Best Bang 4 The $$ - ICs and SCs

CDLehner

CDLehner

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What are the thoughts, on best manufacturer...in terms of value/performance?

I'm talking about, across both ICs and SCs.
 
Straight Wire for low price/budget. Kimber for mid-market prices.

BUT - all cable manufacturers have different entry points. I've found some of the older, lower priced Nordost stuff to be excellent. I also found AcousticZen cables to be very good for the money.

I know a lot of people are over the moon happy with some of the entry level Siltech cables (300/500 series).
 
Mike said:
Straight Wire for low price/budget. Kimber for mid-market prices.

BUT - all cable manufacturers have different entry points. I've found some of the older, lower priced Nordost stuff to be excellent. I also found AcousticZen cables to be very good for the money.

I know a lot of people are over the moon happy with some of the entry level Siltech cables (300/500 series).
Click to expand...

Ah...5 answers. Thanks for narrowing it down Mike ;)
 
CDLehner said:
Ah...5 answers. Thanks for narrowing it down Mike ;)
Click to expand...

Give me a budget! Best bang for the buck to me is Kimber Select all copper. Love their speaker cables, XLR cables and power cords.

But I'm listening to a full loom of Straight Wire (speaker, all IC's, power, USB, even phono) and it's outstanding for the money.

The hybrid Kimber in the right system can also be excellent.
 
For me Kimber Hero ICs and 8TC SCs are great performers for the money.
 
Chris

Are you talking about best bang for the buck period or best for your gear, as those are two different things. To my ears best bang for the buck is Wireworld. Haven't owned Straightwire in a long time, but if they are still using David's basic design principals they would be pretty close to Wireworld. When I owned Classe' gear I used Audio Magic as it balanced out the combination of Classe' and Vandersteen together. If the signature of the PMC's is more forward that may not be a solution, but worth a try. I don't have any idea of the pricing structure of Jerry's current line.
 
CDLehner said:
What are the thoughts, on best manufacturer...in terms of value/performance?

I'm talking about, across both ICs and SCs.
Click to expand...

Man I love my Kimber Select all-copper ICs and SCs. The sound quality and build quality is absolutely first rate and the price is very reasonable. I would go Kimber Select 1116 for balanced ICs and Kimber Select 6063 for speaker cables. I'm in heaven right now with these cables. The three adjectives I would use to describe their sound is neutral, transparent and organic.

Best,
Ken
 
Alpinist said:
Man I love my Kimber Select all-copper ICs and SCs. The sound quality and build quality is absolutely first rate and the price is very reasonable. I would go Kimber Select 1116 for balanced ICs and Kimber Select 6063 for speaker cables. I'm in heaven right now with these cables. The three adjectives I would use to describe their sound is neutral, transparent and organic.

Best,
Ken
Click to expand...

+1. I am using ks1026 IC and ks6063 SC. But the 12TC would be my vote for the best C/P.
 
I always thought the Wire World Platinum range were for their price quite reasonable to enter into the top range of cables, but, if you want to get very serious Siltech all the way!
 
If second hand is a consideration i'd seriously consider earlier (now out of production) Nordost products, in particular Heimdall, which can be purchased for around US$400 for a 1m pair of ICs or US$500 for a 3m pair of SCs.
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+1 When I had the Nordost (series 1) demo case years ago the sound difference between the Heimdall and Frey was minimal (although I did buy the Frey).
 
I've used Kimber Hero and Kimber 8tc both single and external bi-wire for years, have since moved up to KS 1016 ics and Kimber Bifocal XL only because I could...Kimber Hero and 8tc good value and hard to beat....
 
OK guys; thanks for the suggestions so far. I know it's not an easy question; and I guess one man's bang-for-the-buck, is another man's what-the-fu...lol (sorry...but my budget, does not allow me to consider the $800/foot Kimber Select KS6063 "bang-for-the-buck" ;))

So far, the suggestions that seem in my budget...are finding some Nordost Heimdall on close-out, WireWorld, and "lower-line" KK.

Thanks
 
octadyndude said:
+1 When I had the Nordost (series 1) demo case years ago the sound difference between the Heimdall and Frey was minimal (although I did buy the Frey).
Click to expand...

Heimdall is the sweet spot of the Nordost (series 1) lineup. You really need to jump to at least Tyr to get significant improvement.
 
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