Where should I put this?

[Opus007]

Where should I put my best interconnect.Should it be between cdp and pre/amp or between pre/amp and amp?I have read 2 sides to this so looking for opinions here.

[mjb]

Between the pre and the amp, then ALL sources will benefit from its additional awesomeness. A better quality interconnect should reduce noise entering the amp too.

[htsteve]

Between the pre and the amp, then ALL sources will benefit from its additional awesomeness. A better quality interconnect should reduce noise entering the amp too.

I agree with this. Best impact on the total system.

[Nuthed]

Depends. If the CDP to pre-amp cable is the worst it might make sense to replace that one. If that one is suitable, then replace the pre-amp to amp cable. Like another poster said, all sources would then benefit.

BOTOH, if you have lacking cables upstream, it's like the old saying: garbage in, garbage out. That downstream cable isn't going to do anything to repair upstream damage.

Why not try it both places and see where/if you notice a difference. I'm betting that you won't be able to tell.

[Bostonears]

Depends. If the CDP to pre-amp cable is the worst it might make sense to replace that one.

Not really. If people agree that it's desirable to have the best interconnect between the preamp and the amp, and the interconnect between the CPD and the preamp is currently the worst, then the best interconnect should still go between the preamp and amp. Just move the one currently from the preamp->amp over to replace the CDP->preamp, so the worst one is out of the system.

[Opus007]

I tried it both ways and preamp to amp sounds the best to me.So my best cable is preamp to amp.Thanks for the input.

[Ferres]

I agree.
Pre-amp to amp seem to benefit most from quality interconnects.

With CDP to pre-amp, I hardly notice any difference between brands.

[Opus007]

I agree.
Pre-amp to amp seem to benefit most from quality interconnects.

With CDP to pre-amp, I hardly notice any difference between brands.

With cdp to preamp I tried numerous cables and I agree as I hardly could tell a difference.But from preamp to amp it is a major difference.

[Dmantis]

Pre and amp. but you should use the same IC everywhere. Synergy is key. Get rid of your crappy IC's. Life is to short .

Dan

[Ferres]

Just remember that price does not always determine best quality. Some lesser known but decently priced ICs can outperform more expensive but well known brands.

[Ferres]

Pre and amp. but you should use the same IC everywhere. Synergy is key. Get rid of your crappy IC's. Life is to short .

Dan

I don't necessarily agree but I do it anyway. ops:

[Dmantis]

I don't necessarily agree but I do it anyway. ops:

Think about it, if your IC's between your preamp and amp are of the worse quality in your system, how can you expect any source to sound it's best? If the quality of the source to the preamp is not good quality,how do you expect the source to sound it's best? Get my meaning?

[wkhanna]

I must apologize for going ‘off topic’ but I have to say in all my time 'on line' I have never seen a more mature, accurate or rational discussion of audio cables.

In all sincerity, I truly hope I have not jinxed this thread, but I felt compelled to offer my observation.

Kados to all of you.

[Ferres]

Think about it, if your IC's between your preamp and amp are of the worse quality in your system, how can you expect any source to sound it's best? If the quality of the source to the preamp is not good quality,how do you expect the source to sound it's best? Get my meaning?

I was still referring to quality cables, just not the best ones for source.

I do accept the synergy idea and even practice it, but during cable swap testing for new IC cables I could not personally substantiate it with the CDP to pre-amp part.

Your results may differ of course. :W

[mjb]

I must apologize for going ‘off topic’ but I have to say in all my time 'on line' I have never seen a more mature, accurate or rational discussion of audio cables.

Bill, I'm impressed that a thread called "where should I put this" has stayed clean! :B

[wkhanna]

Yeah.......That too has been in the back of my mind the whole time.

But not one of us is going to touch that with the proverbial 'ten footer'.

Right?

[Nuthed]

Not really. If people agree that it's desirable to have the best interconnect between the preamp and the amp, and the interconnect between the CPD and the preamp is currently the worst, then the best interconnect should still go between the preamp and amp. Just move the one currently from the preamp->amp over to replace the CDP->preamp, so the worst one is out of the system.

With your scenario you are still replacing the CDP to pre-amp cable, just not with the so-called "best" cable.

Bottomline is this. No one has ever been able to tell the difference between cables in an actual DBT.

[Opus007]

With your scenario you are still replacing the CDP to pre-amp cable, just not with the so-called "best" cable.

Bottomline is this. No one has ever been able to tell the difference between cables in an actual DBT.

I will not get into the cable debate but will say until recently I thought it was all snake oil.I feel differently about it now.
As for the title of thread ..ha,ha,If I was to see a post that said where should I put this... then I would be compelled to look to see what it is about.

[Nuthed]

If cables made as much difference as you think, we'd see super high end receivers and the elimination of separate components. That or everybody would have gravitated to intergrated amps by now.

After all, the very short, minimal amount of cabling inside a receiver or intergrated has to be better than any amount of external cabling between pre-amps and amps and no manufacturer would want their components SQ to be compromised by "inferior" cabling.

FWIW, I'm not suggesting someone use el-cheapo red & white cables.

[rantzmar]

If cables made as much difference as you think, we'd see super high end receivers and the elimination of separate components. That or everybody would have gravitated to intergrated amps by now.

After all, the very short, minimal amount of cabling inside a receiver or intergrated has to be better than any amount of external cabling between pre-amps and amps and no manufacturer would want their components SQ to be compromised by "inferior" cabling.

FWIW, I'm not suggesting someone use el-cheapo red & white cables.

Well I use to be a non-believer until I discovered that silver wire , copper wire, and gold wire all made the audio sound different. Just introduce a good pair of silver cables into your system and a&b them with some copper wire. You will hear a difference. I find silver cables introduced more separation and air in the sound with a brighter sound and lighter bass than the copper cables, thus giving a better sound to less detail, nutral but darker gear. If a person has NAD gear, they may enjoy silver cables that will brighten up the sound a bit. (Not getting into a debate but only stating my findings.)

[Opus007]

Well I use to be a non-believer until I discovered that silver wire , copper wire, and gold wire all made the audio sound different. Just introduce a good pair of silver cables into your system and a&b them with some copper wire. You will hear a difference. I find silver cables introduced more separation and air in the sound with a brighter sound and lighter bass than the copper cables, thus giving a better sound to less detail, nutral but darker gear. If a person has NAD gear, they may enjoy silver cables that will brighten up the sound a bit. (Not getting into a debate but only stating my findings.)

Could not agree with you more as I added a silver cable and it made things overly bright with my Rotel/B&W.Very detailed but lack of bass and with female voices was a unpleasant experience.

[Nuthed]

Well I use to be a non-believer until I discovered that silver wire , copper wire, and gold wire all made the audio sound different. Just introduce a good pair of silver cables into your system and a&b them with some copper wire. You will hear a difference. I find silver cables introduced more separation and air in the sound with a brighter sound and lighter bass than the copper cables, thus giving a better sound to less detail, nutral but darker gear. If a person has NAD gear, they may enjoy silver cables that will brighten up the sound a bit. (Not getting into a debate but only stating my findings.)

I used to be a believer. I have been down that road and wasted far too much $$ on stuff that didn't make any difference, assuming you use adequate quality in the first place. Quality doesn't only come at huge prices either.

But it's you guy's money. :T

[Ferres]

It's not all snake-oil, but there's no doubt plenty of that is out there. :roll:

In my experience, price has little bearing on actual performance. I find lesser known stuff that beat well known overpriced brands at less than half their price. :T

Don't be dazzled by $$$ and marketing. You can always find better for cheaper. :B

[rantzmar]

Nuthed, I have gear thats comparable to yours. In addition to my two channel system, I have two 5.1 hometheaters in my home with Marantz and Paradigm gear. So I would say that its quality stuff but not expensive stuff. I look for bargan prices.

**Mod Edit**

The point is I dont spend much money on this hobby. Its possble to get quality sound without spending a fortune. And cable does make a difference if you have a discerning ear. You just gotta know the characteristics of the gear and the cable to get the sound you desire. Nothing more, nothing less...simple as that.

[Kevin D]

Oh and we were doing so well. Wkhanna had it right, this is one of the most civil conversations about cables I've ever seen.

Unfortunately Rantzmar, mentioning specific cable brands in a cable discussion definitely goes above what's allowed in the rules. Lets keep it to characteristics on specific construction and composition and I think we'll be fine.

Kevin D.

[Opus007]

I have a 8 dollar interconnect and 700 dollar interconnect(which I bought used as would never pay 700 dollars for a cable)Can i tell the difference between the 2?Yes,I can.Is the 700 dollar cable worth that much?Not in my opinion.I bought it to see if a high end cable makes a difference.Is it a major improvement that justifies paying that much for a cable?No.And as a matter of fact since it is not a major difference I am returning the higher priced one and and am going to get several interconnects of supposed lesser quality. I bought this cable thinking that it was going to just make my system shine like never before and at first listen it did.I listened to my system for a week with the new cable.But last night after reading over this thread and talk about snake oil I decided to put the the 8 dollar cable back in and remove the new one and I was shocked.The 8 dollar sounded as good and had a more open sound stage than the high priced one. :wtf: So I called this morning and told the salesman and he was shocked.He could not believe it and frankly neither can I.
A couple of weeks ago I was telling my Rotel dealer about trying out some new cables and he said....You have got the bug and we all go down that road ,but in the end you will find you are just wasting your money.Hmmmmm.So for now I am back on the fence till the new cables arrive.

[rantzmar]

What I find is that lower priced good COPPER cables may sound just as good as expensive priced COPPERcables. But most expensive cables will also be eye candy more so than less expensive cables. Same with expensive silver cables and less expensive ones. And same with Gold ones. But where the sound difference really comes in is in the type of cable. Copper, Silver, and Gold all sound different. Thats my story and Im sticking to it. So there you have it! :coffee:

[Ferres]

I suggest trying out some Chinese IC imports and UK speaker wire imports. :B

[Nuthed]

I have a 8 dollar interconnect and 700 dollar interconnect(which I bought used as would never pay 700 dollars for a cable)Can i tell the difference between the 2?Yes,I can.Is the 700 dollar cable worth that much?Not in my opinion.I bought it to see if a high end cable makes a difference.Is it a major improvement that justifies paying that much for a cable?No.And as a matter of fact since it is not a major difference I am returning the higher priced one and and am going to get several interconnects of supposed lesser quality. I bought this cable thinking that it was going to just make my system shine like never before and at first listen it did.I listened to my system for a week with the new cable.But last night after reading over this thread and talk about snake oil I decided to put the the 8 dollar cable back in and remove the new one and I was shocked.The 8 dollar sounded as good and had a more open sound stage than the high priced one. :wtf: So I called this morning and told the salesman and he was shocked.He could not believe it and frankly neither can I.
A couple of weeks ago I was telling my Rotel dealer about trying out some new cables and he said....You have got the bug and we all go down that road ,but in the end you will find you are just wasting your money.Hmmmmm.So for now I am back on the fence till the new cables arrive.

I was being serious about my comments. I'm glad you had an ephiphany of sorts. :T

My wife used to think I was a freak, always switching this or that out of the system. Always thinking I could hear a difference. After spending that last $100 on 1 pair of 3 ft ICs and not hearing the difference I thought I was going to, I said enough is enough. I know there are some who say that to hear a difference I would need to spend several times more than a $100, I disagree. I have come to the conclusion that for the most part "wire is wire".

It would seem to me that an IC shouldn't be able to improve the sound, but they should be able to keep the sound from getting mucked up. Most any competent cable from any manufacturer fits that bill.

Being owners of Rotel and similar quality gear, we don't buy stuff that comes with "in the box cables", but if anybody ever did, I would suggest chucking those cables in the garbage. For a few dollars you'll get better build quality and cool looks.