How much money do you want to waste?

I love these cable threads. If you don't, then don't read them. I also like playing with cheap stuff and have even found a $40 per pair (actually sold as singles) interconnect that I prefer to Nordost Blue Heaven and Kimber Silver Steak (and above that $200 retail price point I won't go). You've never heard of the interconnects I use, and won't hear of them from me either.

Now, I've tried that Radio Shack Gold A/V cable that John Dunlavy wrote about a long time ago. I always thought it was a good bet for an inexpensive system, but maybe not.

I recently bought a Radio Shack $25 phono preamp out of curiosity, and figured what better to use with it than the Radio Shack interconnect? The sound? Well, a lot of groove noise and grain, forget about dynamic range. So then I connected a pair of Audioquest Ruby 2's. Much better, a lot less grain, almost listenable. I've always thought the AQ Ruby was sort of dull, designed to roll off edgy transistory highs from low cost cdps and amps.

So here's the question: Is the Radio Shack cable better than the Ruby because it reveals the true nature of the Little Rat phono preamp or is the Ruby better at carrying a signal? I have a hard time believing that the Radio Shack cable is the source of the coarse and grainy sound from Little Rat. How would a cable add grain?

ZAIKESMAN SPOKE MY MIND!
Folks, most of us KNOW cables make difference.
Most of us know that the effect is system dependent regardless of price.
Cable cos have every right to charge high prices for what they believe is their state of art cables.
Because there are people who have DEEP pockets( or there is one born every minute)
For thoes who bitch about high prices of these cables-its is case of sour grapes.
Most of these people will line up for these SOTA cables if they were to win a jack pot.
THE LAW OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND WORKS FOR CABLES TOO.
Lets us end the GEEKFEST right now!

End the geekfest? Might as well shut down Audiogon right now:

Cables are lots of fun because they are very mysterious, a cognitive black box...

Since the first day I hooked up some $100 cables to my system oh so many years ago, I was simply amazed by how much it improved the sound quality and how different cable designs and materials can alter the sonic characteristics of a system.

Even 'til this day, my amazement with cables hasn't died. As Neitzche says, "There is no original text," I believe there is no perfect cable. And like every novel, each cable has something different to offer, so, as long as people are enjoying their audio hobby, it is intrinsic for us to audition all types of cables with an open "ear," mega-buck or not.

Yah, cables are heavily over-priced, but so are everything else that isn't mass produced and are high quality.

Another thought, should we boycott all mega-bucks cables until they charge less? = D

Cable companies have a right to charge whatever they want, and consumers who can afford such extravagances are free to indulge. Some who can afford it but understand why it is that cables sound different will choose to spend their money in other ways. Those who can't afford it may choose to console themselves in the same way. Unfortunately, some people who want to spend big bucks on cable feel the need to rationalize this by denying the fact that most of these products are produced for pennies on the dollar.

Bomarc you are correct and the main point is you dont need to spend big money to get big sound.
People spending big bucks on cables are free to.Just dont propogate the lie that they are worth the money and someone who does not cant possibly have a good system.