Interconnects - Where Best?

[Club1820]

Hello Everyone. I recently hooked up my Rotel system. I have a couple of pairs of Silvercats and the rest are of another brand. My question to all of you is - where does the system benefit most from the better cables (Silvercats )?

Should the better cables be connected from the Pre/Pro to the amp? The L/R channels? Or perhaps the CD or DVD player to the Pre/Pro?

I want to take full advantage of these cables and want to connect them where they will have the greatest return.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

[Kevin P]

Pre-pro to amp will give you the benefit on all sources. CD/DVD to pre-pro would only benefit that source when using analog inputs.

If you don't have enough Silvercats for all 5(.1) or 7(.1) channels, start with the fronts and center, then consider getting more Silvercats for the surrounds when budget permits.

Don't forget a Silvercat Digital for your digital coax. People rave about these.

[Lex]

Kevin gave good advice here. I like to start with silver between amp and pre-pro, and add the best digital cable for your primary source, assumed to be DVD or one of the HD DVD formats.

Let me know if you need another Silvercat or two to round out your set. I do sell single cables as well! :-)

Doug
The CAT Man (cables, cables, cables)

[Briz vegas]

What I love about forums is that even "know enough to get myself into trouble" types like me get to make comments and disagree with old hands like the two previous posters.

I was at a fellow forum members house last night and we tried a couple of cable combinations with a good and not quite so good cable situation. The goal was the best possible 2 channel CD sound - ie analogue to a pre then to the power. I think that music is the most sensitive to quality so this is always my priority. To me our listening test revealed a significantly more pleasant sound with tighter bass and therefore a more entertaining listen with the better cable between the CD and the pre. The hifi shop that sold him the cables also recommended this and to a lay person like me this makes sense as this is the lower level signal. Any loss early in the signal path will only be magnified downstream.

I will say that my friend preferred the opposite, but he seemed to prefer the slightly looser bass. I preferred the way that the tighter bass sort of loaded up the room with a nice tension that made the music more exciting to listen to (if that makes any sense).

I would only agree with the previous two posters if the CD/DVD is feeding a digital signal to a receivers DAC.

Try swapping them round, it only takes a few minutes to test out the sound for yourself.

[8thDwarf]

Start with one between the player and pre...because you can't reproduce what doesn't get there.
I like low capicitance,minimal and very short paths.
High RF could preclude many from this path.

[Alaric]

Ask Doug.