2. cables
  3. 192296-1635

What % Of Your System Are Your Cables?

IMO, the “10% rule” for cable expenditure really should be stated as “when you’re building a new system and you have a limited budget, allocate 10% to cables” and I think this is a good idea. But again IMO, this is not necessarily the stopping point. I recently purchased some new cables and I was wondering, hopefully without getting into the cable debate, what percentage of your system do you have invested in cables?  No need to go into brands or actual cost, unless you want to. With my new purchase, I would say I’m around 25% depending on whether you count my analog rig as part of the system price, as I did not buy any new cables for the TT, because my TT has captive cables. Probably up to about 30% without the analog.  I understand the percentage numbers can be highly deceiving if you bought used. 25% used is probably about 50% of your system price if you bought new. Anyway, just curious to see what you’re doing with cables. Be well. 

chayro
jond's avatar
jond
5,833 posts
 

Looks like 11% for me at prices paid I have no idea at retail most of my cables were bought used.

jl35
3,999 posts
 

Thinking that in current system the cables list price is 10% - 15% of the list price of components. But my experience is that great deals on new/demo/used cables are better than on components, so probably spent about 7-8 % of total cost on cables. When I was upgrading components more often, cables were a lower percentage than now, with infrequent component changes...

tlcocks
448 posts
 

19%

curiousjim's avatar
curiousjim
4,738 posts
 

I’ve heard huge differences between IC’s and very noticeable differences between USB and speaker cables and small, very subtle differences between power cords. But I must say, I’ve never tried a $20k cord of any kind.

nickofwimbledon
18 posts
 

For many years, the answer on how much I actually spent on cables was 0.00%, because my amps and sources (apart from the turntable) are from Naim. The cables that came in the box for free were very hard to beat, and so were the ancient Naim speaker cables I got for free when a mate ‘upgraded’’.

In the last decade, I have upgraded a lot and eventually found cables that work better than the originals. However, as others have said “it depends”. Should we allow for how many sources we have, and whether we have separate pre and power and/ or a phono stage?

 

I’d also say that spending a few hundred on getting a sparks to fit a dedicated electricity supply from meter to hifi had a bigger impact than any power block or conditioner I have heard (some costing over £10k).

Critically, I know that I am a rubbish tester, esp on a quick A versus B test when I know what the new cable costs and how hefty it is. So I get friends (including professional musicians) to help and do actual ‘blind’ listening tests - if a difference can’t be consistently picked in repeated tests without sight of which wires are plugged in, then I am happy to assume that it is in my mind and not my ears. That sort of test has saved me a lot of money, particularly on cables.

Also, ‘different’ is not the same as ‘better’. Many use cable choice (esp speaker cables) like tone controls to get those speakers and that that room just right. 

For those who have found a magic cable that makes £1k speakers sound to then like £20k speakers, at least to them, congratulations- I am very pleased for you. Don’t let my (or others) scepticism put you off.
 

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