Counterfeit Chinese Cables

@tksteingraber 

I really appreciate your assessment of that power cord. Based on your opinion of it I will avoid it. Thanks.

@juanmanuelfangioii 

What was your point with all of those graphs?

@bigtwin 

Trying these brands is definitely a gamble. I was lucky to have tried Xangsane, which is surely a great brand, but then just recently I tried a set of the "best" cables by Ataudio, and though pretty to look at, they were a great (though not costly) disappointment.  

@bigtwin 

"I keep coming back to the number of people on this thread who claim these inexpensive replicas are the best sounding cables they have heard.  Not sure why this thread continues to fascinate.  The idea that a $200 Ali cable is going to bring a big improvement in sound is silly? "

And yet you haven't tried it, so how can you have an opinion?

@rolox

If I had speaker cables like those that were already terminated, I wouldn’t try to reterminate them because you might run into trouble if you’re not really experienced. Having said that, I had read in recent years that brass wasn’t as good as conductor as copper, so I decided to change the binding posts on my speakers to KLE low mass copper from the heavy brass ones that they came with, and the positive sonic difference was noticeable.

More recently, I bought a different set of speakers that are single wire, and I had a bit of a problem, because my favored cables were an internally biwired set. For a few weeks I used them with the unused banana plugs just hanging out in free space, obviously not a good idea.

I then remembered that I had for many years these Monster cable heavy brass banana five-way things that would allow me to put the other two banana terminated wired in contact with the speaker. I lived with that for several weeks until I remembered that I had seen some piggyback bananas once, and if I could find them it would solve my problem. I did some research and found solid copper piggyback bananas on walmart.com (of all places!) for $19.00 for the 4 pieces that I needed. The were made with set screws (no soldering) and I did the job two days ago.

Punchline, the difference sonically is a revelation! For the first time in three months, I am realizing how good my speakers really are. I am still shocked.

I have since looked at binding posts and RCA’s on walmart.com, and it turns out that they are a great source for these things at extremely affordable prices.

4Pcs Banana Plugs 45 Degree Angled Banana Connectors Screw Locking Connectors for AV Receiver,Amplifier,Speaker Silver - Walmart.com

@czarivey 

Thanks for the compliment. I let most of them pass because with many, like yourself, English is not their primary language, and I admire those who are bilingual which I am not. That said, we can all learn from corrections, and be better for it.

When a person uses improper spelling, punctuation or conjugation in written words, I think readers lose respect for them. 

@danmar123 

Your last post doesn't make much sense, and by the way, in the way you used the word, it's spelled right. Also, high efficiency speakers are at least as good as any in revealing small differences. In the end, I guess you just don't want to know what you don't want to know. Carry on.

@danmar123 

 "I’m a FIRM believer to get the most out of my system no matter what the cost would be."

You contradict yourself. If you won't spend $180.00, then obviously the cost matters very much. You can find a number of types of solid copper banana terminations on walmart.com for very cheap prices, less than a tenth of $180.00. I am only trying to point out that using inferior bananas is creating a bottleneck in the performance of your cables.

@danmar123 

What’s the difference? You must be kidding. First of all, those Nakamichi bananas are counterfeit. They don’t make them. I know that because I bought some of them myself a few years ago. Second, as you should know by now, everything makes a difference. Those bananas are made of brass not copper, and if they were copper, they would sound different depending on what they were plated with.

If the wire is as good as you say, I think it would deserve some good quality copper terminations.

@danmar123 

You don't mention how you terminated it or with what.

@ghdprentice 

I think that we've been through all of that a long time ago, and I never said that it was good to use another company's name. What I did say was that I don't believe that Nordost lost a penny from the illegal use of their name because they are two different customers.

Anyway, I don't have any interest in those counterfeit products now, but I do think that Xangsane makes great interconnects and digital cables for a very low price. I hope that clarifies things for you.

@akg_ca 

I appreciate the information that you provided in your post. I was aware of some of it, and some of it was new to me. I believe that in many cases the materials used in the counterfeit cables are inferior. It may be that the reason many users find their performance t be better than expected is that they are using a similar geometry to that of the original (eg Nordost). I will admit that one of a set of fake Nordost RCA interconnects that I bought from Aliexpress went bad on me early on.

In spite of that, I think that members should be aware that there are legitimate, well-built cables from Chinese manufacturers, and one of those is Xangsane. I bought a set of silver RCA interconnects on the advice of another member, and they are truly a high performing product for a reasonable price. There are a couple of others. They represent a good value for those of us who can't afford the premium American brands.

"Conscience is a cognitive process that elicits emotion and rational associations based on an individual’s moral philosophy or value system."

Hooray! You know the definition. Now you just have to learn how to spell it.

"You are and you have no conscious."

You can't even spell conscience. 

"Just think of poor Jay getting hustled. ;-)"

Don't feel sorry for Jay. He didn't even think to check serial numbers, and actually believed that the plugs on the counterfeit cord was genuine Oyaide.

"Guess you eat Jellyfish too."

Huh?

@jerryg123 

Oh yes, you're such a good person Jerry, with your foul mouth. The world needs more people like you. 

In that case, your post makes no sense. Dayglow said nothing to deserve being called a troll. If you want to address someone directly, use the ampersand key and start typing their screen name. A list will come up, and you choose their name.

@grh1958 

"You my friend just sound like a troll."

Who's post are you referring to?

@dayglow 

Thanks for the clarification. I didn't understand your point at first, but I do now.

@dayglow

" Why not just buy Mogami cables and be done"

The answer to your question is that many who can’t afford the real thing are curious about the sound of an imitation that is built in a similar way. It’s not too hard to understand.

That said, I took the advice of another poster here and purchased a set of silver Xangsane interconnects which are self-branded, not fake anything, and they are amazingly good sounding and well made for $110.00. There are some good genuine Chinese made audio products.

I never said they sound the same. Those are your words @jerryg123 .

+1 @kot 

Never mind that my post had nothing to do with envy of any sort, let alone penis envy. Maybe he just likes thinking about them.

@ullodea 

Thanks for that detailed info. It's good to know the specific vendor you bought from because they all sell a slightly different product.

@tksteingraber 

Ok, so it isn't actually what they say it is, it is silver plated copper. I have no problem with copper, but they should state that. I will still try one in the near future. 

@tksteingraber 

I was looking at that cable last year and wondering if it could really be fine silver for that price. I guess there's no way to know for sure without taking it apart, but it looks like and interesting design.

Yes, and in addition to different techniques, the end plugs were very different which must also account for a difference in sound.

@nyc_ben 

Why should they sound the same? They certainly don't look the same.

"I am not sure if I am crazy about placebo effects."

What does that mean? You don't like them, or you don't believe in them? 

@juanmanuelfangioii

Well in this case you have a built-in bias against the product, so you’re not the one to judge. Anyway, who said that it’s so hard to make a good cable if you use good materials and good practice based on past successful designs?

@bigtwin 

I think that if you look closer at the description, you might see that it actually says copper. I don't know which ad you were looking at, but I've noticed this discrepancy with several of the ads, and then sometimes a photo of the product will actually say copper on the cable. I don't believe that any of the fake Nordost are silver. They might ne silver plated copper at best, and the use of the word "sterling" is in itself probably inaccurate. I believe that silver used in cables is always as pure as possible, or as pure as the customer can afford.

Exactly.

Cardas would have no interest in "evaluating" counterfeit cables, but they might confiscate them, which, from my watch selling experience is within their rights. 

Thanks @melm

@melm 

You mention Amazon, but your link goes to aliexpress.

@ghdprentice 

Yes, aside from the polarizing subject of the fake Nordost cables, I think that it's a great thing that other members are discovering the high quality, reasonably priced cables and interconnects that are available under different legitimate brand names from vendors on AliExpress and other Asian sites. 

There is risk involved because returns may be difficult/impossible, but the money involved is not much, and if members share information about specific cables they have bought, and from which vendor, which is already happening, then the risk will be minimized. 

@tksteingraber 

That appears to be a biwire set, but they don't mention it. The price makes it looks like it's biwire too.

Go Team!

You're the one that called me out chump.

@juanmanuelfangioii ,

What are you referring to? I didn't correct another one of your numerous typos. I get it; English isn't your first language. Maybe not your second. 

Use a Dremel tool and it should be easy. Why do you want to remove them anyway?

Those plane parts that Juan is speaking about are supposed to be subjected to rigorous testing prior to installation I'm sure, and I would think that at least in a country like ours that has pretty strict regulations regarding aviation that there would be regulations regarding sourcing.

None of this has much if any importance regarding speaker cable and interconnects. Lives are not at stake, and as we have said before Juan, I'm sure you own plenty of goods that are supporting the Chinese economy. None of us likes that reality, but it is the way it has been for quite a while now. 

Thanks lectronjh50.

Thank you ps. 

That was funny Juan. You even spelled perfect wrong.

"Funniest thing is, usual attack around here is cables and cable manufacturers are snake oil and snake oil salesmen, why the sudden compassion for snake oil proprietors."

Good question.

Ignore him spenav. He can't even spell correctly.

Yes melm, because they're probably using counterfeit copper.

"@roxy54 you have evidence that states these are not counterfeit. Please present it."

Juan,

As I said before, you don't know what you are talking about. I never said they weren't counterfeit. I clearly said that they were. I also said that there were many brands sold on Aliexpress that were not using branded American (or other ) names.

If you want to spend your money on having cables tested (which I very much doubt) go ahead; but you won't be proving anything to me.

I have bought American made cables many times Juan, and you don't have any idea of what I can or can't afford. Besides that, we have said many times before that the majority of the cables sold on Aliexpress are not counterfeit branded. As I said, you don't really know what you're talking about.

"Bet the folks over in China are using these procedures and quality checks. No they are not!

No ethics, no integrity, buy counterfeit."

You just talk without any knowledge behind your words Juan.