Cables more hype than value?

Mitch2,

So what you are trying to say is that if you choose your components carefully, then all you need the cables to do is transfer signal from one component to the next? That will probably make choosing the right cable a lot easier and far less costly. No?

Audiolabyrinth,

"I am one of the gentlemen you are referring to!, I believe cables are, if not more important than eanything in a system!, Thats my many, many years experience!, Its just an opinion!, like yours!, my cables cost way more than my entire system cost!, and my system is an exspensive one to me!, I have about $65,000.00 retail price!"

You must have a mean streak. You through out a comment like that and you don't even say what kind of cables you have! If they're that good, I need to get some. If I had to guess I'd say Kimber, or maybe Monster? Which one is it?

@ zd542, I own the Taralabs Zero gold I/c, Taralabs omega gold speaker cables, Omega jumper cables, and in the process in getting the rest of the loom!, The Taralabs cobalt a/c power cable!, I know, I am crazy!, I really like the sound of these cables!, Happy listening!

So what you are trying to say is that if you choose your components carefully, then all you need the cables to do is transfer signal from one component to the next? That will probably make choosing the right cable a lot easier and far less costly. No?

Not exactly, but rather that while different cables do sound different to me I have not found a good correlation between money spent and sound quality, and also that money spent on electronics and speakers generally offers greater improvements than on cables.

I am not saying that just any old wire will sound good. My SCs and ICs are multiple wire, solid core, thin gauge, high quality copper in a minimal natural dielectric. SCs are star quad configured with separate runs for LF and MF/HF in biwire. ICs are either consistently spaced single wire or braided multiple wire. They all have high quality connectors. The cables are as short as possible while facilitating a relaxed routing between gear. I spent a lot of years, and a lot of time, trying different manufactured cables and DIY cables and believing the next great thing would make a significant improvement but often being disappointed. I am sure there are great sounding cables out there and I would like to try them but I no longer feel compelled to keep trying new things.

Hey Mitch2, first let me say that I really like your preamp! Looking very nice! Bet it sounds great too! Would love to be able to collaborate with Steve have something similar done with my TLC-1 Deluxe. Do you have remote volume control? I really want to go all out, but I just cannot afford a VRE-1 at this time. I recently picked up a DNA-1 Deluxe with Gold Edition upgrades from SMcAudio. This tapped out my audio budget, but was well worth the price paid!

Next, I must tell you that the Tara Labs Air 1 sc and ic cabling in my system has changed the game for me. I experienced huge improvements in sound quality and musical enjoyment in comparison to the many cables I had tried in the past! So there are significantly better cables out there worth trying.

Hi Mitch2, I bet those Clayton M-300 amps sound incredible. I bet they have your AA 9 speakers in a vise-grip! I owned a pair of Clayton Audio M-100 monoblock amps a few years back, and IMHO, Wilson Shen and Stan Klyne are two of the best solid state designers in the business. I regret selling them. Steve McCormack does very good work as well.
Those three men put out products that consistently embarrass many more expensive, better advertised solid state gear.