How good does my system have to be to realize an improvement with cables?
I've heard the difference power cables and interconnect cables in a highly resolving system so that's not the question. $200 for cables on a $500 DAC doesn't make sense to me. Wouldn't that $200 be better spent on a better component? At what point is an expensive cable the best choice? Spending $500 on a $15,000 DAC does make sense as the transparency and resolution of the component could be better realized with a better signal / power source.
My question is what's the percentage of the overall component's cost should be the cabling and at what point should it even be considered?
Or put a different way How would you know if your cables are your weakest link?
As someone said, if the synergy isn't there, you're wasting your time and money. Additionally, you need to hire a Chinese professional to ensure the Feng Shui is proper and your chakras must be aligned or it's all for naught.
Actually, expensive cables are for naught too. Buy the Blue Jean ones and spend more money on music, which is what this pursuit is supposed to be about. |
If your cable is of sufficient size gauge and well put together your off and running. A percent figure based on the quality of your system (rule of thumb) is Total BS. Better components if you’ve cash to spare is the way to go. As said a million times build / set up your sound room as to compliment your system. Again having well made proper gauge cables should be the end game, that said PC’s will do Nothing to the tonality of your system !! Cheers |
Agreed. My Audioquest Hurricane power cord is a testament to this statement.
Once again - totally true. At one point I had Acoustic Zen Absolute Copper interconnects on Rogue RP-1 preamp. They retail higher than RP-1 and they made a huge difference.
Another good advice. I can’t disagree here. Looking back from my experience the money would be better spent on upgrading the preamp (which eventually happened).
That’s a fact! Beethoven’s 5th will remain in C minor irrespective of the power cord on your amplifier as long as it’s proper gauge and is plugged into the wall on the AC connector end and into your amplifier on the IEC connector side Cheers
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For context, here's my system with approximate retail prices: Bluesound Node 2i ($600) Audioquest Cinnamon Digital Coax ($100) Maverick Audio TubeMagic D2 ($300) with Sparkos Labs OpAmps ($150) and 1950s Western Electric Tube ($100) and Pangea AC-14XL power cord ($250) Audioquest Sydney Interconnects ($200) Pathos Classic One MkIII ($3,000) with 1960s Mullard Tubes ($100) and Waudio Power Cord ($50) Blue Jeans Cable 10AWG speakers cables with ultrasonic welded banana plugs ($100) Focal Chorus 836v speakers ($3,000) I had used all Blue Jeans Cable cables until I decided to see what differences I could hear in my system by swapping some cables. I started with a couple of Waudio power cables that I picked up on Amazon. Power Cords: The Waudio power cable on the Pathos Classic One MkIII is the only power cable that's resulted in a clear audible difference in my system. I have tried a Waudio and now Pangea power cords on my DAC and cannot say that I've heard a difference. Interconnects: I started with Audioquest Chicago and was impressed enough to upgrade again to the Sydney and again heard a clear difference compared to the BJC. Digital Coax: I did not hear any difference between the Audioquest Cinnamon and the BJC. Speaker Cables: I have not tried any different speaker cables because they are sub-optimized in my system out of necessity with a custom switch that allows me to connect both my Pathos and home theater receiver to my speakers. It would take two sets of cables and I would still have the switch, so it doesn't seem like a high value proposition. I didn't start playing with cables until I was pretty set with my components. Prior to the tube rolling in the Pathos, I don't think it would have been possible to hear the differences in cables. That upgrade really took my system to the next level.
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