JamesLA

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
4.33 of 5, 3.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
Having heard a lot of good things about Siltech cables, I one day decided to try out the Siltech QS 80B G3 as the link between my new pre- and power amplifier. I had to wait a couple of days before my dealer received the cable and in those days I was trying to imagine how the cables would like, and more importantly how they would sound. They arrived in a beautiful box so that was the first point they scored. But when I opened it I was at first a bit disappointed: the Siltech cables seemed so relatively thin! They were not at all like the excellent Cardas golden 5C interconnects which I also have and which look like you can tow a truck with them. Since I didn't buy them to look at them but to listem at them, I quickly placed them between my pre- and power amplifier. Wow! After a week of so of burning in their sonic characteristics slowly begin to show themselves. These cables are neutral and honest but they do so without sounding overly analytical or dry. The Siltech will show you what the quality of your hardware is in no uncertain terms but they fortunately do not do so in a ruthless and unforgiving way. No instead they produce a very musical, involving and sweet sound which only gets better and better the moment the quality of your system improves. Everything is there: from deep bass to clear midrange to extended but sweet highs. This cable has got it all. In it's price range it really is one of the top contenders and I can heartily recommend it to all of you.PS SQ80B keep improving as I keep on running in.Wouldn't know when it would be fully burned in???????GREAT CABLE A++++++

Strengths:
Very sweet, musical sound with full body,very extended and detailed from top to bottom. This cable makes you listen to the music instead of your hifi gear.

Price Paid:  $200.00 from second hand

Summary:
I did used a two (VV-EV>>Power amplifier and CD-VV)SQ-28-G3 before i bought this cable on the second hand site (www.hear.nl)Between mine amplifier and cd player it make a very big diffrense. More clearness, openess, more base, more control, more detail etc, etc. Between the amplifier and power amplifier, the difference was less.

Strengths:
Between a cd player and amplifier a very good result. Much better than the cable i played with

Weaknesses:
The new price is high. But there is always the second hand site, where you can buy for less than 50 % of the newprice a good product

Price Paid:  $350.00 from Second hand

Summary:
This really made a big difference in my system (and should do in your's as well, regardless of brand and price!!).

Open, detailed, natural and dynamic would be a good way to describe them. My amp (Accuphase E-305) and Speakers (B&W-801, first version with modified tweeters) are really laid back in the top end so this silver based cable worked specifically good for my setup.

They are now replaced by the SQ-88 G3 but they shouldn't be that different and about the same price new as these were originally.

My cd player is the Sony SCD-777ES and the speaker leads are Siltech LS-100 G3's (of which I wrote a review as well).

All the best,

Reinier

Strengths:
Sound

Weaknesses:
Can be expensive when bought new

Similar Products Used:
Rega "The Couple"

Price Paid:  $1000.00 from celestial sound

Summary:
I started off with the ST-18 when I first got my system going. I wasn't sure it would make a difference but was I wrong. I compared the Siltech St-18 against three different Transparent cables costing up to $500 and the St-18's at $225 blew them away. After that I was hooked on Siltech. A friend came over and said, "you spent $225 on interconnects have you lost your mind?" I demoed the cables against the others while he waited and when I finally got to the Siltechs he said it was like I bought a new amp, there was that much of a difference to the sound. Since that time I went from the 18's to the 58's and have finally settled on the SQ-80's. To be honest I didn't like the 58's, it was like they almost brought everything there but the weight behind the details left me fatigued. I just didn't like the sound of them. The Sq-80's take off where the 58's started and just round out everything beautifully adding so many layers to the soundstage in terms of depth, detail and correctness of the sound. Instuments sound the way they should, it is amazing that a wire can do this. I use a Audio Refinement Integrated with Magnapan 1.6 QR's and a Arcam CD-72. All I can say is that if you have a good amp, check the wires before you spend the big money on expensive amps. You may be pleasantly surprised with the better wires. I couldn't recommend these wires more highly.

Strengths:
Overall sound and the details of the music that it's able to transmit.

Weaknesses:
None.

Similar Products Used:
Tried transparent, not even close. Before that Monster cable.

Summary:
Sometimes, when you change something in your set, you are wondering: 'Do I actually hear any difference?'. And then, sometimes, you know instantly: this is it! With me, I have never had this experience stronger than with changing interconnects from cd to amp. Of course changing speakers made a difference. But that was mainly just that: difference. But with the SQ-80 it was: 'Wow, this is BETTER'. So much more detail, focus etcetera. I grew to love this cable.
For the record: components at the time I bought the cable were Arcam 9 CD, Arcam 10 amp with Arcam 10P poweramp with B&W Nautilus 803 speakers.
I am at this time buying new amplification: Chord CPA 2200 pre and Chord 1000B power (after having auditioned Classé 47.5 and C-201 - too warm for my taste - and Luxman C5 and M7 - in one word TERRIBLE).
Kandidates for interconnect between the pre and power are MIT 330 Proline and, yes, Siltech SQ 80 in balanced version.
In short: try it. You might like it very much!

Strengths:
Lots of detail

Weaknesses:
Not cheap

Similar Products Used:
Various