The only expensive i/c cable I've ever bought is Kimber KCAG 18 years ago (and compared with the prices of some these days, they're not wildly costly). Despite a few detours since, I've still not heard anything I prefer.
When I bought Bryston amp's, I had my Kimbers reterminated with Neutrik XLR's for balanced operation but, because I bought the base-level plugs with nickel-plated pins and the job was done by someone who used low-grade solder, it was a backward step that basically spoiled a hitherto excellent cable. So I had them re-done, again with Neutrik XLR's but this time the ones with silver-plated pins. The transformation was very worthwhile and, after a couple of weeks of burn-in (yes, plugs and solder need to burn in too), they sound better than ever, especially in the bass. In the mid and treble they're a bit on the lean side but, in the context of a very powerful system in a less than vast room, that's no bad thing. They aren't champions in the soundstaging/imaging department, but they largely make up for it with excellent transparency, detail, separation and resolution. As I write, I'm just burning in my second pair that I've had reterminated with Furutech XLR's (with gold-plated pins). Whether or not the higher cost of the Furutech's turns out to be worthwhile remains to be seen. What I can say is that Kimber KCAG is better than the vastly less expensive Van Damme Tour Grade Classic XKE Starquad microphone cable that PMC recommend for use between Bryston components, though not by a huge margin so, if you're on a budget and want an excellent inexpensive i/c cable, the Van Damme is as good a place as any to start. Being mainly a pro-audio cable (and used widely in many such applications), Van Damme doesn't get much, if any, coverage in the home audio press, probably because it rivals cables costing very much more, made by companies who contribute significantly the advertising revenues of most of the mag's, but it's certainly a very good benchmark against which to reference costlier alternatives.
Connect Audio in Slough do a very good (and quick) job making up whatever length you may want and terminated with whatever plugs you care to specify. A 1.2m pair only costs about £30, which in this game is peanuts. If, for some reason, I were to be denied my beloved Kimber KCAG's, I could (just about) live with a pair of Van Dammes instead. Connect Audio also have the equipment and skills needed to remove poor quality solder from i/c's that need reterminating using better stuff (they always use WBT silver solder). I recommend tham highly.
When I bought Bryston amp's, I had my Kimbers reterminated with Neutrik XLR's for balanced operation but, because I bought the base-level plugs with nickel-plated pins and the job was done by someone who used low-grade solder, it was a backward step that basically spoiled a hitherto excellent cable. So I had them re-done, again with Neutrik XLR's but this time the ones with silver-plated pins. The transformation was very worthwhile and, after a couple of weeks of burn-in (yes, plugs and solder need to burn in too), they sound better than ever, especially in the bass. In the mid and treble they're a bit on the lean side but, in the context of a very powerful system in a less than vast room, that's no bad thing. They aren't champions in the soundstaging/imaging department, but they largely make up for it with excellent transparency, detail, separation and resolution. As I write, I'm just burning in my second pair that I've had reterminated with Furutech XLR's (with gold-plated pins). Whether or not the higher cost of the Furutech's turns out to be worthwhile remains to be seen. What I can say is that Kimber KCAG is better than the vastly less expensive Van Damme Tour Grade Classic XKE Starquad microphone cable that PMC recommend for use between Bryston components, though not by a huge margin so, if you're on a budget and want an excellent inexpensive i/c cable, the Van Damme is as good a place as any to start. Being mainly a pro-audio cable (and used widely in many such applications), Van Damme doesn't get much, if any, coverage in the home audio press, probably because it rivals cables costing very much more, made by companies who contribute significantly the advertising revenues of most of the mag's, but it's certainly a very good benchmark against which to reference costlier alternatives.
Connect Audio in Slough do a very good (and quick) job making up whatever length you may want and terminated with whatever plugs you care to specify. A 1.2m pair only costs about £30, which in this game is peanuts. If, for some reason, I were to be denied my beloved Kimber KCAG's, I could (just about) live with a pair of Van Dammes instead. Connect Audio also have the equipment and skills needed to remove poor quality solder from i/c's that need reterminating using better stuff (they always use WBT silver solder). I recommend tham highly.