Marvey's Cable Rolling Adventures

Discussion in 'Modifications and Tweaks' started by purr1n, May 7, 2016.

  1. johnjen

    johnjen Doesn’t want to be here but keeps posting anyways

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2015
    Likes Received:
    505
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Well Grounded
    Or order some online from Markertek.
    They have Canare and Mogami in bulk.

    JJ
     
    Last edited: Apr 30, 2017
  2. uncola

    uncola Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    596
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Oahu, Hawaii
    So far these seem better than all my previous interconnects, weren't too expensive
    [​IMG]
     
  3. winders

    winders boomer

    Banned
    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,596
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    San Martin, CA
    Okay, I found a new looking used pair of 1.5 meter Pangea Audio "Premier True Balanced Audio Interconnects" (XLR) on eBay for $75 (cheap) so I bought them. I have been using a 1.5 meter pair of silver plated OFC copper XLR interconnects I bought from "Amplifier Surgery". I wanted to compare copper to silver plated copper XLR interconnects and the Pangea interconnects received some praise here. The Pangea interconnects use "Cardas Grade 1 Ultra OFHC" on the positive conductor. I don't know if this copper is really any better than any other "OFC". Is it? What do you guys know about it?

    When the interconnects arrived, I looked over them and it is hard to tell that they used. The connectors look brand new and the cable covering is not frayed at all. I think I got a great deal.

    Now on to the important part. How do the Pangea interconnects sound? Before I installed the new interconnects, I listened to about an hour of my "test" songs. These are songs that allow me to listen to specific types of instruments and voices. These songs include:

    Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin)
    Roundabout (Yes)
    Susie Q (CCR)
    The Look of Love (Dusty Springfield)
    The Pink Panther Theme (Henry Mancini and his Orchestra)
    Angel (Sara McLachlan)
    Give Me One reason (Tracy Chapman)
    Come Together (The Beatles)
    Thriller (Michael Jackson)
    Riders on the Storm (The Doors)
    Come Away with Me (Norah Jones)
    No Time (The Guess Who)

    I then listened to the songs again with the Pangea interconnects installed. At first I wasn't sure if I heard any difference. But it didn't take long to notice that I liked the overall sound better. I was hearing a fuller sound. At first I thought the sound was warmer. But when listening "Come Away with Me", Norah Jones' voice lacked any sense of harshness in her upper range that I could hear at higher volumes with the silver plated OFC. So I don't think the sound was warmer. The sound was smoother. The bass in "Come Together" seemed to have more thump to it but that could be me being full after eating dinner. Both "Roundabout" and "No Time" sounded better too. The bass was strong and clean. The voices were loud and clear. Everything just seemed fuller and smoother yet still clean. The sax and cymbals in "The Look of Love" had their normal detail but Dusty Springfield's voice was easier to listen to at higher volumes.

    I am going to swap the other interconnects back in after a week or so to see I notice a change. This could all be expectation bias. But, I don't think it is.
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2017
  4. zonto

    zonto Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2015
    Likes Received:
    4,975
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Boston, MA
  5. Thenewerguy009

    Thenewerguy009 Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2015
    Likes Received:
    385
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Anyone know who else used Cardas copper? Particularly their Grade 1 Ultra Silver (low & behold none of their own cable line uses it)?

    I know PS Audio used the Grade 1 copper as well. In their forum he said the Pangea only uses one strand of Cardas copper, while their top of the line AC-12 cable uses multiple strands.
     
  6. winders

    winders boomer

    Banned
    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,596
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    San Martin, CA
    Okay. I have been listening to the Pangea XLR interconnects all week. Today I swapped the sliver plated OFC interconnects back in to see what I thought about them. The differences are not as dramatic as I thought earlier in the week. There is more fullness in the music. Especially in the bass and mid-range. It's not a huge difference but it is there. In the upper mid to upper ranges there is some sibilance with the silver plated OFC interconnects that is either not there are reduced with the Pangea interconnects.

    I am happier with the Pangea interconnects and will continue to use them.
     
  7. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

    Staff Member Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    8,145
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Exit stage left....
    @Hands you have anything to say about Pangea XLR interconnects? saw them today on the Adagio rig.
    not asking for cable rolling deep dive, only reasons why you chose/own Pangea- got a deal, like their sonics, don't remember, etc.
     
  8. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

    Staff Member Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    12,285
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Colorado
    Home Page:
    Because I am a good sheep following Marv's advice on decent cables at a fair price. :)

    I honestly have no idea how they sound other than they do make sound.

    For RCA I like the KAB Spiral Air with bullet plugs well enough.
     
  9. Thenewerguy009

    Thenewerguy009 Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2015
    Likes Received:
    385
    Trophy Points:
    63
    From my testing, UPOCC silver & UPOCC copper is a step ahead of everything else.

    Especially heavy gauge UPOCC silver. Clarity of it is on another level from anything else.
     
  10. TheIceman93

    TheIceman93 El pato-zorro

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1,300
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    SoCal
    Any opinions on the Kimber PBJ?
     
  11. e.schell

    e.schell Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2016
    Likes Received:
    822
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Illinois
    Or Kimber Hero IC's?
     
  12. JeffYoung

    JeffYoung Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Apr 11, 2017
    Likes Received:
    714
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Ireland
    I have some Kimber Hero ICs. I had a mechanical issue where the centre pin wouldn't make contact with them seated all the way home, but they work fine if you pull them out just slightly (like 1mm or so).

    Can't say much on SQ, as I don't have anything else to compare them to.
     
  13. murphythecat

    murphythecat GRU-powered uniformed trumpkin

    Pyrate Banned
    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1,201
    Trophy Points:
    93
    kimber hero are good, would say they are better then cheaper one however
     
  14. Mshenay

    Mshenay Barred from loaner program. DON'T SEND ME GEAR.

    Contributor Banned
    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    259
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Gawsh FREAKING Damnit yea your right... I've spent like a solid freaking hour... listening to the OFC Copper Pigtail Tail Adapter I have paired with my Eikon is noticeably clearer than switching to a OFC Copper Pigtail.

    My Cable... is an old BTG Sunrise. I have no idea what he uses honestly, but it's always been really... "clear" it's always had more Clarity than I liked... pairs nice with my Eikon and apparently the Stock W1000X cable was nicer/better than I gave it credit for. Awfully happy I kept the stock 6.5mm jack and cable in the form of a 4pin xlr female to male 6.5mm adapter!
     
  15. winders

    winders boomer

    Banned
    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,596
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    San Martin, CA
    Okay, it looks like I am going to going to be using a single Vidar in my 2 channel setup so I need to get a .6 meter pair of RCA interconnects to connect the Freya preamp to the Vidar amp. I could go with the Pangea RAC interconnect that uses Cardas Grade One copper or, I could go with the Dyson Audio Facemelter Copper Litz Audiophile RCA Interconnect. The prices are within $10.

    The Dyson interconnects are in a 4-strand braid and have no shielding. The insulator is Teflon FEP.

    The Pangea interconnects are triple shielded.

    I tried to research this and some people prefer no shielding while other prefer shielding. I am not a big believer in expensive interconnects but I do believe well made interconnects using the right parts.

    What are the right parts here?

    Thanks!!
     
  16. Daveheart

    Daveheart Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2017
    Likes Received:
    566
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Dallas, TX
    Personally, I'd go for the Dyson interconnects with the knowledge that I may offload them if it turns out that the interference situation is bad. If you have the ability to set up your headphone rig in roughly the same spot first to see if there's a lot of interference, that could help influence your decision. No noise? Get the Dyson. Noisy? Buy the Pangea cables.
     
  17. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,777
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
  18. winders

    winders boomer

    Banned
    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,596
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    San Martin, CA
    Okay, what Scotch are you drinking and how much have you had?
     
  19. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

    Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,999
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Tempe, Arizona
    I think what @Marvey is saying is don't stress about cables. Don't go for fancy pants stuff with exotic cryo treated blessed by monk wire. Get good copper like the two you mentioned (I know Pangea is liked around here) and be done with it.

    I would also recommend Blue Jeans Cables. Their prices are usually cheaper than Pangea.
     
  20. winders

    winders boomer

    Banned
    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,596
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    San Martin, CA
    I am not trying to go for fancy pants here....I am trying to spend about $50 or so on a pair of interconnects. I read stuff about shielded/unshielded cable here and elsewhere and it leaves me befuddled.

    Maybe I should just use a set of Audio Quest Evergreen RCA interconnects I have around here somewhere....
     
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2017

Share This Page