Suggest affordable cable options


My current setup is as follows: Bowers and Wilkins CM10 s2 (speakers), Parasound A21 (amp), Cambridge Audio Azur 851D DAC/Preamp connected to the amp via balanced connectors.

I am currently using cheap Audioquest ($50) cables and have been advised by many at Agon that upgrading to better speaker wires would yield considerable results. Now, when it comes to cables I'm admittedly not so educated, so I can surely use some advise here.

I want to stay below $750 - open to both new or used. Someone at Audiogon suggested Clear Day cables which can be had for around $500 for the top option. My only concern is that B&W are already known to be a bit forward/bright, so adding silver cables, which also have a reputation to be a bit on the bright side (feel free to correct me if this assumption is just plain wrong), might not be the most prudent approach.

Unfortunately, the more I research the more I get confused. Some say that it's a waste of money, and that a wire is a wire is a wire. Others advise to stick with name brands such as Audioquest, Tara Labs, etc. While others swear by boutique but affordable options such as Clear Day cables. Usually, the reason given by this camp is that the cables are more affordable because they manufacturers don't have marketing overhead. However, I'm sure the more established companies have higher profit margins that potentially lead to bigger and better R&D.

Regardless, one thing is for sure -- I'm not in the mood to spend more than 30% of what my system is worth.
128x128arafiq
Wire is most definitely not wire. But it is not a function of budget, either, as Czar points out.

The physics comes directly from Maxwell's Equations: high inductance attenuates high frequency as a linear function of length, for currents in the loudspeaker range. Also, for currents in this range, dielectric absorption (DA) is not much of an issue, so teflon speaker cables don't confer much benefit over polyester. But they do cost a whole lot more.

In this case, inductance boils down to separation of the conductors: more separation, more inductance. I use two independent wires for speaker cable, and use the spacing as one method of tuning; mostly in my system I like runs of 50 cm, close together, to maintain high frequencies.

You might want to start with four pieces of 12 AWG wire, costing a few bucks, and see how it works for you. If it does work, invest in some Oxygen Free Copper wires. Never know, you might end up with a free cartridge from all the money you saved.

Zu Audio still has the Event Mk 1 for sale at discount. They are incredibly open and full range to boot and should be under your target price provided they're not very long runs.

All the best,
Nonoise

Don't listen to any advice except this: Buy used cables…seriously…people compulsively dump great sounding cables all the time and used wires have to be among the best buy you can make for a hifi rig, and if it was audiophile owned it's likely pampered…no moving parts, broken in already (uh huh)…you get the picture. Sell 'em on if they suck.
+1 to Cz's post.  While there are a number of good suggestions for inexpensive cables above, the ones you have are pretty good for the system you have as well.  If you want to change flavors, fine, do it as Wolf suggests buying used, but I'd stay with what you've got if you like the sound.  Wires can make a difference, but not always for the better, and price does not necessarily correlate with quality.
Try ( not necessary) to stay within the same family/general era of cables for IC, digital coax & speaker wires.  A great synergy occurs with year 2000 era or so Tara Labs top of line RSC-series cables...mine are Tara Labs RSC Reference ICs, Tara Labs Decade digital coax and Tara Labs RSC Prime biwire speaker cables. Super cost-effective in that, with some waiting for them to show up on Audiogon, they cost me total of less than $600.