Cable vs. Electronics: biggest bang for the buck

Hshapiro - for a guy with Spectral gear and who has been "required" to use MIT cables for a long time... until you risked using VD.... You sure seem convinced that you know a lot about cables.

Having only two cables in your system, how did you get so much knowledge and become such an expert?

First - regarding the NORDOST demo. You misread what I wrote. They are not removing internal wire from within the Boom-Box. They ARE removing and replacing the speaker wires only. Re-read it.

The combined general concensus on Audiogon and one that I agree with (and fight diligently to defend) is that there is no single cable that will work best in every system.

Which means that the best cable for any given system is dependent upon what the system is.

In my collection of "systems" I have what I call a pretty cheap and crappy system . It might retail for $500 total... But maybe less.. This system uses Audioquest Lapis cables (which retailed for about $800 - I think). In my honest oppinion, the Audioquest cables help the system tremendously - in fact, the improvement is huge.

This experience seems to contradict what YOU repeatedly state that, "good cables cannot help a bad system". So each time you state that, you are telling me that I cannot hear, I cannot determine for myself what sounds better and I resent that.

As for the "tone" issue you have with me... I will reply to that later - to help you understand where I am coming from.

I have read many of your posts and believe you are a great contributor to this site and seem like an awful nice guy. Therefore it troubles me to be in such a heated and at times - confusing, discussion with you.

I will reply to your post later. But... Please in the future when you quote me use the "quote markup tags" (by clicking on the link above or as described in the link at the bottom of the text entry window) so people don't confuse who says what. However, I doubt by now anyone really cares or is reading this stuff:)

Audioengr - re-read the post. I was being sarcastic to Hshapiro... I think you are confusing who said what.

And.. in the process confusing yourself... see below.. I know what you intended to say and it makes sense but reads a little strange.

Audioengr wrote: Cables can only color the sound and thereby conceal weakness in the components of a system. This is how good cables can highlight weaknesses in a given system.

If a cable conceals a weakness that is a good thing. The system will sound better... if a cable highlights a weakness whos to say that the real weakness didn't come from the cable?

Me thinks the only ones who would blame the system instead of the cable would be quasi-cable manufacturers don't you?

So you're telling me that if I put an Empirical cable in my system and it sounds bad that I need to buy different components? You are funny!!!!

I'm afraid I've created a monster!

Nrchy, at least you had the Purist of intentions :^).

Audioengr - taking in to account the following information in your quotes below:

Audioengr wrote on 09-09-02:

I disagree. Until you have heard a superior system where there are no "weak links", one that is wired with truly low-loss IC's and speaker cables, you will not know what I am talking about. This "tone-control" mentality is what makes it really difficult to get an even playing field to compare cable performance.

Audioengr wrote on 09-10-02:

As for my system, I have 3, so I will describe my reference:

Source: Sony DVP-S7700 transport
Pre: Proceed AVP
Amp: Coda 10.5
Spkrs: KEF reference 104/2
Cables: Empirical Audio

Based on your own logic, a reference system has no weak links. Everything is equal. No single component is better than the next. If something were better or worse it would stick out like a sore thumb, because good cables highlight weaknesses, and reveal problems.

Continuing with your profound logic and through my own deductive reasoning - I can safely assume that the cables your produce are equal to and no better than a Sony DVD player which is no longer in production.

If the cables were better than the DVD Player, you would have been able to identify it as a possible weak link. In a system, an audio signal does not get better than the source that produces it.

Therefore I must say, I am not impressed.