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
The number of times this same theme of anti-audiophile cables/prices has appeared over the last 1-2 years alone is staggering.  There is some expensive cable that is way overpriced and a rip-off but there are legitimate entries in the high-end cable world at respectable prices that bring a personality/performance/improvement coefficient to a system that cannot be beat, or at least not with cheap wire from a commodity source.  Deaf men can hear the effects of the legitimate products out there over cheap wire for systems that truly deserve that type of investment.

Regarding the statements and implications that attempt to paint a broad stroke characterization of all audiophiles who spend on higher cost cables as weak-minded, pliable, easily fooled, etc...and somehow enforce your view of the world and your agenda as a truth that must apply to all is simply not true.  From my side I can personally recount 3 times in the last 11 years alone where (1) I ripped out an entire loom of a highly-thought of brand of  expensive power cords, went back to stock cords and determined the stock cords were more natural sounding and that as the loom of pcs had grown, a mistake had been made that resulted in accumulated house sound.  Same with 2 different iterations of a combination of speaker cables and interconnects from 2 different high-end cable manufacturers at various points. Each time I either returned to stock PCs or to very low-cost power cords, interconnects and speaker cables. There were things the low cost approach cables did not give me that I determined to live without and many that I did hear that I liked. 

I've also cut into or unwrapped more than a few cables in my time to see what's inside and realize there are a few brands out there that are simply "F-O-S!!!" and pulling one over on many of us music lovers.

I only 'went back to spend more ' because I happened to be given an interconnect, a speaker cable and a power cord from one manufacturer that are not inexpensive, but not amongst the strata of audio cables that simply cannot explain their prices in terms of any reasonable markup on cost of goods plus cost of manufacture (and R&D). I stayed with the brand in question as they survived real A/B testing (double-blind) and truly deliver what they say with a high-end, resolving system and a good pair of ears on the receiving end.

I'm not here to give examples of the "B.S." cable choices I've experienced, nor am I going to give the names of the brands that I ripped out of the system or the higher end brand I wound up going moving to in order to promote them.  

In short, if you like the sound of commodity wire in your systems, more power to you and I am truly happy for you. Also, all this debate and all the ones like it aside, Happy New Year to everyone!
In an earlier post someone was touting (promoting? selling?) Nordost Odin cables (see link at bottom).  A quick and dirty calculation determined that to equip a stereo system (preamp/amp/player/speakers) with this line of cables, it would cost $176,000.  Let's say that these cables provided a significant 5% "improvement" in audio quality.  My math says that the rest of your system should cost about $3,500,000.00 for this purchase to make sense.  

This is a very exaggerated example of why this topic is of interest to so many...and won't go away.  

Oh...and Nordost also sells rubber feet for your speakers and components for up to $350/ea.

That these exist is almost laughable.  That someone would have so little respect for the value of money to buy them is incomprehensible to me. That otherwise intelligent "audiophiles" would fall for the "science" that goes into these WIRES is just funny.

Here is the Nordost webpage:

http://www.soundandvision.com/content/nordost-odin-cables#RVL875dvXyhkwk1P.97

Some related reading expensive cable buyers will hate:

http://ethanwiner.com/audiophoolery.html

and: http://www.audioholics.com/audio-video-cables/top-ten-signs-an-audio-cable-vendor-is-selling-you-snake-oil


Dynaquest4 wrote,

"In an earlier post someone was touting (promoting? selling?) Nordost Odin cables (see link at bottom). A quick and dirty calculation determined that to equip a stereo system (preamp/amp/player/speakers) with this line of cables, it would cost $176,000. Let’s say that these cables provided a significant 5% "improvement" in audio quality. My math says that the rest of your system should cost about $3,500,000.00 for this purchase to make sense."

Thanks for the heads up. I was this close to pulling the trigger on a full loom of Nordost Odin cables.



dynaquest414 posts "Oh...and Nordost also sells rubber feet for your speakers and components for up to $350/ea."

I love when someone posts an obvious misstatement of fact maligning a product they have obviously never seen or heard.

After reading through this I agree with you dlcockrum" ...All the guys that know better have checked out."
jperry: Please don't make the misstatement that I made a misstatement. Three clicks would find you here: https://www.musicdirect.com/vibration-control/nordost-sort-fut-resonance-control-system

Actually the price isn't that bad compared to their Odin cables.  Feet for two speakers would only set you back $3000.00