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Speaker cables: $3000 or $380. What do you get??

I happened to be patrolling the cables category today to see what was on sale below $600 for speaker cable in VGC. I was not surprised to see speaker cables costing up to $9000 for a 8 to 10 foot single wire pair.

This question has been ask before on this blog: So what do you get for $3000 per 8 foot wire versus $380 pair of speaker wire, say like Anti-Cables Reference 3 or Audio Art SC5E against Audience or Transparent Audio, or even Kimber Kables 3038 speaker wire?? Is there a significant and marked audible difference in the sound?? Does it depend on the speaker, e.g. Wilson's Alexandria III, or Focal's Grand Utopia?? and the ancillary electronics to drive these beast??

Like to hear some opinions from members who have owned some of the higher priced cables, but possibly switched down to cables between $1000 to $1500, or possibly less.
sunnyjim

Showing 3 responses by zd542

zd542
5,339 posts
 
"Speaker cables: $3000 or $380. What do you get?? "

You don't get either one. The reason is simple; you don't know what you are doing. It would be better for you to get a decent pair of entry level speaker cables ($75-$150). When you can answer the above question yourself, you'll be ready to move up. Otherwise, its most likely you will make a mistake and waste your money.
zd542
5,339 posts
 
Sunnyjim,

I just re-read my post from before. It sounds really mean. I didn't want it to come out that way, I was in a hurry when I typed it out.

"You don't get either one. The reason is simple; you don't know what you are doing."

Let me put that in context. I mean that literally and not anything negative. Audio is a hobby, that, like many other hobbies, takes a lot of learning and experience to be successful. When you get into more expensive cables, you really need to know what you are doing. High end cables are one of the more advanced challenges you need to deal with as an audiophile. I believe that inexperience is why so many people become very frustrated/negative when it comes to cables.

Relying on reviews and other peoples opinions, is like an accident waiting to happen. Its possible you may make a lucky guess. Aside from that, though, there really is no easy path to take. If you want to do it right, you need to learn and gather experience on your own. If you are not sure about something, its no big deal. Its better to just take your time and make a purchase only when you feel you are ready.
zd542
5,339 posts
 
Sunnyjim,

Sorry again about that. Anyway, it looked from your first post like you didn't have a lot of experience. Just to sum up, the main point I was trying to make was that in the end, the final decision to buy cables (or any other component), should be made by using the skills and research that is yours. If you listen to a component and are having a hard time judging it, or you are just not sure, I say hold off. Also, there's absolutely nothing wrong with seeking the opinions of others. Its a great way to learn. Quite often, others can point things out that you may have missed or even introduce you to some new products. Balance is the key. I'm no different than most people here. I've made more costly mistakes than I can possibly remember.

Jedinite24 recommends Underwood Wally. I've dealt with him a few times over the years. I can recommend him as well. He's a great guy to deal with. Another retailer that I can't recommend highly enough is The Cable Company. I consider them to be my most valuable resource. They lend out cables and components for you to try in your system before you make a purchase.

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