What say you?

@boomerbillone 

+1

Thank you for a thoughtful and factual post. 

When you put them in your system do they improve the sound or not, in your opinion?  Why let others make your decisions?

This is always fascinating to see how controversial this topic is.  

Given dealers willingness to send demos out to customers, it is easy and inexpensive to test cables in your system.  As a dealer, I have now had the opportunity to test lots of cables and can say unequivocally, cables sound different and can setup tests that anyone can hear.  

It doesn't mean all cables sound different (which if the goal is true lack of coloration is a good thing).  It doesn't mean more expensive cables are inherently better.  I have had some awful, very expensive cables here on trade.  What it does mean is, as has been pointed out by others, cables are a part of a system and need to be considered within the context of a system. 

My experience is that a system can sound very good with inexpensive cables and you will get audible improvements if you choose the correct upgrades.  If you choose the wrong upgrades, I can have a very negative impact.  

My interpretation of Mr. Singer's message is the following.  It is that you need to experiment to find the cables having the right synergy with your system.

He is saying if you only experiment with very expensive cables, you will find an expensive cable with the right synergy.

He is also saying if you experiment with less expensive cables, you will just as likely find an inexpensive cable with the right synergy.

He is saying that the less expensive cables with the correct synergy will likely sound just as good as the more expensive cables with the right synergy.

Manufacturers and dealers of uber expensive cables love you.

By inexpensive cable, I am not referring to zip cable.

For as long as I've been in this hobby, it was always understood that dealers made the biggest gains from markup on cables and ancillaries. One need not spend a fortune on cables to get great results. Careful trial and error will get you there and rarely does one hit the nail on the head on the first try.

The longer you're in this hobby, the more you're going to spend on cabling as you carefully and judiciously upgrade. Add up all you've spent over time and it'll add up to more than what you've currently settled on. Throw out the learning curve and just get comfortable with that fact. Stop with the sour grapes routines.

Keep your cables in good shape and sell them for a loss when you upgrade if you must but keep in mind the old saw that you can pay me now, or pay me later, with the later payment being the dearest.

Also, if possible, keep the older, better performing cables around for comparisons sake when you get new gear. It's very helpful to go back and reaffirm what you think you know about your current cables. Doing this also helps to narrow down what works best for you.

All the best,
Nonoise