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does high end system need expensive speaker cable

Hi,

I have some nice gear...Wilson Watt Puppy 7 and BAT tube preamp VK51SE and Krell 400CX FPB and Cary 306-200 with Nordost and Cardas interconnects. I am currently using Nordost Red Dawn Speaker Cables which I had used with my less high end system I had last year. I have read some articles by industry bigwigs like the founder of McIntosh Electronics who snorted at the need for anything other than a good sturdy speaker cable. While I trust his judgment as to speaker cables, I disagree with that very argument when it comes to interconnects? Is there a need for high end speaker cables in a high end system? Has anyone tried to test that theory out?

Michael
radioheadokplayer
radioheadokplayer OP
181 posts
 
I thank everyone thus far for their input. I agree that expensive does not necessarily mean better or higher quality. I did not articulate well when I made my posting. I wanted to get input on whether going from a good to a great speaker cable make any difference in a high end system. It seems that most of the responses have been yes but that each system responds better to particular cables and that you need to test it out.

Michael
radioheadokplayer OP
181 posts
 
By the way,

I also forgot to mention that the system sounds great. I upgraded from Wilson Sophias Speakers and a Krell integrated amp and the difference is significant. It just that I have the bug of pushing the system to its capabilities and was curious if it could be even better.
s23chang
620 posts
 
IMHO,
If you already defined what sound you like from your system, a good neutral pair of speaker cables can only help you in terms of resolution, dynamic and imaging. Tonal quality shouldn't vary too much.
How do you define what's good enough for you is the difficult part done by critical listening.
I've auditioned from cheap radio shack, monster, lamp cord to expensive cables like audioquest, AZ, stealth UR, JPS, NBS Master, transparant MW Super...etc and then finally I made my own pure silver speaker cables and sold off everything else because it is better in my definition.
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