Still, I don't buy Levi's jeans, I buy vintage Diesel and Dior on ebay. And I never actually tried $3k wine, I tried something close to $1k but I didn't pay for it, it was a gift, and the one who gave it to me didn't pay all that much. That Bordeaux vintage was great, can't compare it to your usual $100 bottles. |
If the whole world is out of mind why shouldn't audiophiles be?
Personally, I save on many other things to be able to buy good audio stuff. So $10k for cables is insanity, and $1k for a dinner for two is not? $3k for a bottle of lovely French wine, anyone? Not me, I'd rather go with $10k cables if I have to. |
If I had $50k speakers and $35k amps I would still compare $2k speaker cables to $10k cables, so I think this point is valid. But I would not try $300 cable. Let's not exaggerate both sides of the argument. Really good Hi-Fi is expensive and has the right to be but it doesn't have to be ridiculously expensive. I never touch both Nordost and Audioquest, by the way, price no object. |
Dracule1, I currently run older Purist Audio Colossus fluid cables that cost over $1k new. In the past I tried couple of $300 cables from Audioquest and Cardas, I also tried a few inexpensive interconnects from them, from Purist and Tara. The probability that any $300 cable will sound better with any components than what I have now is extremely low though not zero. However, I could, if I could get a hold of them, try DiMarzio super M-path cables. They were, I think, $600 new but no longer made, I guess. I have his $150 M-path RCA cable and it's very good especially with analog source, but $800 older Purist Maximus and $1200 Colossus are better. Yes, in my system to my ear. But for $150 it is a hell of a cable. |
It is incorrect to use % in the assessment of the sound. It is either acceptable or not. So..expensive cables are worth paying for, sometimes. |
So to answer the original question - audiophiles are not quite out of their minds but sometimes their neuronal "cabling" needs recalibration. More difficult in some cases than the others. |
Dracule1, let's just not call them 'filthy rich', they are simply rich. We don't want to start a class civil war here, really. If you ask me, I would never pay $70k for any cables regardless of my finances. Yes, it's too much! And how much is not too much? Well, I am not sure, $15k for a masterpiece perhaps.
I had no idea that great acoustic guitars are also made in England and France, I thought only in Spain.
Yes, I have a high tolerance for the absurd but not unlimited. And I am tired of paying $20 per pound for my favourite European cheese ! Too much, goddamn it ! |
Dracule1, unless you are a rocket scientist you cannot say if this kind of science is required or not to design or build a great cable. You simply are not qualified to judge it from this angle.
And another point. Some people have enough funds for everything including $70k cables, but I don't think that you do. Nor do I. Yes, wealth distribution in this country is far from fair. I don't like it but I can tolerate it unless it is totally out of control. Can you? |
From the OP's perspective I could probably advocate the point that most components are seriously overpriced too. As an example, you can get a great if not outstanding sounding acoustic guitar made by a famous Spanish master for, say, $7k-$10k. It takes talent and decades of work to be able to build an instrument like that. What equipment can you get for $10K ? Decent sounding Rowland or Gryphon integrated? Not much. So they are overpriced big time too, correct? |
I'd say I like John Williams more than others, but I mostly listen to flamenco guitar. Paco Pena is excellent not to mention Paco de Lucia of course. |
I would propose - the winner takes it all. |
I was talking about golf turnament not making general statement about social-economic order or defining fair play. |
What a mindf**k all this has become. What if it is a real purpose of some participants here? |
