Why not?


I have always wondered why if better cables produce better sound, as appears to be the consensus, I am not aware of any manufacturer that provides an aftermarket quality power cable with their product. If I am wrong please tell me. There may be instances I am not familiar with.

Wouldn't they be in the best position to test or design the optimum cable for their component? Wouldn't it be a great marketing angle to say to the customer does not need to worry or fret about selecting this expensive accessory.

"We know these cables show off our component to best effect and there is not question of listener bias or self interested market hype. We offer you the best cable to use with our components." 

They could make it optional if they wanted to remain price competitive. This same thinking applies to interconnects, especially with manufacturers who make multiple interconnected components. I pose these questions in all sincerity, not particularly wishing to stir the cable controversy pot. But because it is precisely the absence of this practice that most makes me doubt the objective superiority of the whole cable enterprise.

Mostly I would like to know if I am wrong and there are some examples of manufacturers who either include, offer or recommend specific power, interconnect and speaker cable for their products. Thanks community members for offering a place to ask this question that keeps gnawing at me.

Ag insider logo xs@2xbruce19

For the same reason GM doesn't make tires. They instead partner with Michelin and try to sell you the recommended tires through a back door. GM does cars and they leave it at that. Your are asking a question from a marketing point of view that has a marketing driven answer.

It is probably closer to what brand of fuel that goes into the tank.
It is not like fuel derived from a T-Rex is better than Brontosaurus, or swamp, based fuel.

Think about how much time effort and money goes into r&d for a single product. Then you have to market the heck out of it to try and find market share in an extremely crowded field. Then you have to manufacture it at a price to make your spread to keep your company profitable and sustainable. After all of this why would you hitch your wagon to another company that could one tear you down with an inferior product, or two overshadow all your hard work. You can buy an after market power cord for $10 or $100,000 where would you start?

Think about how much time effort and money goes into r&d for a single product.

What R&D?

Most of these cables have no measurements, and more like R&D derived from a creative writing course.

@gs5556 The analogy with tires is actually a pretty good one since all new cars come with tires selected by the manufacturer. That's the way they get reviewed and tested too.  I get it that then you can also opt for "hi-performance" or longer life tires, but, unlike audio cables there is a ton of objective data to help you make a rational choice. Same goes for the fuel, we do have octane ratings after all.

I have heard and read enough high end designers on the record talking about the complex and sophisticated physics and engineering that they employ in deciding how things get chosen inside the unit. I strongly suspect they could make similar information available to use consumers to help us make more informed decisions about the relatively simple connectors for these units.  However I also am aware there is a VERY lucrative niche industry that likes the status quo.

Although this thread seems to be devolving, I’ll bring up two companies that I know ‘step up’ to recommend cables, and even supply cables. (2) Schiit recommends two companies that provide interconnect cables for their components: Straight Wire and Snake Oil, they are listed on their website, and I can only assume that they are the alternate suppliers of Schiit’s Pyst cables. (2) Musical Fidelity provides directional RCA cables to connect their turntables to your system which I can verify work very well.