can u cut longer interconnects and reterminate?

>>Usually one pays a premium for the 1st meter and then a fraction for an additional meter. What prevents someone purchasing a long cable, say 20 meters, and ask the manufacturer reterminate to 19 one meter cable, keep some and sell the rest?

It is common knowledge for dealers to order a longer, custom length of NordOst higher end, e.g. Valhalla and then sell it in pieces, reaping huge profits. NordOst stopped delivering custom length.

The first meter is always going to be much more expensive because they contain the connectors. Just to give you an example, a quad set of WBT Nextgen RCA plug costs anything between $160 to 300!

There are some interconnects and speaker cables with some sort of built in network (e.g., NBS) that means that the cable is "tuned" for a specific length and should not be shortened. Also, some cables are fairly hard to strip and properly re-terminate because they have many tiny conductors that are individually insulated (e.g., Nordost); unless you have a solder pot, these types should be re-terminated by the manufacturer.

If you know what you are doing, you probably can do it yourself. If you screw up, a professional can still probably undo the damage and get it right.

06-24-13: Lall
The first meter is always going to be much more expensive because they contain the connectors. Just to give you an example, a quad set of WBT Nextgen RCA plug costs anything between $160 to 300!
Lall (System | Threads | Answers | This Thread)

1 Meter of High Fidelity CT-1 Ultimate IC is $4900 and 2 Meters is $5800. So the RCA plugs are ~$3900??

You always get a lower per unit cost if buying bulk. COSTCO ... higher quantity at lower price but companies still makes a profit.

You can't buy bulk, return each item individually and request a refund for price of one item. I know some will disagree and call it "cheesy".

Most companies do make the first increment of length much more expensive than any additional increments so that a two or three meter interconnect is not much more expensive than a one meter interconnect. The exceptions include companies, like Audionote which charge the same rate per meter for the wire, plus a fixed charge for the termination/rca or xlr plug. The fixed rate approach discourages people from buying an extra long interconnect in order to make several sets of interconnects. This was bad news for me because I really did need a 4 meter interconnect to run from my linestage to the amp, and Audionote Sogon is NOT cheap.