2. cables
  3. 1190049515

Which Cable Makes the Biggest Impact?

To all the audiophiles that have tried different power cables, interconnects, and speaker cables, which do you believe makes the biggest impact in your system in order of ranking? If you don't believe that cables/interconnects/pc's make any difference at all, and is all marketing hype and snake oil, you can vote accordingly, but my ONLY request is that you've tried different cables first!

Ok..My ranking:
1. Power cables - most important
2. Interconnects
3. Speaker cable
calgarian5355
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
"There's a sucker born every minute" is falsely attributed to PT Barnum.

In actuality it was probably David Hannum or Joseph Bessimer, both contemporaries of Barnum. The record is unclear but friends of Barnum claim he did not view his customers as suckers.
calgarian5355 OP
146 posts
 

I thought I would update this original post and add in the digital cable:

1.  Power Cords (in order of importance: Source, preamp, then amp)

2. Interconnects

3. Digital cables (almost a tie with interconnects)

4.  Speaker cables.....

 

deep_333
1,459 posts
 

Biggest impact: Speaker Cables

Mas o menos: Interconnects

Minimal: Power cables - Diminishing returns maxed at a 100 dollars if you have a decent filter or conditioning solution.

big_greg
6,654 posts
 

Tonearm.

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
5,270 posts
 

IMO…

1. Power cables - for power conditioner, amp, source components 

2. Speaker cables

3. interconnects 

4. digital cables (whatever the connection method…USB, ARS/EBU, etc.)

5. Ethernet cable to streamer

 

All with a caveat that you have all the critical stuff (top notch components, speakers that you really like  and your room acoustics) in order. I wouldn’t worry too much about cables (isolation devices, or footers too) if any of the above critical items aren’t taken care of first. Cable swaps are easiest and most of the time the cheapest changes we tend to gravitate towards but as long as you have decent, neutral basic cables like BlueJeans or Mogami, worry about room acoustics and components first. 
Just my $0.02 based on my experience and how far into this hobby I am at this point. 
 

@deep_333 I don’t thing $100 is a point of diminishing returns for anything in this world right now…although it would really be nice if that was the case!

More to discover