Topic: Do you believe that expensive cables really work ?

[kojie]

http://science.slashdot.org/science/07/10/04/1354224.shtml

"James Randi offered US$ 1 million to anyone who can prove that a pair of $7,250 Pear Anjou speaker cables is any better than ordinary (and also overpriced) Monster Cables. Pointing out the absurd review by audiophile Dave Clark, who called the cables 'danceable,' Randi called it 'hilarious and preposterous.' He added that if the cables could do what their makers claimed, 'they would be paranormal.'"

wow thats alot of money

[Ctlim]

for me, only up to a certain point. after that, its just pure non-sense.

there are alot of good cables... most of which are way way overpriced.

[pekspert]

heck some audiophile people cant even discern speaker wire sound from electrical wire sound

[jerix]

I believe they work --- but they work just like ordinary cables.

They may have some difference -- but that difference does not always suggest that what you hear from the expensive cable is the better one. Many listeners always conclude that the more expensive cable they have is better by heaven and earth because they want to justify that their purchase was not a waste of money.

[fnvillafuerte]

Ako, i'll buy more expensive interconnect cables not for the improved sound but for its tight contact, durability, resistance to rot and oxidation and repellant to rat bites.  Kasi sa experience ko, yung mga tig P35-P100 na interconnect cables ay maluwag at madaling mahugot, madaling mag open at mag berde yung contacts at parang laging kinakagat ng daga!  Pero, may limit din ako sa price ng expensive cables, if its worth more than a thousand pesos, di ko na papatulan kahit anong thx certification ek-ek pa ang nakadikit sa packaging nun.

[-sniper-]

my answer would be in the affirmative. they do work.

but i think it is a question of would it work better than the cheap, non-branded cables? not necessarily. although having expensive cables will be good for your ht's "resume/bio-data", personally, i see it as impractical. there could be a difference in sound quality but it is very much negligible. unless you are gifted with an extremely sensitive ear, you would hardly notice the difference. i use non-branded and inexpensive (more appropriate than saying it is cheap ) cables and i have no complaints as regards the sound quality.

just my take on the topic...

[Ctlim]

I on the other hand believe that it depends on the gap of your upgrade.

the bigger the gap the more audible the difference. but as you get to more expensive stuff... you just have to be more practical if you have budgets.

if open budget then the more impractical it is, the better it feels. hehehehe 

[Superman]

YES, they do work...BUT it is not a guaranteed solution to your set-up...SYNERGY is the key...in my case, XLO interconnects and speaker cables work w/ my set-up, but after auditioning the analysis plus cables, I am now into a different audio dimension...and after auditioning the Purist Audio Cables, big big difference vs. the AP cables...I have used also cheap cables w/c worked fine w/ my system...although I have a certain "maximum capacity"...each SET (meaning 1pair ICs or Speaker cables) SHOULD NOT EXCEED US$250...thanks!

[MAtZTER]

I agree, synergy, not cost, is the key.

[kojie]

IMHO, For me it works to a certain point only. Once the build quality is already good the difference will be almost none.
just my POV.

[diy_master]

try nyo mga sir gold wire for speaker cable.

[av_phile1]

18K or 24K?   

[RU9]

MonsterCable vs.CoatHanger

Audiophiles can't see difference

[RU9]

Speaker Wire

"Iconoclast: One who attacks established beliefs or institutions. And who created these institutions? And who established these beliefs in place of the truth?"

http://www.roger-russell.com/wire.htm#wiretable

[esuante]

Expensive cables really works!!! I bought a Martin Logan Speakers cost me about P500thou speakers only. and cable wires, power cables about 150thou. When you listen to a concert its like you are in the concert. You can hear lots of instruments in detailed!!!! Sound Staging (its like when you closed your eyes and listen to a music you would know where the drums, guitars, bass, vocals are coming) Sometimes it makes me paranoid when i watch movies i could hear a lot of sounds coming from my speakers.....Everytime its like your always on the scene its like almost reality...You will experience this at THE CHANNEL ONE....soon to open....... www.thechannelone.com

Thanks

[ericag_ph]

  somehow I think this is true

MonsterCable vs.CoatHanger

Audiophiles can't see [hear] difference

[av_phile1]

MonsterCable vs.CoatHanger

Audiophiles can't see difference

On double blind testing, they can't.   

A reverse testing was done where the tester announced cable A is hardware variety while cable B is an exotic cable costing 100x.   All the audiophiles in the test said cable B was better.....all the while the tester never changed cables using only the hardware variety.    This test clearly established the psychological powers of suggestion of using expensive stuff. 

[ATJr.]

I believe they work --- but they work just like ordinary cables.

They may have some difference -- but that difference does not always suggest that what you hear from the expensive cable is the better one. Many listeners always conclude that the more expensive cable they have is better by heaven and earth because they want to justify that their purchase was not a waste of money.

dito ako.....

if you spend  5k on cables and use it on an amp that cost 5k, then that is the height of folly.. :'(....but, if you spend that much on an amp that costs say 5M, they i would say okey lang yan....

[kojie]

MonsterCable vs.CoatHanger

Audiophiles can't see difference

LMAO

But did you manage to check out the original post ?

For the record, my first stereo speakers (noise makers) were Bose 901's (back in the 60's when they were the rage). From there I went to ESS Heil airmotion transformer A-1's, then the mighty corner Klipshhorns with center Belle Klipshorn, next came Theater Jensen A-5, then moving on to DQ-10-A's, then to Electrovoice 10-B's, then Martin Logan SL-3's and now a custombuilt $50,000.00 speaker system designed and built by Dennis Dean, Ph.D., an acoustical/audio engineer who fortunetly happens to be my brother.

 

[ǝʞɐɾ ʎzzɐɾ]

i guess let your ears lead you and your pockets decide...if you heard them better yourself then good, if you have the money to buy it then go for it!  this may not really be the answer to the thread question but i guess this is what is expected as a recommendation.

[threadlock]

Sorry I do not believe in expensive cables. Generic cables of proper gauge is sufficient for me. 

[ATJr.]

Sorry I do not believe in expensive cables. Generic cables of proper gauge is sufficient for me. 

you are indeed very wise sir!

[esuante]

Naturally, whenever the subject of premium cabling for home a/v systems comes up, the important question arises: does wire really matter? 
The answer is that sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn't, and that when it does, it's a purely subjective question whether the improvement in sound or picture is really worth it.  Because we've seen some rather odd products being sold and some rather strange claims being made, we feel it might  help to take a quick, common-sense look at the cables in your a/v system and ask what they do and whether, and why, it matters.
This is where things turn subjective.  Better cables will deliver cleaner signals throughout your a/v system; that's a fact, which can be objectively proven.

[av_phile1]

What's your criteria for better cables?

[esuante]

http://www.audioquest.com/pdfs/aq_cable_theory.pdf
http://www.acrolink.jp/english/products/6n_a2050_2.html
http://www.belden.com/07Markets/07_Entertainment.cfm
http://www.kimber.com/

This sites might help you and understand that expensive wires really works.  You would be encountering products like Oxygen Free, StressFree Cables etc

[reynold]

for me, only audiophiles with sharp ears nababagay ang mga mamahaling cables na yan, pero kung isa ka lang sa mga nagpapaka-audiophile tulad ko, hehe wag na lang

Be practical, why spend so much for a cable kung halos di mo rin naman maririnig ang pagkakaiba sa ordinary cables, or may marinig kamang improvement pero konti lang at di naman worth it sa ginastos mo, imo

[Brian_mico]

for me, only audiophiles with sharp ears nababagay ang mga mamahaling cables na yan, pero kung isa ka lang sa mga nagpapaka-audiophile tulad ko, hehe wag na lang

Be practical, why spend so much for a cable kung halos di mo rin naman maririnig ang pagkakaiba sa ordinary cables, or may marinig kamang improvement pero konti lang at di naman worth it sa ginastos mo, imo

ang  galeng galeng mo naman preng Reynold.. agree with you 

many true/serious  audiophiles can't distinguish   expensive vs generic cables thru blind test.... at kung meron mang difference  malaki na ang 10% ...

kung marami  kang molah.. cge bili lang yung pinakamahal ha..

[synchro_01]

synergy....no matter how much your cables cost if this isnt the end result then your investment in cables is a waste.

[reynold]

ang  galeng galeng mo naman preng Reynold.. agree with you 

many true/serious  audiophiles can't distinguish   expensive vs generic cables thru blind test.... at kung meron mang difference  malaki na ang 10% ...

kung marami  kang molah.. cge bili lang yung pinakamahal ha..

Ganyan talaga ang reasoning ng mga salat sa salapi, hahaha

[Superman]

S-Y-N-E-R-G-Y

This is the Key!

I have used (and tried) both budget and expensive (meaning P10,000 and above)...some would work, some would not, what matters is SYSTEM MATCHING! I have tried using P50,000++ cables BUT does not match my system and those generics even sound better...