Every Time I Convince Myself Cables Cost Crazy Money I Find I Cant Agree With Myself

No worries Mr Pig - I get what you are saying and I think what you are doing is what we all are trying do. That is - find "the sound" that we want from our systems. If we accept that cables are kind of an "icing on the cake" sort of tweak, then of course it makes sense you would want to see if there is still a little more "good" that can be coaxed from your system.

From there though, it's a minefield. Prices are all over the place for wire, trying to A/B them can be difficult or impossible, and longer term changes need time to settle in. Trying to solve an equation with too many variables is the definition of impossible, and I think for many of us (myself included) the "cable variable" - given how many each system has - just flat out scares people away.

This being an audio website and this in particular being an open place to discuss any and all changes without pressure, I don't want to come off as close minded. I openly admit that cables can make a difference. I enjoy reading lengthy posts from members who are willing to try anything and everything in search of audio bliss. I just hope it's OK for us to say "good luck with that" and stop and some point on the trail and wish y'all well.

Keep up the great work Mr. Pig - you are truly taking one for the team !

jblnut
 
My systems are not at a level where I think high priced cables would make a difference. I use good all copper wire of what I feel is an appropriate gauge with well made connections and call it good.:biggrin:
:lurk:

I'm in this camp. Plus, in my opinion, room treatments are going to be needed before I go down the cable path...I would think they would have a more dramatic effect on the sound. And room treatments aren't going to happen until I get into my "forever" house, so it's a good excuse to put off messing with expensive cables until then :) Until then, I'll just read the musings of the pig.
 
I also enjoy the musings of the Pig. Along the lines of the original puzzlement, I would suggest an “anchor chain” and it being only as strong as its weakest link is not really an appropriate metaphor for complex electronic systems. There are too many factors in the way each piece plays, electrically, with the component in front of and behind it.
 
I will say the Silver Apex is a very nice interconnect, its one of the better ones I have encountered. What is interesting is how even it is in tonal balance, it certainly does not suffer from the stereotypical limitations of a silver/copper hybrid cable. It has a nice richness in the lower mids that is quite satisfying. Detail, layering, sound stage is expansive, it has excellent imaging properties. I am pretty satisfied with these, and a noticeable improvement over the Solo Crystals, which they should be given the difference in price.

Regards
Mister Pig
 
I have to agree with Mister Pig here on this issue based on my personal experiences. Granted, I have a fairly modest system, but I still want to get the most out of it and the best sound quality that it can produce. I have found that upgrading interconnects definitely helps to do that. I have used Audioquest cables for years, whereas they have a very wide array of quality choices, from economy to extreme audiophile models. When first starting out down this road, I was purchasing the most affordable (cheapest) cables they had to offer. Every year or so I would upgrade to the next level of quality in their different series of cables, and every time I would notice that the SQ would improve. The sound stage would widen a bit and the dynamics and depth of the music would increase. I'm not up on all the jargon used to describe the intricacies of sound qualities in music, but I know my system and listen to it everyday. So when I can hear a change in the dynamics of the sound after upgrading a cable, I know that cables make a difference. I'll be saving up this next year for a few pairs of the Silver Apex!
 
I would have to do a lot of upgrades before I would even think about cables, if I believed in cables. And I don't, except for hearing a difference between small gauge and large gauge speaker cables. And there is no cable worth more than a dinner at Red Lobster, IMHO..

1.Room treatment. (Sitting 3 feet in front of me. My cats haven't started playing with the green plastic on the room panels..yet) Makes more difference than 2 or 3 for less money.
2 Better preamp Probably will upgrade to a friend's big buck Marantz HTR when he gets the upgrade bug in a year.
3 Better amp. A big old one with pretty meters on it to run the fronts.
4.Better speakers. Not unsatisfied with the ones I have. Won't happen soon, except for surrounds.
5.A lot of time working on the above
 
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