Twelve pages.. Has even one person’s opinion been changed by any/all reading this stuff? I doubt it.
But I will do my best to add something...
I have been interested in playing music on a decent stereo since 1965.When I got my first real stereo. Over thousand back in mid 60’s.. Fisher, Garrard, JBL. And the cheap IC that came with it. I made my own speaker cables out of 12 gauge Powercord wire and XLR connectors (so I could adjust the lengths as wanted) These wires ARE STILL IN USE TODAY by the person who bought that system from me in 1979 BTW.
As time went on, and somewhere early 1980s, IC became a upgrade item, and not a forgotten child.
I had a few baby step IC, and made some ICout of Mark Levinson $2 a foot wire and gold plated Radio Shack RCA. I used those for 30 years.. (which I still own with upgraded Vampire Tiffany RCA ends, but currently do not use)
I also collected a few wires just in the course of living. Kimber PBJ, used Kimber KCAG, Hero.. ..
Anyway, they all seemed OK, and I was really hard pressed to say any one of them sounded any different in my around $700 a pop for each component system.(though I had $3,200 speakers)
Fast forward to mid 90’s when I tried my first aftermarket powercord. THIS ONLY because it was selling for less than I could make a good one, on my own. The Pangea PC was the first wire I could really hear a repeatable change in the sound due to a wire on my Forte’4a amplifier. The bass in the music was definitely better WITH the Pangea.
By 2010 I retired, and splurged $35,000 on piles of new equipment.
(Some friends were stunned I would ’waste’ that much on stereo crap when I ’could’ have bought a new car instead)
That is when I started to be able to actually hear changes due to different models of Pangea power cords, and various IC.
I now had two power conditioners, and most of my electronics averaged $5K a pop.
At this point I owned a 7 meter Kimber Hero IC ($800) from preamp to amp. And it was good, but I felt it could be cleaner and less grunge.
And I tried a few other solutions which did not pan out. I had foolishly SOLD the Hero! (I returned one cable which was $1,400 as totally unsuitable) Then after trying a home made solution with $1000 worth of wire, which also was not so great I decided to splurge and go for a wire like the Hero I liked, but a step up. KImber KS1116 at 7 meters was $3000.(Gulp I really had to think about it and took TWO YEARS to decide) I went for it and it is perfect. So I bought a few 1.5 meter KS1016. Total $7,000. For wires.
I would NEVER tell someone they need to spend anything on wires. It is totally a personal quest for the best sound. And I have to say it can certainly be attained with Dime Store IC. The plan of spending 10% (or less) on all wires is still a good one for those uncertain what to allocate
I just thought I would post my experience so others might see the reasons for yes or no on their own quest for great sound.
It is true there are folks in any hobby, and naysayers who are also too narrow minded to see for themselves, and rely on trying to insult the folks who have experiences differing from their own..Just because you can’t see or hear it, does not mean other cannot.
The most telling stories are folks who USED to be naysayers.. until they discovered they COULD hear a difference..
Good luck.
But I will do my best to add something...
I have been interested in playing music on a decent stereo since 1965.When I got my first real stereo. Over thousand back in mid 60’s.. Fisher, Garrard, JBL. And the cheap IC that came with it. I made my own speaker cables out of 12 gauge Powercord wire and XLR connectors (so I could adjust the lengths as wanted) These wires ARE STILL IN USE TODAY by the person who bought that system from me in 1979 BTW.
As time went on, and somewhere early 1980s, IC became a upgrade item, and not a forgotten child.
I had a few baby step IC, and made some ICout of Mark Levinson $2 a foot wire and gold plated Radio Shack RCA. I used those for 30 years.. (which I still own with upgraded Vampire Tiffany RCA ends, but currently do not use)
I also collected a few wires just in the course of living. Kimber PBJ, used Kimber KCAG, Hero.. ..
Anyway, they all seemed OK, and I was really hard pressed to say any one of them sounded any different in my around $700 a pop for each component system.(though I had $3,200 speakers)
Fast forward to mid 90’s when I tried my first aftermarket powercord. THIS ONLY because it was selling for less than I could make a good one, on my own. The Pangea PC was the first wire I could really hear a repeatable change in the sound due to a wire on my Forte’4a amplifier. The bass in the music was definitely better WITH the Pangea.
By 2010 I retired, and splurged $35,000 on piles of new equipment.
(Some friends were stunned I would ’waste’ that much on stereo crap when I ’could’ have bought a new car instead)
That is when I started to be able to actually hear changes due to different models of Pangea power cords, and various IC.
I now had two power conditioners, and most of my electronics averaged $5K a pop.
At this point I owned a 7 meter Kimber Hero IC ($800) from preamp to amp. And it was good, but I felt it could be cleaner and less grunge.
And I tried a few other solutions which did not pan out. I had foolishly SOLD the Hero! (I returned one cable which was $1,400 as totally unsuitable) Then after trying a home made solution with $1000 worth of wire, which also was not so great I decided to splurge and go for a wire like the Hero I liked, but a step up. KImber KS1116 at 7 meters was $3000.(Gulp I really had to think about it and took TWO YEARS to decide) I went for it and it is perfect. So I bought a few 1.5 meter KS1016. Total $7,000. For wires.
I would NEVER tell someone they need to spend anything on wires. It is totally a personal quest for the best sound. And I have to say it can certainly be attained with Dime Store IC. The plan of spending 10% (or less) on all wires is still a good one for those uncertain what to allocate
I just thought I would post my experience so others might see the reasons for yes or no on their own quest for great sound.
It is true there are folks in any hobby, and naysayers who are also too narrow minded to see for themselves, and rely on trying to insult the folks who have experiences differing from their own..Just because you can’t see or hear it, does not mean other cannot.
The most telling stories are folks who USED to be naysayers.. until they discovered they COULD hear a difference..
Good luck.