Topic: Interesting articles on high end cables

[Shawn]

DESIGNER CABLES: a critical look
http://www.svconline.com/mag/avinstall_designer_cables_critical/


Do Expensive Cables Really Deliver 'Monster' Sound?
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/10362/do_expensive_cables_really_deliver.html


If I can’t hear it, it doesn’t exist...maybe.
http://www.vansevers.com/maybe.html


Top Ten Signs an Audio Cable Vendor is Selling You Snake Oil
http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/audioprinciples/interconnects/top10cablesnakeoil.php

[deadheaded]

Thankyou for posting these articles.
As a cable maker it really bothers me when i see people spend 100's or 1000's of dollars on cables that really are not any better than the canare or belden cables that i build.   i hope everybody reads these articles they are very informative.
thankyou
ed
kindkables.com

[anhisr]

Can't say enough about Ed's cables.  My V3 sits on 4 of them and never a problem.

[OOK]

DESIGNER CABLES: a critical look
http://www.svconline.com/mag/avinstall_designer_cables_critical/


Do Expensive Cables Really Deliver 'Monster' Sound?
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/10362/do_expensive_cables_really_deliver.html


If I can’t hear it, it doesn’t exist...maybe.
http://www.vansevers.com/maybe.html


Top Ten Signs an Audio Cable Vendor is Selling You Snake Oil
http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/audioprinciples/interconnects/top10cablesnakeoil.php

This is one reason why I let my subscription to stereophile laps.  There was way to much bullshit being written about stuff you couldn't actually prove...you know the snake oil stuff ie: stranded verses solid copper wire, pure crystal  vs long grain copper blau blau blau.  Copper is copper. If anyone says there is a difference in sound is purely trying to convince or justify the price they paid and its all purely speculation.  even if you could find .0001 difference in impedence or whatever measurement your taking, it still comes down to speculation.   People hear what they want to hear, I just choose not to take the bait anymore from these companies.  ITs all marketing, plain and simple marketing.  Its about making as much money as possible folks, thats it.

[dunebug81]

So you're saying all that Monster Cable that I was sold at Best Buy isn't the best cable ever made?  If that is indeed true then I was misinformed by a Best Buy employee??  I'm floored!   

[OOK]

So you're saying all that Monster Cable that I was sold at Best Buy isn't the best cable ever made?  If that is indeed true then I was misinformed by a Best Buy employee??  I'm floored!   

LOL 

[dunebug81]

Seriously tho, I do have about $1000 worth of monster cable attached to my home theatre.  Not that i paid anything close to that but ya...stupid cables are WAY over priced.  I bought them when I worked at best buy and the $170 HDMI - DVI cable that I use for connecting my pc to my TV was only ~$60 bux after discount...thats some crazy markup.

[bgalizio]

Can't say enough about Ed's cables.  My V3 sits on 4 of them and never a problem.

I stand by Ed's cables as well.

[jpschust]

the primary things i look at when looking at cabling for my home audio set up, and mind you i dont use the cheapest stuff out there but i am far from the most expensive (i use bettercables.com for just about everything).

1) i look at the gauge of the wire being used.  is it flimsy and thin or is it reasonably beefy?
2) i look at the shielding and sheathing of the cable.  is it going to hold up and is it most likely going to pick up a lot of interference on a run over 2 meters?
3) i look at the connectors- are they shielded on the outside and how much surface area is touching its connection?
4) i look at the overall build of the cable including soldering points- does the solder look like my 3 year old cousin did it while finger painting or does it look more like a very finely skilled professional with a steady hand did it
5) i look at the price- 5-7% of the system price as suggested in one of the articles might be a touch low, but 10% is about as high as i would go.  that said i've got a LOT of interconects to run between a pre, an amp, a headphone pre, a dvd player, satelite box, turntable, x box, ps2, and a home automation system

by the way i just assume you are going to listen to a cable you will buy.  this is one of the reasons i love bettercables.com- they have a killer return policy.

[Jammin72]

Cables sound different... sorry folks.

Just 'cause someone with a Word Processor and access to an "opinion" column in a tech rag says it ain't so doesn't make it true.

Granted I have a hard time hearing differences in some of the more esoteric cables once you get to a certian level but there's no doubt in my mind that different materials and designs do make a difference.

The most difference being made in speaker cable.