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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
soundsrealaudio's avatar
soundsrealaudio
756 posts
 
helomech

I am very interested in those cables. Do you know what comet that was? 

My plan is to bury then under the foot of Mt. Fuji for at 5 years to bring out the true sonic characteristics. Hopefully then they will make my crappy sounding system sound halfway decent. 
randy-11
1,913 posts
 
cables don't "restrict the sound"

some cables will act like inductors or capacitors to modify the sound

if like it, call it euphonic distortion

if you don't, then call it distortion
melbguy1
1,438 posts
 
I aim for high resolution, clean, grainless sound which is natural, smooth, fairly neutral to slightly warm in tonal balance, harmonically rich, well balanced top to bottom (ie: not overly emphasized bass or rolled off top end) & well built. I use Jorma cables in my system which are made from extremely pure copper, ceramic, wallnut & pure, uncolored teflon.
jayctoy's avatar
jayctoy
4,397 posts
 
If you have a good components, it's almost a waste if you don't get good cables, in my case, for a long time, I tried to get away with less quality cables, it did not work, After many years I decided to buy good speaker cable for $1500 , I was shocked to learn how good is my system.True for those who can afford it, Go for it.My friend own B6 Elac connected to kimber 8ag , the speakers sounds unbelievable...
whitestix
733 posts
 
This is an interesting and argumentative thread which often develops when the OP asks such an oblique question. I haven't seen much of GK posting, but he can be relied upon for contributing nothing but nonsense to the discussion.  I will say that I just got a pair of Shunyata Venom IC's and the Venom power cord and both were an improvement to my system for not a lot of dough.  I am a cable denier, but the Shunyata cords were clearly better than my existing cables, no question.  
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