Recommended cable brand?

 

Bronze Member
Username: Cugine

San Jose, CA USA

Post Number: 28
Registered: Jan-07
Hi,

Anyone have experience with audioquest? What about Nordost?

I have a new system on its way and I plan to purchase all new cables/wires. There are tons of brands out there and I don't want to buy snake oil lol. Following the 5-7% rule I have a budget of around $500 or so.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Alright_boy

Post Number: 20
Registered: Jan-07
Kimber Cable.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Project6

Post Number: 12956
Registered: Dec-03
I second the Kimber Cable.
 

New member
Username: Installations4u

Manlius, NY US

Post Number: 3
Registered: Apr-07
I would recommend A2Z Cables. They're usually made of Belden or Canare brand cable, so you really can't go wrong. Also their prices are reasonable. Personally I've never heard of spending $500 on audio cables unless you're buying snake oil or really long or thick cables (due to the amount of copper that can be used).
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 4468
Registered: Feb-05
I spent more than $500 on cables and bought cables, no snake oil I'm afraid. I used inexpensive cables for many years. Then I bought better and there has been no turning back.

Danny, I have no idea what gear you're buying and therefore would have no idea what to recommend. Need more info.

BTW there are plenty of good cables that aren't terribly expensive and that certainly aren't snake oil. The Kimber Kable Timbre is an excellent budget performer as is the Analysis Plus Oval One.
 

Gold Member
Username: Stu_pitt

Irvington, New York USA

Post Number: 1677
Registered: May-05
Price usually has little to do with how good a cable can be. Besides the Radio Shack and Monster garbage, some expensive exotic cables can fall short in performance to cables costing a fraction of the price. And vice versa.

I can vouche for Audioquest. They make some good stuff. Some of it is absurd, but their relatively reasonable stuff works well in my system. Key words - my system.

As Art said, we need to know what gear, and what type of cables you're looking at - RCA, XLR, Optical, Speaker, etc.
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 4480
Registered: Feb-05
Audioquest makes very nice cables. Good clean well balanced sound. Like most brands their quality varies and as Stu said relates less to price than preference. Let's face it all cables color sound it's really about what flavor you want.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Pkmaven

Boynton Beach, FL United States

Post Number: 14
Registered: Mar-07
Always remember that electrons are not people. They cannot see the beautiful plugs on the end of the gorgeous covering. They follow the path of least resistance on their way to the connection to the pc board in the receiver or amplifier. If someone tries to convince you to buy a huge hoselike ac cable to connect to the ac outlet on your wall and then to connect to your amplifier, leave. The other side of the outlet on your wall is romex electrical cable. Putting a 3 foot pice of thickly insulated hose between the wall and the amp will make NO Difference! Never buy anything that doesn't make the sound you hear better. P.
 

Gold Member
Username: Stu_pitt

Irvington, New York USA

Post Number: 1689
Registered: May-05
"Putting a 3 foot pice of thickly insulated hose between the wall and the amp will make NO Difference!"

I used to think the same thing until I heard one. Night and day, make or break a system type improvement? No. But a difference (I didn't say improvement). From the few I've heard, and a lot of what I read, power cords are probably one of the most inconsistant things as far as improving a system. Again, cost means very little. Naim makes an upgraded power cord for their equipment which can be used on a lot of other gear. Price - $25. A lot of Naim owners claim a huge improvement in sound.

"Never buy anything that doesn't make the sound you hear better." Absolutely. Never buy or not buy anything just because others think it will/won't make any difference.
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 6633
Registered: Dec-04
PK, step back from the meter and scope and listen.
Every single part of a system makes a difference.

Every single part.

It may be small, it may be bad, it may be undistinguishable.
Heck, it may be good.

My friend, never say never.




I complained about my sore, aching feet until I saw a man who had no beer.
 

Gold Member
Username: Joe_c

Atlanta, GA USA

Post Number: 1455
Registered: Mar-05
"Putting a 3 foot pice of thickly insulated hose between the wall and the amp will make NO Difference!"

I really have to disagree along with Stu, Mine made the world of difference (and it was only $80), I also have Audioquest (diamondback) and love them. Huge jump over Monster (yeah I was young and dumb....still am I suppose) and have been very happy with my purchase. I run a Jolida tube amp with denon 2910 as stand alone (no video) cdp.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Alright_boy

Post Number: 99
Registered: Jan-07
Joe points out the inherent problems with sweeping generalizations regarding audio/video equipment performance. One would think that Stu should know better by now. So says the MOFO.
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 6667
Registered: Dec-04
Stu Does know better by now, that's why he posted the truth.

So says the MOFW. What the hell is that?
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 4504
Registered: Feb-05
The MOFO is one of our old friends reregistered under yet a new name, yet again. How ya doin' big fella. BTW Stu is one of the good guys and so is Joe, they'll work it out...ok.

Jim Bob...dude I know you can do better...be good JB.

Well time for bed folks...yep I'm old.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Project6

Post Number: 13681
Registered: Dec-03
Dale Wiley??? Is that you???
 

Silver Member
Username: Alright_boy

Post Number: 101
Registered: Jan-07
Dale Wiley? Never heard of him. But sounds like a likable sort.
 

Silver Member
Username: Alright_boy

Post Number: 102
Registered: Jan-07
"Stu Does know better by now, that's why he posted the truth.

So says the MOFW. What the hell is that?"
Nuck
Consider the source. And like Forrest Gump, that's all I have to say about that.
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 6683
Registered: Dec-04
Wiley? I thought you were dead!
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