Cable Costs Relative to System

Interesting question. For myself the cost for cable came to 3% of the system's total value of $35k. 0% went to power cables, but another 8% went into power line conditioners/filters. It's my opinion that too many audiophiles over spend on cables. Their systems are good enough to reveal the differences between cables, but that still begs the question whether they are a good value. I use Discovery +4 interconnects and Sumiko OCOS cable. Both are very good products, but I recognize that there are superior, and far more expensive, products out there. I'm not knocking expensive cable products, but I think the money can be better spent on music software, front end equipment or room treatments. BTW, I use an integrated amp (w/ phono). This contributes to keeping interconnect costs down.

Metaphysics- As for me, I think "it takes what it takes," regardless of the relative system percentage. Great cables are absolutely necessary, and rarely inexpensive. The same can be said about active devices as well. I'm sure that there are many who believe that money spent on an "active" component is a far wiser choice than "passive" cables. In terms of resale value, that may be true. However, I've found that without great cables, including powercords, (and their requisite expense) I don't have a full appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses (sonic) of the other components in my system. Your first dollar buys you the most sound. After that, everything could be viewed as diminishing returns. Your system is obviously at the level that cables and pc's can provide the subtle and not-so-subtle improvements necessary for you to more greatly enjoy reproduced audio. If you're doubting your expenditures in high-end cables, simply remove them from your system and determine for yourself if you still have the sound that pleases you. If you're after amazing cables for the money, I'd recommend Coincident Speaker Technology. If you want to spend more, I'd recommend FIM Gold series cables. How either of these compare to the prices of your current cables, I have no idea. However, the cost of your cables and their relative percentage of the system cost isn't the real issue. The real issue is whether you can be happy with the sound, and consequently the money spent (80% or roughly $27K) on the electronics in the system, without the high-end cables. My guess is NOT. Others may disagree, but your ears are the only tools you'll need to determine the answer. Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now. Just MHO.

In my opinion, most of the cables on the market can be duplicated using as good or better quality components for appr. 20% of the retail price. IF your handy at DIY and doing some careful research and shopping, you can typically make BETTER cords and cables than what most of reviewers are raving about for that month or two. Of course, it helps to have a little electronics knowledge and various tools and supplies at one's disposal in order to keep costs down. As such, i find buying "fancy cables" ( including power cords ) to be a vast waste of money in most cases. Besides that, i've found cables to be so extremely system and component dependent that spending BIG money on specific cables without first trying them in your system is quite foolish indeed. What might be "the latest & greatest" might actually make YOUR system perform noticeably poorer. This is NOT to say that i think that spending that kind of money on them is wrong for others to do, i just don't think that it is necessary in my specific situation. Besides that, it helps when you get all your supplies "wholesale". Sean

Having recently gained new interest in "upgrading" my system (some parts are 17 years old!) I got a Preamp, a DVD-A, and started spending $$$ on cables.
I HAD Kimber PBJ all around up top and AQ Midnight down below. Stickin' with the AQ as it's still good enough fer' my system. BUT got a wierd one foot silver pair of Kimber speaker stuff turned into a RCA pair. Ripped that apart and made 3 sets of "sorta" KCAG with the RCAs off the PBJ. Hey, sounds better!! I love silver!
So then I try the Zucable PC auctioned off here as of late.
Hmmm sounds wierd, (right off the PC cut my bass in half but gave the top new life. moved the PC out of the power conditioner and bass was back) but I can't go WITHOUT the PC. I try the system without the PC in and it sounds all woolly and dull.
So here I am, a NONBELIEVER in power cables really getting into powercables. Damn, I've spent several hunnert' bucks in the past month or so on cable stuff. Three G's for a real KCAG pair fer' mah pre/amp gap!
All I'm tryin to say is spend your BIG money on BIG stuff like AMPS and speakers, "killer" CD players. THEN play with the wire things. Buying 'em is easy in this site. and you can sell 'em if they suck (in your system!)(of course don't buy the ones I want!!!!! ha ha)
Oh... and mah system is round $11K and the wire stuff is 'round a thou' and rising fast!
Iwould NOT budget a bundle for cables... if I was start'n over I'd do what I done, build slow and savor the experience

i am flabbergasted that anyone would say that the purchase of a $3,000 power cord equates with a $15,000 increase in the price of an amp upgrade. where in the world did you come up with that figure? my system is worth considerably more (at msrp) than the one put together by metaphysics and none of it was bought used. all the wire in it comprises less than 5% of the total value. adding a $3,000 power cord to a $5,000 pramp is the equivalent, in my opinion, of stuffing a corvette engine into a geo metro; it may be faster off the line but it's still a metro.