Speaker Cables for Sonus Faber Olympica III

Zd542, I appreciate your input. Not sure what I'm going to do, but being the differences are very subtle about improved performance with cabling, it seems difficult to make a decision. So are you saying that spending $200 vs. $3,000 in say, a Nordost came line (for example a Nordost Blue Heaven cables vs. a Nordost Frey 2 cable) won't make my speakers come alive any differently that could be appreciate by someone new to audiophile equipment? I agree that some expensive cables won't sound good based on their characteristics, but that is from my humble inexperienced opinion (which should be taken with a grain of salt), there should be some very good cables in a moderate price point that mesh very well with different products. If certain audio equipment with its various circuitry, specifications, design and materials sound good and bad with other components, why wouldn't cabling act the same, even if to a lesser degree? I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you, but just trying to make a wise decision with enough information to ensure I am comfortable with it. I do agree, reviews tend to paint a picture as if cable differences are much bigger than they are...

When it comes to high end audio, any question can be answered with 2 words. It depends.

"So are you saying that spending $200 vs. $3,000 in say, a Nordost came line (for example a Nordost Blue Heaven cables vs. a Nordost Frey 2 cable) won't make my speakers come alive any differently that could be appreciate by someone new to audiophile equipment?"

That's definitely a possibility given your level of experience. My best guess would be that you would hear a small difference. More importantly, though, there is no guarantee a $3000 pair of cables will better than a $200 cable. They can easily sound worse.

"If certain audio equipment with its various circuitry, specifications, design and materials sound good and bad with other components, why wouldn't cabling act the same, even if to a lesser degree?"

That's actually my point. Anything can happen. The problem is making the right choice. You can't rush that, its something that comes with experience. Not only that, your personal taste is a huge factor. Good for me will be different than good for you. If you want an example of what I mean, just look at this thread. Besides you and I, there are 5 other posters that bring up 10 different cables. These cables are more different, than alike, in both price and design. How would you go about picking the best one for yourself?

Here's a thought and one that's worked for me really well throughout the years, first of all always buy used cables the depreciation is fast and furious. If you buy used and are reasonably patient and get a general idea of what things cost you can pretty much buy a cable, try it out for a while in your system, then resell it for whatever you paid for it originally. I have done this countless times and have pretty much kept at a break even point as i did my auditioning. I've become a fan or Robert Grost's Cerious Technologies cables. I'm not saying they will work for you but they seem intelligently designed and well priced. But I guess my main point is buy smart, buy used, and don't be afraid to try a cable out if you feel like its a good deal. Good luck and happy listening!

That's great advice Jond! Thanks for your input - and will definitely be keeping my eyes out for used gear. It does seem that many on Audiogon really seem to ask for unrealistic prices for some of the used gear (especially stuff that is years or older) and makes it harder to find a good deal, but hopefully something will turn up! Much appreciation for your time and input.

Djfst my pleasure I hate to see people agonize about what should be a fun and rewarding hobby. Best of luck to you and I hope you enjoy the process!