Interconnects and non-believers

IMHO after a certain point the effect of the next best cable on the market may give you a 0.1% improvement in apparent sound, which may be a change in the sound perceived, or an actual improvement. There is only so much that can be done that will withstand the cost/benefit equation.

Not all new wiz bang components or cable will give the improvement for the cost. I can only opine that enthusiasts may change for changes sake, components and circuitry become obsolete or die, or there is the look at me value.

Once a level of equipment has been reached, it falls back to what you can do with the room up to a certain point where you are happy.

I have a nice system that has served me well in between my work and family. I am in a fortunate position that, not only we are building our new (and hopefully last) home with a dedicated music room that I have had designed (within a budget) but will enable me to tune it.

This has also triggered a complete new system (sanctioned by my most important person) and I have quietly been accumulating valuable knowledge on this and other forums. I have all the experience of others to use, and that makes my decisions easier in that I have a solid benchmark available.

So a big thank you to all forum contributors who have spent time to write of their experiences and at times jousting of opinion. It's a very healthy community.

@devilboy @rvpiano and All, the OP set out the challenge to the general forum followers to deny that a change to upmarket (or more technically advanced) cable will provide a significant improvement in audible parameters. let me reiterate his post:

"For anyone who denies there are differences in cables, I have news for you.
There are vast differences.  I just switched interconnects between my CD transport (Cyrus) and DAC (Schiit Gumby), and the result was transformational.  Every possible parameter was improved: better definition, better soundstaging,  better bass, better depth etc.
I can’t understand how any audiophile with ears can deny the differences.  Is it delusion or dogma?"

There are contributors to this thread who take the agree side or the disagree side, or may be, but I cannot confirm what the OP heard view.

We are all entitled to provide opinion based on personal experience, but that does not mean that there is a right or wrong in what one has experienced. I believe that we are all entitled to provide opinion on our systems and what we have heard of other experiences.

I for one, will not participate in the purchasing of cables that are more expensive than some of my good components. i have tried (on shop loan) power cables, interconnects and speaker cables in various configurations and also all together. I did not appreciate an evangelical change in the performance of my system. certainly not for the thousands it may have cost. I do have significant power protection to all my components, but that is it.

I would be challenged to spend the same on my wife or support my grandkids.

@devilboy I critique as I listen. Well 90% of the time. Some music, depending on the source will sound different. for example, my vinyl music definitely sounds different to my streamed music. I and very focussed on vinyl, more than likely because of the constant attention it needs, whereas streaming is just that.

My point is that the system in essence stays the same, but the source changes the music quality. I do not expect that my system will sound appreciably different if I went on a spending spree and upgraded my interconnects or speaker cable for a few thousand.

If I spent that on component upgrades, I would most likely hear a qualitative improvement.

My "unqualified" opinion, in that I am not qualified by way of in depth theory or extensive listening of a huge number of different cable combinations, is based on my own system and the numerous friends and HiFi listening rooms. To this time, and I haven't achieved "nirvana", I don't see the immediate need to rewire my system at exorbitant cost.

Having said that, I cannot dispute that some listeners appreciate the change in the way a system sounds after changing (a) cables. That is their fair and right opinion.

+1 Elizabeth + uberwaltz + prof

Audiogon is primarily a forum for the sharing of ideas or facts. there is also a marketplace where all manner of HiFi equipment is available from low-end ranging to the hi-end. Even I have bought from the marketplace and I am in Australia.

We do not have the diversity or quantity of equipment here in comparison. Unfortunately we pay a penalty in exchange rate, import duty and shipping costs. But being selective and patient one can grab a bargain.

"Never up, never in", belongs in the bedroom, not on this forum.

@jetter Have you copyrighted your post or can I use it too? :)

@ron1319 I feel there's some excitement building! Never had a Porsche or a V8. Had a V6 Capri in my youth, and an MGB even before that... my eyes turned to motorcycles, road and dirt. Lesson, if you want to get damaged, buy a motorcycle. :)

Cables: as long as I can hear what I expect, then I'm ok with that.