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Are your cables as expensive as your system? - Page 2

post #16 of 67
7/28/07 at 8:23pm
No.
I use high definition DiMarzio RCA IC to connect my CD player to home amp and have TURBO mini-mini and ipod dock for portable use.
Have spent a lot less than what i paid in my equipment (excluding cable). Would love to try some REALLY expensive cables though ...
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post #17 of 67
7/28/07 at 8:29pm
Cables can make an improvment, but don't go for your lungs, you won't hear a difference for the big bucks. I'd suggest buying one step above the bottom-of-the-line improvment cables. IMO after that you're wasting money unless you've had your hearing tested and it's really really good. And even at that, I'd spend the money on better hardware.
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post #18 of 67
7/28/07 at 8:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by crwoo View Post
No, didnt know there was that much of a differance
It's controversial to say the least.
I'd never suggest DBTs here since it's not allowed.
Science sucks.
I don't own the great headphones the OP owns anyway.
My crappy headphones just don't reveal differences between power cables.
And there are surely listeners with better hearing and more experience than me.
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post #19 of 67
7/28/07 at 9:48pm
Get a used Nordost Valhalla power cord from Audiogon. It's a great match with the Valhalla interconnect.

All my electronics cost less than each cable powering them.
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post #20 of 67
7/29/07 at 12:45am
Nah, I would just suggest that you buy something thats a little above the "average" high performance cable and that should be all you need. The most expensive the cables get the less SQ gain your going to obtain.
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post #21 of 67
7/29/07 at 1:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by WindowsX View Post
Are your cables as expensive as your system?
No

Quote:
Is it too crazy idea buying cable that as expensive as amplifier?
Yes
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post #22 of 67
7/29/07 at 1:13am
Thread Starter 
I don't think valhalla is a good match for all Valhallalish system. Way too stress.
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post #23 of 67
7/29/07 at 1:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by WindowsX View Post
Are your cables as expensive as your system?
No.

Source = Amp > Cables
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post #24 of 67
7/29/07 at 3:47am
As somebody already suggested wouldn't you be way better off to buy say a $3000 amp and a $200 cable rather than splitting your money equally between the two? I'm no expert but wouldn't that produce a better sounding system than what you are proposing?
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post #25 of 67
7/29/07 at 3:59am
Whatever happened to that old rule of thumb of allocating 10% of your budget for cables?

I'm not a believer, by the way. I think at the most you might get a slightly different flavor of sound, and there is no reason why a wire should cost as much as your amp (after all, it's wire). I really do wonder how much of the reported improvement is placebo. Have you tried doing an ABX yourself with the cables?
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post #26 of 67
7/29/07 at 4:07am
I had a long winded post about cables and how big of a part they play in a system but i think ill just leave it at this

Anyone who spends the same amount of money on their cables as they do their speakers or amps, needs to go back in highschool and pay attention in economics. You learn two very important principles: diminishing returns, and opportunity costs.
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post #27 of 67
7/29/07 at 11:38am
The improvement from Vishnu ($660) to Valhalla ($3000) was much bigger than stock to Vishnu.

I get better sound with Benchmark DAC1 ($975) + Valhalla than Cary 303/300 ($4000) + Vishnu. It's probably because the cheaper DAC is more sensitive to tweaks. The more expensive the gear is, the harder it is to change the sound.

With the same tweaks, DAC1 sounds better than Cary 303/300. Without any tweaks Cary sounds better. So in my experience, the more you spend on electronics the worse sound you get, because the tweaks aren't as effective then. If you want to hear a certain flavor of sound, cheap electronics + tweaks is the way to go.

I hear a bigger difference replacing the power cord for the computer than for my CD transport, because there is more jitter to begin with. If you don't have any jitter, it is harder to change the flavor.
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post #28 of 67
7/29/07 at 11:59am
I was always advised to add up the total cost of my system - ie; £1000, and then to allow about 10% of that on cables, ie; £100.
Whether I got good advice or not, I have no idea - but that's the only way I figured out what proportion to spend on cables without overdoing it
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post #29 of 67
7/29/07 at 12:41pm
I have learned the hard way and now look for cable bargains that provide synergy at a fraction of the cost of high end cables.

Don't get duped into thinking cable that cause changes in frequency response means better.
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post #30 of 67
7/29/07 at 9:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by WindowsX View Post
Thinking about my source, it's just iMod G4 with grace m902... That's why I'm so afraid of spending money recklessly for poor source. But if I buy that power cord, there won't be any better ones since Valhalla's IC is already one of top-notch that I ain't going to change. Really really really hard decision T_T
YOur source is an IMOD and you're thinking of a $1600 power cord for the sake of improvement in SQ???? Wow. I think you need a new hobby.

With 1600 you can get an electrician to run dedicated lines for your audio and have money left over for a decent source.
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