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Cables make a difference. I am convinced.

But I think we argue about the wrong thing in these cable debates.

I think the real argument should be over pricing.

Cable prices are too high and some of them just take the piss.

Manufacturers will try and try to convince me but I just laugh out loud in their faces.

While cables certainly make a difference, I believ it is often no more than a set of properties encouraging or discouraging aspects of the equipments sound that may make the overall effect better, or worse. I am convinced that a relatively cheap cable can have a similar effect as another particular cable that costs a lot. The trouble is, KNOWING which cheap ones happen to influence things similarly. There are hundreds on the market so in reality you are not really going to find out. You could if you are a millionaire, or a dealer, in which case you can have easy access to many to experiment with. But obviously if you can afford it or get them cheap in the first place you don't have to search around do you. Just use that super cable and get on with it then. But for most of us the search remains ellusive.

So, to get good cables, all I can suggest is get a short, short-list of some good cables that a dealer happens to stock and try them. Resign yourself to paying what the reality of that cable is, if you can be moved to do it. But do it knowing that you probably could have got the same result with a different cable at a much lower price, whatever it is and you won't ever know.

I wish cables were not so expensive. Its a situation we have let creep up on us over the years. Equipment manufacturers have gone along with it, unfortunately. I would like to know what cross relationships in ownership exist between the companies. Magazines like it, because it gives their experts something else to wax lyrical about and they like the regular glossy ads for them ( belief in a cable brand is more a faith thing than a demo'd thing usually ). Dealers get nice margins on cables and its another source of income from customers on their "upgrade paths", further encouraged by the magazines. Bi-wiring? Oh God don't get me started on that !

Perhaps another solution is to buy blind but used, like on Ebay or HiFiForSale.com. If you don't think it works you can always shift it on at a similar price. I think I'll do that. I'll get me some Chord cables for my Exposure gear and maybe get them reterminated. I'll see. There's nothing wrong with my Absolute Sounds Swiss Wire, is there? Is there?

<blockquote data-quote="Cloth-Ears" data-source="post: 632524" data-attributes="member: 2414">Cables make a difference. I am convinced.But I think we argue about the wrong thing in these cable debates.I think the real argument should be over pricing. Cable prices are too high and some of them just take the piss.Manufacturers will try and try to convince me but I just laugh out loud in their faces. While cables certainly make a difference, I believ it is often no more than a set of properties encouraging or discouraging aspects of the equipments sound that may make the overall effect better, or worse. I am convinced that a relatively cheap cable can have a similar effect as another particular cable that costs a lot. The trouble is, KNOWING which cheap ones happen to influence things similarly. There are hundreds on the market so in reality you are not really going to find out. You could if you are a millionaire, or a dealer, in which case you can have easy access to many to experiment with. But obviously if you can afford it or get them cheap in the first place you don't have to search around do you. Just use that super cable and get on with it then. But for most of us the search remains ellusive. So, to get good cables, all I can suggest is get a short, short-list of some good cables that a dealer happens to stock and try them. Resign yourself to paying what the reality of that cable is, if you can be moved to do it. But do it knowing that you probably could have got the same result with a different cable at a much lower price, whatever it is and you won't ever know.I wish cables were not so expensive. Its a situation we have let creep up on us over the years. Equipment manufacturers have gone along with it, unfortunately. I would like to know what cross relationships in ownership exist between the companies. Magazines like it, because it gives their experts something else to wax lyrical about and they like the regular glossy ads for them ( belief in a cable brand is more a faith thing than a demo'd thing usually ). Dealers get nice margins on cables and its another source of income from customers on their &quot;upgrade paths&quot;, further encouraged by the magazines. Bi-wiring? Oh God don't get me started on that !Perhaps another solution is to buy blind but used, like on Ebay or HiFiForSale.com. If you don't think it works you can always shift it on at a similar price. I think I'll do that. I'll get me some Chord cables for my Exposure gear and maybe get them reterminated. I'll see. There's nothing wrong with my Absolute Sounds Swiss Wire, is there? Is there?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Cloth-Ears, post: 632524, member: 2414"] Cables make a difference. I am convinced. But I think we argue about the wrong thing in these cable debates. I think the real argument should be over pricing. Cable prices are too high and some of them just take the piss. Manufacturers will try and try to convince me but I just laugh out loud in their faces. While cables certainly make a difference, I believ it is often no more than a set of properties encouraging or discouraging aspects of the equipments sound that may make the overall effect better, or worse. I am convinced that a relatively cheap cable can have a similar effect as another particular cable that costs a lot. The trouble is, KNOWING which cheap ones happen to influence things similarly. There are hundreds on the market so in reality you are not really going to find out. You could if you are a millionaire, or a dealer, in which case you can have easy access to many to experiment with. But obviously if you can afford it or get them cheap in the first place you don't have to search around do you. Just use that super cable and get on with it then. But for most of us the search remains ellusive. So, to get good cables, all I can suggest is get a short, short-list of some good cables that a dealer happens to stock and try them. Resign yourself to paying what the reality of that cable is, if you can be moved to do it. But do it knowing that you probably could have got the same result with a different cable at a much lower price, whatever it is and you won't ever know. I wish cables were not so expensive. Its a situation we have let creep up on us over the years. Equipment manufacturers have gone along with it, unfortunately. I would like to know what cross relationships in ownership exist between the companies. Magazines like it, because it gives their experts something else to wax lyrical about and they like the regular glossy ads for them ( belief in a cable brand is more a faith thing than a demo'd thing usually ). Dealers get nice margins on cables and its another source of income from customers on their "upgrade paths", further encouraged by the magazines. Bi-wiring? Oh God don't get me started on that ! Perhaps another solution is to buy blind but used, like on Ebay or HiFiForSale.com. If you don't think it works you can always shift it on at a similar price. I think I'll do that. I'll get me some Chord cables for my Exposure gear and maybe get them reterminated. I'll see. There's nothing wrong with my Absolute Sounds Swiss Wire, is there? Is there? [/QUOTE]

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