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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
mitch2
4,076 posts
 
@bacobits1 
Same here.  I am quite happy using Duelund tinned copper 20 ga balanced ICs and double runs of cross-connected quads of Duelund 12 ga wire (i.e., 8, 12 ga wires per speaker) for speaker cable.  They sound very nice, but so did the NOS WE wire I was using before.  Can't say the Duelund wire is "better" than WE wire but it maybe leans a little more toward resolution while the WE wire leans a little more toward a glowing midrange tone.  The differences are not great IMO.  I also own a variety of other moderately high end wire and still prefer the Duelund and/or WE wire.
fredgarvin's avatar
fredgarvin
45 posts
 
I'm using Belden 9497, tinned stranded copper as the Deuland, also twisted. It ran me abut $30 after attaching bananas. I'm using high efficiency horns, how the wire would perform with harder to drive speakers may be different.
lohanimal
659 posts
 
There are good reasons to tin copper - prevents degradation to the cable. Interestingly enough electricity passes on the outside of a wire - so it makes sense for not letting it degrade.
I bought some vertere interconnects - they were superb - not too expensive either. I read the website about the research and how they work - then eventually saw that they use tinned copper. 
I happen to have a Lavardin amp and splashed out on some Nordost Heimdeil 2 speaker cables - what a waste of money - I contacted Lavardin and they told me to buy the cheapest Nordost or else DNM cables.
I think the OP should be aware that speaker cables are very amp specific - check out the DNM website - it explains it much better than me. 
Out of interest what is the jury on the Dueland cables as interconnect and which guage
jollygreenaudiophile2's avatar
jollygreenaudiophile2
275 posts
 
It's funny,
I just happened to be sitting here, surrounded by all these big "Dewalt" cases. All open, with piles of their contents all strewn about. And decided to take a break. And I find this conversation first. 
 What's in the cases? Well, just all the common as well as uncommon components, parts, plus all of the odds and ends used to build two types of audio cabling. Speaker cables and interconnects. It's been an 'Off and On", hobby for some time now. Ever since I messed up and "accidentally" made a set of speaker cables that sounded so much better than what I had been using that I was literally "Awestruck".  And I still do that to myself. It's fun!

When I was young back in the early sixties I don't remember any really, "Special" cabling. But even then I could tell a slight difference when I changed speaker wire from the factory pre-installed wire that was maybe 22Awg copper to shiny new, 12Awg stranded copper. And no-one "including me", back then would have believed that now we even have power cables that ca make wild improvements. But only, "If you have a system sensitive enough to appreciate it".  For the most part anyway!

 So yes, the metallurgy of the wire, connectors, twist and a "K'azillion" other variables do make a difference.
I guess you'll just have to trust me on that. Me and the other 100,000+  people that know because we all took the "Journey".  And like everything else in this hobby? It is indeed a "Journey".
Have fun with it!

But man,.....After the last three days designing this new interconnect with the new silver plated copper and solid silver conductors I am using. The  exotic shields, braids and piles of "Teflon", and other tubing. I'll have to take a day just to pack it all back up! Haul it back to the shop, And then clean up this mess! Maybe I'll take a pic and post it tomorrow on my 'Virtual system" here so you can see what I am actually talking about!
It's ridiculous!
ctsooner's avatar
ctsooner
2,480 posts
 
There will always be folks who say ti doesn't matter, but they aren't listening to my system, I promise you that.  When I installed the new AQ Hurricane power cords in my system, I never told my wife.  Everything is hidden by plants etc, so you can't see the cords unless you look really hard.  I'll never forget her first reaction when I put on some music after about 500 hours of burn in.  She asked what I did with the system. She asked if I bought a new amp as she heard a huge difference for the better.  Her ears are very good and we go to a fair amount of live music events when we are able to, so she knows what Joe Bonamassa sounds like at Carnegie Hall etc...  This was a revelation for her and even me.  The only cord I ever installed was one that AJ Conte sent me to try.  It was his best power cord and I put it on my DAC.  It made a nice difference, but not huge.  When I heard the Dragon and Hurricanes in a very nice system, I was floored.  He made me listen to Shunyata and then Garth's new cords.  Both were outstanding, but the AQ stuff was amazing.  I was sold and am so happy I made these upgrades.  

Switching to the new William Tell zero and bass speaker cables made an even larger difference. I was already using an AQ WEL balanced interconnect from server/DAC to integrated as It was basically given to me by a friend.  

I used to own Polk 10's with their own speaker cable, so I guess I've heard a difference since 73 or so, like others who have posted.  

YMMV and if folks don't hear a difference, then that's fine, but it's rude for them to tell us what we do and don't hear.  
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