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How to allocate my cable dollars.

I have a Classe processor (SSP-800), McIntosh amps (501), and B&W speakers (802). I've been talking to my hi-end audio store about upgrading cables. My current cables are rather inexpensive generic cables. How do I allocate my dollars between, interconnects, power cables, speaker wire, and HDMI cables? On which cables should I spend the most and where the least? Where does higher dollars spent result in the most bang for the buck?
stockinv
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inna
7,296 posts
 
Interconnect from the source and power cord for the preamp are very important. Then the interconnect from the preamp and power cord for the source. Then speaker cables. Then power cord for the amp. Playing with power conditioners would be the last thing to do when the system is complete.
As for the proportions, I advocate the figure of about 20% the cost of entire system not 10%. This doesn't include power conditioners.
gshepardbuster's avatar
gshepardbuster
620 posts
 
I would focus on ICs, then speaker wire, and only then mess with power cords. IMO the dedicated lines I ran did as much or more as any power cords or condtioner. I do have upgraded PCs and a cheap conditioner but the differences were not as great as the ICs and speaker wire. Another thing is on the lower end ICs the xlrs are much cleaner than rcas IMO.
bjesien
1,321 posts
 
I'm more on line with 20% too. This probably doesn't include the QX4 and QB8. Only you can judge and try to it with some sort of blind comparison. The changes are typically not shocking but should be closer to natural if that makes sense.
meiwan
399 posts
 
I've been playing with cables for a while, and settled on spending about equal on interconnects and speaker cables, about half that on power cables. I guess if you work it out, that's about equal for each individual cable (since power cables are singles).

In order of impact - interconnects, power cable, speaker cable.

Total of about 20% of your system is good.

A decent HDMI cable is worth it, as others have said.
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