High End System Building. How important is the matching, cabling and room? Thoughts ?


The last 20 years as an audiophile and now a dealer has taught me a very important lesson. Everything matters. The equipment can be great but no matter how much you spend the matching is very important. The cabling is also important. Some think cabling is all about making it sound better. I prefer my cabling to not get in the way. It’s like it can’t be a clogged faucet for your sound.  Materials and shielding are very important. In addition to that the room is very important. You may not have a perfect room but you build your system to work in the room you have. I don’t have all the answers but you can’t just spend money and have a great system. Combination of equipment, cabling and room has gotten me there. I’ve tried a lot of gear and cables and this is how I feel. What are your thoughts everyone? 

calvinj

I like my 12 gauge radio shack cables to be flexible so they drape from ceiling to the Maggies hung from it.  I think I have a few soldered splices in one of them because I didn't have a long enough length.  So they match the small room.  

I mean, once one starts hanging speakers from ceilings at various angles all bets are off.  There are so many reflections that it's great.  Like a giant pair of headphones but with ambience and depth.  

I'm not on the right thread am I.  

@jayctoy i spent a number of years in this hobby. I didn’t always have money to afford the higher end stuff. I learned through long demos that I would get when I did collections for a cable company. He had access to some great gear and allowed me to learn and borrow from long demos.  I learned to listen for certain things and learned from some great people in this hobby.  I had a lot of old school guys around me. Also taught me tweaks etc.  I helped with the development of the Infigo cables. I’m blessed in this hobby. I have a great system. Expensive but it’s matched properly synergy wise and fits my listening environment 

How many dealers, reviewers or show rooms have great rooms?  I get what you are hearing with your rooms but if your equipment does not offer the correct tone, separation, soundstage, speed, dynamic contrast then what does that mean for the room?  Just asking. 

@jayctoy i now work for Infigo Audio. It has allowed me to get some really great gear that had been out of my reach. I’m enjoying my method 4 dac and method 6 stereo amplifier. My cables were made for these electronics so my system synergy is off the charts. I’m very happy with what I have. Gonna enjoy it for a long time to come. I tested all of it before I purchased in a long demo so I’m in a good space system wise.

@bigkidz +1 I agree. There are certain things that the electronics have to do that the room will not fix.  Some equipment just ain’t gonna get it done for some of us no matter what room it’s in. If it’s not properly matched it ain’t gonna work either. Regardless of the room