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Cable Costs Relative to System

Since making a spread sheet with my audio system prices, I have been thinking(shocked) about my total investment in cables. My total system retails at $67,000 (Digital and analog front ends included). I purchased all of it here on Audiogon so my investment is about 50%. Of that I have about 10% invested in interconnects and cables and another 10% in Power Cables (Shunyata Hydra included). That's $13,000 worth of wire. I'm starting to question whether it might be more effective to put some of this budget into acitve components. It would take forever to listen to all possible combinations, but would like to hear others experiences with relatively high end systems and cable selection. It would seem to me that the point of diminishing returns would be reached sooner with cables than with speakers and amps. Do most of you follow the 10% "rule" for cabling? How do PCs fit into this rule? Are there any super bargain cables capable of keeping up with highly resolving electronics?
metaphysics
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
Two MORE years have gone by. Still ahve all the same components. I did buy a fre of the pangeaAC9SE cords. They did make an improvement in some areas.
Now i am buying a whole new set of interconencts. I tried one Cardasparsec and loved how it sounds. Bought another and now I am going 'all in'. Replacing all my main interconnects with Parsec. The total cost less trade ins and discounts so far is $1,850
With plans for two more pairs for an additional $650 (total would be $2,500)
I sold a few wires, and traded others i did not need anyway which helped keep the cost down some... Especially for my seven meter pre to amp cable.
The difference one meter of Parsec made was so significant, I am buying the whole setup worth.
At least the total cost of these interconencts is well under the 10% of system cost.
Which helps me keep things in perspective.
I like what the Parsec does for my system's sound. No question. For others who knows.

OI never bought all one cable before. though I did have a lot of Kimber cables up to now.
pops
1,847 posts
 
I was just contemplating this very issue last night as I was fooling around in my audio room and it just struck me that my speaker cables, PAD Proteus Provectus, list for about what my Thiel CS6's do.

I bought both on a heavy discount but it seems insane, I love the sound so I just file it away as paradoxical.
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,483 posts
 
@ pops, we know cables can make a difference, just depends on the cable and everything else in the system, To me the cables are the most profound part of a given system, I have used top cables on inferrior componets to result better than high cost componets many times over!, the cables are a componet!
pops
1,847 posts
 
No doubt Audiolab - as you very well know I am in that camp! LOL - it just seems strange...thats all! 350 lbs of speaker with wire, drivers, parts, furniture and then.....a wire. Some things you just can't understand like for instance.....how does the beam me up on Star Trek work? Or the phasers - I could use one of those - set to stun only of course...
budburma
210 posts
 
An old thread, with age old pondering and always new thinking! Surprise! Long ago and far away, my cable costs rocketed likely eclipsing the cost of the rest of my gear now. For me, it's apparent/obvious that cables are an essential component to bring out the best in a system or from a component. Definitely easier to tune in a system with cables than changing the gear, especially since most of us have spent a lot of time finding the right combo of gear. I think sinking money into power cables and interconnects is a great way to get the best out your system, for sure. Still muddling about with it somewhat, especially speaker cabling. But what a good time!
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