2. cables
  3. 136769-457

DO CABLES REALLY MATTER?

Yes they do.  I’m not here to advocate for any particular brand but I’ve heard a lot and they do matter. High Fidelity reveal cables, Kubala Sosna Elation and Clarity Cable Natural. I’m having a listening session where all of them is doing a great job. I’ve had cables that were cheaper in my system but a nicely priced cable that matches your system is a must.  I’m not here to argue what I’m not hearing because I have a pretty good ear.  I’m enjoying these three brands today and each is presenting the music differently but very nicely. Those who say cables don’t matter. Get your ears checked.  I have a system that’s worth about 30 to 35k retail.  Now all of these brands are above 1k and up but they really are performing! What are your thoughts. 
calvinj
celander's avatar
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celander
1,036 posts
 
The OP stated in his intro that a nicely priced cable that matches one’s system is a must.

Why must the price of a cable ever need to factor into deciding whether the cable matches one’s system? And what’s the meaning of a cable “matching” one’s system? 
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
14,147 posts
 
No, that’s not really what the OP is saying. What he’s saying is for you little people with inexpensive systems you can use inexpensive cables and be fine, but for the big boys with expensive systems expensive cables will be better than those inexpensive cables the little people can afford.
celander's avatar
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celander
1,036 posts
 
@geoffkait thanks for clarifying. I was really, really confused on that point.

Good enough. Let’s put this thread to bed. 
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
To repeat an old saw: "Spending 10% of you system cost on the cabling is good advice for folks who have no idea how much to spend." This advice is NOT for knowledgeable audiophile nor for audiophiles who have a their own notions of ’what to spend’. Just for folks who may be confused and are not sure, the 10% ’rule’ more like suggestion, is a good enough place to start, for those who have no idea. And if you notice is totally MONEY related and an excellent suggestion.

sleepwalker65's avatar
sleepwalker65
486 posts
 
There’s plenty of snake oil in the cable business, and plenty of good value up until a quality threshold is reached. The law of diminishing returns comes into play here. Take speaker cables for example. You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars per foot to realize excellent performance. I’ve been using Monster Standard 12AWG cable in a bi-amp setup with a pair of vintage NAD integrated amplifiers (3025i and 3225PE), and I’m very happy with the results. These cables didn’t cost a fortune, heck, they only cost about $100 not including the Monster banana plugs that cost another $60. The results are there, and I’m happy. I bet most other people would be too. 
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