Speaker Cable Shock!!!

Silver Member

Username: Kegger

MICHIGAN

Post Number: 373
Registered: Dec-03

Posted on Thursday, June 03, 2004 - 11:00 am:

you will get all kinds of different oppinions on
home audio cabling,also will find many threads
that have allready discussed this very touchy subject.

as it can get pretty heated.

my suggestion is buy descent cables like monster
or i have found acoustic research from best buy
is very nice for the price.

but don't buy into the hype of $300 cables.

your money could be much better spent elseware.
to me once you have descent cables their is no sonic
difference compaiered to higher end/more expensive ones.

it's just hype in my oppinion.

oknessaD

Bronze Member

Username: Oknessad

Post Number: 50
Registered: May-04

Posted on Thursday, June 03, 2004 - 11:12 am:

I fully agree with Kegger. There have been many tests (particularly I'm thinking of Audioholics.com tests) where 12 gauge zipcord has been run against an all silver cable and the like with very little difference and in most cases the more complicated expensive designs introduced interference.

There is something to be said if you want to pay a hundred bucks or more on cables if you want them to be pretty but you generally can't go wrong as long as it is a decent quality cable.

Personally, I have used bluejeanscable.com a couple of times because they use Belden wire which is one of the largest wire producers in the world (so i figure if they can run cables for miles without interference, i'm sure they can handle the couple meters i require) and they also use good terminations.

I'm sure I couldn't tell the difference between a higher end cable and the cheaper stuff but some people swear there is a difference. I say use that money to buy a more powerful amp, a dvd-audio player or something that you know will make a difference (and can be shown to do so on paper...)

Either way, Enjoy the music.

Silver Member

Username: Robertinchico

Post Number: 109
Registered: Apr-04

Posted on Thursday, June 03, 2004 - 01:18 pm:

The debate about cables inevitably centers around opinions, price reactions, personal theory, disbelief, scientific angles and other rationale.
Ultimately, the only thing that matters, if the cable/interconnects are used in YOUR private system is that YOU hear a difference, YOU find the cables worthwhile, YOU like your purchase and YOU want the cables in your system and YOUR equipment benefits from upgraded cables.
Personally, I take great pride in taking my cables and interconnects with me on serious speaker auditions and I demonstrate the audible difference to anyone that wants to have a listen. Salespeople are very co-operative if you are a serious listener.
I like Straight Wire brand cables & interconnects.
One last note about cables, don't anticipate any benefit from attaching expensive cables to RadioShack junk. Only better equipment has the potential to reveal it's sonic worth through better cables and interconnects.

oknessaD

Bronze Member

Username: Oknessad

Post Number: 52
Registered: May-04

Posted on Thursday, June 03, 2004 - 01:46 pm:

Chicobiker: I tend to agree with you. If you want to have pretty cables and sound good to you, then feel free to spend all the money you want as it creates profit for our economy etc etc. Doesn't bother me one bit if anyone wants to pay big bucks for cables on their own but it DOES bother me when people recommend expensive cables to someone asking what cable to buy. I am no engineer but I have read enough to feel that paying for anything more than a well shielded cable with good terminations is bunk.

For those wondering where I get my reading materials, here is a couple of links

http://home.austin.rr.com/tnulla/dunlavy6.htm
(this is a favorite)

http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/audioprinciples/cables.htm
(audioholics has a comprehensive cable section to help those in question find some quality information. Please note that audioholics has an advertising deal with cobalt cables which are not cheap, but they are not "high end" either. They developed this relationship with them only after testing some of their cables (with scientific equipment mind you...) and finding them to be among the best. Anyway, have a read, its quality information in my opinion.)

Chico, I don't mean to say you are wrong for buying expensive cables and hearing a difference. It is easy to hear a difference in a cable when you want to. The placebo effect is huge and is very human. If you give a sick person a sugar pill and tell them to get better, they have a much better chance of getting better than someone with no treatment. blah blah blah... k, I can be done but please, before we start some sort of flame war about cables (which i dont think would happen because we have very respectful and thoughtful posters here which is more than can be said about most boards) take the time to read and search for information that has already been posted. I hope my links help some. Chico, feel free to post some articles showing the benefits of higher end cable. I didn't have any at the top of my head.

Enjoy the music people! (with whatever cable you want!)

Admin

Moderator

Username: Admin

Post Number: 83
Registered: Dec-03

Posted on Thursday, June 03, 2004 - 03:35 pm:

A comprehensive list of cable articles can be found here:
http://www.ecoustics.com/Home/Accessories/Cables/Cable_Articles/

Also, this long thread is very interesting.
http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/5/6528.html

Tahoe Mick

Bronze Member

Username: Mixster

Lake Tahoe, NV

Post Number: 16
Registered: May-04

Posted on Thursday, June 03, 2004 - 03:53 pm:

Thanks for all of the input guys. This is an awesome forum.

J. Vigne

Unregistered guest

Posted on Thursday, June 03, 2004 - 05:57 pm:

Speaker cables, like interconnects or power cables, interact with your components and many times what you are hearing is the result of a sympathetic combination of resistance, inductance and capacitance among your equipment choices. There are some general, provable improvements to be had by using certain materials and techniques (Teflon has less EMF than polystyrene or polypropolene as a dielectric; parallel runs have less inductance but more capacitance than a twisted pair, gold is not as good a conductor as pure copper but copper oxidizes faster). To know which cable is best for a system is to know God! It is impossible with the information you are provided.
You should try a few cables to see if they make an audible and desirable change/improvement to your system. Not everyone listens for the same qualities in a system (just ask a few people to describe transparency in a system and see how many answers you get) and what may float one person's boat may sink yours.
It is true that lower quality components should be upgraded before a major investment in cables and accessories is attempted but many mid priced systems can be greatly improved by mere attention to details.
How much you spend on cables is how much is relative to your budget.
One of the best suggestion I have seen recently on cables and accessories is for every $ you spend on those items, send an equivalent amount to a charity of your choice for those who don't even have a radio. It is GUARANTEED to make your music sound better even when your system is not turned on. Try it you'll like it!

My Rantz

Silver Member

Username: Myrantz

Post Number: 339
Registered: Feb-04

Posted on Thursday, June 03, 2004 - 06:30 pm:

Nice one Jan! If that doesn't make the music sound better, it should it feel better.

"To know which cable is best for a system is to know God! It is impossible with the information you are provided."

That is about the best response to "What is the best cable" question I have ever read.

Silver Member

Username: Robertinchico

Post Number: 110
Registered: Apr-04

Posted on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 03:09 am:

As most arguments regarding cables do; all the posted responses in one form or another, will fall into the categories I mentioned earlier above in my first post. The cable debate is nothing new to me and I prefer Straight Wire brand. I find Monster Cable to be HORRID.
We have references to URL links, some circular arguments, some opinions, some scientific angles (where people invariiably throw around the terms inductance and resistance) and some diplomats and psychoacoustics analysts.
In a similar vein, where I had to chuckle, my neighbor has told me his older Fisher CD player is just as good as my NAD541i; since � quoting him exactly � �It�s all just zeroes and ones�
Well there you have it!
Needless to say, he didn�t appreciate my audio cable demonstration with my Paradigm Focus. I put his "spool" WIRE (from his Bose) on L channel and my Straight Wire sextett on the R channel; we L-R the balance controls and the sonic differences were night and day. So I didn�t even considering showing him my VIDEO cables!
Posters take note, there is also a specific CABLES link, at the very bottom of the HomeAudio Board Thread folders for all to read, post remarks, opinions, argue, debate � all in the best possible taste of course!

Silver Member

Username: Kegger

MICHIGAN

Post Number: 380
Registered: Dec-03

Posted on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 03:30 am:

i like oknessad's response their are some very
pretty colored straight wire cables to go on that
horendesly expensive and far superior equipment.

i see!
so if you have really expensive equipment get the
really expensive cables.

otherwise if you have midfi than buy midfi cables!

got it!

Silver Member

Username: Robertinchico

Post Number: 112
Registered: Apr-04

Posted on Friday, June 04, 2004 - 05:34 pm:

I think OknessaD may be somewhat unspecific on the use of the term pretty. I don't get cables for aesthic value, infact both my Sextet and Symphony cables are a rather ordinary dark blue, I get cable SOLELY for sonic reasons.
There may be some uncertainty with the translation and thought vs meaning - sometimes internet text eliminates other clues humans normally take note of.

goldenarrow

New member

Username: Goldenarrow

Post Number: 2
Registered: Jun-04

Posted on Monday, June 14, 2004 - 12:37 am:

Hi all,

I have also been shocked by speaker cable as well as interconnect cable costs. I recently have tried using 36 foot of CAT5 network cable as an interconnect to my sub-woofer amp (it was suggested only for use with bass frequencies). Sounds just fine to me even though I had to solder the Radio Shack RCA plugs myself. I am sure it can be improved upon but at this point, room reflections and speaker placements affect the sound more. If I had the *perfect* sound room, then I could probably start hearing differences between wires and designs. Until that time, I will have to stick with the least cost that does not color the signal too much.

It depends upon how much improvement in the sound you can actually hear vs. the cost spent. Is this reasonable?

Silver Member

Username: Robertinchico

Post Number: 140
Registered: Apr-04

Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 - 01:42 pm:

The cost, the perceived worth, the personal budget, the equipment's potential, the motivation and other factors determine where you put yourself in the "cable camp". If you are happy, then that's what counts the most.

Silver Member

Username: Elitefan1

Post Number: 443
Registered: Dec-03

Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 - 04:37 pm:

This past Saturday I tore apart my audio system because I bought a new rack. I figured this was the time to "upgrade" my speaker cable as I had been using Monster Standard [the grey 16 ga] for my three fronts and some 16 ga Radio Shack for my surrounds and my 50 foot run into the kitchen. Sound King wire from Parts Express has gotten several rave reviews on this site over the last several months so I thought I would give their 14 ga. a try with crimp pins. [What a pain in the butt!]. After 6 hours of work my system was back together and I find so far that overall I prefer my old cheap 16 ga Monster and Radio Shack to the new "upgraded" cable. It was so much work to pull the new wire and put the pins on I probably won't change back but I would not recommend the Sound King wire, especially if your system is already on the bright side. Mine is not but is more that way than before which I do not care for. Live and learn.

Bronze Member

Username: Elite

Post Number: 16
Registered: May-04

Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 - 07:01 pm:

this says it all
read and weep expensive cable dealers!

http://www.audioholics.com/FAQs/Audioquest.html

Silver Member

Username: Robertinchico

Post Number: 143
Registered: Apr-04

Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 12:58 pm:

Therealelitefan - I would suspect ANYONE would find no sonic improvement differences in any 14ga or 16ga WIRE of the length of runs you describe.
When I use the term CABLE, I a referring to the likes of Straight Wire Maestro, Symphony and Sextet C-A-B-L-E, not spool wire.
Joe - cable haters will always find an article to support their disposition. Hyundai owners will always state their cars have an engine and tires, just like a Corvette. So Corvette dealers read it and weep!
http:/www.hyundai-owners/comments.html.org

Silver Member

Username: Elitefan1

Post Number: 449
Registered: Dec-03

Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 03:21 pm:

Chicobiker,
Let me assure you only a deaf person could fail to hear the huge difference in the two wires I described. The Sound King is very detailed and has great separation but is very bright. This is such a disappointment as it is lots of work to rewire my system but I am going to go back to Monster Standard that I had on my fronts before for my whole system. I should have done this in the first place but Sound King has gotten such good notices in this site.

Bronze Member

Username: Elite

Post Number: 18
Registered: May-04

Posted on Monday, June 21, 2004 - 12:37 pm:

hey chico
spend all the money you want and have very pretty cables
I will spend the extra cash where it really counts
components. oh and the car analogy. very silly.
apples and oranges
but with cables, you are comparing apples to apples.
i love the guys that pretend they can hear differences in different cables.
makes me chuckle.
i would love to put you in a sound room and see if your for real. I'll bet not a chance in hell.
you guys wasted your money so now you have to justify the horrible amount of money you spent.

Silver Member

Username: Elitefan1

Post Number: 452
Registered: Dec-03

Posted on Monday, June 21, 2004 - 01:10 pm:

Joe,
For your information I did not spend a "horrible" amount of money on the Sound King wire and I bet even a smart guy like you could hear the difference in the two wires I mentioned. I do agree that spending hundreds of dollars on exotic cables is totally stupid and I would rather spend my money on components, thus my switch back to Monster Standard which is 27.99 a hundred foot.

J. Vigne

Unregistered guest

Posted on Monday, June 21, 2004 - 01:58 pm:

I love the guys that spend big dollars on the equipment and then want to spend the least amount possible on cables. It makes me chuckle!
And admittedly you are spending big dollars guys. It's just that it's all relative. Whether you spend $300 or $3,000 for an amplifier you have made the decision to spend more than many people spend on a refrigerator or in some cases a car. I don't care if you shopped for the rock bottom, I bet this is gonna put them out of business deal, you spent a large junk o' change on your hifi. I can't tell you how many homes I go into that hardly have a table radio or computer speakers for the only music source in the home. And these are people with money. Hifi is just not on their radar screen. You have chosen to make it important to yourself. You have purchased a luxury item. You have chosen to spend money that could have gone elsewhere.
When I sold audio I was very aware that lots of people that wanted a decent system were spending less for the whole sheebang, including the veneer over particle board cabinet (you know the kind that only has one power cord for the whole system), than I was asking for what I considered an entry level phono cartridge. It became very difficult to sell someone a $5,000 cartridge and then drive home past the $150 a month apartment houses and see the mother with three babies that looked as if she was wondering how she would get the next meal.
So to carry on like you're smarter than the rest of the world because you saved money on the cables is rather like buying a Ferrari and getting your tires at Walmart and your gas at 7-11. GIVE ME A BREAK.
If you want to save money do it somewhere else, if you want to spend the money, and you have it and more to spend, that's just fine. Don't make "I am smarter than you" judgements. Just please remember there are so many people in this world that find entertainment in a neighbor or family member playing a $15 guitar or just hearing a chior sing.
Get over yourselves.
There, my socialist rant for the day.

Silver Member

Username: Elitefan1

Post Number: 454
Registered: Dec-03

Posted on Monday, June 21, 2004 - 03:23 pm:

The point is buy whatever sounds best to you. That's what I am doing. My mistake was paying attention to recommendations here and not buying what I already knew I liked.

Bronze Member

Username: Elite

Post Number: 19
Registered: May-04

Posted on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 05:05 pm:

Always the same old argument. so then because I Drive a corvette i should find the most expensive wax or soap to clean my car? or perhaps because my dog cost 1000 dollars I should buy a 100 dollar leash. makes sense. thanks for clearing all this up.

oknessaD

Bronze Member

Username: Oknessad

Post Number: 65
Registered: May-04

Posted on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 06:41 pm:

Awesome Joe! Thanks for that perspective. It is so true that even if you spend tons on an av system, it makes no sense to go above and beyond what measurments can determine is all you need for a cable.

Like you said, just because you own a really nice car doesn't mean you need to get wax that has been cryogenically frozen because it helps the wax molecules line up better for a nicer shine (by the way, it costs 300% more than regular wax...)

Nothing new I guess but I wanted to say job well done to joe

Jace

Shan Tao

Bronze Member

Username: Shantao

Post Number: 11
Registered: Apr-04

Posted on Wednesday, June 23, 2004 - 12:28 am:

Hi Kegger,

you wrote:
"to me once you have descent cables their is no sonic difference compaiered to higher end/more expensive ones. "

Perhaps not just to you there is no difference; there have not been any credible scientific studies that could demonstrate a statistical difference in double blind tests of wire.

But a humorous aside....

One day I decided to hook up the rear center channel on my receiver that I had bought the day before. I was home from work with a sick son and nothing to do. Only problem was I had no wire.

Back in the late 70's and 80's I played in a working band. Money being tight, we used to make cords from the amplifier to the very large speakers from extension cords. Real heavy ones. The kind you use to run outdoor machinery. 12 guage or lower if possible. These cords were high quality copper, lots of strands, flexible and could handle great loads of power. You just cut the ends off the 100 foot cords and solder on the 1/4 phono jacks.

Anyway, back to my center channel story.... I go out to my garage, get a cord ( an nice bright blue one) and cut the ends off, strip the wire and run the cord to the back speaker. Wow, sounds great. I guess when you got a good thing you stick with it, hahaha. Later when my friend came to visit, he thought the bright blue heavy cord was some ultra expensive wire and asked where he could buy some. I suggested Menard's or Home Depot. The only problem with this stuff is that it is so thick it is difficult to hide it.

Silver Member

Username: Kegger

MICHIGAN

Post Number: 499
Registered: Dec-03

Posted on Wednesday, June 23, 2004 - 12:45 am:

Shan Tao...........good one.

i had done something simular when i use to d.j.

i had gotten some large stacks that had 4 12"
drivers in each and used extension cord in the
same manner. worked fine and very durable for
the travel all that stuff has to go through.

Mark Curtis

Bronze Member

Username: Knightshade

Taunton, Somerset
England

Post Number: 13
Registered: May-04

Posted on Saturday, June 26, 2004 - 08:03 pm:

Depends on your system as to how much you spend.
If you are planning to spend thousands on a system then to get the best out of it you should look at higher quality cables (Higher Quality - Doesn't always mean high price!)
Even on cheaper systems a bad choice in cable can ruin an otherwise good system. Everyone seems to talk about monster cables. Can't you get any decent cable in the states?
Cat 5e cable makes some nice speaker cable and is dirt cheap (Just hurts your fingers!) but it won't compare to the likes of Atlas or kimber.
If your budget is tight spend the money on the equipment and get cheap cables and interconnects you can always upgrade later.
For those of you who say you can't hear the difference between different cables I have to wonder what your listening to.

J. Vigne

Unregistered guest

Posted on Saturday, June 26, 2004 - 09:21 pm:

Whatever your Corvette or your dog cost you can buy what just gets the job done. You can drive your car through the automatic thingy at the gas station and use your wife's pantyhose for a leash. If you think just getting by is adequate, go for it. Oh, and by the way, a hammer will open a bottle of beer.

Mr. V

Unregistered guest

Posted on Sunday, June 27, 2004 - 03:42 am:

Good gear REQUIRES (emphasis added) good cabling.

Lo-fi stuff, like most Japanese stuff, is so sonically compromised that you can't hear the difference cabling can make.

I have high end stuff, have demoed many different cables, and the difference is clearly audible.

Which is not to say there isn't some good reasonably priced wire out there...you just gotta look, and listen.

Bronze Member

Username: Elite

Post Number: 20
Registered: May-04

Posted on Monday, June 28, 2004 - 12:50 pm:

thats it
I'm starting a cable company
hey everyone my cables are the best
they are electrostatically wrapped then powder coated for superior sonic isolation. then jesus himself blesses them. they are a cheap $3000 a foot. well worth it. will make those martin logans or those polk audios sound -- uumm -- 42.715 times better than they do now. e-mail me for details
-snicker-

Bronze Member

Username: Elite

Post Number: 22
Registered: May-04

Posted on Monday, June 28, 2004 - 12:54 pm:

oh solid platinum connections are extra. these are cursed by lucifer to reverse the polarity of the above mentioned cables
$400 a pair
just wait till you hear the difference
whip out that scope if you dont believe me!

Bronze Member

Username: Elite

Post Number: 23
Registered: May-04

Posted on Monday, June 28, 2004 - 12:55 pm:

hope yall have a sense of humor !

Silver Member

Username: Elitefan1

Post Number: 458
Registered: Dec-03

Posted on Monday, June 28, 2004 - 01:04 pm:

All I can say is thanks Joe! This idea of having to spend hundreds and thousands on cable and interconnects is just nuts. If you want a good laugh [or cry as some believe this crap] check out the interview in the new Home Theatre with and excuse me I can't remember his name, but he's the head of a cable company and he makes the claim that you need to spend on cables the cost of your most expensive component. So if you have a $5000 amp you should spend the same on cables. These people must think we are all idiots and made of money.

Joe C.

Unregistered guest

Posted on Monday, June 28, 2004 - 01:30 pm:

I don't know why people say they can't hear the difference between cables. If you have a bright sounding system lower gauge wire will make it sound even brighter (clearer highs and midrange) and higher gauge will sound warmer (less highs and midrange).As your gear gets better most CD'S will start to sound worse. Because the recording people set there levels for cheap boomboxs and car radios.So the more you try to improve the sound in some cases the worse it sounds(depends on the CD'S recorded quality).And if your speaker wire is not terminated check the ends for corosion, even a little (any discoloration at all) will have a big impact on sound quality.

Mr. V

Unregistered guest

Posted on Monday, June 28, 2004 - 04:17 pm:

" These people must think we are all idiots and made of money."

There are many snake oil salesman in the high end, BUT I have had great sound demoing a hideously expensive cable (Transparent Audio's best, as I recall).

For me, the cost benefit analysis did not compute, but there are lots of folks out there with basically unlimited funds.

Does anyone really need a Ferrari, a Bentley, or a Maserati?

Of course not; a ten year old Corolla will provide decent transportation.

Lots of drivers, just like lots of electronics consumers, get a kick from the performance and the cache of high end goods.

*golf clap*

...and the world turns...

Bronze Member

Username: Elite

Post Number: 25
Registered: May-04

Posted on Monday, June 28, 2004 - 09:15 pm:

I'm not saying rip the cord off your grandmothers 85 year old lamp and hook it up to your stereo but c-mon. take some serious electrical classes or something. elitefan, i hear what you say but i dont get it. Martin logan speakers are bright, why would you want another company(speaker wire company)to change the speakers sound? a company like martin logan who has spent millions in research. if you need speaker wire to change the performance of your speakers then you didnt buy the right speakers. any reputable audio dealer even lets you audition speakers in your own home.
you know guy's, someday everything will be wireless then what will you do? talk about how different wireless hubs make your equipment sound?
i'm sure then you will be able to buy 5000 dollar wireless hubs from the same people that are soaking you for the cables.
have a swell day!

Silver Member

Username: Elitefan1

Post Number: 459
Registered: Dec-03

Posted on Tuesday, June 29, 2004 - 07:59 am:

Joe,
All I was saying was that I liked the way my MA's sounded with Monster Standard and I was not attempting th change that at all by "upgrading" to the Sound King wire. I just wanted to use the same wire on all seven speakers and use pin ends and the Sound King was highly spoken of here so I tried it and it just didn't work for me. I was not expecting nor did I want such a dramatic change. Now that I have Monster Standard on all seven speakers I am very happy with my system. I don't think I could have found a receiver/speaker combo in my area I like better than my Elite 45 and my MA Silvers. Believe me, I spent over a year listening and researching all alternatives in my area to the point of obsession.

Dave0123

Unregistered guest

Posted on Friday, July 02, 2004 - 12:22 am:

No offence or inslult intended, but not everyboby has the ear to hear the difference in cables, speakers, or even recevers. Some people have perfect pitch most of us don't. I work with people who can't hear the horn on the forklifts as they pass it doesn't mean the driven did not honk. I think every one here loves movies and/or music, but those of us who have listened too loud too long will have trouble hearing the differences in cables. The Artic speaker cable I use makes an easily audible difference in my system.(to my ear) It's not the cheepest nor is it the most expensive cable on the market. Sorry I'm babling. The point is each one of us needs to do some listening for ourselves and then decide weather our individual ears can hear the difference that nicer cables can make, and how much it is worth us.

Bronze Member

Username: Elite

Post Number: 26
Registered: May-04

Posted on Friday, July 02, 2004 - 10:12 am:

dude,

You only think you hear a difference!
most of these cables have only subtle differences on a scope and your telling me you can hear them.
ok. superman.
but you know what make me laugh about this whole silly conversation is the fact that everyone says that different speaker cable make a difference but no one says anything about an audible improvement.
plac
ing a chair in front of your speaker will make a difference. so what. if i buy a speaker it's because i like the way the speaker sounds. I dont want that sound to change because of cables!

Lou Fink

New member

Username: Loufink

Margate, FL
USA

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jul-04

Posted on Friday, July 02, 2004 - 01:48 pm:

Ok guys, try thinking of it this way. "Cables are like spices", they can change the sonic atributes of a system with changes in capacitance, inductance, and resistance values inherent in the cable design. Usually with higher quality equipment that is. Not with your $400 Circuit city reciever, probably not. Usually the better the gear the greater the improvment or difference, keyword difference. There is also a "point of diminishing returns" very early on in most cases with all cables. Within a particular system a less expensive cable can work as well as the higher price ones. Do not forget the "break in" of cables. I can here the laughs now..... but there are some cases where a cable takes 100 hrs or so to sound "right". Not all brands need to be "broken in". Rely on your dealer for this.

The trick is to find a dealer who carries various cable brands and knows there sonic differences and trust him to guide you. Take home various cable brands and prices and try them. Close your eyes and listen. Better? Buy them. No? Do not. Nuff said.

Michigander

Unregistered guest

Posted on Friday, July 02, 2004 - 03:10 pm:

You say you buy speakers because you like the way they sound (with what ever speaker wire was used at the time). So if you heard the same speakers with a diffrent cable you mite not like them(so cabels do make a difference). Just like some receiver sound bright and some warm so the same can be said about cables. It's the sum of all the parts that give you the sound (YOU) like not just one.