Smooth and easy-going, without compromising on detail

Bass can be a bit loose, might be too warm for some

Bought these secondhand for about USD55 for a 2-metre pair based on the favourable reviews here. Plugged them into my system comprising Quad 34/306 amps, Dynaudio Audience 50 speakers and Rega Planet CD player. Interconnects are Tandy Gold Patch. Then I compared them to some cables I have lying around. The goal was to get a natural, easy-going sound that augmented the character of my Quad 34/306. I first compared them to the Kimber 4TC. The 4TCs were clearer - they highlighted instruments in a stark, forward manner - but also consequently lacked the warmth I was seeking. Next up, Naim NACA4. The NACA4s sounded natural enough, but again the Crystals were better. With the NACA4 there was some smearing and instruments/vocal layers got obscured. The Crystals were more detailed. Finally, Kimber 8TC. This was a real contest. They each did their own thing very well indeed, but at the end of the day the 8TC edged ahead by a nose, thanks to the chunky and clear sound, and the Crystal's looser grip on bass. However, the 8TC wasn't exactly the kind of sound I was looking for in this particular set up, so the Crystals have now replaced them in this particular system. I would say this is how a lazy Sunday afternoon would sound like, basically, but without compromising detail. Perfect sound for lounging about.

Similar Products Used:

Kimber 4TC, Kimber 8TC, Naim NACA4, Ecosse CS2.5, Audioquest Type 4, Audioquest F14, QED 79-strand, solid core mains cable, no-name Italian-made silver wires

clarity, enhanced detail, added depth to voices and acoustic instruments

cumbersome, thick wires can be a pain if redoing plugs

back in 1997, i got a great combo deal: demo denon dcd-815 cd player and 8' pair of audioquest crystal(also demo) for $350. whether salesman was looking to clear them out, or made a quick math error when quoting a price, either way great deal. i upgraded from the audioquest bottom-of-the-line(can't remember name; around $2/ft. pair.) the biggest difference i noticed was the clarity of the midrange and highs sections, such as voices, cymbals, acoustic guitars, etc. bass also sounded better, but not to the extent of the midrange and highs. at higher volumes, highs become very bright, but i think that is because of my amplifier(see below).

Similar Products Used:

audioquest bottom-of-the-line speaker cable(typeII??) Equipment: Denon DCD-815 Denon PMA-560 Paradigm 9se Speakers TMC White Interconnect

Unbelievably neutral cable
High quality, heavy gauge
noise rejecting spiraling helixes

very very stiff
jacket could be nicer looking

Purchased this cable at Stereo Exchange about 2 years ago for about $340.....I forgot the exact figure. I recently purchased Slate...but returned it, it just didn't have the full range sound I was used to like the Crystal. Crystal uses LGC for bass and FPC 6 for mids and highs.......Slate only uses LGC. This cable is still amongst my favorites and would love to by some more........email me if there are any sellers.

Similar Products Used:

Slate

Goood cable
Heavy gauge

kinda stiff

Bought mine on Ebay for $230 for 8ft. pair. Like it very much. A pain to ship to india but very good after. Better than slate and CV-4. Will probably buy more for surrounds.

Similar Products Used:

midnight, slate, monster M

readily available

they sound horrible

I demoed a pair a few years back, date of mfr. unknown.
These cables were worse than my reference cables, a home brewed set from Maxus (basically simple 10awg hose, nothing fancy). The AQ didn't enhance detail at all, in fact they smeared. The soundstage collapsed, and the overall presence was diminished substantially. There was tonal compression across the board. They sucked, in other words. My gear is good...Theta, Conrad-Johnson, Audio Research, Snell...I would never recommend these cables, but then like everything else it is all so system inter-related.
Now don't whine if you bought them and like them...we can both be right in our subjective impressions. TRUST YOUR EARS!

Similar Products Used:

maxus, LAT, Music Advancement Company

Very Smooth, Good Dynamic, Neutral.

Very sensitive to Cable Directionality.

When I audition the Crystals in my system the first time, they were edgy and harsh sounding. I thought they're trash and I would never try any AQ products again. Later, I accidentally switched the direction of the cables, ( just running the cables reverse the "Audioquest...." label) and EVERYTHING became incredible, they are now very smooth, very dynamic and the soundstage is now twice bigger than my XLO.

Similar Products Used:

Transparent Music Link, XLO, AQ Indigo...

Clean Clear sound, strong bass. Excellent on voices. Great soundstage.

Big cable.

I just bought this cable from usedcable.com. I was a little scared to by used stuff, but usedcable.com defintly offers a good used product, with no glitches.

The sound of this cable is very open and extended treble. Much more clean than my Type 4+. The bass is really strong yet defined. This cable flys by my Type 4+.

Everything else about this cable is said by other reviewers.

System:
Paradigm Mini Monitors V1
Paradigm CC350
Paradigm Atoms
Klipsch KSW 12
Onkyo DV-c501
Onkyo TX-DS575
Cardas High Speed Data Digital
AQ Crystals
Monster sub connect.

Happy Listening.

Similar Products Used:

Audioquest Type 4+, Mapleshade Clearview Golden Helix

"neutral,detailed yet sweet...

for the price...none

replaced Mit-4 bi.Gained detail,transparency and yes...The soundstage! Bass defined...for the price superb cable A+

Similar Products Used:

Linn Majik, Karik, Tukan, Systemdeck iiX, MIT-44 bi. linn lk400

"Crystal" clear highs and lows. Super imaging. Very smooth sound. Bi-wire design.

Thick, cumbersome, and ugly in appearance.

After accruing several audiophile grade components, and listening to my system for quite some time, I decided that my system should sound just a little better than it did. It seemed like something was holding it back from being a really great system. I decided to swap out my lampcord style speaker cable with an audiophile grade cable as a cost effective way to increase the sonic performance of my setup. I purchased the Audioquest Crystal 10' bi-wire speaker cables, which really did the trick! The sound is much more lifelike, and the clarity is fantastic. The sound became more smooth and defined...just more enjoyable to the ear! These cables are no longer being produced, but you can find them for sale on ebay or other sources. If you're looking for that extra something...this is it!

Equipment used for Review:

Adcom GTP-500 Preamp/Tuner
Adcom GFA-555 Amplifier
Yamaha EQ-70 Graphic Equalizer
Technics SL-10 Quartz Linear Tracking Turntable
Sony SLV-N50 HiFi VCR
Sony CDP-CX205 200 CD Player
Sony DVP-CX850D 200 CD/DVD Player
PSB Image 6T Floorstanding Speakers

Similar Products Used:

Monster Cable.

Type: Single bi-wire with spades...
Though I had a very good sounding system to begin with, these cables have helped to produce greater detail across the spectrum, as well as a little more bass punch. If you can get your dealer to knock the retail price down a bit, give them a try. I doubt you'll get better transparency or detail without paying about twice as much. The other thing I noticed, my poorer quality recordings are even more obvious with thes. If your recording is a good one, though, they are equally revealing.

The only reason they don't get 5 stars is that they're a little overpriced and a pain in the butt to install. "Expect delays" before listening - this is a big "hose".