Interconnect Upgrade

[2channel lover]

I'm adding another channel to the whole house system soon and in the process of getting ready to do that I determined I didn't have anymore digital audio w/rca cables. I dared to look behind the system at the maze of cables and wires...most of the interconnect were hodge podge brands, over 20 yrs old, and none were not 75 ohm coax cables....I decided to bring them all up to the 75 ohm coax standard with dbl shielding.

I counted them all up and there are 14 interconnects being used now. I went to bluejeans website and looked at their top cable...$19.50/4', considering I was adding 2 additional cables, this quickly got out of my comfort zone.

Next up was Amazon and Mediabridge...$6.84/4'...they seem to spec out similar to the bluejeans cable.

Last up...just to have some fun with this...I went to the Kimber Kable website...lol...for the KS-2020 cable...$1,290/1m/3.2'...similar impedance and capacitance specs as bluejeans and Mediabridge.

Last one was Amazon basic which was about the same as I was using... that made this an easy decision...I bought the Mediabridge cables.

I may not notice any performance improvement...but at the very least, it's high time I got control of that maze of cables...

 

[ryanosaur]

Why not the Monoprice options? Just curious. As I recall when I was shopping around, they ended up having the better conductor (solid copper, specified awg) to the other options (several were CCA and one was CC-Steel even, with dental-floss awg).

 

[2channel lover]

Good question...after I went to the Amazon site Mediabridge was a brand that popped up quickly and I had their sub cable I think so I was familiar with the brand on that level.

Actually was a lazy research effort to be honest....I went from determining I needed a pr of cables to replacing all of them in about 30 mins.

 

[ryanosaur]

Good question...after I went to the Amazon site Mediabridge was a brand that popped up quickly and I had their sub cable I think so I was familiar with the brand on that level.

Actually was a lazy research effort to be honest....I went from determining I needed a pr of cables to replacing all of them in about 30 mins.

That's not lazy, just ambitious.

 

[2channel lover]

That's not lazy, just ambitious.

Between a couple of dz Kobe texts, grilling dinner, and watching golf, I got the cables ordered yesterday...lol.

 

[Pogre]

Why not the Monoprice options? Just curious. As I recall when I was shopping around, they ended up having the better conductor (solid copper, specified awg) to the other options (several were CCA and one was CC-Steel even, with dental-floss awg).

That's where I get all my cables now.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Are these cables for Digital audio or video? If not, you do not benefit from 75 Ohm cables, none. Digi circuits have 75 Ohm circuits at both ends as best I know, hence the need for such cables. and even the digi audio does not care.

 

[CoryW]

I'm adding another channel to the whole house system soon and in the process of getting ready to do that I determined I didn't have anymore digital audio w/rca cables. I dared to look behind the system at the maze of cables and wires...most of the interconnect were hodge podge brands, over 20 yrs old, and none were not 75 ohm coax cables....I decided to bring them all up to the 75 ohm coax standard with dbl shielding.

I counted them all up and there are 14 interconnects being used now. I went to bluejeans website and looked at their top cable...$19.50/4', considering I was adding 2 additional cables, this quickly got out of my comfort zone.

Next up was Amazon and Mediabridge...$6.84/4'...they seem to spec out similar to the bluejeans cable.

Last up...just to have some fun with this...I went to the Kimber Kable website...lol...for the KS-2020 cable...$1,290/1m/3.2'...similar impedance and capacitance specs as bluejeans and Mediabridge.

Last one was Amazon basic which was about the same as I was using... that made this an easy decision...I bought the Mediabridge cables.

I may not notice any performance improvement...but at the very least, it's high time I got control of that maze of cables...

I have Kimber PBJ, Signet, Monster....truthfull, I can’t tell a bit of difference from any one over another. I bought the expensive ones because it made me happy that they were there. It’s all crap. Most of our runs are too short to have serious issues, but many will argue the point. I bought basic Monoprice Cables on a suggestion from engineers at a local audio company. They also sell speakers that are bi-wireable, only because it makes people feel special.

 

[2channel lover]

Are these cables for Digital audio or video? If not, you do not benefit from 75 Ohm cables, none. Digi circuits have 75 Ohm circuits at both ends as best I know, hence the need for such cables. and even the digi audio does not care.

Thanks for dropping the knowledge MT.

Most were digi audio...unfortunately too late to save me from myself. I could've kept my old cables, bought what I needed, and put the other $80 or so into new music...but the maze would still be there.

 

[2channel lover]

I have Kimber PBJ, Signet, Monster....truthfull, I can’t tell a bit of difference from any one over another. I bought the expensive ones because it made me happy that they were there. It’s all crap. Most of our runs are too short to have serious issues, but many will argue the point. I bought basic Monoprice Cables on a suggestion from engineers at a local audio company. They also sell speakers that are bi-wireable, only because it makes people feel special.

Thanks...I was mostly poking fun at Kimber and whomever would spend that much on cables.

 

[CoryW]

I’ve heard they have more useful qualities over long runs, but in the end, he’s laughing his but off. He made a set out of pure silver just for fun, and people paid the price. People want to feel their special. Ego, pride, arrogance......pick one.

 

[2channel lover]

I’ve heard they have more useful qualities over long runs, but in the end, he’s laughing his but off. He made a set out of pure silver just for fun, and people paid the price. People want to feel their special. Ego, pride, arrogance......pick one.

Very true...before we downsized I had a former neighbor (an MD) he came over once and asked to hear my system...he wanted some advice on one he was building for his basement.

After letting hear my system, I pointed him to the B&W dealer and several weeks later he calls me over and he's got his system setup...nice...5.4 (5 805s on stands, a projector, and 4 B&W subs). When I saw the speaker wire Kimber Kable...asked are your intercconects Kimber also? Yes, all the cabling/wires...and this guy is a surgeon so he doesn't qualify for the more money than brains line. All I could do was smile.

 

[ryanosaur]

this guy is a surgeon so he doesn't qualify for the more money than brains line

Intelligence and wisdom are too often mutually exclusive.

 

[Swerd]

Intelligence and wisdom are too often mutually exclusive.

Rene Descartes famously said "I think, therefore I am."

2channel lover's former neighbor seems to have gotten it wrong: "I think, therefore I'm right".

@ryanosaur gets credit for this bit of cleverness. I liked it, so I took it. "I think, therefore I plagiarize."

 

[mtrycrafts]

...and this guy is a surgeon so he doesn't qualify for the more money than brains line. All I could do was smile.

Why? Audio is out of his field. He certainly can be biased and gullible.

Just don't discuss surgery with him. He will win.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Thanks for dropping the knowledge MT.

Most were digi audio...unfortunately too late to save me from myself. I could've kept my old cables, bought what I needed, and put the other $80 or so into new music...but the maze would still be there.

For future use: I should have included analog video as well in that 75 Ohm bit.

 

[2channel lover]

Why? Audio is out of his field. He certainly can be biased and gullible.

Just don't discuss surgery with him. He will win.

Ya know...I didn't know the Dr. that well, but I'm gathering he didn't bother to listen to anything else (at the time my B&W804m/Rotel 2 channel system was what he heard).

He was starting from ground zero literally. After he got the system picked out, he probably said just give me the cables you're using, they are good quality I'm sure.