I have now upgraded the AMP to a MF M3i and run a M-DAC+ and have tried a couple of cables Digital Chord Clearway and Tellurium blue Q digital and the Tellurium is better although cost a fair bit more. What this means is that unless you are completely sure about the CMR effectiveness of your equipment, you're better off with a shielded version. Further, even if you have something that's as good as ours (and others) shielding the cable removes even more so that when you combine the CMR with the shielding, you get extremely quiet results. BillActually I took 4 tables and smoked a tree so as to make sure I was self opinionated and knew everything and would be guided by some myth blind testing an inconsistent placebo effect, but thanks all the same I know what happiness is, as do all those millions that have walked the cable path. cheers mate. 🙏 Reply

In the final analysis always try before you buy and if you are happy with something (Whether it actually makes a difference of not) and you can afford it, then go for it, as happiness cannot be measured.

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The shielding question is still interesting to me and I hope Dennis will jump in and explain his reasons for not shielding his cables.

I have just got one second hand pair of the PS Audio Transcendent cables through today. Got them for a good price considering the very high price in the UK.

Did you do a double blind test on the cables with everything level matched so as to rule out inconsistences and placebo effect, if not then your claims are just opinions and not facts, so your assertion that a child could hear a difference is totally nonsensical. There is some consensus that the best rejection of external EMI and RFI can be achieved with woven Litzendraht construction. Bandwidth and Noise Immunity were the reasons it was developed. In my opinion, executed properly is self shielding and provides the “quietest” cable. Van Damme Tour Grade Classic XKE Starquad is specified for analogue audio signals in areas of high electronic interference. Ideal for outside broadcast in areas that may be subject to EMI and RFI – for example in close proximity tolighting dimmer circuits and major power feeds. This cable combines electrical integrity withmechanical strength without compromising flexibility. Well actually, I am a musician and have also worked in Post Production for 10 years and so work with a lot of balanced cables also. Sometimes I get strange hums in my home studio set ups that could be cable related RFI etc, but generally, I agree that interference has not been an issue. During testing, we found it really quite unsatisfyingto listen to the same songs with anything else of a similar price. They allow for our system to deliver an open, crisp and rhythmic sound and dynamics are communicated with confidence. Theprice tag might weigh heavy on many listeners’ wallets – and the cheaper C-line remains a class leader we can still get behind – but for those who can justify the outlay, the Clearway Analogue RCA (2022) is brilliantly capable of letting you hear whereyour money has gone.

The PS Audio Reference cables are probably going to be what I go for (PCOCC), as I just can't afford the Chimera's. If I had more money, I'd probably give em a go though. Otherwise known as a balanced lead these clever cables minimise noise interference by using two twisted cores. The signals are sent perfectly out of phase with one another and then re-inverted at the destination. The interference collected along the cable length is also then inverted, so put out of phase and made silent. Simple really a child could tell you the difference.A child will also believe anything you tell them.So you are saying you agree with Phlog and not Paul from PS Audio, that balanced cables are immune to noise/interference? Balanced leads minimise noise interference by using two twisted cores (1 x + & 1 x -). The signals are sent perfectly out of phase with one another and then re-inverted at the destination. The interference collected along the cable length is also then inverted, so put out of phase and made silent. Starquad leads use two cores per signal path (2 x + & 2 x -) tightly twisted around each other. This increases the surface area of the cable cores and means that noise is induced more evenly down the length. High quality leads for interconnecting devices such as microphones, mixing desks, home AV systems, sound cards, monitor speakers, amplifiers, etc. I still believe that the reduction of skin effect, low capacitance and possibly mono crystal structures will result in a better flow of electrons along a cable, but I'm no electronic engineer or scientist, so may be I am being taken in by the bull?