Unequal-length interconnects

[John Gallup]

I'm looking at upgrading the Audioquest "Water" balanced interconnects between the Rogue Audio RP-9 preamp and Vandersteen M5-HPA amps. The rack is off in a corner rather than centered between the speakers, and the current interconnects are both 3-meter length, with the shorter run coiled up.

Since the upgrade will be probably be expensive and custom, I'm wondering if there's any known disadvantage to having one 10-foot interconnect and the other 4 feet long.

 

[Richard Vandersteen]

The sonic difference is small, but it is enough to impact image which is an esteemed reason to own Vandersteen so not a good idea.  I have the same situation at home so the conduit under my floor takes the long way on the side that's close and direct to the far amplifier.  RV

[John Gallup]

1 hour ago, Richard Vandersteen said:

The sonic difference is small, but it is enough to impact image which is an esteemed reason to own Vandersteen so not a good idea.  I have the same situation at home so the conduit under my floor takes the long way on the side that's close and direct to the far amplifier.  RV

Thanks, Richard!

[Holmz]

4 hours ago, Richard Vandersteen said:

The sonic difference is small, but it is enough to impact image which is an esteemed reason to own Vandersteen so not a good idea.  I have the same situation at home so the conduit under my floor takes the long way on the side that's close and direct to the far amplifier.  RV

How did you do the “Under the floor”?
I am assuming it is not how I would be doing it… as you could be using some DBS cables.

[Richard Vandersteen]

14 hours ago, Holmz said:

How did you do the “Under the floor”?
I am assuming it is not how I would be doing it… as you could be using some DBS cables.

30 years ago, when we built the home, we installed conduit in the concrete.  You are correct about the DBS so one pulls the other end into the conduit as the DBS won't fit or just remove them and reinstall them after installation.  RV

[Bruskie]

On 8/3/2024 at 11:59 AM, Richard Vandersteen said:

30 years ago, when we built the home, we installed conduit in the concrete.

L love this Richard, well thought out planning BEFORE the construction begins.

[ctsooner]

I had them install two isolated runs (properly done) when building my townhouse.  I had them install a large conduit behind the baseboard on the wall that the system is on, but I don't bother using it as it's become a pain in the but with the newer cables and larger connectors.  I now just use fake plants to hide cable runs and things my wife doesn't really want to look at. 

[John Gallup]

Okay, I'm convinced they need to be equal length. Would anybody care to recommend a specific interconnect? I'm mostly on Audioquest these days but have an open mind.

[GdnrBob]

I am an AQ fan ever since @ctsooner and I demoed cables at Audioconnection. From what I have gleaned from John Rutan, some cables work better with other cables. With my William Tell speaker cables, he recommends the Black Beauty interconnects. 

Since I don't know which AQ cables you are using, it might be a reason to contact him or AQ for what might be the best move forward.

Bob

[Richard Vandersteen]

AudioQuest is hard to beat, and it is what your speakers were designed with.  If you wander off the farm, be sure to compare them and make sure they make your system, go in the direction you want.  I would barrow one from your dealer and evaluate.  I know long interconnects are not going to be loaners, but you could use 1 meter and move a small part of your system close enough to do the eval.  Length with interconnects is not a factor like speaker wires would be so ordering a long version will sound very similar if not identical.  RV

[SAGNI]

This is helpful information. I too have about an 11’ run from the preamp to the right speaker and a much shorter length of 5’ to the left speaker. Of course I have very very short cables for the speakers to my Belles mono blocks. Per John Rutan’s advice I’m using all Audioquest. Question - I’m using PS audio power ports for my plugins. John had told me he can hear the difference between these and the Audioquest ports. I’m not sure I have the sensitivity of hearing to notice the difference - does anybody else have thoughts on the difference in AC receptacles? Thx.

[Boom Boom]

On 8/17/2024 at 6:11 PM, SAGNI said:

I’m not sure I have the sensitivity of hearing to notice the difference - does anybody else have thoughts on the difference in AC receptacles? Thx.

Hello

I haven't tried the exotic high end brand electrical receptacles. Those get very spendy. Decades ago when I moved into my condo, I decided to try something. I replaced the designer outlets with hospital grade outlets. The prices were low but the hospital grade outlets were multiples the cost of the standard outlets. On the hospital grade outlets I bought,  connections to the house wiring was different. I got the idea from reading audio reviewers setups, and early audiophile power conditioner literature. Back then they used hospital grade outlets.

On my system, I noticed the noise floor was lowered, so I replaced the outlets where I have my A/V equipment plugged into to the hospital grade outlets. I've spent upgrade money elsewhere than going beyond the hospital grade outlets.

In another forum, I read members cautions that you really need high grade equipment to hear the differences, otherwise you won't get the benefit. Best to try the upgrade to see if you want to invest in it.

[Holmz]

On 8/18/2024 at 9:11 AM, SAGNI said:

This is helpful information. I too have about an 11’ run from the preamp to the right speaker and a much shorter length of 5’ to the left speaker. Of course I have very very short cables for the speakers to my Belles mono blocks. Per John Rutan’s advice I’m using all Audioquest. Question - I’m using PS audio power ports for my plugins. John had told me he can hear the difference between these and the Audioquest ports. I’m not sure I have the sensitivity of hearing to notice the difference - does anybody else have thoughts on the difference in AC receptacles? Thx.

I am more in the camp of avoiding that stuff, but the hospital outlets might make sense of they “grip” the  male outlet better.
If the equipment does has a decent power supply, then, then its should be doing all the filtering.
The period of aluminium house wiring would be one place where I can image a difference, with the quantum physics of the tunneling to get through the oxidation…  

For the last 25+ years my front end equipment has had the power supply divorced from the preamp, so maybe that is helping?
And running a bunch of SMPS wall warts into equipment might also be providing noise sources that I do not encounter.

If it sounds OK/good now… 

[Huang]

John,

I am running Audioquest Water and Earth interconnects, they sound good to my ears, but Bruce let me try a pair of Silversmith interconnects. I am using the demo pair between my phono pre & TT,  I would say they make a positive difference. Pat at SMc audio and another friend in the industry have made positive comments about the Fideliums also. I did not look at the Silversmith speaker cables as, they do not look like they would work well with the Vandy speaker terminal.

You are welcome to come by and we could do an A-B with the Waters and the Fideliums, or you could ask Bruce for a loaner pair.

Edited August 24 by Huang

[John Gallup]

Got the new Thunderbird interconnects installed. Wasn't any trouble at all.

 

[stratocaster]

1 hour ago, John Gallup said:

Got the new Thunderbird interconnects installed. Wasn't any trouble at all.

 

Wow.. looks like a lot of work ..you have been busy.. 

[GdnrBob]

Is that grey/tan stuff insulation?

B

[John Gallup]

1 hour ago, GdnrBob said:

Is that grey/tan stuff insulation?

Sound-absorbing foam. https://www.acoustimac.com/acoustic-insulation-materials/acoustic-insulation

[Huang]

Thunderbirds! Nice was it a big noticeable jump from your previous interconnects.

[John Gallup]

36 minutes ago, Huang said:

was it a big noticeable jump from your previous interconnects.

Yes! Well, noticeable, if maybe not "big." The bass was better, the imaging improved. I know there's this thing called confirmation bias, and truth to tell I didn't play "reference" recordings before and after the change. But I like the way it sounds, and think I'll have to upgrade the (much shorter) interconnect between the DAC and preamp next.

[ctsooner]

Tbirds are awesome.  I'm sticking with Fire until I get the preamp and then if I feel the need to upgrade, I will.  Interconnects usually dont' make a big a difference as the speaker cables.  When using Richards electronics, the power cords won't make quite a big a difference is what I've found.