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Who thinks $5K speaker cable really better than generic 14AWG cable?

I recently ordered high end speaker, power amp, and preamp to be installed in couple more weeks. So the next search are interconnect and speaker cable. After challenging the dealer and 3 of my so called audiophile friends, I think the only reason I would buy expensive cable is for its appearance to match with the high end gears but not for sound performance. I personally found out that $5K cable vs $10 cable are no difference, at least not to our ears. Prior to this, I was totally believe that cable makes a difference but not after this and reading few articles online.

Here is how I found out.

After the purchase of my system, I went to another dealer to ask for cable opinion (because the original dealer doesn't carry the brand I want) and once I told him my gears, he suggested me the high end expensive cable ranging from $5 - 10K pair, depending on length. He also suggested the minimum length must be 8-12ft. If longer than 12ft, I should upgrade to even more expensive series. So I challenged him that if he can show me the difference, I would purchase all 7 AQ Redwood cables from him.

It's a blind test and I would connect 3 different cables - 1 is the Audioquest Redwood, 1 is Cardas Audio Clear, and 1 my own generic 14AWG about 7ft. Same gears, same source, same song..... he started saying the first cable sound much better, wide, deep, bla...bla...bla......and second is decently good...bla...bla...bla.. and the last one sounded crappy and bla...bla...bla... BUT THE REALITY, I NEVER CHANGED THE CABLE, its the same 14AWG cable. I didn't disclosed and move on to second test. I told him I connected audioquest redwood but actually 14AWG and he started to praise the sound quality and next one I am connected the 14awg but actually is Redwood and he started to give negative comment. WOW!!!! Just blew me right off.

I did the same test with 3 of my audiophile friends and they all have difference inputs but no one really got it right. Especially the part where I use same generic 14awg cable and they all start to give different feedback!!!

SO WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK? OR I AM THE LAST PERSON TO FIND OUT THAT EXPENSIVE CABLE JUST A RIP OFF?
sautan904
dlcockrum's avatar
dlcockrum
2,190 posts
 
And it starts:

"Most of you know I’m not a believer in the sonic enhancements attributed to fancy, expensive cables."

Then it ends:

"If there is an “unbelievable” change, someone is juicing the results."

I love objective reporting.

Dave

dynaquest4's avatar
dynaquest4
445 posts
 
I found that article specifically objective.  Did you read more than the first and last sentences.  Anyone who finds this test less than objective just doesn't want to see/hear/believe the results.  The psyco-placebo effect personified.  
dlcockrum's avatar
dlcockrum
2,190 posts
 
Yeah, I read it all.

"The psyco-placebo effect personified.".

My point exactly. Based on his opening, the author was intent on proving there are no differences, thus he proclaimed to hear none.

Do you think that your trite and worn out contentions, repeated ad-nauseam, are helpful to anyone, dynaquest?   

Dave
213runnin
914 posts
 
Dynaquest, of course you found the article to be objective.

Al,
yes I’ve heard the arguments against silver. We could play that game all day. You upsize your copper and shorten the length, then I upsize my silver and shorten the length. The problem is, that’s not real world. We don’t want to shorten our speaker cables and move our speakers closer together. Who goes out and buys one gauge bigger copper cables then laughs at all the money he saved over silver?

Silver conducts better than copper. But what about the other factor? When copper tarnishes, it reduces conductivity. When silver tarnishes, it does not reduce conductivity. a couple of months ago I bought a pair of interconnects that are a simple 24 gauge silver single conductor design. I have a pair of 24 gauge copper pair and the improvement with the silver pair is ridiculous.

I don’t really care what’s going on at the atomic level to make this happen. I haven’t pulled out my various meters to measure and given myself triple blind tests or gone to the doctor to test my hearing. the difference isn’t subtle. I don’t have to strain to hear the difference. Now, I have some decent Parasound Halo gear and Sierra 2 speakers. I have no idea if these IC’s would work on a Denon receiver or one from 1972.

I don’t care. It works. The sound is superior by far. If it had not been, I had the option to send them back. It’s no big deal, they weren't that much.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Almarg
So if a silver cable sounds better in a given application than a copper cable, the slightly higher conductivity/lower resistivity of silver compared to copper is very unlikely to be the reason.

I'll go out on a limb here and say that silver never sounds like copper, not under any conditions. Of course it would also be fair to say all silver cables don't sound alike. Nor do all copper cables sound alike. Nor do amorphous conductors like carbon sound like metal conductors. 

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