Are audiophiles still out of their minds?


I've been in this hobby for 30 years and owned many gears throughout the years, but never that many cables.  I know cables can make a difference in sound quality of your system, but never dramatic like changing speakers, amplifiers, or even more importantly room treatment. Yes, I've evaluated many vaunted cables at dealers and at home over the years, but never heard dramatic effect that I would plunk $5000 for a cable. The most I've ever spent was $2700 for pair of speaker cables, and I kinda regret it to this day.  So when I see cable manufacturers charging 5 figures for their latest and "greatest" speaker cables, PC, and ICs, I have to ask myself who buys this stuff. Why would you buy a $10k+ cable, when there are so many great speakers, amplifiers, DACs for that kind of money, or room treatment that would have greater effect on your systems sound?  May be I'm getting ornery with age, like the water boy says in Adam Sandler's movie.
dracule1
Drac,

If I explain things in a somewhat pedantic fashion; for that I apologize, but I do so in hopes that it will help with your understanding.

I never said mine was the right one. So you are misinterpreting my opinion as fact.

You started the thread and have maintained a derogatory attitude throughout the thread toward people who spend their money in ways with which you disagree. In doing so you don’t just imply but you entirely predicate these suppositions on your view of an ethereal concept like value being the correct one. This is the very basis of your claim. A person can’t call people crazy and/or fools without such claims being founded on a a judgement made by that person.

This really isn’t a very complicated concept. You are an antagonist and thats fine, but at least step up and own it.

You are calling my views on price of cables narrow minded and I’m defacing innocent bystanders.

No, I am calling them meaningless for the reasons I have stated. Allow me to use just one example to make the point as simple as I can: $20,000 cables for some are cheap and DIY cables for those same people are expensive because those people’s time is more valuable than the cost differential. There are a million other permutations of personal circumstances and value judgments that drive an individual’s decision matrix. You are taking your personal matrix and applying it to the masses and then being critical. Thats not very thoughtful or nice.

This concept seams completely lost on you, yet you are the one impugning the intelligence of people making sound financial decisions. Until you can begin to get your head around this perspective (which I fear is unlikely) you will never appreciate how you appear to people.

If you want we can spend time on the numbers cuz it is primarily about math.

Did I call out anyone particular? No.

Ummm, no you did not. I do not understand if you are making a point here. May I ask what this comment has to do the discussions?

While you are on your high horse belittling me and my opinion, look in the mirror?

Goodness, I apologize if I was belittling. My purpose was actually to point out that the premise you were using to do the belittling made no sense. The whole thing is actually kinda funny. You need a paradigm shift. I am just trying to save you from yourself.

Or did I hit a nerve because you have ridiculously priced cables in your system?

Another comment that I have trouble understanding. How do my cables have anything to do with you ripping on people from a position of abject ignorance? I know I am really happy with my cables. Does that help clarify anything for you?

You’re taking this too personally. So take a chill pill, homie.

What have I said that would make you think this has anything to do with me or that I am even a little bit riled up? Intrigued, amused, entertained, I will give you those; but I assure you I am totally chill dude.


Eatts, we have a difference in opinion. Yet you seem to be unable to grasp this simple concept.

First, you claimed $100k for cabling is considered cheap to some. Now you revised that to $20k. That’s factor of 5 differential. Either way it’s ridiculous, but be consistent in your argument. You claim time is more valuable than the cost differential. To a few that may be true, but I guarantee you that for 99.999999999% of the population, spending $100k for wires for an audio system is incomprehensible. You can use whatever permutation you like to justify your purchase, but you’re coming off like a person born with a silver spoon in his mouth. I guess it’s easy to convince yourself of your delusion when you can afford Soluution electronics with your Raidho D3. I was extremely lucky to come on a great deal on a D2, which I would have never purchased otherwise. So I’m looking from a different perspective than yours.

The fact that you don’t want to reveal what cabling you have in you’re system says a lot. It may have everything to do with why you were compelled to comment. You were offended that I called people who spend tens of thousands on cables suckers. Do you fall into this category? Like I said, everyone who got into high end at one point was a sucker, including myself. No shame in that. And I get the distinct feeling I’ve been in this hobby almost as long as you’ve been alive.

So in the end, we have a difference in opinion. You think it’s justifiable to spend $100k on wire. I don’t. If you think I’m ignorant because of that, then there are a lot more who belive you're ignorant for justifying spending a down payment on a house for audio wire. Yes, it all boils down to value judgement. But your sense of value is so far off from the rest of the population, it’s like arguing with Donald Trump. Hopefully, I was pedantic enough for you to be able to grasp my perspective. I see no point in responding to you after this.
O_holter, yes there cable manufacturers who are genuinely trying to make great sounding cables at a reasonable cost. I’ve never evaluated JPS. It’s nice to hear they are willing to support customers who bought their cable used. It’s only during the early 1990’s, did we see a slew of cable manufacturers start charging over $1000. Clever marketing, over the top reviews by top mags at the time, and a big dose of support by gullible audiophiles catapulted cable prices to the obscene we see today.
One notable point. Most of the legendary designers of high end audio like Neson Pass, Bob Carver, Arney Nudell, Peter Walker, etc do/did not use or believe in these fairy dust audiophile cables. These are legends that cable manufactures who hock megabuck cables would freely give or give at cost their cables just for marketing reasons. I have had long conversations with one of these legends who opened my eyes on what goes behind the scenes in high end audio. There are so many fallacies that audiophiles will believe and defend to this very day.
One notable point. Most of the legendary designers of high end audio like Neson Pass, Bob Carver, Arney Nudell, Peter Walker, etc do or did not use or believe in these fairy dust audiophile cables.
They probably don't believe in "audiophile" fuses either.

However, there are well-respected manufacturers who do believe in high end/priced cables being different/better so courses for horses, just like with the folks on this thread.