2. cables
  3. 136769-457

DO CABLES REALLY MATTER?

Yes they do.  I’m not here to advocate for any particular brand but I’ve heard a lot and they do matter. High Fidelity reveal cables, Kubala Sosna Elation and Clarity Cable Natural. I’m having a listening session where all of them is doing a great job. I’ve had cables that were cheaper in my system but a nicely priced cable that matches your system is a must.  I’m not here to argue what I’m not hearing because I have a pretty good ear.  I’m enjoying these three brands today and each is presenting the music differently but very nicely. Those who say cables don’t matter. Get your ears checked.  I have a system that’s worth about 30 to 35k retail.  Now all of these brands are above 1k and up but they really are performing! What are your thoughts. 
calvinj
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
🐑
shadorne
Mountain of BS with absolutely no evidence, just anecodotal stuff. I have never seen an AES paper proving sound differences of various cables and won’t ever see one because it is all equipment and component performance related.

>>>>Thanks for bringing up AES. They’re filled to the brim with old fogeys just like Dunlavey. They are vehemently anti-audiophile.
maritime51's avatar
maritime51
1,288 posts
 
The ad hominem attacks in this thread are sad. Someone is too old, another has crap for brains, and yet another has cheap components....
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
bstbomber
When choosing cables.
Where would one go and how would you compare one to another?
How big of a difference in sound is there from Hundred dollar cables to ten Grand in cables?
Is there that huge of a difference?

>>>Those are excellent questions! If there were easy answers we wouldn’t be having this discussion. 
dynaquest4's avatar
dynaquest4
445 posts
 
An audio cable is a passive component.  And like other components, it's job is to neither add nor subtract anything from the music program.  On a substantially good system, a cable can improve the program only by keeping spurious outside interference to a minimum.  A cable is completely passive.

On a good system, any "work" done by the cable will be very subtle at best.  Our ears and brain have very short term audio memory.  So, unless you have an AB blind test switch as a permanent part of your system, in the time it takes to switch out a set of cables, you will have lost the ability to accurately recall the exact sound of the previous cable or any subtle changes that the new cable "provides. "
philkoan's avatar
philkoan
65 posts
 
calvinj,
Your posts are a bit confusing here.
On one hand you started a thread shouting "DO CABLES REALLY MATTER?"
Presumably this question would be posed to all of us, including those who may be skeptical. After all, why would you pose that question only to people who already think they matter?
Then you tell any skeptics to get their ears checked.
And then asked for opinions on what you wrote.
But then, it seems if someone voices a skeptical view you want to say "Go Away!"
So...who are you talking to?
This topic has been discussed many times on many forums. Would you buy a pair of 10K speaker cables for a pair of 6K speakers? On the other hand, if you have a pair of $200K speakers, would you put a pair of $10 speaker cables? If you believe that a pair of 9K speaker cables can improve your 6K speakers, go for it. It's your money. I use quality parts from Belden, Neutrik, Wattgate, Japan Senju, Grayhill, silver plated wire... to make my own cables with the lengths that fit perfectly to my system (McIntosh and Focal).


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