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Interconnects:Dazed and Confused

I am fairly new to the high end audio world. I am switching from an integrated amp to separates, so I am in the market for new interconnects. I have been reading reviews by professionals, and cable threads on audiogon and audio asylum.
I would appreciate some comments from those more experienced than I.
I read reviews and comments about IC’s that cost under $900 made by Shunyata, Luminous, TG Audio and others and people rave about them. I then read about IC’s that cost between $3,000-$10,000 made by Nordost, Jena Labs and others and people rave about them.
I have not had the pleasure of auditioning a $5,000 IC. I am wondering if the people who rave about the less expensive IC’s got a chance to try several of the high price models would they be willing to go back to their lower priced cables if cost were no object; or would they hear such a difference that they could never go back?
I know everything is system dependent, but I guess I am wondering if a $500 interconnect could be just as satisfying as a $5,000 one. Does a great review for a $500 IC mean for this money this is great or does it mean I don’t want a Jena Labs Pathfinder ($6,000) this is it as far as sound is concerned?
Thanks for your thoughts
graub
rcrump
427 posts
 
Dark Side is child's play......Go get "After the Dance" by Bert Jansch and John Renbourn on Shanachie label (99006) and note the dog barking in the other end of the house from the recording venue. This was recorded on tracks 4, 12 & 15......On track 4, Goodbye Porkpie Hat, there is a doorbell at 1:57 into the cut and the dog goes to the door and at 2:11-2:25 and there is commotion with the dog coming from likely fifty feet away at the front door through good English lath and plaster.....Most systems will not reproduce much of this and doubt the mastering folks even heard it or they would have done a retake.....Track 12 has two dog barks and track 15 has three and suggest Q-Tips before listening to these tracks....Oh, the CD has better dog barks and the analog has a better door bell if one could find the vinyl......Great test of low level resolution on any system.....If everything is working then sounds like the dog is next door outside the listening room on track 4..........Tracks 12 and 15 are very subtle BTW......
graub OP
5 posts
 
Thanks for the advice and suggestions. The message I am getting is big money doesn't necessarily mean better music.I will take some time to audition some reasonably priced IC's.
bpwalsh
1,207 posts
 
Home trial is extremely important as many have pointed out, and knowing what works well together is, too. It is too easy for people to buy stuff online without ever listening to it first, and to make purchasing decisions based upon reviews and price is foolhardy. After you've been around the block a few times and have spent a lot of time and money changing stuff either because it doesn't work as well as you thought it would or because there's a new-and-improved version (some small time vendors are especially guilty of this), you get tired of it and realize you would have been better off buying something you know works very well because you've tried it and that it will not be quickly outmoded by the next new toy or version that comes along. Buying something sight unseen and unheard with the promise of money back if you're not satisfied is, in my biased opinion, not the right thing to do for several reasons. You may not find the right thing the first time around, and most people are reluctant to return something. You're not getting the chance to audition it before plunking down your money. Advice and service are important. Why spend $50 several times over instead of spending $200 once on something you know is the correct solution? The commoditization of the industry is surely the path to its demise.
unsound
7,344 posts
 
Essentialaudio, don't you think, that for those that are not in the know, you should mention that you're a dealer?
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Bob - I have one for you. It's Andreas Vollenwider, Trilogy two-disk set. One of the tracks has several dogs barking, but one is actually behind you. Only well-tuned systems put the dog behind you in 2-channel stereo. Quite convincing though.

Also lots of tinkling glass and canoe paddles in water on these disks. Not a superb recording, but not bad.
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