1st Impressions on Audioquest.

**mantis** · 10-04-2005 08:01 PM

We had factory training on Audioquest today and I will go to say I was Impressed with there cables. We only trained on Custom cables with there slighty new push on connectors which by the way are way cool and will make my job slighty easier. We also had a listen a b c listening with there basic 14-2 and the cv4 speaker cables vs monster. We listened to a track basically no one knew. Monster seemed to jumble up all the tones and make a mess out of everything. Also sounded noisy. When replaced with Audioquest 14-2 bulk wire, the tones and noise floor improved alot. i was not Shocked but I enjoyed the improvement in overall musical ability of these cables.The cv4 took it to a whole new level. That cables sounds great making monster cable way behind in overall performance.
People who didn't pay much attention to wire sound quality had many things to say in this a b c shootout. people where shocked in the differences different cables or in this case better cables make on a system.

So far so good with Audioquest. They have a certain way they do things and for custom I love it. There video cables are outstanding. Built quality is top notch. I want to try out there silver component cables. I feel some quality and improved picture coming my way.

Dan

**lanion** · 10-04-2005 08:18 PM

Audioquests website is a nightmare. They have like 50 different kinds of cables. I get so so confused.... do they really need so many?

**george daniel** · 10-04-2005 08:22 PM

Maybe it's just me,but I grew frustrated quickly at their website also

**mantis** · 10-04-2005 11:32 PM

I completely agree with there website and the fact they have 2 many wire choices. Not knowing a product and then trying to surf threw it all is a nightmare. I'm just learning the ins and outs of the company and will in a few months have a better understanding. After my training today , I learned quite abit about the kind of copper they use and why there cables are geared more solid core then stranded. It's intresting how it works. The DBS systems are an entire new and vodoo kind of thing but if it works , I can't go around knocking it.

Dan

**fredv** · 10-05-2005 01:01 AM

Hi Dan, can you qualify what kind of monster the 14-2 compared to? I am just curious how 14-2 and cv4 stand from the monster's price point.

Thanks,

**mantis** · 10-05-2005 06:47 AM

They used Monster XP. This test was for the 14-2 vs 14-2. They added in the cv4 for us to hear an even greater change in sound quality when you start moving up the ladder in quality. cv4 sounds really good.

Dan

**mldennison** · 10-12-2005 11:51 AM

i as well found their website confusing, really had no idea which cables were which. i did find this at onecall, it is a chart comparing their speaker cable and interconnects:
http://im1.onecall.com/Image_Product...able_chart.jpg

i have some audioquest type 4 in the mail now so really excited to see the differences between that and the monster XP i am running now...

**mantis** · 10-12-2005 03:25 PM

Goodluck with the type 4. Let us know how you make out.

Dan

**thehaens@cox.net** · 10-12-2005 04:51 PM

Everest w/ 72V DBS 15ft. pair 21,500.00, is this US dollars or YEN :D That is about the most expensive cable I have seen on paper.

Scott

**mantis** · 10-12-2005 04:59 PM

tyr Transparent. They have wire that goes into the 30K range

**thehaens@cox.net** · 10-12-2005 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by mantis

tyr Transparent. They have wire that goes into the 30K range

Yep, the Opus MM has it beat at only 24K for 8'............wonder if I had that cash and dropped a grip of cash on these if I would hear a difference :p

**mldennison** · 10-12-2005 05:27 PM

hmm, an 8ft piece of wire or a new car????? might have to think about that for a while :-)

**McLoki** · 10-12-2005 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by mldennison

hmm, an 8ft piece of wire or a new car????? might have to think about that for a while :-)

Just a guess here, but those willing to spend that kind of cash on a cable are not out shopping for a $25,000 car.....

Michael

**steveinaz** · 10-12-2005 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by mantis

Monster seemed to jumble up all the tones and make a mess out of everything.

This is what I have always heard with typical generic stranded OFC. It's like a hazy image of the music---most notable in the treble; it sounds almost tizzy. The midrange is also hashy/disorganized sounding.

**mantis** · 10-12-2005 07:50 PM

The transparent cables at that level as I have Installed them are in my opnion way over kill. So was the system I connected them 2.

I believe once you get to a perfect conductor of some form, there is no need to continue with this. I mean come on, where does it end???

OFC is suppost to be no different then any other copper on the market as per the guys over in the AVS forum. It's funny how strong most of them feel that wire makes no difference. Copper is copper and all that crap.

Dan

**mldennison** · 10-19-2005 02:05 PM

so i finally got my set of audioquest type 4 speaker cables this week and got to listen for the first time last night. i really have not had the time to audition them fully so i didnt think i should start up a new thread but had some initial comments about them.

BUILD:
Very solid. These cables, although not really near the top of their line are actually more sturdy than most interconnects that I have seen most notably my copperheads. This is something very new to me as I am used to speaker wire not being nearly as thick as other cables. Also really like the factory terminations, they do a really good job with this.

SOUND:
Definately noticing a difference in tone. Unfortunately I did not really have enough time to really do any sort of A/B test but I am noticing very good definition in the high end. Notes just seem a little clearer and more detailed. Also, some of the harshness is gone, passages that can border on bright such as intense horn sections not seem more natural and toned down. The mid-range is still a bit muddled but I think that is just due to my speakers, I think I have gone as far as they can go and will have to look for something else in the future.

First impression is very good, definately a diffference in quality from the monster. Hopefully one of these weekends I can get a bit of time and really listen to both and pick out some more differences.

**mantis** · 10-19-2005 08:56 PM

mldennison,
Good luck with your new cables,

Dan

**TroyD** · 10-20-2005 11:23 PM

Monster seemed to jumble up all the tones and make a mess out of everything. Also sounded noisy

Hmmmm....I thought that Monster made a good product for the money.

I guess we have now officially experienced a paradigm shift now that Monster isn't the only thing the benevolent audio society that runs Tweeter carries.

I'm further surprised that Dan hadn't already arrived at these conclusions, you know, he and liv4fam have done thousands of wire shootouts and spent countless hours 'demoing thier faces off'.

Personally, I think they were actually running around playing Super Friends. Capes, tights...the whole nine yards.

BDT

**beardog03** · 10-20-2005 11:35 PM

wwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa....

he said capes and tights...

bwahahahahhaaaaaaa...

I also have the type 4 cables....great value..
give them time to burn in a bit and loosen up...
IMO..a solid cable for the price..

I am very curios about the cv4 though..
AQ`s web site blows...!

**Frank Z** · 10-20-2005 11:37 PM

Originally Posted by TroyD

Personally, I think they were actually running around playing Super Friends. Capes, tights...the whole nine yards.

Singing Here I come to save the day.....
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

**TroyD** · 10-20-2005 11:46 PM

You better watch out...

Here is Dan in full demo mode.

Feeling the flow....

HASSAN CHOP!

**F1nut** · 10-20-2005 11:55 PM

I'll take a large popcorn and a large soda, please.

**TroyD** · 10-20-2005 11:59 PM

Mantis don't play games. They f*&king charge your ass

It doesn't get any more serious than a Mantis about to charge your ass

**F1nut** · 10-21-2005 12:12 AM

Poo nuggets!

**beardog03** · 10-21-2005 12:17 AM

wwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa..!!

he said poo nuggets..!!

**Frank Z** · 10-21-2005 12:23 AM

Butt Nuggets!Butt Nuggets!Butt Nuggets!

**mantis** · 10-21-2005 06:36 AM

Originally Posted by TroyD

Hmmmm....I thought that Monster made a good product for the money.

I guess we have now officially experienced a paradigm shift now that Monster isn't the only thing the benevolent audio society that runs Tweeter carries.

I'm further surprised that Dan hadn't already arrived at these conclusions, you know, he and liv4fam have done thousands of wire shootouts and spent countless hours 'demoing thier faces off'.

Personally, I think they were actually running around playing Super Friends. Capes, tights...the whole nine yards.

BDT

Why are you suprised??? I left Monster cable years ago. When I experienced Transparent vs Monster. If you wanna take a history tour of wire with me, then you should already know why Monster was my wire of choice and later in life I grew out of it. Funny you remember every other detail about what I have posted over the years. Your like my own personal Historian. Why are you failing now???

This still doesn't mean Monster is a bad wire company. I have worked with them for over 6 years and never had one bad cable. Never. The products are as solid as can be. In many systems , they sounded fine for the level of system we had put together. The owns enjoy them and thats what counts.

Our company is going in a different direction. High end seems to be the goal. In home Install is what we are all about and providing the best possible equipment is Important to achiving a higher standard. Audioquest to the company seems to fill that need and after training on it, I agree it's a better sounding product then monster. I don't think it's better built. I may favor some things about Audioquest I personally like better over Monster, but still monster is a well built worth it for the money. Everyone talks about the money, ever see Audioquests price list??? Damn there **** is high, they better sound alot better as they cost alot more. In my opnion that is.

Just remember , our hobbie isn't based on any facts. Wire to alot of people beleive it makes no difference as long as you use the proper guage for the task. I remember some people telling people to shop for there wire at Home depot where you can buy wire that turns pretty colors over time.

Butt holes...

Dan

**mantis** · 10-21-2005 06:46 AM

Also can anyone post proof that one wire company makes better sounding wires then another??? Anyone want to step up???

My findings over the years are all opnions. I have no scientific data that proofs monster is better then Audioquest is worse that Transparent is worse then Kimber is better then Straightwire is killed by Nordost etc etc etc.

I can't prove that upgraded power cables make any difference in any system other then others can hear what I do. Experience the things I do. No paper trail at all.

I read an article and If I can refind it I will post a link to when the owner of Transparent backed down to a wire shootout at his own place. Transparent claims to make the highest end best sound wire possible. Most feel they are a joke due to there network bricks are resister based cents to build bull****.You can find pictures of these cables ripped apart and people being extremely fustrated with there findings. All the money they spend on a wire that they could have built for tons of cash less.

But still no scientific proof one way or another.

Actually you can find many more things that wire makes no difference and Copper is copper in speakerwires.

So Troy do you bring the book to the table or just more bull?

Dan

**PolknPepsi** · 10-21-2005 07:55 AM

Originally Posted by TroyD

You better watch out...

Here is Dan in full demo mode.

Feeling the flow....

HASSAN CHOP!

I thought maybe that mouse on the floor was being agressive ..... ;)

**TroyD** · 10-21-2005 08:14 AM

Geeze Dan, don't blow a gasket already. Personally, I could care less. I find it humorous that the paradigm shifts with whatever the current flavor of the month is at your employer. Plus, I mean, you've spent countless hours painstakingly demoing your face off with different wires so, you know, I would have thought that you would have already done the monster/AQ thing. You know, you've got real world testing under your belt, do you?!? ;)

On the one hand you say

Monster seemed to jumble up all the tones and make a mess out of everything. Also sounded noisy

and then you say

but still monster is a well built worth it for the money

.....at what price point? Then you go on to say that AQ is more expensive than Monster etc etc....well, depends on what products you would be comparing. I think if you look at a specific price point or performance level...I think that AQ would probably be very competitive (the AQ products I've owned I think offer excellent value).

The point is Dan, and I say this in all candor, is that your allegiance to whatever the flavor of the month is (admirable ability to sing the company song, aside) is entertaining but it also tends to cast a shadow of doubt on the absolute validity of your claims. Which, again, if you didn't paint yourself as the omnipotent professional wouldn't be a big deal. However, you set yourself up for this sort of thing and well, I find humor in it.

I own several different brands of wires and cables. Right now, I'm using MIT and Kimber, primarily. While I think that cables can and do sound different, I find the differences to be subtle in most cases. When folks make extravagant claims, I tend to scoff at it.

I still maintain that HD wire is a great value. I've got a bunch of it, hasn't turned color yet though.

Oh, another thing, I've been to HQ Transparent (it's about 15 mins from my parents, I pass it going to my brother's house) have you? HAVE YOU?

I'm spent, I jump down into the alley and smoke a fatty. I throw rocks at the cats.

BDT

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