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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
crazyeddy's avatar
crazyeddy
381 posts
 
@dlcockrum  By the way Dave, I still have not heard back from you on that Radio Shack 12 ga. speaker wire.   LOL
213runnin
914 posts
 
You are free to believe whatever you like. I don’t think lawsuits are ever likely because all the cables work and are generally not harmful. Since when did someone successfully sue a vendor for selling a $50 product for $5000 or $4950 profit .... sorry but it is not illegal to make a profit and you don’t have to prove your input costs to customers....

Well, no, if the cables do not improve sonics as advertised, then that’s false advertising and is breaking consumer laws. Ripping off the consumer is a favorite target, and an industry doing it on such a grand scale as you suggest would draw the FTC like flies. Consumer protection groups would be sending people and cameras to the CEO’s, catching them getting them out of their cars and asking them if they think it’s right to sell snake oil.

Then there is civil lawsuits. Mcdonalds had to pay millions because their hot coffee burned customers, and they had to put a legal disclaimer that their coffee was hot on the paper cups! Surely corporations whose products don’t even work as they advertise would draw class action lawsuits as lawyers who see easy millions would be on them like white on rice.  But there are no legal actions or lawsuits, which speaks volumes to a reasonable person.

The profits suggestion is nonsense. Perhaps you could provide some links to back up the idea that cable companies sell cables that cost them $50 for $5000. If that were the case, their corporations would report profits that would put their stocks through the roof and investors would be clamouring to get on the bandwagon of 1000% profits. It would be all over the media.

Don’t invest in expensive cables if you don’t want to. But to suggest that everyone who does is a sucker is what the cable crusaders seem to do. The alternative is that they are missing out on better quality sonics by spending more. Maybe it’s a class envy thing. Some can’t afford to spend a few hundred extra and are bitter about it. I don’t know, but threads like this always go the same way.
jetter
2,972 posts
 
213runnin, I am not an attorney, but I would respectfully disagree that selling a $50 cable for $5,000 and saying it is one of the worlds best would be running afoul of any consumer laws.  There will always be someone who purchased the cable who will believe it is the best, and it would take a very ignorant manufacturer who could not "dig up" a couple of extremely satisfied customers. 

Now I will say I have no idea about manufacturing costs, but I think that the fact you can get 12 gauge 99% pure copper speaker wire for less than a dollar a foot, and that once you figure in the magic ingredients mixed in with the copper and any added coating to the copper, and then factor in the cost of the fancy cover and a great connector, you still have a reasonable manufacture cost per foot.  I hate to say this, but how much R&D does it take to make a piece of wire?  Just an opinion.
aberyclark
1,355 posts
 
A couple of observations. Let me know if I am totally off base. 

1. Many latch on to one or two characteristics of sound when choosing cables. For me it's how quiet a background and bottom end. For others it may be the treble end, cymbal decay, soundstage etc. many cables may perform better with what I am listening to vs your preferences. 

2.  The current cable quality you are using will play a huge role in your evaluation. 

3.  How revealing your system/speakers. 

4.  The music you listen to. If your into garage band grunge, less nuances to compare vs classical, jazz or well recorded genres. 

5. Expectations for new cable. If you are looking for "I hate how my system sounds...maybe these expensive cables will change my mind" you will probably be disappointed
jetter
2,972 posts
 
Ok, here is another way to look at it.  I am a certified public accountant, in fact one who is about to retire, which is to say I deal in numbers ad nauseam.  I can tell you that every manufacturer has a cost of his goods manufactured, which with his profit will determine the price he sells it to the retailer for, which in turn will have a relationship to the ultimate price the consumer pays. 

In all my years of being a member on A'gon I have heard every conceivable argument saying how great expensive cables are and every argument saying what a rip off they are.  Those that say the expensive cables are fantastic assume the cost is relative to or at least somewhat attributable to the better materials and R&D.  If not this, what (other than supply & demand)? 

Is there anyone here who has any idea what it really cost per foot to manufacture and have reasonable mark up for the expensive cable?  I sure don't.  If 12 gauge 99% pure copper cable cost less than $1 a foot, is the expensive cable $1.50, $5.00 $50,00 or $500 a foot?  Until someone can provide some insight into this, the question of rip off (in relation to cost of production) or not will not be answered.
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