Summary: I just want to offer a couple of notes to improve the silver cable.
1. the cable does not shield well. I cut my kids swimming noodle and place the cable through the hole. It makes big difference. According to stereophile, All power and signal cables shall be 4 inches apart.
2. The New WBT connectors shows a better connectivity over screw-tight then Soldering. There is a replica on audiogon called Johnson Audio. It is good and easy to use.
Strengths: Almost very Acceptable price.
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Summary: I usually don’t write reviews, but given a great recent upgrade to my system, I’d like to pass along the experience. I purchased two pairs of HGA Silver Lace interconnects and a pair of their solid silver speaker cables about a month ago. Wow, what a difference these have made. They are articulate, focused, and without question the most life-like sounding cables I have ever had in my system. And I’ve tried everything from multi- thousand dollar Kimber Selects to 15 years worth of homebrew designs. Here’s the real kicker – the factory direct price runs about 1/4 the price of other cables I’d group them with. Like most things hi-fi, cables are very system dependent. They’ve worked extremely well with both the Rowland gear I have in my system as well as some Cary tube gear I’ve auditioned them with. Your mileage may vary. One thing I will point out is that HGA sells their stuff assembled, as kits, and as ala carte parts. I guess they’re trying to capture several ends of the market. The assembled cables are beautifully terminated, come in an attractive carrying case and IMHO well worth the extra 40 or 50 bucks they charge for the service.
Strengths: neutral, very musical sounding. Probably the biggest bang for the buck in high end audio.
Weaknesses: none except these guys might do a better job with marketing . I just stumbled upon them in an Audiogon thread.
Similar Products Used: Recently: Kimber Select, Silver Audio Appasionata, Nordost, Acoustic Zen, and most of the diy "recipes" on the web.
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Summary: This is a review of the Silver Lace Speaker cable by Homegrown. After being a Cardas freak for ages, I decided to give this company a try hearing from others that silver has a magical transparency if done right. Well these are more than done right! Some worry about silver cables being harsh or edgy. Not so at all with these! Very sweet and MUCH MUCH better clearer imaging and soundstaging than with Cardas Cross. It sounds much more expensive than what I paid for my demo's. Incredible 3D details...most lifelike I've heard. At this price you'd be foolish not to give them a try. Especially considering a risk free 30 day in home trial. They know you'll be hooked, and I am. Now off to purchase the Silver lace Balanced interconnect! These have gotten reviewed as beating Kimber KCAG in performance for half the price!
Weaknesses: None I can hear, and having Maggie speakers I'd know!
Similar Products Used: Cardas, Transparent Audio, FMS.
System:Audio Research LS-12 Pre amp, Bryston 4B-ST amp, Xindak SCD-2 CD player, Music Hall turntable, and Magnepan MG 12 speakers.
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Rating Reviewed by: Steve Huff(Unregistered User)
(AudioPhile)
Review Date July 25, 2003
Overall Rating 5 of 5
Value Rating 5 of 5
Used product for Less than 1 month
Visitors rate this review 5.00 of 5,
3 votes
Review NaN of
, from Phx, AZ
Price Paid:
$189.00
from Web Site
Summary: let me start by saying that I have a pretty good stereo setup. It cost me about $25k to set up. It consists of a mcintosh 2200 tube preamp, Mcintosh 602 amp, Sony SCD-1 CDP, Audiomeca DAC, Sonus faber Guarneri and Cremona speakers, and various tweaks. I was using tara labs ref gen II IC's and their middle of the line speaker cable.
I ordered some IC's from TMC after reading their rave reviews on their web site. BUT after 2 weeks with them I realized they were making my speakers MUFFLED and messed up. Plus they were as stiff as a coat hanger!
i decided to give Homegrown a try and ordered IC's and Speaker cable - ALL Silver Lace. 1st 2 days were OK. lifeless, cold sounding. I let my system play for a week while I wa sout of town and I just returned. the sound has opened up dramatically. Soundstage is HUGE. Detail is incredible. BUT they are a LITTLE bright. Where the TMC mufled my speakers and made them sound super warm with no detail, the Silver lace gives me almost too much detail. BUT they sound sooo good.
For the price, these can not be beat. Ive tried Acoustic Zen Silver ref II, Nordost SPM, Tara Labs Air 1 and various others. Those all cost me nearly $1k a pair. For under $200 you can get a pair of Silver lace IC's and have not only a great sounding IC, but one that is easy to manage and beautiful to lok at. Great quality. TMC IC's were cheaply made, cheap connecters, etc.
Homegrown has impressed me and I LOVE their speaker cable. So much better than the garden hose stuff, and sounds superb. if these were just maybe 5% more warmer I would say I found my perfect cables.
Strengths: build quality
Looks
Easy to work with
Soundstage is huge
Detail is superb
Weaknesses: A LITTLE bright
Similar Products Used: Acoustic Zen, Nordost, Monster, Tara Labs, TMC, Better Cables
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Summary: I have ordered Silver Lace wire(not the terminated one) from Homegrown Audio, terminated it with Eichmann silver bullet plug, then burned it in for more than 200 hours. This cable is smooth, good soundstage, not bright at all, but, compare it to my another DIY silver IC( braided with four 24AWG .999 Oxygen free silver wire), silver lace showed it weakness, not enough detail, lack of bass and smaller soundstage, especially the center sstage focusing is poor, it seemed performer was singing in the forest. Then, I used two RS magnet wire braided them with cotton thread first, then braided with SL, one for +, one for -, soldered them to center pin and return, burned it in once again. The result? It souded much better! better focusing, better bass, I should say much, much better bass!! But the detail and soundstage still not as good as my DIY silver IC.