Hi all,
Looking to get some better quality RCA/phono leads to connect up my Arcam amp and CD player.
A friend of mine demoed his Chord Cobra 3 RCA leads and there was a definite improvement in sound.
However, they are a bit pricey for me at the moment. I understand you get what you pay for and know there are far more expensive leads out there. I just wondered if anyone else had the same or alternative recommendations that will definitely improve the sound but won't break the bank!
Thanks in advance!
Looking to get some better quality RCA/phono leads to connect up my Arcam amp and CD player.
A friend of mine demoed his Chord Cobra 3 RCA leads and there was a definite improvement in sound.
However, they are a bit pricey for me at the moment. I understand you get what you pay for and know there are far more expensive leads out there. I just wondered if anyone else had the same or alternative recommendations that will definitely improve the sound but won't break the bank!
Thanks in advance!
I would suggest you're almost certainly imaging any improvement, unless they are compared in double-blind tests any comparison is useless.
Leads for connecting a CD Player to an amp can't really make any difference to the sound, unless they are seriously faulty - it's a VERY non-important application.
Hi,
Nowadays I just buy stuff off e-bay for way less than I could build the equivalent quality cables.
This is silly cheap :
0.5m Pro Audio Metal 2 x RCA Phono Plugs to Plugs Cable Lead Gold 50cm [007269] | eBay
I've used these in friends systems without any issues at all.
And this is very flash, (you'd need two of them) :
PREMIUM 0.5M DIGITAL COAXIAL AUDIO LEAD SPDIF GOLD RCA PHONO METRES CABLE | eBay
Probably far better quality plugs (split pin and locking) than the phono sockets involved.
Shorter is better for cables.
rgds, sreten.
Nowadays I just buy stuff off e-bay for way less than I could build the equivalent quality cables.
This is silly cheap :
0.5m Pro Audio Metal 2 x RCA Phono Plugs to Plugs Cable Lead Gold 50cm [007269] | eBay
I've used these in friends systems without any issues at all.
And this is very flash, (you'd need two of them) :
PREMIUM 0.5M DIGITAL COAXIAL AUDIO LEAD SPDIF GOLD RCA PHONO METRES CABLE | eBay
Probably far better quality plugs (split pin and locking) than the phono sockets involved.
Shorter is better for cables.
rgds, sreten.
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When it comes to cables this is only true in the sense that if you pay a lot of money for a good story then you will get a good story. If anything there is a small inverse correlation between interconnect cable cost and electrical quality. Some people are surprised when they swap their expensive cables for a cheap ordinary competent cable and find that the sound quality improves.unklemunkle said:
^ That's not a bad suggestion either.
For some good unbalanced interconnects you really don't need any more than a length of decent 75 ohm coax and reasonable-quality connectors. A few bucks a pop in DIY.
I have actually resorted to buying decent-quality premade composite video cable in the past when I needed a longer run of audio cable. ~60 pF/m is hard to beat. Gives you two cables with yellow plugs, but that's nothing that a bit of tape or some cable ties can't fix.
For some good unbalanced interconnects you really don't need any more than a length of decent 75 ohm coax and reasonable-quality connectors. A few bucks a pop in DIY.
I have actually resorted to buying decent-quality premade composite video cable in the past when I needed a longer run of audio cable. ~60 pF/m is hard to beat. Gives you two cables with yellow plugs, but that's nothing that a bit of tape or some cable ties can't fix.
Shiraz is for carpets that likely cost way more than a few bottles of Chiroubles..and eventualy than the most expensive audio cables...
The obvious flaw in the promotion of "hi-end interconnects" is you are being conned into believing that science is not enough to get audio out of one box and into another one without a lot of nonsense and pseudo-science waffling that you can bet no-one, especially not the cable manufacturer or seller, has any real clue about. They struggle though, to justify charging ₤100 for ₤5 worth of parts and nice packaging to cover the crippling overheads of a flash car, flash suit and the price of a case of collectible wines that snakeoilers also have a penchant for. Perhaps it helps to numb their conscience, if they ever had one.
Take a tip from other posts here. You don't have or need an ultra-high end setup that warrants throwing all your available cash at. All you need is the basics of solid, reliable plated plugs for corrosion-free contact with the sockets on your equipment and make sure they have suitable, well shielded cable, which all cost peanuts. The rest is just simple assembly and marketing.
Local hand-made products may cost the earth and come with a long, unconvincing spiel about the product, the company, the boss's beliefs, the care and attention in manufacture etc. but decent imports don't. I pay very little for what proves to be excellent quality cables without the BS and they just come from AV store distributors
Take a tip from other posts here. You don't have or need an ultra-high end setup that warrants throwing all your available cash at. All you need is the basics of solid, reliable plated plugs for corrosion-free contact with the sockets on your equipment and make sure they have suitable, well shielded cable, which all cost peanuts. The rest is just simple assembly and marketing.
Local hand-made products may cost the earth and come with a long, unconvincing spiel about the product, the company, the boss's beliefs, the care and attention in manufacture etc. but decent imports don't. I pay very little for what proves to be excellent quality cables without the BS and they just come from AV store distributors
Think about, criticize, belittle or whatever something like this but prove it sounds any worse in a particular way to Chord's products for the general specification of a simple, short, stereo RCA lead without hum-breaking shield cuts. Short OFC 50cm Cable Twin 2 RCA Phono Plug TO Plug Audio Lead Gold 0 5M Screened | eBay
RCA means unbalanced connection.
For best sound quality go for maximum shield conductivity, ie more copper in the shield in order to reduce effects of earth currents between source and load.
IME dielectric types can/do make a difference/signature.
My advice is get hold of some decent RCA plugs and experiment with building your own interconnects using different cables.
The Belden cable http://www.belden.com/techdatas/metric/89259.pdf suggsted would be a good start.
Dan.
For best sound quality go for maximum shield conductivity, ie more copper in the shield in order to reduce effects of earth currents between source and load.
IME dielectric types can/do make a difference/signature.
My advice is get hold of some decent RCA plugs and experiment with building your own interconnects using different cables.
The Belden cable http://www.belden.com/techdatas/metric/89259.pdf suggsted would be a good start.
Dan.
What about something like this?
0.5m Premium Gold OFC Twin 2 x Phono RCA Stereo Cable Lead Double Shielded 50cm | eBay
0.5m Premium Gold OFC Twin 2 x Phono RCA Stereo Cable Lead Double Shielded 50cm | eBay
'Similar product to previous posts with the possible exception that the plugs look a bit flimsy and may work loose where the outer ring should grip the socket.
For shorter RCA cables it doesn't matter how much copper is in the shield. For longer cables (well more than 3meters/10 feet) it does.
This page describes some good longer bulk cables:
LC-1 Audio Cable Design Notes -- Blue Jeans Cable
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