Recently bought a 332/333/250 (332 on order so using the Atom as a pre amp for now with dealer interconnects).
I need a support for the equipment and have ordered a nice, but very low cost rack from Custom Designs, without hearing but with some good reviews.
I also need speaker cables as the Linn cables I have are far too long, I will need a 2x 3m set.
I asked the dealer, he quoted c.£450, which I thought was crazy money for basic cables, so I am not sure where to go next or what to get.
Now I do realise that £450 is not a lot of money in the world of hifi cables and that it would be easy to spend 10x that. However, I am going from Atom to 332/333/250 and I want to get used to the system first and settle it in before I start throwing money about.
Maybe in a year or so I will end up with a full-fat Fraim and exotic cables and interconnects, but for now I want something decent and cheap that will do a good job so the new system and me can get acquainted.
Does one go direct to the cable manufacturers or to a dealer, bearing in mind I will need them terminated (cables, not dealer ).
The gear you are buying cones with all the cables you need except for speaker cables. Why not get your existing cables cut to length and re-terminated, using the plugs that come with the 250? Then it will cost you nothing, except perhaps for your dealers time if you want them to solder the cables for you. Otherwise a pair of Naim’s NACA5 cables will get you up and running for a lot less than the price your dealer quoted.
Cables are a good earner for dealers, and as an add-on to your system purchase they will improve his profit margin nicely. You could get your Linn cables cut down and sell the offcuts as a pair that would be a good useable length for someone else rather than keeping them without knowing whether or not you’ll ever need them.
In my experience speaker cable depends on the speaker and as you’re intending to change your speakers I hold tight for now. If not the least risk would be Naca 5 or Chord Odyssey, loads available in the flea pit
Any competent electrician will cut your cables down to size and resolder the connectors for a few £$€.
Without getting into the “do cables matter” argument. I had a set of cables made up by an artisan using the exact same cable and connectors at half the price that shops were selling them for pre packaged.
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