"Loom" or "Mix and Match?"

[MylesBAstor]

What's your preference, what are your thoughts and experiences and what have you done in your system?

No doubt a good argument for using all the cables from a given manufacturer in your system but sometimes I find that a full blown loom can be too much of a good thing. Sometimes with Cu the sytem can get too dull and other times with silver cables too bright. And other times like the three little bears, just right.

[mep]

I have never had a complete loom of cables from the same manufacturer of the same quality in my system.

[allenh]

I'm leaning more towards loom myself. My current system consists of cables from TA, Cardas, Unity Audio, Nordost, Shunyata and the Raidho line of cables (forget the name). Oh, I forgot Purist Audio, too if I include their XLR/RCA adaptors. I had an all Shunyata loom (including their PLC) but once I heard lower noise cables, I sold those off and started playing with others (Raidho, Unity Audio, Nordost). I don't think I'll do a full loom of one brand, but If I can get down to 2 brands, I'll be happy I think. :-)

[Bill Hart]

Loom, except: one interconnect is better grade than the rest (same brand, though- Kubala-S), and the cable for my turntable motor controller- well, I tried the matching PC and it didn't seem to make any difference, so on that, I went with a relatively cheap Shunyata. I know- I should be stricken from the rolls of the hi-fi club.

[MylesBAstor]

At least given a time out.

[allenh]

Ha, I use the stock PC with my TT motor, not even a cheap upgrade!

[Gusf]

Shunyata is no slap in the face my friend...back in the club!

[Rust]

Much like everyone else back in the day it was whatever came in the box with the equipment and zip cord. Then gold plated Radio Shack and home brew speaker wires of larger gauge. Then eventually complete looms of Monster, Audioquest, DH Labs and currently Kimber which is at the limits of my finances. Shunyata Venom power cords. Now I'd love to try other wire products but at this point scarce resources dictate improvements in other areas will take precedence.

[Guest]

I find it near impossible to evaluate wires other than in a loom.

To quote my LessLoss Tunnelbridge review: "Trying to assess the sonic performance of a single cable by inserting it into an existing system strikes me as being about as cogent as assessing Bridgestone Blizzak snow tires by mounting one on a car otherwise shod with Pirelli Sottozeroes. Sure, something will be different, but not in a usefully describable way to anyone interested in Blizzaks."

[Steve Lefkowicz]

I've always gone for full set, at least for interconnects and speakers cables. Haven't gotten into power cords or digital cables too much yet. To that end, I have four sets of cables (enough ICs to connect everything):

1 - Nordost Black Knight IC with Flatline speaker cables (from the late 1990s)
2 - Nordost Solar Wind IC and speaker cables
3 - Morrow Audio MA1 IC with SP4 speaker cable
4 - Vermouth audio Black Pearl IC with Red Velvet speaker cable.

When I change out cables (every couple months or when i change gear out for review) I swap all the ICs and speaker cables together. Often will match based on price, or more likely, whether the Vermouth are too heavy or stiff for small lightweight components. The Morrow and Nordost are very light and flexible.

[Billy Shears]

As long as the signature of the cable fits your System IMHO Loom is always the better option .

[Tunes]

Never had a full loom of any manuf.
over time, i have gravitated to shunyata for power cords and kubala for interconnects. Stealth for phono cables and shunyata for aes digital.

[rockitman]

I'm full loom on the first string component participants.

[Bill Hart]

I find it near impossible to evaluate wires other than in a loom.

To quote my LessLoss Tunnelbridge review: "Trying to assess the sonic performance of a single cable by inserting it into an existing system strikes me as being about as cogent as assessing Bridgestone Blizzak snow tires by mounting one on a car otherwise shod with Pirelli Sottozeroes. Sure, something will be different, but not in a usefully describable way to anyone interested in Blizzaks."

Fair point. I see cars occasionally being driven in the village here with those mini-escape pod type emergency wheel/tire thingies. I'm thinking, wow, you weren't in a rush to get to the tire changed, so you are driving off angle with a smaller diameter rim and tire on something that is probably meant for 50 or 100 miles of use. Ever see cars coming at you that are crooked? Like the suspension broke down on one side?

PS: I actually did an A/B/C comparison of tires on one car due to the fact that one tire got 'nailed' after a thousand or so miles, and they couldn't supply a matching set- so the car manufacturer was willing to ante for 3 new tires- the nailed one was on me. The factory supplied Michelins, I think I had some Pirelli P-Zeros from the exact same model of car that I previously owned, and the dealer got a set of 4 F1 Eagles which I kept on the car- it had the stickiness of the Pirelli but broke away quicker, did not tramline as much. I liked those tires.

[allenh]

I've always gone for full set, at least for interconnects and speakers cables. Haven't gotten into power cords or digital cables too much yet. To that end, I have four sets of cables (enough ICs to connect everything):

1 - Nordost Black Knight IC with Flatline speaker cables (from the late 1990s)
2 - Nordost Solar Wind IC and speaker cables
3 - Morrow Audio MA1 IC with SP4 speaker cable
4 - Vermouth audio Black Pearl IC with Red Velvet speaker cable.

When I change out cables (every couple months or when i change gear out for review) I swap all the ICs and speaker cables together. Often will match based on price, or more likely, whether the Vermouth are too heavy or stiff for small lightweight components. The Morrow and Nordost are very light and flexible.

That's what I was thinking when I said 2 brands, signal cables of one brand and PC/PLC of another. Maybe...

[Johnny Vinyl]

I use VALAB/King cables throughout (PC/IC/SP) and have been for about 6-7 years. I clean them with some isopropyl alcohol about once a year, maybe twice, and I've been very pleased. I'm starting to get an itch to try something new, but then I come to my senses and remind myself to not mess with a good thing.

[jfrech]

Loom, I've had it a few different ways over the years. And certainly like aspects about mixing...but recently coming back to nearly full loom (other than 1 power cord) I find the synergies are just to good. I do expect this is dependent on "which" loom...and some cases mixing maybe better.

PS, how do I change my signature to reflect current system? Can seem to find it in edit settings

[Guest]

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PS, how do I change my signature to reflect current system? Can seem to find it in edit settings

https://www.audionirvana.org/forum/main-forum/suggestions-and-feedback/7041-editing-your-signature-line

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