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How good does my system have to be to realize an improvement with cables?

I've heard the difference power cables and interconnect cables in a highly resolving system so that's not the question.  $200 for cables  on a $500 DAC doesn't make sense to me.  Wouldn't that $200 be better spent on a better component?  At what point is an expensive cable the best choice?  Spending $500 on a $15,000 DAC does make sense as the transparency and resolution of the component could be better realized with a better signal / power source.

My question is what's the  percentage of the overall component's cost should be the cabling and at what point should it even be considered?

Or put a different way How would you know if your cables are your weakest link?

 

danager

Showing 1 response by mkgus

mkgus's avatar
mkgus
324 posts
 

I’ve heard the effects of interconnects and power cables in a system with an amp costing $700 and the speakers around 1K. The room was lightly treated with absorptive panels at the first reflection points. The difference was night and day so I assume equipment of lesser value would still see benefit.

“$200 for cables on a $500 DAC doesn’t make sense to me.”

Intuitively this seems logical. However, I think it only doesn’t make sense upon the original purchase. If you are hooking up a newly acquired $500 DAC and you’ve got a $200 power cable sitting around, throw it in there. I’ve been known to power a Sony PlayStation 1 ($50 on eBay) with a $200 power cable and it sounds great. I’m not about the put the cable back in the closet because a $200 power cable on a $50 CD player “doesn’t make sense.” Honestly, so much of this hobby is synergy it might make sense even when it’s an original purchase. One might view an oddball purchase like this to be the price to pay for saved time in not having to research and test all the cables that sound best with your player.

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