Getting off the Cable-Go-Round

Cables
1

I’ve been on this ride for a short time - 6 or 7 years, and I’m about to get off. PC’s, IC’s, Speaker Cables, Digital Cables etc. Started with small shop cables, did some DIY cables, moved up the line of AQ mid tier cables, and recently upgraded my IC’s to Veritas Cables :+1:

Question for you all: If you eventually found satisfaction with moderately priced cables (under $2K) and stopped chasing the “end game,” what’s your story? e.g. got too expensive, found good synergy, tired of the cable-go-round, or something else?

2

I stayed at sub $2k cables for a long time. The key is not to try an expensive cable, because that was my mistake.

3

Absolutely! If someone offers you a chance to listen to an expensive cable in your system, ask them what it costs. If that cost is absolutely out of the question for you, don’t try the cable.

I could easily bring cables to your house Tom that would sting like hell. Don’t allow it.

In this hobby, there is always better. You have to decide how important it is for you to find the best. Sadly for me, I found the best early.

4

You two are spot on with your advice to never try a cable you can’t or won’t afford. Not knowing what one is missing can be helpful!

5

And if your focus is correctly placed on enjoying music, rather than the science of audio playback, it doesn’t matter.

Sadly, I am a scientist.

6

And the same advice applies to components too!

7

This is legit advice! Trying cables you can’t afford and love will force you out of the hobby faster than buying Focal speakers you don’t like. :tired_face::confounded_face:

8

Furutech DSS speaker, Furutech DPS power, and iconoclast UPOCC interconnects were such huge upgrades over any other cable I’ve tried that I’m not that interested in anything else.

9

Too bad. Those are easy to beat.

10

Interesting, I have the DSS and the DPS cables which made nice improvements in my system.

11

You have found synergy with your choice of cables and components within your set budget. You are where we all strive to get! Don’t listen to those gremlins on your shoulder. Just enjoy the music…and some good bourbon!

12

Good call. I find that bourbon has great sound qualities! :slight_smile:

13

Cabling is so important–and I just shake my head and those (in my experience many are engineers of some sort) who claim not to hear any difference and that it is all snake oil.

I had an interesting journey with interconnects. I tried six or seven different brands and editions and managed to find a lane to some heavily discounted VooDoo Cable one in the Stradivarius line. Wow. The interesting thing is that they led me to a transformation of my system, improving sources and amplification, and they were never the weakest link. They still show me everything I need to hear to tailor and tune, and they still are not the weakest link.

14

The trick is knowing when you’ve arrived vs jumping to the next “big thing.”

I remember you searching for PS Audio AC12 Power cords a while back. Were those for your main system?

15

Are you trying to getting off the “getting off the cable-go-around” grand plan?:laughing: It is hard to resist the charm of cable craziness. One can for sure go crazy on cables.

16

Well, people can say that they are done, but I think you know how that turns out :slight_smile:

17

Many members of the “audio” group that I belong to here in NJ are guys with impressively deep knowledge of all aspects of components, cables, speakers.
They have one of two opinions about cables:

  1. If you hear an improvement from cables, that means there’s something wrong with your system.
  2. If you spent more money than they did on cables, you’re gullible.
18

If I go the active speaker route, cables and fuses and amplifiers and preamps and DACs and feet and shelves will all be safely in the past.

19

I have no money now nor do I anticipate having money in the future for better cables, and I have built my system in harmony with them, and am “standing pat.” The carousel has stopped spinning. :wink:

20

Too bad MU2 with Roon still sound better to me than Maestro, and too bad Maestro is still having a long way to have a tablet version.

Otherwise, I can get a NAS cheap setup and just do WIFI with PMG. I can sell MU2, Shunyata Omegas, Muon Pro, SW-10 pro switch, and a couple expensive power cords too. Too bad.