2. cables
  3. 177851-162285

Do you consider cables to be a "component" of your system?

Meaning, do you think that cabling (AC/InterConnects/SpeakerWire) should be considered a component that is integral to your system?

I have probably as much money in cabling and fuses as I do in most of my components (if not more).

Please, please, PLEASE don't tell me that cables don't make a difference. I disagree and there's nothing you can say or do that will change my mind, so save it for another thread, please.

I just wondered if you had to recommend a set up to someone (who wanted a nice stereo), would you consider cabling to be essential in your build price and your recommendations? If so, would you consider the cost of the cables to be on par with the cost of a component?

 

 

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Showing 2 responses by inna

inna
7,143 posts
 

Of course, they are components, and very important ones. Speaking of preamp and amp, I would first upgrade power cords and then the interconnects in between them. In other words, first improve power supplies and then do the link.

If buying used, 1m pair interconnects or 1.5m power cord should not usually cost more than $1k each, unless your set-up is quite extreme.

Examples are Wywires Diamond and older Purist Audio Dominus. Yeah, I got both.

inna
7,143 posts
 

You know, I just got $450 Audioengine HD4 powered speakers to mostly play VHS tapes in a smaller room. My main system is in another room. So I experimented with all interconnects that I have in the house connecting Panasonic pro SVHS deck and those speakers. That's what I tried: Nakamichi cables that used to come with their cassette decks in the box, DiMarzio M-path $150, Art Audio $100 their least expensive cable, Accuphase $700 cables, Wywires Diamon $2600 cables.

Speakers are now almost completely burnt-in and all the cables are.

The worst were Art Audio and DiMarzio, though it was listenable. I liked Nakamichi more overall, their balance, even though they had the least resolution.

Accuphase were absolutely great, more than enough but the Diamonds sounded slightly but very audibly better in every respect. Unfortunately I need them in my main rig so I will be using the Accuphase. Big difference between them and the lesser cables. $700 cables with $450 speakers/ amp. Crazy, right?

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