Why buy expensive cables...

**Matt D** · 05-03-2008, 20:09

... when you can use coat hangers...

http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/03/a...ter-cable-and/

Quote:

Originally Posted by engadget

We've always believed that the perceived quality boost that comes from using high-end cables is really just a trick of the mind (read: justifying the ridiculous cost of premium cables to yourself) -- if you've dropped enough cash, you can probably hear anything you want. Still, our belief is one thing -- cold hard proof is another, and it looks like a group of 12 self-professed "audiophiles" recently couldn't tell the difference between Monster 1000 speaker cables and plain old coat hangers. Yeah, coat hangers.

(snip)

AntiSilence · 05-03-2008, 20:15

Makes perfect sense. Using bog standard 2-core mains cable for your speakers is as good as any high-end over-priced cable they dupe people into buying.

Druchii · 05-03-2008, 20:18

Wow

I never knew this, although i did know that most people can't tell the difference between vinyl and CD.... Which is odd. I love Vinyl compared to CD

SMHarman · 05-03-2008, 22:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Druchii

Wow

I never knew this, although i did know that most people can't tell the difference between vinyl and CD.... Which is odd. I love Vinyl compared to CD

Well that depends whether you are using a first generation CD player where it was fairly easy to hear or a more modern one.
It's the ones that cannot tell the difference between a 128kb MP3, 192Kb MP3 and a CD that I don't get.

---------- Post added at 17:32 ---------- Previous post was at 17:31 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by AntiSilence

Makes perfect sense. Using bog standard 2-core mains cable for your speakers is as good as any high-end over-priced cable they dupe people into buying.

Nice piece of solid copper cable. Shoudl be a good conducter.

Uncle Peter · 10-03-2008, 14:24

Monster cables aren't really very expensive in hi-fi snobbery terms

The test does prove a valid point though: unless you're going to spend over £500 on a pair of speaker cables there probably won't be any tangible difference in the sound quality. Even then you could argue that the magnitude of audible difference will have you asking the more money than sense question.

Twin & Earth does indeed do a perfectly good job

Taf · 10-03-2008, 15:09

It's the connectors that cause most degration IMHO...

**Stuart C** · 10-03-2008, 15:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Peter

Monster cables aren't really very expensive in hi-fi snobbery terms

The test does prove a valid point though: unless you're going to spend over £500 on a pair of speaker cables there probably won't be any tangible difference in the sound quality. Even then you could argue that the magnitude of audible difference will have you asking the more money than sense question.

Twin & Earth does indeed do a perfectly good job

Unless you are using long cables (> 20 metres), would spending £500 *really* make an audible difference? I know that at work, when we refitted the lecture theatres this summer, we spent a lot of money (don't know how much) on Cable, but then the average cable run was nearly 30 metres.

Uncle Peter · 10-03-2008, 17:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart C

Unless you are using long cables (> 20 metres), would spending £500 *really* make an audible difference? I know that at work, when we refitted the lecture theatres this summer, we spent a lot of money (don't know how much) on Cable, but then the average cable run was nearly 30 metres.

That's £500 for a couple of 0.5m pairs

**Stuart C** · 10-03-2008, 17:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Peter

That's £500 for a couple of 0.5m pairs

Does it really make an audible difference though?

bmxbandit · 10-03-2008, 17:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Peter

The test does prove a valid point though: unless you're going to spend over £500 on a pair of speaker cables there probably won't be any tangible difference in the sound quality.

The test shows that the subjects couldn't notice a difference between cheap power cable, a coat hanger and expensive (for what it is) cable - there is no mention of more expensive cables!

That would require a whole new double blind trial...

Uncle Peter · 10-03-2008, 17:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart C

Does it really make an audible difference though?

In my experience it does, but, imho not enough difference to warrant spending that amount of money. The general view is that all of these things: expensive speaker cables, interconnects, stands, power supplies etc. individually make a small difference which adds up to something greater. At significant cost though and you'd think it would have to stop somewhere but for some people it doesn't: I know someone who had a new electricity circuit brought in from the street to his listening room.