Hi all -
With all the differences in interconnect cables, between materials, cost, etc… I’m hoping to get some real world experience with interconnect cables between the BHK preamplifier and the BHK 300 monoblocks.
Since everything seems dependent on each other, what have you found to be the best interconnects for this preamp/amp combo?
The big question is how much is your budget? I had luck with BHK 300’s and Audioquest Earth XLR cables. Not the very best interconnect but very good imo and great value if you find them previously owned.
In the past, I used three incremental levels of Audioquest’s XLR cables between the BHK-pre and 300’s monoblocks, from Earth to Pegasus to Thunderbirds,
In my particular system, there were significant additive benefits in sound quality with upgraded interconnects, suggesting how revealing and ‘truthful’ the BHK components are.
Concretely, the greatest qualitative leap occurred when I shifted from the Pegasus to the Thunderbirds.
I would try iconoclast.
Why not another step-up in the AQ line? Just the urge to try something different?
apologies, thought the AQ post was from the originator
I currently have a set of Audioquest Water XLR cables.
I hear so much about tube rolling to improve the sound, I thought to myself that interconnects make a difference as well, and the cables from the preamp to the monoblocks must be very critical during the design and implementation phase.
Does anyone know which interconnects PSaudio uses for this configuration?
I’ve been using Shunyata Sigma V2 XLR cables between my BHK pre and BHK 300 monoblocks. I’m been very happy with their performance and they are way down my list for a future upgrade.
When choosing the connection cable, the rest of the system also makes a difference. Which cable is best depends on your taste and the needs of your system. I had Audioquest Yukon, Earth, Fire up to the Dragon. There are lots of nice cables. Used ones could also be interesting. But the power cords make a bigger difference for me.
A year or so ago a dealer whose ears I trust told me that power cords usually make more of a difference than interconnects. (Yes, I know he’d like to sell me some cords, but this was a new idea to me; I always assumed that interconnects were more important.) So it’s interesting to hear that things work this way in your system.
Anyone have any experience with Power Cords? I would guess for the amps and preamp?
Power cord for preamp would make more difference than amp, so you should use the better cord at pre than amp.
I’ll using the Grimm SQM XLR’s to my satisfaction. Their price is reasonable. Others are very positive in the Silversmith Audio XLR’s. Even more so than their speaker cables (which I also enjoy).
Stealth XLR would certainly mean a step up (or more), but your budget would need to keep up with that too!
I heard that the Grimm connection cable is very good.
Donald is right, the power cord for power amplifiers has less influence than power cords for the preamplifier, sources and the supply line from the wall. Power cords on amplifiers do make a difference, but not in the same way as all the other power cords in the system.
A few weeks ago I upgraded my power cable from the wall to the power strip and was so impressed by the increase in sound and naturalness that I bought two more cables for my mono power amplifiers. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed as there was no wow factor. It sounds better, but not to the same extent. Double the cost of two power cables for the amplifiers as for the supply line, with an estimated 10% improvement over the old cables. All three cables were Furutech DPS-4.1, which were replaced with Furutech Project V1 cables. Power cables for preamp/DAC and sources make a bigger difference than for the power amplifiers. I also think the cable from the wall that supplies everything is important.
I’m using Gold Oval XLR (and also Gold Oval speaker cables :-)) ) from Analysis Plus and I’m extremely satisfied. And I think that the amplifiers were developed with PS Audio AC12 power cables. At least it sounds very harmonious to my ears. Therefore I use them.
I recently replaced AQ Earth ICs from the BHK preamp to BHK300s with Silversmith Fidelium ICs. Very positive upgrade to my ears in my system, and they still aren’t fully broken in!
May I ask what type of upgrade you have experienced?
As I hear it, a bit more “clean” sounding, as in more open, transparent, and natural.
All my cables are from Analysis Plus. The silver apex and solo crystal cables are superb too
When I had my BHK Preamp/300s, I used Solo Crystal from AP…love them…