Interconnect galore

Cabling is one of the easiest tunings ever, just putting them in and listen. Is that simple? Not so. There are more you can do to enhance the performance.

As a rule of thumb, should you still can't shake the sonic revelation off after three weeks, you are screwed. Unrest soul, no cure but to make the purchase. Even though you may have top notch audio hardware, cables can enhance the sound quality. Poorly designed cable will mess up your signal voltage and therefore, a muddling sound.

In contrary to Audioholic's Top ten snake oil, I believe a change in cable properties would bring about a change in sound. These technocrats ridiculed cable deceptions and view cable scientifically despite the dramatic audible difference. I quibbled about the exorbitant prices and wouldn't even think about some craziest claims cable, price shouldn't be the determinant of the cable. As a matter of fact, I like the Plain Jane LCOFC which stands for Long Crystal Oxygen Free Copper do to the sound.

Cryogenic was a closely guarded secret in a cable industry but it is now an open secret. However, the know how is still largely a commercial secret, the temperature, the duration, the temperature and the conductor properties, these factors affecting the outcome. How contradicting? They too suggest evaluateing loudspeaker via listening and not measurement.

Cable is a sonic alteration agent, period. It is said that there isn't any straight wire, the closest being the standard red and black stock wire. They can be had for little money. This goes without saying all audiophile cables or more so with pro sound cables, they impart colourations. What is neutrality? Even pro sound cables can sound different. Thus, I enjoy cables for tone control. So, do they by any mean suggest JVC studio does not scientific for using Harmonix power cords throughout? Carnegie Hall and pro sound endorsement with Tara Labs? Even guitarists play around with tubes, amplifiers and yes, power cords. Thing isn't as simply as it is, there could be hidden commercial dealings, or a deal too hard to turn down. Being the most saleable or popular does not equal to superiority.

I was once resisted to succumb to audiophile cables, I thought I could cheat with DIY cables. Tried many DIY cables or even some pros sound cables, Belden, Mogami, Canare, Sommer etc. They tipped the balance and make the situation difficult. Their compromised resolution is noticeable. Cat5 as speaker cable for instance, there hardly carry any bass weight, so to speak, the sound is tilted to the highs. They are not the quietest cable around either.

Venturing into audiophile cable is a natural progress. I look for cables with certain signatures that enhance my system voicing. Price comes later, I mainly glance at used cables. When comes to cable, I am very specific. Most commercial cables beefed up midbass to excite, these type of cables sell. Cable loom in theory sounded perfectly logical. Besides a strong commerce interest, only a handful of cable looms perform remarkably according to a cable reviewer. In an unfamiliar environment, I don't know. It adds a twist.
    
For the benefits to the readers, the following interconnect sonic impression is the work of a guy whom I believed is from Hong Kong.

Model	Sonic Impression
Accuphase 7N RCA	Less sweet, balanced. Very thin wire gauge, matches perfectly with Accuphase electronics
Acrolink 2110	Detailed, quiet, warm, good mids, good frequency extension, a better choice than Acrolink 2200 in all respects.
Acrolink 2110 MkII	Detailed, bright, forward mids, layered, good extreme frequency extension but moderate transparency.
Acrolink 2200	Detailed, quiet, warm, rather flat sounding, lacking in layering.
Acrolink 2400	Recepticle is of green copper and carbon fiber. Super quiet, smooth highs, warm, solid bass. Very balanced overall.
Analysis Plus Solo Crystal	Very good IC indeed, warm yet lively and detailed, good high and mid, full body, less refine bass as compare to KS1130, Heimdall and Quattro Fil.
Audioquest Columbia	Very good vocal, exquisite highs, possess a little character.
Audioquest King Cobra	Pacey, good mids, solid lows.
Cardas Golden Cross RCA	Flavoured, bulging mids, slow, dull highs and weighted bottom.
DDL Encore Plus MK II	Pacey, slight lack in bass, precise imaging, sounds similar to Zu Gede Mk II.
JPS Superconductor Mk II	Very detailed, exquisite layered highs, good depth, balanced with good extreme frequency extension.
JPS Superconductor Q	Pacey, airy,  above average detailed and slightly on the thin side.
Kimber KS1130	Very detailed, transparent and 3D, excellent high, tight and extended bass, the only downside is a bit tense and aggressive.
Kimber Select 1121	Neither fast or slow, good detailed, super quiet, densed, refined highs but sounds thin and lacking bass.
Kimber Silver Streak	Transparent, vivid high and mid, loose bass, forward, a bit coarse when compare to KS1130 and Heimdall
Nordost Heimdall	Excellent cable! Crystal clear, lively, focus and palpable vocal, excellent low level, details, tight and extended bass though not as powerful as KS1130.
Nordost Quattro Fil	The best IC I have used ever. If you find heimdall is good, Quattro fil is better in all aspects. I found all other cables I've ever heard are congested, artificial, coloured or defective, since I own the QF! Don't know how good Vahalla is but don't want to try as can't afford it yet!
Siltech G5 SQ28 MKII	Believe it or not, Silver streak excels in all departments!
Stealh RCA Nanofiber	Very airy, transparency, forward mids. Sound marvellous, what more to ask!
TaraLabs Air 3 Series 1 RCA	Good detailed, dynamic, highs tend to be a little hard and lacking in mid bass. Very stiff cable.
TaraLabs Vector Mk II	Pacey, airy,  good detailed,  slightly on the thin side and not as densed. Others in the family do not possess similar midbass.
Van Den Hul D102 MkIII	Not worth mentioning.
vDH Integration Hybrid	Smooth, laid back, dark (not only the background but the music itself) and boring
XLO Reference 2 RCA	Bigger than usual, balanced, the cable has strong coiling.
XLO Signature 2 Shielded RCA	Very quiet, natural. Both ended must be grounded.
XLO Signature 2 XLR	Average detailed, dynamic, bold, not as quiet as its RCA cousin.
XLO Ultra 1	Holographic, transparent and quiet.
Zu OxyFuel	Good highs extension, weak bass relatively. Good cure for thick and fat sound.

I trust that it will be useful for reference. Never let your endorphin overrules your mind. Be patient and listen for a few more days and swap back to the resident cable to see if the changes are for real. Good luck.