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Cable Costs Relative to System

Since making a spread sheet with my audio system prices, I have been thinking(shocked) about my total investment in cables. My total system retails at $67,000 (Digital and analog front ends included). I purchased all of it here on Audiogon so my investment is about 50%. Of that I have about 10% invested in interconnects and cables and another 10% in Power Cables (Shunyata Hydra included). That's $13,000 worth of wire. I'm starting to question whether it might be more effective to put some of this budget into acitve components. It would take forever to listen to all possible combinations, but would like to hear others experiences with relatively high end systems and cable selection. It would seem to me that the point of diminishing returns would be reached sooner with cables than with speakers and amps. Do most of you follow the 10% "rule" for cabling? How do PCs fit into this rule? Are there any super bargain cables capable of keeping up with highly resolving electronics?
metaphysics
duane
189 posts
 
Oh, one more thing I forgot. Brizonbiovizier, if you are using filters on your speaker cables you are greatly reducing the frequency extension of any cable used and it wouldn't surprise me at all that you hear no differences.

It would be like trying to judge different grain levels of camera lenses after putting a non reflective coating on the lens that hurts the performance of all the lenses but hurts the top performers worse making them close to the same.
mitch2
3,910 posts
 
To answer the original question, in general I believe you can get the job done pretty good at about 10 percent of system cost, and no higher than 25 percent. Beyond that, I would probably start replacing components or speakers. Of course the "cost no object" crowd can spend as much as they like, and DIYers can do it much less expensively.
brizonbiovizier
124 posts
 
Filters on my speaker cables??? No no no! Only on the MAINS cables. Your comment is a bit absurd ;)

I would be interested to hear this huge difference demonstrated - so far noone has been able to meet this challenge. And indeed rigourous scientific double blind tests have also yet to reveal a difference - anecdotal evidence is not sufficient.

Your final comment is very revealing - the belief in cables is indeed on a par with religious belief. The only differences between cables are those due to LCR, connection and insulation etc - well understood engineering principles. that dont justify outrageous costs.
duane
189 posts
 
Come to my store, I will show you differences. My biggest customers for cables are the engineers that told me cables can't make a difference. Some of them are on this sight as believers.

Fact still remains that we only know how to measure 50% of what we hear. The human brain and healthy ears can detect all frequencies, dynamics, and differences in compression at high volumes vs. low volumes with multiple instruments compared to solo instruments and phase relationships with all of the above all at the same time in real time and no scope can come close to that.

Same way humans can have insight and sense trouble without direct sensory information. It is because we have souls that are far more capable than we give credit for.

I will agree that if basics are right, you can get good sound without spending tons. I'm just the kind of guy that can tell big differences in tires, cloths, soap, spices, and women.
duane
189 posts
 
"anecdotal evidence is not sufficient" Call Dr. Floyd Tool, director of National Research Council in Canada. He only believes in specs and he will tell you I heard all the differences presented to me, well at least 96% of them.
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