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Speaker cables: $3000 or $380. What do you get??

I happened to be patrolling the cables category today to see what was on sale below $600 for speaker cable in VGC. I was not surprised to see speaker cables costing up to $9000 for a 8 to 10 foot single wire pair.

This question has been ask before on this blog: So what do you get for $3000 per 8 foot wire versus $380 pair of speaker wire, say like Anti-Cables Reference 3 or Audio Art SC5E against Audience or Transparent Audio, or even Kimber Kables 3038 speaker wire?? Is there a significant and marked audible difference in the sound?? Does it depend on the speaker, e.g. Wilson's Alexandria III, or Focal's Grand Utopia?? and the ancillary electronics to drive these beast??

Like to hear some opinions from members who have owned some of the higher priced cables, but possibly switched down to cables between $1000 to $1500, or possibly less.
sunnyjim
sunnyjim OP
927 posts
 
Nice looking system; I wish I had that amount of space. Anti-Cables is a definite possibility. They now offer upgraded models, the highest being the Reference 3; the speaker cable is surely not expensive and worth a try. My only gripe is the cable is like coat hanger metal. Thanks for the input.

Did you ever try the Clear Audio Double Helix, marketed by Mapleshade Audio, an internet company?? Several members have recommended the speaker wire. Unfortunately, they offer no discount or specials Thanks for the input, Jim
jl35
4,025 posts
 
I have two pair of the Mapleshade Double Helix Plus, and they are outstanding, worth the cost over the basic Mapleshade cables. They come up on Audiogon semi regularly and are an easy sell if you don't like them. Their ribbon jumpers are also excellent if you biwire.
sunnyjim OP
927 posts
 
J135, I have heard this before about the Double Helix; does the "plus" version worth the extra money?? In what way are they outstanding?? Hopefully, they are very musical and make you want to listen to CD's and LP you have not played in a long while. Thanks for your input. Jim
jafant's avatar
jafant
19,804 posts
 
yes. it will be system dependent, the pay off is wonderful music! As a owner of Transparent cable/cords, this line of products does get better as one goes up the chain.
wolf_garcia
6,711 posts
 
Jedinite24...the Russell article is cool. My experience with better wire goes back to when I first saw Monster cable in a club that allowed an audio geek to wire everything with it. Looked GREAT. It was years later when I noticed my Vandersteen 1Bs sounded better when I scored my first set of AQ cables, then the flood gates opened for wire freaks. There are now too many options backed by psuedo science, myth, and, if you search hard enough, some truth. Since I remain a cheapskate I've found stuff that works great and looks cool by buying used but well regarded wire when I think I need it, and ignoring tweeks that make no sense.
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