why do people feel the need to buy expensive cable

This sums up my whole point . He was a stranger i had just met . Why would i feel the need to tell him what cables he should be using ? Same goes here on the forum with your my opinion of what cables need to be used to get great sound . 

"Who's to say some spool wire at Home Depot will not float someones boat"

I agree, for many reasons - poor, non-resolving gear, poor hearing and perception affected by strong belief that all wires sound alike.   

 As a parting statement . Whatever floats your boat . Stop telling me and anyone else reading this we have to spend big bucks to be happy or that we are listening to subpar fidelity . Peace out .

I'm  sure they did, great speakers...did you have a chance to compare cables on them?

I don't set a predetermine budget on anything and buy what sounds best to my ear.    My neighbor has $150K full loom of Stage 3 cables.    I respect his decision.   He's successful, earned the money and happy with the results.  Who am I or anyone to criticize his decision.

I don't find any member suggesting one has to spend x amount of dollars but just recommending different products.  Some happens to be expensive.

I just went to hear some $15,000 PBN speakers this weekend at a fellow audiophile's house this . The wires he was using were ten dollars a foot . Needless to say the sound was superb .

I set a maximum amount to spend on cables, but am always happy to spend less...I would never say you need to spend x to get good sound...but I also find the best sound rarely comes cheaply...

It's all quite simple realy.  Would you take you 10 K McIntosh power amp and strap it with some 16g zip cord to your 20 K Martin Logan sound producers, I THINK NOT!  And on the flip side would you strap your 50.00 Radio Shack'y music box to your 10.00 bookshelf yard sale bonanza speakers with 1 K  audio cables,  NOT REALY!

Point being, match your dollars and system with the best cable that you feel good about, and let the sound carry you away.

The audiophile market seems to have a mind (or no mind) of it's own . You have not realized this ?

Having an open mind i say try anything . Who's to say some spool wire at Home Depot will not float someones boat . I completely disagree with stating to someone you must spend x amount of dollars on wire if you want good sound . That is just ridiculous .

It's obvious you have no clue how market works.  

One wire does not suit all amp speaker interactions . So to say brand A is best does not work . 

my question wasn't meant to be argumentative. I have no way of knowing manufacturing costs.  How about, what are some cables you like and feel are a good value and would recommend to friends?

Not the same statement that made no sense as it did last time you posted it . They stay in business because gullible people like you buy them and the profit margins are insane to rational people .

Talk about illogical, if something is overpriced, company will go out of business with low or no demand.   The fact that many cable companies, Nordost, Kimber, Stealth ... have been in business for a long time, it's not overpriced.

All you can conclude is some consumers find it overpriced and some don't.   This applies to all goods ... some find a Porsche is overpriced and some don't.   If you do, don't buy it but respect the ones that do.

just answered that question

Yes, I ask that earlier and would be interested to hear your opinion.

oh here we go . I will attempt to answer all incoming questions to the best of my abilities . Who was disrespected ? Any cable that it's profit mark up is greater than 500% which puts too many to list .

as a point of reference maplegrove, what are some cables you believe to be overpriced and shilled?

Maplegrovemusic, You obviously just don’t get it. You can’t disrespect someone and try to demean their POV and then expect to be respected for your opinion. We can disagree, that's fine but, we don't need the throwing of  feces from cage to cage. Think about it. How about we get back on topic?

You guys are too much . I would venture to guess neither if you would act the way you do here in public . Cant imagine you would tell a stranger to their face they were or are acting immature . Carry on boys with the good fight .

This is not about differing opinions, civil folks can air an opinion or debate an idea without being trolls. Childish responses?... a product of Internet threads without moderators, anywhere else (off topic or not respectful? YOU'D BE TOAST!), or if someone tried to act that way at an audio club event they would soon clearly understand that no one cared to respect their view point or speak to them.

Too bad really. Happy Listening!

jmcgrogan2 - If you wish to carry on a two way conversation with me let's do it in private . You are the type who wants to open these types of conversations by putting members dialogue in quotes and go around rebutting anything you do not agree with . Just accept the fact your statement was illogical like the continued shilling of overpriced cables .ok . Thanks

Precisely. There are makes that don't tout their cables as much as most. They simply know from experience and feedback that what they do works. They use beta testers. With those makes it's a slow process and it boils down to evolutionary improvements, not some kind of annual hype fest. Those are the ones you should pay attention to. When you unearth them, you find a long gestation process with few models to mark their progress. 

The satisfaction you get should be on a level similar to one who commissions a performance. It is what this hobby is all about, isn't it?
Just think of the equipment you buy, the effort you make to mix and match, and the final touches. It's all about the rewards. 

All the best,
Nonoise

Although i do not think many would have argued against that . If our logic is wire is wire your expensive wire should also be great too . Just overpriced is all

.If overpriced, company would go out of business.  The fact that many exotic cable companies have been in business for many many years, it's not overpriced that's all.

Exactly what (dollars per foot) would be overpriced, snob appeal cabling???

I just want to make sure which camp I’m in! [|;^)>

Although i do not think many would have argued against that . If our logic is wire is wire your expensive wire should also be great too . Just overpriced is all .

Sounds good . Who can argue with that logic .

Anyone who wants to buy expensive cables more power to you . Just do not tell others they will not get great sound if they choose not to buy into them . End of discussion ? Good .

I have been running balanced cables for some time now . Yesterday i picked up a Krell KSA 100 off Craigs list . It has only rca inputs . Had to scrounge around to find a rca cable in the old dusty freebie bin of different cables i have . Plugged in some no name rca's so i could hear the new amp . To my amazement i was still listening to great sound . Go figure ? How is this possible ?

two more words,

or not?

Happy Listening!

Too many here are stating things definitively so as to preclude any debate without the first hand experience to back it up. 

I used to be in the camp that simpler was the better way to go and as long as one used a high enough purity with the conductor material, and use the least offensive dielectric, then that was all was needed. And, indeed, there are cables that fall into that category that fill the need without resorting to deep pockets.

It was only when I got some discounted, higher priced cables that I realized I was gravely mistaken in my belief. I had to hear it for myself. Not only was I wrong about the premise regarding construction, I was also wrong on the monetary amount needed to achieve my present state of audio satisfaction. 

Considering what I've spent, slowing bleeding my wallet with various cables when I could afford to try something else, I just should have gone for the best I could afford and save money in the long run.

Lesson learned.

All the best,
Nonoise

Two words!

SNOB APPEAL!

i'm cuckoo for cocoa puffs

"Using exotic cables to achieve a desired sound is not cost effective."

That statement is actually an excellent example of what is known as a Strawman argument. Misstating the opposing side’s position. It’s a common ploy of those who object, perhaps strongly, to expensive high end cables to portray cables as some sort of tone control device, as if the high end cable manufacturers are engaged in some sort of global conspiracy to manipulate the naive and gullible audiophile. And that audiophiles purchase high end cable to control some audio characteristic or another, you know, tame the highs, get more bass frequencies, etc. Furthermore the determination of the cost effectiveness of a given cable or a given anything actually would require a formal system engineering study, not an off-the-top-of-the-head opinion.

Two different ways to tweak in my opinion. Very much a matter of preference and goals. However with good quality modern digital processing technology its very quantified, measured and reliable to an extent not possible otherwise. Like most things in audio many ways to slay the beast effectively for someone who knows what they are doing.

For the same reason people are cheapskates.
There are different levels of expensive and cheap and I never shoot for the bottom be it audio, bicycles or guitars. Ever.

Mapman, With all due respect, I don’t believe I misunderstood, I simply haven’t had the same experience at all in more than 40 years at this. And I too have a very solid reference in live acoustic performance. Perhaps this is a preference???

Mamboni probably has more experience in all aspects of music including listening than most anyone in these parts.

There are many ways to tweak effectively but I'd think twice before discounting what he said.  It makes perfect sense.

Mamboni,

"If a cable has significant resistance and reactance it will color the sound by interacting with the amplifier and loudspeaker. Using exotic cables to achieve a desired sound is not cost effective. Your money is better invested in monoblocks so that very short cable runs can be used. I use 4 foot runs of 18g solid core .999 silver Teflon coated wire. This cable has negligable resistance and reactance. I am most pleased with the sound. I run my signal straight with no equalization of any kind. Before I'd resort to cables to alter the sound i would use software to optimize the loudspeaker-room interaction. This is anathema to many purists. Yet they accept cable swapping with its numerous variables and unpredictable interactions. This is illogical."

To my ears and experience, why care to shorten the speaker cable path a few feet, only to send the source through a digital food processor (optimizing software), mincing and scrambling the source first?

AND monoblocks for the sake of short speaker cable runs? When in reality the isolation from crosstalk and doubling of power supplies make a far greater advantage.

Speak of illogic, you are kidding right?

I understand the repulsion to spending inordinate amounts of fortune on cabling to fine tune a kits sonic signature, yet signal wire is a must, everything has its own sonic signature, and unfortunately, much of the neutral to good sounding cabling is not cheap to produce.

Each of use must be in charge of our own sense of value and what we are willing to trade for it. 

Perhaps you would benefit from more time here and in listening to discover a truly shorter and purer path to high fidelity. Only experience can reduce variables and increase predictably.

Happy Listening!

Criticize how others spend their money or build their system is totally illogical.  There are more than one way to skin a cat!

No

mamboni41 posts03-13-2016 9:04pmIf a cable has significant resistance and reactance it will color the sound by interacting with the amplifier and loudspeaker. Using exotic cables to achieve a desired sound is not cost effective. Your money is better invested in monoblocks so that very short cable runs can be used. I use 4 foot runs of 18g solid core .999 silver Teflon coated wire. This cable has negligable resistance and reactance. I am most pleased with the sound. I run my signal straight with no equalization of any kind. Before I'd resort to cables to alter the sound i would use software to optimize the loudspeaker-room interaction. This is anathema to many purists. Yet they accept cable swapping with its numerous variables and unpredictable interactions. This is illogical.

What if I have more money than GOD so I can buy any monoblocks and EXOTIC cables.  Is this LOGICAL to you???

The Walking Dead has met it's match with this thread.
It refuses to die. No matter how you mow them down there's always more of the same not far behind. I can't decide which levels of Dante's hell are reflected here (I'm torn between the 6th and 8th) or maybe there is a 10th level especially reserved for some folk here that combines the two.

All the best,
Nonoise

We buy these cables to listen to our rap music! Ah duh.  Any way I enjoy my jazz and my cables help with the realism and transparency. 

If a cable has significant resistance and reactance it will color the sound by interacting with the amplifier and loudspeaker. Using exotic cables to achieve a desired sound is not cost effective. Your money is better invested in monoblocks so that very short cable runs can be used. I use 4 foot runs of 18g solid core .999 silver Teflon coated wire. This cable has negligable resistance and reactance. I am most pleased with the sound. I run my signal straight with no equalization of any kind. Before I'd resort to cables to alter the sound i would use software to optimize the loudspeaker-room interaction. This is anathema to many purists. Yet they accept cable swapping with its numerous variables and unpredictable interactions. This is illogical. 

This thread keeps growing!

On a serious tip, it is not a matter of buying expensive gear- everything has its own cost (high/low). It is a matter of obtaining the correct synergy in one's system that does grow in price over time.