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That's what I'm trying to find out by trying some megabuck cables (well, at least to me they're megabuck -- between $500/meter/pair to $900/meter/pair). I'll provide all the details in the reviews, but so far I've listened to the Acoustic Zen Silver References (~$900/meter/pair) for about a week, and then just installed the Tara Labs RSC Air1's (~$700/meter/pair) -- and it'll be a fairly long-term tryout for all of them -- and so far I'm very impressed by both. Of course, both of these manufacturers are held in high regard by most of the hi-fi community.

Jude, it'd be great if you can compare them to, say, Silver Lace. At $189/m assembled, it shouldn't be a stretch to try it (not to mention 30 day moneyback), and it seems to be getting popular around here, so it would be a good point of reference. By the way, the whole point of braiding is to minimize the influx of outside EMI/RFI, and according to what I've read people didn't have any noise-related problems with 'Laces.

I've just read the article about cables in Stereophile, brings me back to my university days... Anyway, what guy said makes perfect sense. I'll try experimenting with my connection between DAC and headphone amp at some point, since I can solder them both. The question will be can a run of coaxial cable (I'll try make true 75 Ohm, Canare, as described by a link by someone here) outperform Silver Lace...

I think we have to keep a handle on the scale of things here. To the average Joe, Radio Shack Gold Series is an extravagance -- even the most expensive items in that line are only $10/meter! Myself, I get nervous spending $50/meter on cables. Jude's talking about auditioning "expensive" cables at under $1000/meter. And even then, there is no scorn. The laughing doesn't begin until after that level, at the "I'll visit Valhalla before I ever own a set of Valhalla interconnects" level.

Hands up everyone who would rather have a $50,000 luxury car instead of $50,000 worth of interconnects, speaker cables and power cords. Now hands up those whose entire systems don't cost $50,000, and therefore couldn't possibly justify having cabling that expensive. I trust there was near unanimity on both questions.

Now, if you already have that luxury car, or your system is so expensive that 5-digit interconnects are a small fraction of its price, go ahead and buy the Valhallas. Your fortune should help you to insulate your person from our raucous levity at your expense.

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Given that there are many here with dedicated headphone rigs, it isn't unusual for some folks to be concerned with only one or two pairs of interconnects.

I've mentioned it in other posts, but at the hi-fi store I worked at through part of college many years ago, many of our best customers had hi-fi as their most passionate hobby, and most pulled into our parking lot with very modest automobiles. And, besides, I think most of the audiophile types I've met have pretty thick skin, and are immune to any raucous levity enjoyed at their expense. In fact, most would never notice -- they're too busy listening (and shopping).

>I think we have to keep a handle on the scale of things here.

That's why I'd love if Jude or someone else who has bought/listened to some very expensive cables would do some comparative review with cheaper stuff like Silver Laces etc., so that we can figure out where the knee of the curve of diminishing returns is. Though, if the main cause of differences in sound of different cables is the impedance mismatch effect mentioned in this latest Stereophile, then the whole comparison might not be totally valid. I still believe that the purity of material, quality of construction and type of dielectric and the geometry would make sound difference but the prices of such cables that would give great sound when terminated would be much less. Bah, what was I trying to say? That getting a great quality non-esoteric cable and terminating it properly should take us to cable heaven. Though I doubt that even if that were true that there wouldn't be kilobuck cables still on sales - such is the nature of subjective perception...

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The coax cables with Canare RCA's make a nice digital cable but they are really nothing special IMO as an analog interconnect. Personally I prefer analog cables of Canare star-quad mic cable to any of the coax cables I have tried (mostly Belden 89259 and Canare LV-77S). My personal favorite cables right now are the HT truthlinks, but I am seriously considering giving the silver laces a listen.

>The coax cables with Canare RCA's make a nice digital cable but >they are really nothing special IMO as an analog interconnect.

That's the point. Such a cable is a perfect candidate to test the impact of impedance matching.

I just read the articles in Stereophile and what gets to me is they go through and say yes these are great cables and then the reviewer states he would not buy them because of the cost. So, why review them then? I just don't understand. I think a better article would be to review a few cables in the under $500 a meter range and compare them to each other.

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For the same reason that Car and Driver would review cars like the Mercedes S500 that are out of the reach of 90% of the car-buying public, and also review McLaren F-1's that are out of the reach of 99.99% of the car-buying public. Yet in those very same issues you may also read reviews of a Ford Taurus or Chevrolet Camaro, which are within the reach of most of the car-buying public.

In their October 2001 issue, Stereophile reviews interconnects that cost $78/meter/pair. In their November 2001 issue, they review $3300/meter pair interconnects. I found both reviews interesting reads.

C'mon, man, you mean to tell me that if given the opportunity you wouldn't want to hear what your rig sounds like with Tara Labs ZERO's or Nordost Valhallas in it? I know I would.

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No, because I would cry when I gave them back!

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LOL! Yeah, I can see your point on that one.

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I was told today as I examined a set of Transparent Opus MM's that you specify your amp and speakers when you buy the cable and they custom build the cable for your specific speaker/amp pairing. At that price they should!. They sure are pretty! But so're a lot of other things you can buy with 26 large.

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I have pics of them if anyone wants to to scan them.

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Quite frankly I would think of it as a neat possibility, but I really doubt I could hear a difference, particularly on my setup. AR cables will do it for me, they seem to be built reasonably well and I can afford them. Speaker wire? I am using zipcord. You guys are talking about interconnects on the order of 4x the price of my new car.

In a somewhat reasonable audio setup (<$3000), I don't think I would allow myself to spend more then $300 on interconnects and cables - combined. I just feel that they won't make nearly as significant a difference as a better speaker or amplifier, if a real difference at all.

Ya know, interconnects are one thing, and speaker cables are quite entirely another and in my book, those Transparent's are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay over the top! Ya, so they cost more than your car. They probably have more moving mass than your car too. You ought to see those things! Ridiculous!

So did you guys read that I/C cable article in the last Stereophile? It was a really good article and made a lot of sense. Things I've been wondering about for as long as I've been involved in electronics. Why, almost uniquely in the entire world of electronics, is impedance matching between components ignored for consumer electronics? Further, if we stop ignoring it, will it make a difference? Well, ya! It makes sense! My next project...