Alt. Speaker cables: Townshend Isolda/Audience Au24/???

Posted by: Top Cat on 03 July 2003

Hi folks.

I know talking about wires is not generally regarded as a flat pursuit, but...

I'm currently using Nordost SPM speaker cable but only 2m lengths either side. It's a wonderful cable, which I bought secondhand, but alas it isn't really long enough to allow me to place the speakers quite where I want them.

I was looking at alternatives which could be purchased within the funds released by selling the SPM (£1000 for the pair seems like the going rate, as they're £2500 per 2m pair new).

I want a cable that is long enough (5m per side), single wire (to suit my speakers) and flexible enough to be routed as required (which rules out A5). I also would quite like it to be relatively flat, not just in sound but in dimensions.

I'm thinking about Townshend Isolda, a cable that I've heard good things about. Another is Audience Au24, which is a bit more expensive but still possible.

Has anyone ever done a comparison between either cable and the Nordost - SPM or above - and what did they think? One of the beauties of SPM is that it has a wonderful cohesion to the sound which makes the most of the speakers - very very dynamic and crystal clear without any bloat in the bass. However, WAF dictates that whatever cable must be capable of being routed either under the carpet or under the floorboards and up through the carpet. My SPM cable just isn't long enough to allow this, and so I'm prepared to let it go. There's a local guy selling 3m runs of SPM and asking £300 extra to swap (as he wants 2m) but I'm not so sure I want to sink even more money into wires.

Alternatives ruled out so far:

Chord Odyssey =- not really that great, expensive for its sound, not very easy to route
NAC-A5 =- cohesive and musical but a wee bit rolled off, inflexible
DNM Reson =- slightly lean, I prefer this to A5 but there isn't much in it, brittle (routing issues).

Anything else worth considering? Assuming I can get the £1000 for my SPM, what other candidates should I be checking out? I'd need a minimum of 4m lengths to allow routing under the floorboards. Single wire is best - no point forking extra for biwire as I've only got single wire speakers.

Ta,

John

TC '..'
"Girl, you thought he was a man, but he was a Muffin..."

Posted on: 03 July 2003 by David Stewart

TC,
I think I recognise the journey you're on! You could try Black-Link (supplied by that man in Chesterfield whose name shouldn't be mentioned).
I was planning to give it a try and he will supply on SOR, so you can't really lose. It's circular, sleeved but only 7mm diameter so it should be easy to route. I'm trying QED Silver Anniversary at the moment - not bad, but overall still not as engaging as the old QED79 I'm trying to replace. Tried A5, but didn't work with my MA R352s. Tried Rumour but it screwed up the PRAT.
Somewhere there must be something?

David

Posted on: 03 July 2003 by Top Cat

Hi,

The new Nordosts might well be better but there's no way I'll spend any more money on speaker cables. I quite like the idea of spending less, though. In an email earlier, I wrote:

> My biggest criticism of the SPM is that in some ways it is just too good.
> What I originally liked about it remains, but I'm more critical of myself
> and the fact that it shines a very bright spotlight onto the various
> layerings of music can sometimes detract from the 'homogenous' whole that
> I think might suit my current tastes better.

Which pretty much sums it up. A fantastic cable, but maybe too much of a good thing. I'm also usually concerned about it getting eaten by rabbits, so something I can tuck under the carpet or floor would be good, but I'm not willing to shell out any more on cables at this point in time, but I am interested in some of the newer options out there, such as Isolda and Audience Au24. Haven't heard them, but Isolda (for example) runs at £500 for a 4 metre pair, compared with the £4000 the Valkyrie would cost. I've no doubt that the Valkyrie will probably eat the Isolda for lunch, but at that price I know I could fund (say) a new preamp AND a nice comfy recliner, plus lots of Isolda.

Nordost may be the best but I'm looking for a cheaper cable and willing to possibly sacrifice the last word in detail and speed for an easier cable to route and perhaps more homogenity.

John

TC '..'
"Girl, you thought he was a man, but he was a Muffin..."

Posted on: 03 July 2003 by glenda

Hi TC - have to agree with Kit that isolda is great stuff and a good combo with your speakers. How do I know ? I sold you the speakers ! If you want to borrow 2 x 3m isolda for an a/b demo , e mail me and I can lend you mine . I've got some Kimber to keep me ticking over .
Nac A5 is totally wasted on the speakers - apologies for saying this on the naim forum to anyone offended.
Cheers
Tony

Posted on: 04 July 2003 by Top Cat

Hi Tony, might take you up on that offer.

The good thing about SPM is that it should be fairly easy to shift, given that it's in great nick. The drawback is that it is fairly short lengths - 2m each side - so wouldn't suit everyone.

I'm tempted to try the Isolda as with a bit of luck selling the SPM I'd be a few hundred quid up, even if I have to drop to £900 to shift the speaker cables.

Tony, you're probably the very best person to ask (given the fact that you know my speakers very well indeed

) - in what way is NAC-A5 'wasted' on the speakers? I'd have thought that the speakers would be 'restricted' by the A5 perhaps, but not the other way round? Am I misunderstanding you here?

My only auditioning dilemma that I have is that I need 2mm bananas on the amp end. Annoying or what! Sue at Townshend has offered to send me a demo set to try, but I am not entirely sure whether it will be terminated with 2mm bananas or whether I'll have to use adaptors.

John

TC '..'
"Girl, you thought he was a man, but he was a Muffin..."

Posted on: 04 July 2003 by glenda

Sorry John - must get my syntax right - I meant to say that it was a waste of time putting a5 between the amp and speakers as the speakers deserve something better . Hope the speakers have settled in OK
Cheers
Tony

Posted on: 04 July 2003 by Top Cat

Well, I've done the unthinkable and posted the SPM Ref cables for sale at hififorsale. We'll see what interest there is, and maybe I will move to Isolda or some other alternative. I will really miss the SPM, but I just can't afford nor justify spending more on a longer run...

John

TC '..'
"Girl, you thought he was a man, but he was a Muffin..."