Thinking back myself, I remember dropping just under $100 CAN on a pair of Kimber PBJ's. They served me well until the Grovers I have now blew them out of the water.
What is the most you ever spent on interconnects, speaker cable, power cable, etc?

I think I spent 12bucks once at ratshack for a roll of speaker wire, seriously! :para:

I bought 50 feet of Vampire Wire speaker cable, 10g I think, in 1988, don't remember the exact cost- but I know it seemed like a ton of money to me at the time.

$12 for a bunch of leftover cables from an estate sale HT setup where all the gear was sold. You know the story; all the gear is gone, but there's a bunch of wire laying on the floor.
Got a couple nice AudioQuests in the bunch, some of which I kept or resized for shorter runs.

$20 for 50 feet of 12ga. landscape lighting wire for my speakers. $10 for a Monster interconnect for my CD player.
Tom

I actually remember buying some silver wire from Active Surplus in Toronto at a buck a foot back when I was building speakers. Bugger to work with, cause you had to hold it about 2 feet from the end when soldered, otherwise it was just too damn hot.

I'm embarrassed to say, but it was 3 figures, not 4

$25 for a pair of Magwire Naked IC's from an Audiogon seller and $15 for a 12ft pair of Vampire speaker wire.

Well lets see my main system uses some 58 interconnects I think so WAY to much and I made every one myself.

Well lets see my main system uses some 58 interconnects I think so WAY to much and I made every one myself.

Fifty eight!?! Man! I have problems with over ten..... :scratch2:

I'm embarrassed to say, but it was 3 figures, not 4

Me too. But I'll tell you anyway - $300.00 (CAD)! They were van den hul interconnects.

They've been loaned out so I still officially own them.

Fifty eight!?! Man! I have problems with over ten..... :scratch1:



Me too. But I'll tell you anyway - $300.00 (CAD)! They were van den hul interconnects.

They've been loaned out so I still officially own them.

How do the VDH's compare to the Grovers, Gary?

At the time I was not impressed with the VDH's. They were unique in that they were carbon fibre (no metal!!). I've changed my system since then and I am curious to hear what they sound like now.

From what I remember, the Grovers were much better. And I'm talking about the Grover MK1's that were much better, not the upgraded Grover SR cables that you have!

Well since my entire system is cabled with high end Nordost I am just going to say considerably more than everyone else that has posted so far.

Nordost!

Beautiful..... :)

I'm using Solar Wind ICs, not 'high end' Nordost, to be sure, but I am very happy with them. Chord Carnival Silver Plus speaker cables, on output duty.

All my ICs are are Wasatch 104/105/205. Audioquest speaker cables. I paid full boat for the first ones (on a money-back guarantee if I didn't like what I heard at home). Obviously, I did. And have gotten the other ones off of Audiogon at half-price, or less. When I don't like the sound of a component, I know it isn't the ICs problem. Money well spent!!

http://www.wasatchcableworks.com/Products.htm

I just discovered two "Chord" dealers here. Interesting!

I have used Wasatch cables in the past. They are really very good and very well made. A break off company from Kimber if I remember correctly.

That is correct. Great customer service. They've changed end terminations for me. Mod'd a set of 1m to 2 pairs of 0.5m, etc. At very reasonable cost. While I don't have 58 sets, I do have 10. More in ICs than any single piece of my vintage system.

And the Kimber head engineer who founded Wasatch has moved on to another cable company in the past few months. He does get around.

I use the Teatrack by Van den Hul, got them at a descent price.
http://www.vandenhul.com/discontinued/ttrck-h.htm

No more than $15 per interconnect; I've got AR and some new old stock Radio Shacks with gold connectors and shielding blocks. Not much in the 14 gauge speaker cables either. This is an upgrade over what I was using before I found AK.

I too have spent amounts I'm embarrassed to admit, but not nearly into 4 figures. My only excuse is that they're 6m long and balanced, and I find that rationale a great comfort whenever common sense seeks to rear its ugly head.

$100.00 on "anti-cables". > BIG improvement.
$20.00 on custom IC's> Not much difference, but my system has changed drastically since those days.

By Carbon fiber are we talking a conductor like a Sparkplug wire has? I have been wondering about that for quite a while I think I'll make up a pair of them and see what they sound like. I'll have to add an outer shield or maybe just twist a pair together LOL.

By Carbon fiber are we talking a conductor like a Sparkplug wire has? I have been wondering about that for quite a while I think I'll make up a pair of them and see what they sound like.
You'll probably not want to do that, almost all spark plug cables (that I'm aware of) are resistive to reduce EM interference with the car's computer. To use spark plug cables for interconnects could do some mighty weird things with the sound and may (I'm guessing here) cause damage to some more sensitive components.

What I often call myself is "cheap" followed by a varying combination of choice expletives, so I've not spent much on cables ... yet. Most of the time I've been in this hobby, I haven't felt that my system possessed sufficient resolution to require more expensive cables. I think I've finally gotten to the point that I'll need something better than what I'm using now.

Anyways, the most I've spent on cables is ~$15 each and usually less. I've had very good luck with discounted mispackaged Radio Shack Gold Series cables. Now, these aren't truly Gold series, but the remaining stock of their attempt at superior (much superior to Monster brand) cables called Fusion( that thanks to a lawsuit were removed from sale) packaged as Gold series. If you know what they look for and how to find them, they're a very affordable means to some decent cables. I've spent a bit more on speaker wire, but my ~30 50' roll of 12 gauge Sound King lasted me for a long while.

- JP

$15 + -, Radio shack Gold interconnects. Similar product at guitar center, some monster connections in Pro setup, don't remember price, $25 to $35. Now I am D.I.Y. With belden 1694A + RCAP-CF5 RCA's.

By Carbon fiber are we talking a conductor like a Sparkplug wire has?.

Tjek this page: http://www.vandenhul.com/cable/frst-u.htm

just scored 10 x 1.8metre phono to phono cables for £4...and a qed three way tape switching unit for £3 to connect them up to... :thmbsp:
also bought a £1.99p 3 metre length headphone extension cable for my grado sr60's which gave a big improvement in sound quality...cos i can now reach the comfy armchair across the room which is the furthest distance away from the noisy computer fan..and without having to suffer the inferior sound quality of infra red headphones :D

Just out of curiosity I went out and looked (internet looking) @ the Nordost line of IC's. All I can say is "Dang VPIVinylspinner, how can I get placed in your will". Not saying that I wish you any ill health. At least not until I get in your will :D. They do put my RS and Walmart purchase's (probably a $60 investment) in the shadows, but I'm happy for now.

$350 for 1m Ridge Street IC's and $525 for 2m Audience speaker cables.

Obviously, I am in the "they make a difference" camp.

I use Cardas Golden Reference ICs, PCs, and speaker wire in my high-end system. No regrets at all. Pricey, but it makes me happy. :D What more can you ask for.

In the vintage sytem I have Audience AU24 wires everywhere. Great flexible thin wires. :music: Love 'em!

I posted about my cables were mostly radio shack. Well I made a pair. I only needed 2' lenghts for one set of connectors. I put together a D.I.Y. cable tool kit together but will not add that cost in.
RCA's- crimp $9.28
Belden 1694A cable 1.28
Techflex 3.20
heat shrink 1.42
________________________
Total $15.18

Not bad for a rookie. Just ordered what was availible at the time, nuthing too fancy, that could change. The choices of cable and connectors is a result of a lot of reading on this site and others. this I believe is better than what I have been using. I have no opinions on cables. Just if I can make and as good or better cable myself, Why not. learning something is good.
Thank you AK and all who post.

I'm using Rat Shack goldsnow, but I've been considering some upgrades.Possibly some zebra ICs nothing too pricey.

The Best I had in the house were the TG Audio speaker cables and interconnects. 8 foot run cost $800. And the interconnects were $400 a meter. In a fit of delusion I sold them.

I have owned the Alpha Core AG1 speaker wire. It sold for $800 for 8 feet. They were not in the same league as the TG Audio. Also had Micropurl and Quartz triode interconnects. They were respectable. Forget the price on them. They were silver wire versions.

Currently I use Tara Labs Master Gen 2 speaker wire. Also Master Gen 2 interconnects. And a pair of Tara Labs Air 3 interconnect.

Regards
Mister Pig

Well since my entire system is cabled with high end Nordost I am just going to say considerably more than everyone else that has posted so far.

Dood, I hope you take this in the loving contextit is presented: you'll need more than cables to fix that L-07c.

Care for a spare?
cheers,
Douglas

Straight Wire Crescendo: is a dramatic departure from all existing interconnect designs. No other Straight Wire cable has utilized the advanced field testing and dealer input or undergone such minute refinement. With an advanced helix array of many conductor groups, it has the lowest resistance of any interconnect. All dynamic constraints are eliminated; remaining is the most holographically believable soundscape, capable of transporting the listener to the original recording space. With Crescendo, music more than captivates the listener. You'll distinguish each musician and their instrument. Without the slightest hint of grain or glare, you'll take in every ounce of detail, allowing you to hear the entire performance venue. For those who truely love music. In XLR only. $800.00 US :banana: :banana: :banana:

I work for Best Buy - can't say I've topped $15 with my discount ;)

dew.

Oh, 'bout $20 for 1s I've bought and kept.

$50 for 25 ft of original Monster Cable back in 1984. They've turned the loveliest shade of green!

$12 for 100 ft of 12 gauge outdoor lighting wire at Home Despot earlier this year.

$5 for 16 guage, 50 feet of speaker wire when "Crazy Eddies" was going out of business. I'm sure I paid more (per foot) for some Rat Shack junk in the past.

Ron

I've spent way too much money on cabling my system. However, I tend to treat interconnects the same as the components themselves so it does get a little pricey.

1 x Chord Prodac (digital) @ £120 each ........... 120
1 x Atlas Explorer (digital) @ £90 .................... 90
2 x Nordost Red Dawns i/c @ £360 each .......... 720
1 x Chord Chorus i/c @ £200 each .................. 200
4 x Audioquest Jade i/c @ £30 each ................ 120
1 x Sonic Link Silver Pink @ £50 each .............. 50
10m QED Silver 12 @ £15m plus termination ...... 200
10m QED Silver Spiral @ £30m plus termination .. 380
5 x custom power cables @ £150 each ............ 750
1 x JPS Labs Superconductor ......................... not sure of price but $$$

That's just what I can remember from the top of my head. I do have a load of other cables that have been in my system and are now spare. I do have some DIY cables too.

...into the world of Audiophile excess and bought some Tributaries Silver XLRs at $245 and 20 feet of Silver Bi-wire/gold spade speaker cable at $440 (MSRP $650). I feel kinda dirty. Did it make a difference? I don't know that I can answer that question yet, but I'm sure I'll convince myself it did eventually.




Thinking back myself, I remember dropping just under $100 CAN on a pair of Kimber PBJ's. They served me well until the Grovers I have now blew them out of the water.
What is the most you ever spent on interconnects, speaker cable, power cable, etc?