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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
grey9hound
1,112 posts
 
If you cannot hear a difference, then your equipment is not revealing enough.
I too for many years could not hear a difference.
I upgraded my amp  and i could immediately hear differences in cables.
Sometimes those differences are very small, and it takes some listening time to hear them,whereas other times it is immediately noticeable.
Do you really think that these cable companies are able to sell their cables , for many years i might add, just based on myth.
 I think not !
zephyr24069's avatar
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zephyr24069
1,244 posts
 
chrisr: Thank you for the pointer to the Canare site; their stable of connectors for 50-ohm, 75-ohm, etc....also look interesting. I'll check out the s48 wire in the next couple of weeks with some good quality but budget spades and report back as soon as work allows....

grey9hound: definitely agree with your post with the clarification that there are moderately priced components out there that are resolving enough to let someone here the difference; despite what I've been able to work up to have today, I've heard and owned many more moderately priced pieces over the years and don't think you have to spend tons of money to find these types of (resovling & quality) components....

ptss: agree that the OP's post is somewhat suspect in that regard and was obviously meant to stir the pot :-) !

jayctoy: absolutely agree that monetary total spent on 1 or more components and speakers mean nothing in terms of guaranteed musical outcomes and system synergy. I have a number of friends and have also myself put together low-cost systems that sound great and much better than other systems that had 'glamour' component lists with high-price tags as system synergy failed despite level of spend....

geoffkait: absolutely agree however that does not mean that someone who after many years of trial and error, buy, sell because things don't work, etc...that has assembled a system that happens to cost over a certain threshold is not a real audio-nut/audiophile...it's about how musical the end result is, how involving, how realistic it sounds, etc....

Have a great day all!

hifiman5's avatar
hifiman5
1,832 posts
 
Well, this has become quite the thread!  After reading all of the posts and participating in this topic, it seems it all comes down to what YOU hear.  It doesn't matter if I can or can't hear the differences between simple inexpensive designs or the high priced spread.  If YOU do and you have the disposable income to invest big bucks on the expensive stuff and  YOU hear a difference, so be it.  YOU can feel good about your purchase and the rest of us who haven't spent our money there can invest it in other areas of our system in ways that seem meaningful for us.

maplegrovemusic's avatar
maplegrovemusic
1,113 posts
 
Anyone notice if you remove one letter from the ops moniker ?
zephyr24069's avatar
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zephyr24069
1,244 posts
 
maplegrove: No,...what are we missing?
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