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The Cost of Cables

We all know that there have been countless posts with endless debates about cables on every audio forum available. The reason I start this post is to garner thoughts from others on the cost of cables, not necessarily whether they make a difference or not. I find the prices for cables staggering and I (me personally) do not understand where the cost comes from. Some will say R&D, ok, I can go for that to a point, but can the manufacturing of wire really cost much? (In thinking about this, the discussion could be applied to audio as a whole.)

Obviously cable companies survive because we purchase their products, I include myself. But if we quit paying these large prices, would prices fall dramatically or would they just quit making cables such as we know it and/or close their doors?
brianmgrarcom
brianmgrarcom OP
1,317 posts
 
Well said Brian. Now you seem to grasp the situation.
I wouldn't say that I have now gotten a grasp of this situation, I already felt this way; I was open to being shown I am wrong.

Brian
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
I wouldn't say that I have now gotten a grasp of this situation, I already felt this way; I was open to being shown I am wrong.

Brian
Brianmgrarcom


Certainly the results could not have surprised you though Brian, could they? I would have been stunned to the point of disbelief if someone tried to validate/justify the cost of cables.

If they do, I bet you'll find the catch all phrase being R&D costs. The customer is expected to pay for the designer's cable/cord purchases from competitors and his hours of listening. You see, they 'have to' buy competing products to test against their own. They have to buy a reference system of three to use as 'synergestic testing lab equipment'. Then they 'have to' listen hours a day for years sometimes, to tune in their products. That's a lot of time and money spent on research and development. Now you may say 'hey, that's what I do for a hobby'. However, when you are selling products it is no longer your hobby, it is a job, and you can write this in as R&D costs.

There is simply no way to justify the material/labor costs, it's all in the 'R&D' department.
Some manufacturers could have HUGE R&D costs. Maybe they have a million dollars or more tied up in R&D assests alone. Someone has to pay for that, and it's certainly not going to be the manufacturer.

Nobody said it would be easy. You must have very expensive audio gear and comparison cables in your 'R&D lab'.

Does that help?

John
brianmgrarcom OP
1,317 posts
 
No, it does not surprise me John.

The only "problem" I have with your scenario about R&D costs is that it is the same for the rest of the industry.

Brian
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
The only "problem" I have with your scenario about R&D costs is that it is the same for the rest of the industry.

Brian


Believe me, I can't justify the cost of cables at all. I'm just saying that those that I have heard try to explain it, point to the ever elusive and inexplicable 'R&D', as a coverall expense.

Maybe, since they have the same 'R&D' as say a speaker manufacturer, the cable manufacturer feels the need to make the same net profit per unit sold to cover the costs for the same 'R&D' as the speaker manufacturer.

The only ones that know aren't talking, so we are left to surmise the reasons.

John
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