Blowed Fuse
ok ok ok….. It’s just a little pin prick
Cash is great hearing aidI can, I can hear the difference. Can you send the 16K$ by Paypal?I can also accept cash
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How much to spend on cables?
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Quadman2
Lunatic Member
Cash is great hearing aid
Got a bud who claims that he's spent $8k on some new "hearing aids".
Another future thread on this... aspect of "hearing", eh?
Q
jqp
Well-Known Member
A few years ago I did buy a 50' roll of low capacitance shielded microphone cable. I think it was about 25 cents a foot and it is a terrific cable, nice and flexible. Measured capacitance is 19pF per foot and it's very useful in making turntable interconnects for Audio Technica cartridges, for CD-4 use or any cartridge requiring a low capacitance load. Super easy to get a the"C" load presented to a phono preamp under 100pF. I also buy thrift store cables if they have solder type connectors, just to use the connectors. Component video cables often have nice gold colored connectors with a spring strain relief and you get 6 connectors per cable set. Usually a buck or two.
#3 applies!!!!
Never worried about it much to be honest.
I ran across a local hardware store selling off 250 foot rolls of 12ga RCA branded “speaker” wire many years ago. 15 bucks got me 3 rolls. Haven’t had to buy wire since and probably never will. I’ve wired many cars, trucks, home theaters, stereo’s etc for years and have yet to go through one full roll. Might have gone a little overboard with 3 rolls, but meh. It was only 15 bucks…
For interconnects, I watch the thrift stores mostly. Good stuff shows up from time to time as estate sales clean out the local area. I also grab the video cables when they have the nice ends on them. As mentioned above, its a cheap way to get 6 good RCA ends at once for a couple bucks.
Other than that, I pick up good sized RCA cables wherever I run across them (clearance, bargain basement sales, discontinued, etc) and have a preference for the “gold plated” spring loaded ends.
I’d like to say the preference for “gold plating” is about corrosion resistance or superior electrical connections, but that would be a little white lie. It’s mostly about that “bling” look for me.
I just like the look of a gold connectors on the ends of the RCA’s.
I ran across a local hardware store selling off 250 foot rolls of 12ga RCA branded “speaker” wire many years ago. 15 bucks got me 3 rolls. Haven’t had to buy wire since and probably never will. I’ve wired many cars, trucks, home theaters, stereo’s etc for years and have yet to go through one full roll. Might have gone a little overboard with 3 rolls, but meh. It was only 15 bucks…
For interconnects, I watch the thrift stores mostly. Good stuff shows up from time to time as estate sales clean out the local area. I also grab the video cables when they have the nice ends on them. As mentioned above, its a cheap way to get 6 good RCA ends at once for a couple bucks.
Other than that, I pick up good sized RCA cables wherever I run across them (clearance, bargain basement sales, discontinued, etc) and have a preference for the “gold plated” spring loaded ends.
I’d like to say the preference for “gold plating” is about corrosion resistance or superior electrical connections, but that would be a little white lie. It’s mostly about that “bling” look for me.
I just like the look of a gold connectors on the ends of the RCA’s.
freeisforme
Member
Personally, I could never really hear any difference between $2 or $99 cables.
I use mostly what ever I have on hand, mostly, if its a decent system, I'll grab some higher end automotive audio cables that i've got. They were something they sold at a shop I worked at in the late 90's. 14k gold plated ends with 16ga copper conductors. I forget the brand, but they were the mid grade cable there.
The had three grades. When they closed up suddenly, (the owner died), we were asked to stay till the last day the following week to get the last few jobs completed, I was the only one who stayed. I sort of knew there'd be pay issues so I paid my self as we went and when the last day came, they told me to toss everything that was left in the dumpster, lock the keys in the building and go home. That dumpster had a tailgate that looked a lot like the one on my truck.
The sales pitch we got from the sales rep touted that they were being made by Nippondenso, but they were branded Audio Quest. They were getting big money for them back then. To me, their too heavy and don't lay well off the back of the preamp.
I have a lifetime supply of those 3ft connectors, in both the mid and lower grade cables, but both are supposedly 14k gold plated. The mid grade is just thicker insulated with a RF shielding as well. The cheaper cables are just 16ga parallel cable with molded ends. Strength wise, you could probably tow a car with them.
I can't tell the difference in any of them, including the high end Nakamichi set I've got.
I use mostly what ever I have on hand, mostly, if its a decent system, I'll grab some higher end automotive audio cables that i've got. They were something they sold at a shop I worked at in the late 90's. 14k gold plated ends with 16ga copper conductors. I forget the brand, but they were the mid grade cable there.
The had three grades. When they closed up suddenly, (the owner died), we were asked to stay till the last day the following week to get the last few jobs completed, I was the only one who stayed. I sort of knew there'd be pay issues so I paid my self as we went and when the last day came, they told me to toss everything that was left in the dumpster, lock the keys in the building and go home. That dumpster had a tailgate that looked a lot like the one on my truck.
The sales pitch we got from the sales rep touted that they were being made by Nippondenso, but they were branded Audio Quest. They were getting big money for them back then. To me, their too heavy and don't lay well off the back of the preamp.
I have a lifetime supply of those 3ft connectors, in both the mid and lower grade cables, but both are supposedly 14k gold plated. The mid grade is just thicker insulated with a RF shielding as well. The cheaper cables are just 16ga parallel cable with molded ends. Strength wise, you could probably tow a car with them.
I can't tell the difference in any of them, including the high end Nakamichi set I've got.
Danathepill
Well-Known Member
Had a 80 year old guy tell me how amazing his $5,000 power cord sounded. I have t cared about cables since
Pyrrho
Super Member
When subjected to proper scientific testing, neither can other people. The trick is, to get people to refuse to consider science, and just "let their ears decide," and then one can get a lot of money selling wires.
Angsty1
Member
I switched my entire RCA cable set out a couple of years ago to BJC LC-1. Although I can solder interconnects, I prefer not to do so. I swapped out older second-hand Straightwire Symphony II cables whose outer jackets had become sticky with age.
The BJC RCA cables are well constructed, low capacitance, double braid shielded and priced at a level that I don’t mind the expenditure. I use 12 gauge zip cord for my speakers with a ~10 foot run. As a fraction of my system expenditure, far less than 15%. YMMV.
The BJC RCA cables are well constructed, low capacitance, double braid shielded and priced at a level that I don’t mind the expenditure. I use 12 gauge zip cord for my speakers with a ~10 foot run. As a fraction of my system expenditure, far less than 15%. YMMV.
I always found it interesting that the folks that want to penny pinch on cabling don't realize that the better stuff can be bought used for about the same price as BJ cables.
Another caveat worth mentioning; if the better stuff doesn't make a difference it can be resold for the same price or possibly more. Then they could go back to htib cabling with firsthand knowledge that unshielded rca's and 22 gauge speaker wire are the way to go in their rig.
Another caveat worth mentioning; if the better stuff doesn't make a difference it can be resold for the same price or possibly more. Then they could go back to htib cabling with firsthand knowledge that unshielded rca's and 22 gauge speaker wire are the way to go in their rig.
M1911
Active Member
I call Moon Audio and buy their Crosslink or Cardas Clear Cables ranging from $100~$400 depending if USB, Interconnects, Headphone, or Speaker Cables.
Solid construction, fit-n-finish, and never a problem.
Percentage? Certainly less than 10%.....probably more like 5% of component value
Solid construction, fit-n-finish, and never a problem.
Percentage? Certainly less than 10%.....probably more like 5% of component value
Angsty1
Member
IMHO, the BJC stuff is as good as any on the market in getting the engineering right. I’m not one that subscribes to cables having a “sound”. In my view, cables should be entirely neutral if everything is functioning as it should.
I particularly liked it when I could find BJC used for a discount. “So they toss it and leave it, and I pull up quick to retrieve it”!
Angsty1
Member
Not mad about wireless speakers being the future. If I we’re looking to outfit a second home, I’d buy KEF L60’s. As it is, I’m pretty happy with my early Nineties vintage setup.Soon, we won't even need cables with new wireless components. Then, only the vintage fans will be left with this dilemma, and they can tell us how science proves that their cheap cables are better than no cables.
RVT1K
Super Member
Soon, we won't even need cables with new wireless components.
And then the "debates" will rage over femtoseconds of clock jitter.
jayvis
Addicted Member
And EMI and RFI, etc. The science behind that will surely validate the superiority of $2 cables.
Capitol C
Well-Known Member
Use basic RCA cables for everything but speaker cables. Use lamp cord for speaker cables, choosing the gauge based on the length of the speaker cables. A buck a foot for the speaker cables and 10 bucks apiece for RCA cables.. Ballpark a hundred bucks. Divide by the price of your equipment to get a precentage.
jayvis
Addicted Member
That could be 50% for many people on AK.
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