What do they sound like compared to other (well-known)cables. Below are some with my opinions of them:


gold Recoton: pretty musical but the bass is a little heavy

Monster 400: too thick and veiled, awful

Radio Shack Gold: very clear but may be too thin in certain applications

XLO/VDO ER-5: absolutely clear and balanced, can find no fault with mine

AR cheap twisted pair: I haven't heard these

Right now I am using the ER-5 from my CD player and the Recoton between my pre and power amp.

My opinion of interconnects is that they shouldn't sound like anything at all. They should pass the signal utterly unaltered, and get out of the way of the sound completely. If they're coloring your sound then they're not doing their job.

I don't have any Outlaw interconnects yet but plan to order a few stacks of them when I place my 950 order. From what I've heard from other people, they should do the job I'm looking for.

I am with you Matt. The concept of cables having individual "sounds" is bunkum IMHO. Ever noticed how cable companies never include the results of double blind tests in their marketing literature?


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Nigel Pond
SMR Home Theatre
SMR Forums
SMR Group
HighFidelityReview

[This message has been edited by ukexpat (edited February 21, 2002).]

I did buy the interconnects and I don't hear them!!! I feel that for the money they are a complete steal!!! I have every intention of using Outlaw interconnects when ever I need interconnects.

I agree that interconnects should have no sound and the XLO/VDO ER-5 seem utterly transparent.

I just went seperates and am looking for something to go between my pre and power amp.

The problem is I bought my ER-5 a while back in a .5 meter length for $40. I went shopping and discovered that now they only come in a 1 meter length and cost $60.

I want a .5m length and I don't want to pay out the nose so the Outlaw cables are intriguing, but I am inclined to go with the XLO anyway since I like it (even though I'll have to save up 50% more dough).

Sometimes a cable altering the sound is not bad.

Example:

Radio Shack Gold is a good cheap cable that sounds quite clear--sometimes to the point of leanness. But this lean clarity is beneficial for tape decks which for technological reasons (alignment, magnetization, dirt, dragging tape, etc) can tend to sound muddy. With RS Gold my tape decks sound crystal clear.

Example 2:

Vintage mid-fi and new low-end electronics can have a lean and/or hashy/hazy sound. Slightly muddy interconnects like the low to mid range Monster mitigates these traits nicely. That's one reason Circuit City, Best Buy, Sears, et al sell so much of it--It mellows the sound of the type of gear they sell, makes it sound weighty like the good stuff. If I had transparent cables on my '80s vintage midfi system my ears would bleed. It's all about system matching.