Low-cost I/C's

You might want to check BlueJeansCable.com.

Products from Mogami and Signal Cable offer terrific value IMO.

However, I don't think they meet your $40 threshold.

I have no financial interest in either company.

Zu Cable Oxyfuel

I second the comments by Audiofeil and Drtmth58.

Keep in mind that the short length you are specifying will minimize most cable effects and cable differences.

Although keep in mind also that increasing the length to 3 feet would broaden the range of available choices. If you want to do that, you might consider pro-oriented cables such as those sold by B&H Photo Video under the Comprehensive and Pearstone brand names, including this one for $30:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/408214-REG/Comprehensive_X3A_2RCA3_XHD_Series_Stereo_2.html#features

Regards,
-- Al

I think you have been given some very excellent advice from both Audiofeil and Almarg.

Yes, these are better than what I found. I like the solid core wire idea. On second thought, the Audioquest silver RCA's I found will corrode faster than gold.
Comprehensive looks like the best of the lot, but BH does not sell shorter than 1 meter.

Mogami
Can't tell if this is molded. I am asking them.

Not so sure about signal cable as it appears to be stranded. I like the foamed teflon dielectric concept.

I think the Blue Jeans re Belden / Canare offer great value as I've used Canare before and it was pretty good. Only thing better than crimp is spot-weld IME. I'm thinking Signal or Mogami (which also used quad wire design) may be better.

Right now I have ATS Platinum "balanced RCA" directional RCA's. Sam Tellig(?) raved about balanced RCA a few years back although this is not theoretically possible. Also got some Dayton Audio which looks to be pretty good value. My A-Q was great until something broke internally.

Keep in mind that the short length you are specifying will minimize most cable effects and cable differences

This is a good point. So probably getting a good terminal like Eichmann would be more important that the I/C itself?

I think Signal uses Eichmann. Perhaps standard or as an option, I don't recall.

I second Bluejean Cables. They are great cables and value for the money. I compared them to a high end cable that I owned and heard no difference so I switched.

Check out Monoprice.com. I've bought cables from them before when I've been experimenting, or to get temporary cables for a system reconfiguration before buying 'better' cables, and in some cases I never bought the 'better' cables because the Monoprices' were just fine.

Signal uses Eichmanns as an option. Like $5 per connector.

Afc, I wish:

From Signal's site:

Eichmann Copper Bullet RCA Plugs - $30 additional (per pair of cables)

Oops. Sorry. I just got some custom made splitters from Signal. One into two split. Paid an extra 30 bucks for the connectors, but with the splitter cables, I got six of them....maybe they consider the three ended splitter cables a "pair" and I got six when you'd usually get four?

I really like the MAC (my audio cables) in my system i have 4 of them plus a PC. Cheap if you buy them off the Gon auctions.

The Anti-Cables with Eichmann terminations play way way above their weight class.

Neal

Is it just my system or have others found that when you run balanced cables to your amp(short or long) balanced cables don't seem to have as much sonic signature as regular RCA type inter connects?

It is true in most systems, it is not your imagination.

Anti Cables look nice but aren't I/C's supposed to be shielded?