I also use Townshend pods under my speakers and all my electronics, except the Matrix, Nucleus + and the power supply of the Lumin U1.
The Wireworld cable is interesting, it looks like a bunch of 8 Nordost cables bunched together like Townshend cable. Unfortunately they do not give specifications or the basis of the design, but Nordost are known for ultra low inductance. The Townshend is quite fragile, so I just use cable boxes.
Given your budget you can try Morrow Audio cables. You get a 60 day no questions asked return policy and a lifetime warranty that even includes user destruction (pet chewing through cable, etc.). Caveat - never pay full price! Thereās usually a sale with substantial discounts.
I just bought a few of the discontinued/prior model Wireworld Starlight 7 USB cables. Deeply discounted at The Cable Company and PCX (Parts Connection). Decent cable. Sizes are limited.
https://www.partsconnexion.com/wireworld-usb.html
https://www.thecableco.com/half-price-closeout-on-wireworld-starlight-7-usb-cables.html
How do Morrow cables compare to the big audiophile brands?
They do seem to always have a 40% off sale which makes it seem like thatās their normal price but they use the gimmick of the faux sale to drive business. That sort of scheming made me wonder how they compare to the others.
Morrowās old design MA7 and SP7 cables (silver coated wires - all copper wires with more runs starting in 2018) were reviewed by the absolute sound. They also were an absolute sound editorās choice in 2017. Morrowās much higher cost, top of the line cables also made the editorās choice. The website has a lot of user reviews.
My only comparison was around 8 years ago when I first tried out Morrow cables against my Audioquest King Cobra interconnects (my starting-out cables). I began with the MA2 and PH2 cables that cost a lot less than the Audioquest. To my ears, the Morrow cables were much better. Over the years I took advantage of sales to get to the MA7 and SP7 levels today.
I have always had issues with Mike Morrowās trade-up program pricing and the increasingly common stand-alone big discount sales. For example, right now you can get level 7 cables at 60% off without trade-in. Iāve mentioned my concerns to him over the years but he likes the way things work. I think proper marketing is one of the growth problems he still has to work out.
Bottom line, you can return the cables if you donāt like them. I donāt think you will get reimbursed for any break-in service you purchased - canāt remember. The cables take a bit of time to break in. You might consider paying for some break in service, even though you might not recover the cost, so you can get the most out of the 60 day trial period.
Iāve met Mike quite a few times years ago. His shop is around a half hour from my home. Heās a really nice guy that tries to put the best quality possible into his cables. His dedicated listening room (aka cable testing room) is simply amazing.
I recently purchased some subwoofer cables. I considered Morrow, but was turned off by the ongoing āsaleā. Felt like a huckster scheme. Which is not to comment on the cables themselves, but it just felt off that things are perpetually on saleā¦
+1 on the Kimbers. Their entire range provides great options, with the Selects on the high-end being among the best in the business.
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I really dislike the ongoing sale too. Also makes it a little hard to sell old cables when they change their sale policies and sell at even a lower new cable prices.
However, when I was upgrading I could get the new version of level 7 Morrow Audio cables for substantially less than the standard copper MG Audio cables. My budget just isnāt big enough these days to try out more expensive cables. Plus, the morrow cables really do sound good for the price.
I have several of Morrowās cables: MA4s, MA3s and DIG4s. They are nice mid priced cables. If they fail, heāll fix them. All it costs is the postage and return postage. The ongoing sales varies, but one would never pay full price. Thereās always a sale.
Wireworld website has very detailed descriptions of all their cables. Currently home auditioning Wireworld Eclipse 8 XLR interconnect between Audio Research LS28 preamp & Sony SCD-XA5400 SACD/CD Player & Eclipse 8 speaker cables between BHK 300 monoblocks & Focal No. 2 Loudspeakers. Comparing to Tara Labs The One RCA interconnect & Tara Labs RSC Air Evolution Speaker Cables, both far more costly.
I tried a few cables the best value for money are the Zu audio cables through their Zu Store on E Bay and mogami cables
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Wireworld have a fairly recent patent for their cable, not sure what the unique element is. The idea of using flat closely spaced conductors is nor new. Itās been used in the Isolda cables for almost 40 years. Donāt see the benefit of using silver, is only a marginally more efficient conductor, or why multi strand layers are preferable to a flat single conductor for each layer. No explanation why 8 layers better than just 2.
The good news is that both brands are using the same basic principle. There is quite a difference in price, my 3.5m Townshend cost Ā£800 (new, but about half price) and the same length Wireworld Platinum are Ā£15,600.
Townshend recently brought out a new cable that is more robust, but the principle is the same and kept elegantly simple.
Townshend Fractal
Townshend Isolda
Wireworld Platinum
Steven, sorry to divert, the wood on the picture. Absolutely gorgeous.
I have used Morrow cables(SP4s and SP6s) in two systems and they just keep getting better as you go up the line. I recently retired my 6s(newest design) as I went with a new layout and they didnāt work in my new rig. I have those for sale at $500(including a great MIT center cable-bi-wire), those retail for over 1400 as they are 3mā¦chance to give them a good test drive for cheap moneyā¦You are getting lots of great advice so I donāt think you will make a bad choice anyway you go!
Good luck,
Jason
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Thanks. The floor is 30mm thick solid French walnut.
Morrow use what they call SSI. Small monofilament conductors individually insulated. Basically the same as Nordost, but bunched compared to Nordostās flatline.
I used Mogami on my bi-amped Maggie Tympani 1s. Not sure of the gauge (been a while), but they were about 1/4 inch around. Very smooth and revealing. Wasnāt that expensive, then, but this was 10-15 years ago.
Mongo
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Rockman85 Did you pick up new speaker cables yet? If not, this is a nice cheap upgrade from what you are using.
I felt Morrow Audio speaker cables didnāt support the low frequencies as well as other speaker cables I have used. Anyone else find this? Maybe it just my set up at the time. It was a while back.