Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Digital Cables between 621 and Processors

The past few days I have had the opportunity to do some cable evaluations. I went back and forth between the stock Meridian cables that Meridian supplied with the HD621, and my old Illuminati cable that dates to the mid-1990s. I heard a difference. With the Meridian cables, the system sounded slightly more closed in, less transparent, less natural. It was a subtle difference, but a difference that I continued to hear with different source material.

I am not sure I would pay for the difference between the Meridian cables and my current cable. However, I have read comparative reviews where the author indicated that other cable offerings bested the Illuminati. If true, that could suggest an improvement that is worth the expense.

I am now debating whether to attempt to audition some of the more well-regarded digital cables (e.g., Analysis Plus, Wireworld, Nordost, Acoustic Zen). I also ordered a Blue Jeans digital cable (cost $20), just in case it does some magic (I have read good things about their cables).

I have read and heard many cable debates over the years. All that matters to me is whether I can hear it.

I should also note that I found the difference in digital cables to be more apparent when I compared cables in a system featuring the Meridian 800 to the Berkeley DAC, rather than the 800 to the 861. Two things could explain this: Meridian's MHR makes cables less significant, as one poster suggested; or the Berkeley is more transparent than the 861 (and make no mistake, the Berkeley is more transparent), thus revealing more of the effect of the cable on the system.