The BEST cable manufacturer? (POLL)

Which cable maker is the BEST?

  • Nordost

    Votes: 11 13.6%

  • AudioQuest

    Votes: 2 2.5%

  • TARA Labs

    Votes: 6 7.4%

  • Cardas

    Votes: 6 7.4%

  • MIT

    Votes: 3 3.7%

  • WW

    Votes: 4 4.9%

  • Siltech

    Votes: 7 8.6%

  • Transparent

    Votes: 9 11.1%

  • Shunyata

    Votes: 7 8.6%

  • Other (leave comment)

    Votes: 26 32.1%
  • Total voters
    81
C

charlieclarke

New member
Joined
Sep 15, 2014
Messages
4
After lurking around in high-end magazines, forums, articles, and other resources, these cable manufacturers seem to present “the best-of-the-best.” Which would you say makes the best quality products?
 
Overall? Kimber. Why? Their cables aren't stupidly priced. The Kimber Select cables are the best built cables I have ever owned. Their cables come in a flight case!

But sonically....that's a tough one. There are many great sounding cables: Ansuz, Nordost, Tara and of course, Kimber select.
 
Most organic sounding I have heard (timing, natural, coherent and filling in all space naturally) is Jena Labs (higher priced models).
 
I would think that it depends on system matching.

For the guys that have had multiple systems and different lines of equipment over the years: do you find that you have to change out your cables too? Or does one well made and sonically true cable work for almost all systems?
 
Perhaps the cable that works in the widest variety of systems?

There is no one best just as there's no one best anything. Everything is a trade off or else we'd have live music in our living rooms. :( In the better cables, the designers have better matched all the different design parameters. (How did Phoenix Gold at one time have an amazing İÇ and speaker cable for $20?).
 
I voted Siltech. Not only they are beautifully built but also have something very few cable manufacturers can match: they're using their own wires (and their own metallurgy), not some generic wire made in China.

Oh yes, the sound... Well, gorgeous (at least in my system).
 
My vote goes to Stereo Lab and Black Cat cables built by Chris Sommovigo. They are well made, reasonably priced for what you get and work well for me. I have bought a couple of his LectraLine Xe silver cables (one new and one used) and have two of his Dragon Warlord power cords on order (should be here sometime this week). I may also get a pair of his Silverheart speaker cables when they are offered.
 
Don't know what "best" means. As Le Roy mentioned, it's all about system matching. Yes there are companies that have higher build quality, perhaps better customer service and warranty terms, etc... but in sonic terms not sure you can define "best" absent the system in which those cables are going to be used. Of the big marquee names, you have captured the most well known cable manufacturers in your poll.
 
I voted for Shunyata since everything of theirs I have bought has worked amazingly well. In my mind thay are one of the best for a few reasons.

1. They have a relatively simple product line, and do not try and confuse the customer with infinite variations of cables between the least expensive, and the most expensive.

2. In the world of cables, they are moderately priced while competing head to head with every cable in your list. Other vendors are stupid priced, and that nonsense is what gives cables a bad name.

3. While not the most important reason, their endorsement list is a Who's Who of audio.

4. They use engineering to explain their designs, and help the customer understand how they work. I have yet to see another vendor using or demonstrating DTCD performance (instantaneous currrent), Zitron performance (square wave out is same as square wave in), and their new CCI (component generated AC noise) filters built-in to the power cords.

5. Based on number 4, you know that if a Shunyata cable works great with product 'A' then it will work great with any other product. For example, I had over $10,000 in Shunyata power conditioner, power cords, interconnects, and speaker cables extracting every bit of detail from $6500 worth of Cambridge-Audio gear. I was amazed at what detail I got everytime I added a Shunyata product. When I upgraded to Pass Labs I did not have to buy new cables because I knew the Shunyatas would extract all the detail from Pass, just as they did with Cambridge.

Trying to tune the sound of a system by swapping cables along with gear is a fools errand.
 
cmalak said:
Don't know what "best" means. As Le Roy mentioned, it's all about system matching. Yes there are companies that have higher build quality, perhaps better customer service and warranty terms, etc... but in sonic terms not sure you can define "best" absent the system in which those cables are going to be used. Of the big marquee names, you have captured the most well known cable manufacturers in your poll.
Click to expand...

Save one in my mind. :) Amazing the amount of rooms at audio shows that use this cable and the number that get mentioned for the best sound! Cables sometimes are like offensive lineman. You only notice them when they do something wrong.
 
iosiP said:
I voted Siltech. Not only they are beautifully built but also have something very few cable manufacturers can match: they're using their own wires (and their own metallurgy), not some generic wire made in China.

Oh yes, the sound... Well, gorgeous (at least in my system).
Click to expand...

I agree these are my favourite cables too. They have outperformed anything else I have tried. Wish I had more of it but price for the Royal Signature lines is a factor here. Then there is the Chinese counterfeit issue which makes it difficult to trade the genuine article.
 
Steve said:
I agree these are my favourite cables too. They have outperformed anything else I have tried. Wish I had more of it but price for the Royal Signature lines is a factor here. Then there is the Chinese counterfeit issue which makes it difficult to trade the genuine article.
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I wonder if the day will come when the Chinese actually manufacture products good enough that other Chinese manufacturers will counterfeit those Chinese products?
 
mep said:
I wonder if the day will come when the Chinese actually manufacture products good enough that other Chinese manufacturers will counterfeit those Chinese products?
Click to expand...

It really angers me seeing those cheap replicas on eBay and Alibaba.. Some of them are even visually indistinguishable until you cut them open. Even Furutech Flux carbon/rhodium plugs are getting counterfeited. Many cables brands are being faked from China, not just Siltech but most of the brands mentioned in the poll above. What do you get when you invest offshore in return for cheap labour and production? Industrial espionage.
 
Agree! But if more of us would complain on eBay there would be less counterfeit cables sold there.
 
I love both Shunyata and Kimber Select for the reasons Bud mentioned.

But finding the right synergy with your current system is of the utmost importance.
 
I am surprised no one mentioned Audience cables. I have a pair of Audience Au24e that I use with my turntable and phono amp and I have noticed more midrange detail and even the bass seems to be a little tighter.

I guess it is no surprise that it is an improvement considering they replaced generic dollar store ic's. Kind of a big jump in $$ but I bought them used so the pain wasn't quite as bad.
 
Stealth cables have sounded best (IMHO) in several shootouts....in several systems I've put together. I'm also very impressed with newcomer Zenwave Audio cables (formerly Dave's Cables). I am thrilled with his new interconnects. He also has a 30 day try-out period for your satisfaction.
 
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