Average Price Of Interconnects In Your Main System

[Redboy]

This is a new area of focus for me. I started off paying nothing for interconnects, just used the generic garbage that came attached to the 30-yr old receivers I was picking up. Then I picked up a couple of higher-end Monster IC's for a few bucks apiece at a thrift shop, and didn't hear anything new. They looked nicer though, with the gold-plated connectors.

My audio odyssey has led me to tubes, and as my system became more revealing, I started hearing more detail. I'd dismissed the idea that cables and wires could make a measurable difference in sound for me until recently when another member leant me a pair of Signal Cable IC's. Shortly thereafter, I sent him a PM titled "Damn, I hear a difference!" I was a little perturbed actually, that I'd have to shop for better interconnects now!

I just plunked down some cash for a pair of Nordost Red Dawns today. I haven't had a chance to really listen yet, but I never imagined I'd be spending good money on such a seemingly insignificant part of my system.

What an adventure this all is!

 

[Yamaha B-2]

I just plunked down some cash for a pair of Nordost Red Dawns today. I haven't had a chance to really listen yet, but I never imagined I'd be spending good money on such a seemingly insignificant part of my system. What an adventure this all is!

As you (and many of us have found), cables are not the insignificant part of the system we once thought. Looking forward to your report on the Red Dawns after they've had a chance to be broken-in.

 

[Redboy]

Looking forward to your report on the Red Dawns after they've had a chance to be broken-in.

About that... These are secondhand cables, so they should already be "broken in," right?

 

[avionic]

I'll let you donate anyway.

LOL..Sorry Bud can't help you out.Just closed on a new place and I have to get my american ferrari finished.:lmao:

 

[Yamaha B-2]

About that... These are secondhand cables, so they should already be "broken in," right?

Most likely. Enjoy!

 

[gearhound]

I'm using an old pair of Tara Labs Prism 22 for my Sansui tuner.
An old pair of Audioquest Ruby for my Magnavox CD player.
And a new pair of Heartland Canare's for my B&K amp & pre-amp.

Steve

 

[mhconley]

BetterCables.com exclusively. 1 m XLR for pre-amp to amp, 1 m RCA for CD player, 3 m spade biwire for amp to speakers.

Martin

 

[godzilla]

I'm using Tributaries and Audioquest...both sets were in the $20-30 range. I do here a dif between reg rca cables and these. The Tributaries seem to be of a better quality. I would like to try out some different ones or some more expensive to hear if there is an audible difference to me. If not, no sense in going more expenisve.

 

[jeffe]

Kimber PBJ, Signal Cable Analog II, Blue Jeans

always loved Kimber! Have run 8TC's with several sets of speakers, still run 4TC in the office, and there are the PBJ's. I have 3 sets of the PBJ's employed currently.

Signal Cable Analog II's are my recent fav's and have got 6-7 sets of these and really like them.

Recently got a 5.1 set ( 3 stereo pairs!) of Blue Jeans from A-gon for a really nice price and have yet to work them in anywhere with the 70 hour weeks..... maybe soon!

The Kimbers and Signal Cables I have purchase have always been in the $35 average range and for my money, they are VERY hard to beat!

 

[Tonedeaf]

I upgraded all my IC's to Zebra cables a few months ago and never looked back.

 

[kr-5150]

most of my cables are $10-$20 radio-shack cables...not their really cheap ones, the ones that are actually heavier gauge. A couple cables are custom made ( by me) 12 guage 7 foot ones that I made with monster cable and plated RCA jacks.

 

[N8Nagel]

I didn't vote because my cables are currently crap. I just ordered some Mogami for TT though and when I get a little more money together I will probably replace the rest with more Mogami or BJC. So probably in the $25-30 range.

Edit: that's for analog. I'm not ashamed to say that my HDMI, optical, etc. Are a mix of Monoprice and RS closeouts. Digital is digital...

 

[gadget73]

I have cheap stuff, even the stuff thats not completely awful. My "good" cables are a couple sets of various Acoustic Research cables that I got for a buck per wire (not paired, just single cables) at the flea market. They were cheaper than the price of the nice connectors on the end, and it so happens the wire isn't complete crap either.

 

[PAGS]

Resurrecting the dead!

 

[4-2-7]

Mine costed about $12 or $13 dollars..... I cant find the one I wanted WHICH PRODUCED EVEN BETTER SOUND THAN WHAT I HAVE NOW!!

My internet end went bad and for awhile it kept working (I kept wiggling the end so it worked) but then one day it went bad.... HORRIBLE AUDIO! (Sibilance,etc) -- I went thru maybe 4 or 5 different cables before I found one that was OK........ (And still its not quite as good)


Yes cables DO MATTER!!!! -- They do make a difference!!!!!!! (I had the other one for years)

What's your goal tonight dig up every 8-9 year old hot topic thread you can find and start a site war?
this is your second one so far...

Edit> correction 4th one...

 

[datafone]

I'm on a strict budget, but good cabling makes an audible difference in this system according to my own and others ears that have heard it. A bit of variation on the amount of difference depending on which person.
TT signal cables are Aurealis Audio, termination is with ETI copper plugs...a bit over 100 bucks au. (speaker cables are same brand) Great bang for buck products.
Phono to amp ICs are unknown brand, but are all 99.99 silver cable and plugs....so retail price is also unknown. But am looking at replacing these, the ones I'm wanting are $395, have tried them so i know what they do in here.

I believe that good is good, but finding a synergy is paramount even with cables. The termination is also very important, I avoid gold plated brass, and for that matter gold, silver and copper are both superior to gold for conductivity, brass isn't even in the running... IMO or course.

I notice some mentions of Red Dawn ICs, be careful, there are a lot of fakes out there of major brands of cables.

 

[hjames]

Recently had my eyes opened by the sound of a pair of mapleshade foil cables - $135 ...
but as a contrast I also am trying out the Anticables ver 2.2 similarly priced, which are more robustly built.

The only path I am using them for is the DAC to Preamp in - where 90% of my playback occurs.

 

[mkane]

BJC here. $40

 

[nailer]

Just about all mine were purchased used and since 1991 a different brand resides between each component.

 

[classic carl]

I may have misunderstood the poll question. I have close to $600 in cables in my main system, so I voted accordingly. If the question was per cable, I answered the poll incorrectly. I have about $600 in cables (including speaker cables) in my main system. Almost all of them were bought used. The new cost of the same cables would have been $1350. Of that total, I spent $100 for my used Tara Labs speaker cables which cost $400 when new. The rest of the cables are all various grades of Audioquest cables and one pair of Avanti Audio interconnects. I also included a digital cable to my DAC and 3 power cables.