Favorite cable brand.

AM - audio music. By far the best speaker cables I have heard. 

It’s kinda like fundamentalism vs free thought...guess who the fundamentalists are?  Think Clearly now 🧐

Have always had good results with Kimber and Cardas. For value, Mogami is hard to beat.

Just look at the huge list of companies making big money out of gullible audiophiles.  

I don't say cables can't make a difference but hasn't it all got a bit silly?
I note that each post names yet another cable as favourite. Surely if there is big SQ benefit there should be some measure of agreement on which ones are best. The more different choices there are, the more intelligent people think 'snake oil'.

So by your logic there are a thousand different models of automobiles, the Bugatti Veyron can't really be that much better than a Smart or Prius, must be 'snake oil'. Right. Got it. Thanks!

PS- next time you order ice cream we will bring you a Slurpee, you being intelligent and all will realize the million different frozen dessert choices is really all a bit silly. 

@clearthinker you make a good point. I read this thread thinking that there would be some consensus among all the golden ears and deep pockets, but the preferences seem all over the map. I like the comments by @cromaudionut and @urbie because at least there seems to be a line of reasoning supporting the choices.

Chord, Ecosse, Atlas, Qed, audioquest.

I use all Amazon Basics 

Started back in the early ‘80’s before all the whiz bang stuff was available, never bought into the hype. I do like good looking cables though so I always made my own. Just found a receipt where I paid 25 cents a foot for pure copper 16 ga 8 wire braided speaker wire.......in 1990.

I have had a lot of BEL, then the mid-price Cardas.    Recently upgraded my balanced interconnects and speaker cables to the designs of Colin Wonfor, sold by ABCaudio in the U.K.    Colin was the original designer of the Telerium Q cables.   
I am totally floored by the recent upgrade.  So impressed that I’m considering buying EXTRA cables for different speaker set ups.   

Tara Labs, Purist audio design

Currently, I am using cables from Down to Earth Cables, I love that I can select not only the wire I like but also customize it as well with the options of tech flex, as well as a variety of Banana plugs, Spades, or Pins.  
Their Interconnects are also well made and the Power cables have been a game-changer -  especially the Silver Wattgate plugs, my soundstage is incredible! and all my cables match!  Might not be important to some, but I love it (Snake is my current favorite.)
Running
Cary Audio DMS-550 - DHLABS Power Plus, Wattgate Silver - Interconnects Neutrik RCA w/Mogami
Cary SLI-80HS  DHLABS Power Plus, Wattgate Silver
Cornwall IV's  (Bi-wired) -  Mogami wire, and Supra Spades and Banana Plugs
SVS SBultra 16 - XLR Connector W Mogami (Haven't tried upgrading the power cord yet - but it's coming!)
www.dte-cables.square.site

Does anyone have experience with Schmitt cables?  They were recommended on another audiophile forum and are very reasonably priced. 

https://www.schmittcustomaudiocables.com/shop-1

I’m relishing watching this thread just so that I can read all of the “snake oil” comments. 

Purist Audio

bruce1938 posts04-28-2021 7:41am@clearthinker you make a good point. I read this thread thinking that there would be some consensus among all the golden ears and deep pockets, but the preferences seem all over the map. I like the comments by @cromaudionut and @urbie because at least there seems to be a line of reasoning supporting the choices.

It is like the barrier to entry is near 0.

Nordost, Siltech, also analysis plus. 

How many cable companies are there out there, world-wide?  From the mega-corporations to the guy in a garage with a soldering iron.  Well into three figures, and quite possibly nearer to four figures than two.

With all the brands out there, how many of them does even the most dedicated audiophile get to audition?  Some will be sought out, but others encountered by happenstance. So the diversity of choices is only to be expected.

Remember Discwasher, "Gold Ends"?  That was my first foray into better cables than what came in the box with hi-fi components.  And no, I don't use them any longer and haven't since about 1990. 

My preference is Audioquest for signal cables, power cables, and power conditioners.  There is a lot of good product on the market, this is just my preference.

I left off Jorma Design maker of my fantastic digital cable. Their analog cables are way out of my price range however.

I've had great results with Kimber, Audio Art, and Zen Wave.

I'd love to try out Cardas some day.  Only heard them at audio shows but sounded great.

I like blue.

It’s interesting to see all the different brand mentioned. I can’t help but wonder how many have had bad experiences with cables, what those experiences were and what brands. I’ve used many branded and unbranded cables and nothing ever stood out UNTIL I used a set of Audioquest Evergreens from my phono preamp. Whoa, so much noise! Any other stories of cables that showed significant weaknesses??

Reason suggests that a cable’s properties would be the result of A) type of wire used, B) the geometry (weaving wrapping twisting), C) the insulation or covering and D) the cable ends. So if we don’t have things that we can measure that help us understand what we are getting in a cable at least we could start talking about the cables from various manufacturers in terms of their component parts and how they are sourced.There are probably fewer makers of wire and cable ends then there are makers of finished cable. And if we start talking about wire In terms of its specifications The choices would shrink to even fewer. In this context an audiophile could reasonably expect to learn the differences in properties and sound and be able to intelligently talk with others about his experiences to the benefit of all. Seems like we could all benefit from a little less voodoo on this subject and a lot more reason.

bruce19 I totally agree.  My cable decisions were born out of research into materials and design.  Also the clear explanation and disclosed measurements of the cables.  Most manufacturers will tell you all the ooohs and ahhhs of their cables but won’t tell you how they supposedly arrived at these magical results.  They’ll use big words and proprietary design principles but still leave you in the dark on measurements and real data.  

Thanks @cromaudionut I like the blue jeans site and I like that schmitt cable site posted earlier in this discussion by @bob540. They tell you how the cable is constructed and charge reasonable prices based on that. This sitehttp://diyaudioprojects.com/Power/power.htmis interesting because it only contains six cable construction projects, hinting to me that for people who look at the available source components, that is about how many basic variations on the theme there are. This is an approach to the cable topic I would love to see an in-depth article on in one of the audio sites.

Where I started and where I am today.

Monster Cable
AudioQuest
Kimber
DIY. Wire and plugs from Michael Percy and Ron Welborne
Back to Kimber
Canare, various.
Clear Days IC both single/balanced and speaker cable with Shunyata PC and Hydra
Nordost
WyWires, with still a couple Nordost and Supra Cat8. Fairly happy where things are with cables and rather spend money elsewhere in the system. Also some power cables for digital equipment from VH Audio, Kimber 8TC and Canare balanced cables that I also use to mic my drums.

Favorite today?
WyWires

Wywires

First off, your system and your ears are what matters.  Try before you buy and stop trying to outsmart everyone...it is way to variable to use isolated objective parameters of a cable as a definitive solution.  As for all the arguments regarding cables are cables...for the most part, they are often more similar than different but not without discernable performance variations.  For this reason I tried both Transparent cables and MIT many years ago to hear what a “ more than just cable” design could offer.  MIT has been the clearly superior performer for my ears, especially with their more recent offerings.  Once you hear what they can do in a properly matched system, it is virtually impossible to do without them!

XFinity?TeeHee

For my system the winner of the speaker cable sweepstakes of 9 contestants was Straightwire Maestro. Interconnects became Straightwire Maestro after 7 shoot outs until I tried Straightwire Virtuoso. SACD and DAC feed the pre-amp via Straightwire Virtuoso and the pre-amp to amplifiers are Maestro. Streamer to DAC is Canare Digital. Power side is Audioquest Niagara 3000 and all noise drain Audioquest power cords.

Kimber is excellent at whatever level you can afford. 

+1 for Morrow.  I use MA5 for both speakers and interconnects and in my system, sounds perfect.  I prefer them over Cardas Golden Cross for speaker wire and MIT 3.3 shotguns.  They just have a detailed yet mellow sound to my ears.

If you choose only one brand, then Synergistic Researh. There are no other options for me. 

Nordost Odin !!!

I've had various favorites over the years, and have tried many higher end cables from lending library at Cable company. I'm done with spending huge money on cables. I now make my own power and IC's from various Helix DIY recipes. I use both VH Audio Airlock and  Duelund DCA in my recipes. One can make really amazing sounding cables here!

Power Cables
Stage III Concepts
High Fidelity

Interconnects & Speaker
Thales

Favorite cable Brand ??, That is going to depend on the your units and manufactures .Cables sound different with different companies .

High Fidelity and Transparent

In my system I have tried budget (relative I know) cables such as Anticables, Audio Envy, and Cullen, and high end cables such as Stealth, Iconoclast, Silversmith, Silnote, Purist, and AQ. These are my favorites:

Power cords:  Stealth Dream V10 (highend) and Cullen Crossover II (budget)
Interconnect:   Iconoclast UPOCC (highend) and Anticable Ref. 3,1 w/double-run of conductors XLR (budget and so good)
Spk. cables:   Silversmith Fidelium (highend) AQ Robin Hood (2nd). Sorry, not budget here. 
Digital cable:  Silnote Orion but I am waiting for AQ Firebird48. it is a brand new model and 7 weeks of waiting so far. 

Neotech
Cardas

ALL my cables are from DH Labs....Silver Sonic

Transparent

Another vote for Transparent-especially if you use tubes in my opinion and shunyata for PC but my experience with a wide number of wire companies is limited.

Cardas

After decades of switching, I've been satisfied with, first (in and out of my Moon 780Dv2 DAC) -- a full loom of Audience Front Row wires:  XLR digital IC, RCA analog IC, and their mighty  power cord.  Speaker cables are Purist Dominus, and IC's  out from the Shindo Giscours pre are Shindo Silver.  Power cord from the VAC amp is a Stealth Dream.

I have graduated to Inakustik brand and I do not see them going anywhere anytime soon. If anything I would add more or upgrade to higher models. These cables are simply that good.

Parts-Express 14 gauge zip cord

Wow, 50 answers 47 different names. Just shows that many ways lead to musical enjoyment. It puts the what is the best question into perspective.

I use Cerious, I didn’t see that name yet or maybe I read over it.

The current favourite is Wywires Diamond.