What is the most expensive cable you have bought?

Discussion in 'Hi-Fi and General Audio' started by hifi addict, Jun 25, 2008.

  1. hifi addict

    hifi addict

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    I have tried different cables in the past and found some to be very good like the DNM cables at seasonable prices I have never been keen on the Nordost range of cables.

    But over the last year or so I tried Silver Arrow Cables especially the Paladium interconnects, which were one of the most expensive cable I have used.

    I also use Synergistic Research cables with their fancy active shielding which when you get to the higher range of cables were again very very good. But at over £2K for 1M interconnect these are the most expensive I have used.

    What cables have you used and why?
     
    hifi addict, Jun 25, 2008
    #1
  2. hifi addict

    Andy 831

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    Never paid more than £30
     
    Andy 831, Jun 25, 2008
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  3. hifi addict

    la toilette Downright stupid

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    Same as Andy.
     
    la toilette, Jun 25, 2008
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  4. hifi addict

    mr cat Member of the month

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    150 quid for some speaker cables...van den hul the wind mk11 - they had a rpp of about 650 note too...!

    are they any better than me van damme 4mm (2.99 quid a metre)..? doubt it...

    would I buy them again..? - very much doubt it...

    I've just bought some sound pipes from rich dunn and will compare them to my black rhodium symphonys - when my new amp arrives tomorrow... ;)
     
    mr cat, Jun 25, 2008
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  5. hifi addict

    Pure_Carbon Diamond Tipped.

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    More than it was worth.
    Why?
    Got sucked in by the marketing hype and "reviews".
     
    Pure_Carbon, Jun 25, 2008
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  6. hifi addict

    RobHolt Moderator

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    Some VDH 'The First' carbon interconnect cables which were about £300 IIRC. Proved an expensive way to cure ground loop hum.
     
    RobHolt, Jun 25, 2008
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  7. hifi addict

    unclepuncle

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    Most I've ever paid was about £600 for some new Electrofludics Monolith Biwire speaker cables from Definitve when I had Living Voice speakers - can't say I was particularly stunned.

    Over the last couple of years I've bought many sets of highish end interconnects off ebay / audiogon etc at well below 50% rrp and some have imperssed and others haven't. I just sell them on again and nearly always get my money back and often make decent profits.

    The ones I liked most were Analysis Plus Solo Crystal, which retail at about £400 but which I got for £150, and then sold (as they were XLR and I now need RCA) for £175. I'd like to try some Silver Ovals if I can find them at the right price.
     
    unclepuncle, Jun 25, 2008
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  8. hifi addict

    MO! MOnkey`ead!

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    I think my SCART cable was about £50

    IC's and digital cables £30/£40
    Speaker cables were per meter so not sure.

    They made me feel good at the time, and look good :)
     
    MO!, Jun 25, 2008
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  9. hifi addict

    zanash

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    Palladium conductors can make a fine sounding cable ....

    Just had a quick look at the cost thats an eye watering £1500 plus vat ?......

    I'm relatively fortunate in the fact that I can build similar IC at a fraction .....[see trade section]

    I can hear why you like them ....palladium certainly makes all other ic I have sound metalic and harsh.
     
    zanash, Jun 25, 2008
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  10. hifi addict

    DavidF

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    ...or around that, but I would....


    petes palladiums........whoops, not allowed to say that......too late
     
    DavidF, Jun 25, 2008
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  11. hifi addict

    Czechchris

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    I have Townshend i/cs (dct300 - about £300 a metre pair) on most of my gear, but recently bought W&M signature xlr cables {available on Ebay } (£120 s/h) and they sound wonderful between my pre and powers. I might just buy a pair for my cdp to pre if I upgrade my cdp (present one only has rca connectors).
    I also use Townshend Isolda speaker cable which is quite expensive, but I like its neutrality of sound (whatever that means!) It just sounds right to me.
     
    Czechchris, Jun 25, 2008
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  12. hifi addict

    Neil

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    I like Kimber cables, having tried offerings from VDH, Nordost and Transparent Music Link. I was seduced by their "upgrade" path. For interconnects pbj - kcag - select copper - select silver. I feel common sense left me when I upgraded from kcag. As far as speaker cable went I moved from 8PR to 4VS to 4TC to 8TC to Monocle XL- again diminishing returns really struck after 4TC.
    So most expensive cables - about £600 interconnect and £800 speaker cable, todays prices are much greater I imagine. These purchases were at a time when I could afford it.
    Was it worth it - probably not as I sold fairly quickly ( within a year) and have not regretted it.
     
    Neil, Jun 25, 2008
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  13. hifi addict

    lbr monkey boy

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    I like Chord Co. cables. Well constructed cables, more expensive than some, cheaper than others. A couple of personal dealings with them direct over the last couple of years have led me to conclude that their motivations are genuine and sincere.
     
    lbr, Jun 25, 2008
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  14. hifi addict

    Rocker

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    €1100 for Nordost Speaker Cables. Worth it? You bet. The cables are part of the system. Without wishing to start a flame war, I firmly believe that a system is only as good as its weakest part. I spent months [and I don't want to do this again, ever] trying out cables until I settled on the Nordost. Overpriced? Overhyped? Probably, but I don't care as they worked better than anything else, they even bettered considerably more expensive wires that I tried. So they are staying put.
     
    Rocker, Jun 26, 2008
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  15. hifi addict

    D Louth 77

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    Hi Guys most i have paid is £800 for 1m AU 24 XLR TO XLR cables and half that for the RCA version. They work in my system so cost while an issue was overwhelmed by quality in my application .

    I would like to replace the QED Genesis speaker cable but i have not so far found anything better . I am however at present trying some ATLAS MAVROS speaker cable (running them in so not sure yet) . Does anyone have an experience with these , what do you guys think ? Any suggestions ? I have tried the following with mixed results (hence the reason i did not but any) Analysis + silver. Audience AU 24 , Accostic Zen and Hovland , most old Nordost up to SPM and the likes of Yammahura Churchill (not available any more) I use XLO type 6 in an other system ,and like it in that setup but has anyone got an opinion on current XLO cable ?

    Regards D LOUTH
     
    D Louth 77, Jun 26, 2008
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  16. hifi addict

    hifi addict

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    The Audience AU24 is a fine sounding cable. The only warning I have about them is that they are quite delicate. i have had to replace quite a few in the past. So keep the plugging in and out to a minimum.
     
    hifi addict, Jun 26, 2008
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  17. hifi addict

    Papa Lazarou

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    Most i've paid for interconnects was £750 (per pair) for Coherent Systems 3D XLRs. The Kondo KSL-VZs I now use RRP for the same amount, although I paid less. Far better value IMO.
     
    Papa Lazarou, Jun 26, 2008
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  18. hifi addict

    john dolan

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    £300 for missing link cryo reference.Worth every penny by the way.
     
    john dolan, Jun 26, 2008
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  19. hifi addict

    monya

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    vdh inspiration or integration speaker bi -wire, which I eventually ditched as I was using them mostly as a tone control. Now use slinkylink which is fine and acoustic zen silver ref. which is as much as I care to spend on interconnect.
     
    monya, Jun 26, 2008
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  20. hifi addict

    mikedefacto

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    I bought some Van den Hul The Wind 2 speaker cable ages ago second hand, was about 70 quid off thiefbay.

    Replaced it with some DNM that cost me 20 quid and I prefer it.
     
    mikedefacto, Jun 26, 2008
    #20
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