Speaker cables from same brand as interconnects?

I think there is a misnomer that if a company makes a good ___ then they also make good ___. If we look at this philosophy from afar it makes no sense. Speaker cables are closest in design to power cords, as far as current needs. Interconnects are carrying a very small signal a short distance. These two are completely different animals, but most companies making cables simply make a few modifications to what ever cable they started with, and sell it as a complete line.

The time and money required to design from scratch a good and unique cable is staggering, and to think all companies are doing this for every cable line and type of cable is naive at best.

Now consider how many cable companies also offer cable enhancing products, power conditioning, fuses, outlets, followed closely by the newest line of components. REALY?? Are they really that smart that they offer cutting edge design and material usage in every category of audio?

So the answer to your question is, for the best possible sonic characteristics from your system, you need to find the cables that represent the best possible design. This will inevitably lead you to different cables for your interconnects, speaker cable and power cords. In fact, one good design for a power cord may work flawlessly on the amp, but sound bright and edgy on the CD player. The manufacturer will try to develop a CD player cord by elimination gauge or change the wire material, but this becomes backwards design.

I have found every application is different, including the locations of interconnects, meaning between which components. This means we must find the design that started the chain of products, and look to it for a potential cable in our systems.

Now having said all that, I do believe some companies are actually designing for each application, and therefor it is possible to find one company to serve your entire system needs. I have not personally discovered that company, but it could exist.

As Clio stated, part of the fun of our hobby is trying different cables, power products, isolation products... Audiogon extends the fun by allowing us the opportunity to share our personal findings with other enthusiast, but not just in our city, we can share with friends all over the world.

I believe this is the success of the Internet, bringing common interest people together to enjoy a common love. From this I have personally developed a friendship base on five contents. I have very dear friends who share my interest and we share our hobby. We have grown beyond that to share our families and our lives. To all the members of Audiogon, have a happy holiday and I pray for peace and love.

jd

Great points JD. Obviously, the amount of time and money that you've spent with your own endeavors has been a great lesson in this area. It is hard to beat first hand experience, especially when that experience has been well documented and thoroughly disected : )

That's was a great analogy by Tvad too. With that in mind, having the science behind why certain elements act and respond to each other as they do reduces the amount of "alchemy" or "magic" required to make a great product or achieve system synergy. The end result is a predictable outcome, greater consistency and a more universal product.

Having said that, there's always a bit of magic / guesswork involved with audio, as there are just too many variables to take into account of in certain situations and installations. This is why trial and error still exists, and probably always will. That is, for the people that just aren't willing to settle for sheer convenience. We really are a "nit-picking" bunch when it comes down to it : ) Sean
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Always use the same interconnects and speaker wire.

No that's not right, it's power cords and speaker wire.

Hold on, I think it's digital cable and interconnects.

No no, it must be power cords, speaker wire, and digital.

Unless of course it's digital and speaker wire. No, that can't be right.

Perhaps it's speaker wire, interconnects, and power cords.

The hell with it. Use what sounds best to you.

I am always thinking that thereis no relation between chords and price.But I do believe that one can mix and match (you have different elements makling up different components right).But a rule of themb I have followed,not knopwing if it's valid,is that if you use same chords because they have characteristics you like (say Cardas which has sofetened up equipment that is meattlic or "etched" like Krell) but that one should use the better (i.e. more expensive in the line if using the same products) closer to the source component.Wonder if i have any "Amens" to this approach.My ultimate wiosh given there are so many choices is to have an objective and subjective lsiting of of products in overall performance and like Consumer Reports does an overall point rating that factors in price to it's final score.It's so much easier to put together a list of compoinets that have been reviewed and have multiple reviews ("professional" and consumer) where the same name comes up.A good expample of this would be the new Parasound JC1 amp.Enough reviewers gave it thumbs up that one could put it on a short list to audition.But cables still have too much hype and mystery associated with them forouir own good.I know this digresses but I come down that you feel some satisfaction knowing you have a one brand sound but tis is not a logical way to look at issue.The question I have is aboiut better wire being closer to source than downstream (????????).And my my shootout is proably a pipedream.Even Stereophile which lists too many componenst asnd thus does not sepreate the what from the chaffe won't even list cables innterms of quality.But one can hope that some cream will rise to the top and thast we can find values in such a list to boot.
Chazzbo