Price Paid:  $100.00 from Singapore

Summary:
Surprise to hear so much complain about this fantastic interconnector. But then again, it is up to individual taste. Hooked up to my Marantz CD-17 and John Shearnes Phase 2 and Phase 3 Integrate and Power combination, the resultant sound is full and amazing. Just like it.

Strengths:
Good Bass Extension

Weaknesses:
Cable tends to get sticky in humid environment like Singapore.

Similar Products Used:
MIT, Straightwire, Cambridge Audio & Monster.

Price Paid:  $90.00 from superfi.uk

Summary:
I was using QED Qunex 1 and I was thinking of upgrading,I first bought Van den Hul D102 III HB..I tried it at home but belive me I could not see any difference between QED 1 and the Van den Hul..I was terribly dissappointed then I took it back to the seller and changed it with QED Qunex Silver Spiral..Let me tell you this interconnect is better than Van den Hul..Even my first interconnect(Qunex 1) was as good as Van den Hul and it was four times cheaper than Van den Hul...Now I am very happy with Silver Spiral..there is an hype going around with Van den Hul but QED gives better performance at lower prices...So why should I choose Van den Hul..With QED the sound is brighter and more lively...

Strengths:
good bass,very bright,soundstage is big,looks nice

Weaknesses:
I dunno yet

Similar Products Used:
Van den Hul, QED Qunex1

Summary:
I bought this cable unheard as it was nearly half-price in my local shop. But I could not listen to it when used on my CD player - far too much boomy bass, so much it forced me to turn the volume down. Better on my tape deck where it fills in some of the lost frequency.

Ststem:

Marantz 63 KI Signature
NAD amp
Mission speakers

Strengths:
Makes my cassette deck sound fuller

Weaknesses:
Made my CD player sound unlistenable

Similar Products Used:
Kimber Silver Streak, JPS Superconductor, Cambridge Audio Silver Spiral

Price Paid:  $120.00 from www.hificables.co.uk

Summary:
System:

Arcam Alpha 9 CD - Cabletalk Broadcast 2s
Arcam 8R/8P Biamped - Van Den Hull D300 Mk III
Whatmough Monitors 202i - QED Silver Anniversary.

I was looking for a replacement for the Van Den Huls and the strategy I was approaching was to eventually replace ALL my interconnects with the same products.

I decided to try out the QED Silver Spiral i/cs in the hope that I could replace the CableTalks eventually to have an all QED wired system.

I first tried the QED Silver Spiral between the CD and the integrated amp. I burnt it in with pink noise for several days. The results were not too encouraging. Bass became a LOT fuller, but the lower mid bass had a tendency to bloom. As usually when this happens, the mid-upper bass exhibited a tendency to suck out. The net effect, songs with bass (acoustic or electric) that drives a lot of the rhythm sounded very ploddy and slow, making it very difficult to get into the music. I tried repositioning the speakers, but to no effect, they're already 1.5m away from the walls.

The midrange was quite nice though. The previous VDHs were quite laidback, and the more forward nature of the QEDs were quite nice. However, there was a hint of chestiness, which may have been brought about the odd bass.

As for the treble, they were probably a little too harsh for my ears. Not that there was anything wrong with it, but I found that with certain types of music (i.e. the ones my wife listens to), it sounded quite bright.

So what did I do? I swapped the cables around and used the QED to drive the power amp and the Cable Talks as the CD->Integrated Amp. The result was a more pleasing and balanced presentation, better detail with a silky smooth treble, although still a slightly laid back mid-range. The bass definitely evened out, but there was slightly more extension than the VDHs.

I suspect that the Cabletalks are a better balanced cable than the richer/lusher balance of the QEDs and since the Arcams already exhibit a hint of warmth, it probably sent them over the edge.

I'd recommend the QED Silver Spiral if you have a quick/fast system but definitely not if it has a warm tonal balance.

Strengths:
Nice, slightly forward midrange. Full, warm mid->lower bass.

Weaknesses:
Odd, lumpy mid->upper bass. Can be a bit bright with poor recordings. Can't seem to keep up with some music rhythmicly.

Similar Products Used:
VDH D300 Mk III
Cabletalk Broadcast 2

Price Paid:  $95.00

Summary:
As i'm writing this i still can't believe the difference these bits of cable have made to my system!(sony cd/amp and rogers speakers). My system has always been bass light but then...enter Qed Silver Spiral Interconnect - as if by magic there was the bass, so weighty and tuneful. Also, the harshness in the treble that i'd experienced with vocals was smoothed over nicely though not at the expense of detail. I found timing to be slightly better as well. Put all this together, throw in some clearer imaging and you've got what i believe to be the best interconnect in it's price range.

Strengths:
astonishingly weighty bass, timing, clarity, treble that doesn't make my ears bleed(for once!) and imaging

Weaknesses:
given the many strengths, not much to grumble about

Similar Products Used:
qed qunex 2, chord cobra 2