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What do audiophiles want from a cable?

What should a high quality interconnect or speaker cable do to the sound of a system? Make it more transparent? Improve the sound stage and focus? Soften unpleasant highs? Tighten the base? Bring out the mids?

To me, a good cable should reveal more of what is on the recording and more of the true nature of my components. So when trying new cables, I look for more detail and accuracy without becoming cold and clinical. This seems logical, and yet after reading reviews and trying a few of the cables in the reviews, I find that the cables that have received glowing endorsements are not especially transparent or revealing. They modify the sound, but they don’t take me where I want to go. I wonder if the reason I don’t hear what the reviewer heard is that I don’t know what to listen for. Am I too focused on cable accuracy and resolution, and not enough on actual sound quality? Or is it just a case of no two systems sounding alike so why trust a review anyway? Thanks.
mward
czarivey
5,946 posts
 
audiophiles want from cables most of the time something that no one else does.
non-audiophiles purchase monster cable at best buy for better looks (as part of equation).

looks for audiophiles at the same time are somewhat also important. you need to arrange everything nice and shiny to be marketable and presentable to convince that that beautiful set of hoses is gonna sound super good and eyes can hear more than ear!
waxwaves's avatar
waxwaves
206 posts
 
barking, you are not doing us any favors.  If you really want to oblige us then take the hate somewhere else.  The knowledgeable, experienced guys have heard all of this crap before.  Cable haters are a dime a dozen.  What you have said here means nothing.  A good majority of folks here know better, and have experienced higher performance from high quality cabling on many occasions.

Gonna say it again...A well designed audio interconnect, speaker cable, power cable, digital or USB cable WILL in FACT outperform your inferior cable in a resolving audio system setup in a proper listening space.  Face it, deal with it, move on please. 
.  
cvarivey, your statement couldn't be farther from the truth.  It blows my mind that you actually believe this.  No one here in the know will take you seriously if you keep this up.

No unicorns were harmed in the process of typing this post, only the egos of the inexperienced haters and the admirers of dielectric bling.  Love to see this potentially informative thread get back on track.  Sorry for the hater hurdles we must jump.
barking54
5 posts
 
@waxwaves 
Duuud - I was totally out, but you blew it and bit! Now I have no other option but to "nanny-nanny-boo-boo." Well, actually, there are several options, but you made it too damn easy. This time just let it float away . . . in the waves. #namaste 
waxwaves's avatar
waxwaves
206 posts
 
Have to admit that I'm enjoying taking you to school barking spider.   

You wouldn't know namaste' if it hit you in the yoga mat. Turn that Aiwa desktop system up and ride that keyboard off into the sunset big boy.

You are now 0 for 5.
devilboy
1,176 posts
 
I have to say, the new Anticables 6.2 RCA interconnects are blowing my mind right now. I can't imagine what the new, albeit insanely expensive, (yes check the price), speaker cables sound like. 
Might be the most natural sounding interconnects I've had.
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