound while running it in.

 

[Petherick]

Lots to think about here, thanks.
I will definitely try some different cables. As well as the QED I also have a reel of unbranded cable I bought a while back for wiring up someone else's system. If I have enough left, that will give me an idea as to whether a change may be a good move.
I admit to being 'a believer' and the reason is that I've heard different cables in the past and found them to make a difference, so I'll pursue this line.
steve_1979 - care to reveal your cable?

 

[steve_1979]

I'm using mixture of Cambridge Audio Symphony 400 cables at the front and Cambridge Audio Symphony 200 at the back. It sounds fine to me with no sign of brightness at all, if anything I would say it has a neutral sound that's neither warm nor bright. Bare in mind though, I haven't tried any other cables with this setup so I have no frame of reference with which to compare them to.

 

[aliEnRIK]

I didn't actually mean very bright, just highlighting the fact that I could accept a little, which I think the Q's show already. So not looking for bright cables, quite the reverse really. I listen to acoustic and female vocal type music mostly (at least when I get the chance) plus some orchestral and electronic and general poppy-rock. So I'd like a fairly neutral 'open' sound really. Sound advice about the running in, thanks. At the current rate it'll take me a while to reach 100 hours - I'll have to leave them on when I go out; what music do cats like? I'll think about getting some of the Van Damme cable, after I've tried bi- and single-wiring with the QED. Cheers

Dont make the same mistake many do. If you change anything to try it, leave it like that for a couple of weeks. You need time to notice changes that wernt that apparent before (although you really should be trying that after the amps fully run in)

Just my thoughts - id buy some Van Damme UP LC-OFC anyways as its FAR better cable than what you have now. Single wire all the speakers (And use the same cable as jumpers on those speakers that can be biwired), then use as normal and see how you get on.

 

[Petherick]

Well everybody, thanks for the helpful advice.

I didn't change anything (because I never got round to it) and after a few weeks of ownership of the Yamaha receiver, I'm really pleased with it. The brightness I (thought I) first heard must have been the 'newness' of it - either because it hadn't run in, or because it was different from the Sony. I now find the sound very detailed, unforced and rather delightful!

 

[the record spot]

Excellent news. By far the best outcome.

 

[the record spot]

Excellent news. By far the best outcome.