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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
waxwaves's avatar
waxwaves
206 posts
 
Thanks John, always good to hear your thoughts on cables and gear.  You've been a good guide for me(and others I'm sure) in the search for audio satisfaction over the years.  It doesn't surprise me that you have used the AZ Absolute cables as well! Lol. I'll do my best to tell you what I think of the AZ Satori after these thick, heavy, meaty bastards burn in.

You know, this forum can be a very valuable resource for all types of audio enthusiasts and music lovers.   These cable threads always draw a troll or two, but we the people will go on!  We will always hurdle the trolls and side step the whiny dribble and angry droppings they leave behind.  Sweeeewwwww.
oleschool's avatar
oleschool
722 posts
 
I love my az satori ,I think there great for the bucks .I would love to step into the absolutes,but have spent the money elsewhere in the system. I use all az cabling, ac also.I can say without hesitation ,the changes have not been sublte.
randy-11
1,913 posts
 
waxwang wrote:

"We will always hurdle the facts and side step the science and engineering degrees that real people have."
inna
7,296 posts
 
In fact, you never know how good your active components might be until you give them a great connection. I had no idea that even finely aligned and tuned Nak deck could sound that good until I put the Purist Neptune fluid cable on it. Some say that vintage equipment usually reacts less to cables. Well, I don't have enough experience to voice an opinion, but in my system I would say that the deck, the phono stage and the cd player responded just about equally. But, for already quite warm system Purist's Venustas or of course Dominus, both Luminist Revision, would probably be a better choice overall, though with at least the Venustas you would lose some of the Neptune's incredible soundstage and natural flow. Anyway, now that I got that cable I want even more than before to upgrade the active components it connects, which is unfair to them - they sound better than ever.
czarivey
5,946 posts
 
waxwaves, perhaps you're right.
i sometimes develop ignorance towards business that is too far away from truth.
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