overpriced cables - Page 3  

So now I'm a cashier at a grocery story.  Thanks for that.

I've been tinkiering with stereo equipment for many years.  I've tried cables from AudioQuest, Kimber Kable, Cardas, Analysis Plus, Mapleshade, WireWorld, Pangea, and even Monster (before I knew better).

I just happen to believe that a person can get a nice, well built cable with good specs from BJC.  All for $30.

You believe something different.  And that's fine, but I don't see what that has to do with a person's occupation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penarin 

So now I'm a cashier at a grocery story. 

Congratulations!

Keep working hard and maybe they'll promote you to manager and you can afford some better cables.

se

Just realized that next month will be the 10th anniversary of a piece I wrote over at Audio Asylum. Think this thread could use a little levity about now so here it is:

It's the same old story.

You've sacrificed, pinched your pennies and saved up for months. But it's been worth it and the time has finally come. You rush down to your local Radio Shack and moments later emerge the proud owner their best Gold Series interconnects.

You break a dozen traffic laws racing home. You hook 'em up, turn on the power, cue up your favorite recording, and with your hands still dripping with the sweat of anticipation, your heart sinks.

It's like listening to music through a pillow. Big, warm, fuzzy sound. ZERO clarity!

You give Radio Shack a call to see if they can offer some assistance but the guy just started working there and his last job was selling orthopedic shoes.

So you hop on the Internet and start poking around. Eventually you come across a lively discussion group bristling with experienced audiophiles. You post a message detailing your plight, desparately pleading for help.

Soon you get a reply. It reads:

Until you break the $300 per pair barrier, you probably will still have haze etc... The performance improves dramatically above this price point.

Your heart sinks still lower.

We know.

You'd love nothing more than to own a much higher priced pair of interconnects but let's face it, not all of us have the deep pockets to spend even dozens let alone hundreds of dollars on cables.

And with the war in the Middle East and major corporate scandals breaking every week turning the stock market inside out on top of a jobless economic recovery, it's not likely that a pay raise is in your future.

We hear ya, bro.

That's why the dedicated folks at Kludge Research, Inc. have spared no expense and invested countless hours in research and development to bring you what promises to be the most revolutionary audio product of the past century. And bring it to you at a price that even you can afford!

Introducing, the Audiophile Pricetag^®!

The Audiophile Pricetag^® will literally transform your cheap or giveaway interconnects into sonic marvels costing thousands of times more!

The Audiophile Pricetag^® is no ordinary pricetag. It's hand-crafted from the finest materials available.

The heavy-gauge, 99.9999% pure cotton string utilizes a proprietary twisting method which provides a superior connection to your existing cable.

The manila card stock is made custom to our specifications from virgin stands of Abaca (Musa textilis) from the Philippine Islands and is hand cut in our factory using techniques hundreds of years old with the price hand-written by one of our many craftspersons, signed and dated on the back of the tag.

Our patented hole reinforcement technology assures that your Audiophile Pricetag^® will last a lifetime, even under continuous use.

Best of all, the Audiophile Pricetag^® is being offered at the special introductory price of just $29.95!

Imagine getting the performance of a $5,000 cable for less than pennies on the dollar!

A bit tight on cash? No problem! Kludge Research, Inc. offers zero interest, six month financing. And if you act now, we'll defer your payments until January 2003!

And for the Do-It-Yourselfer, the Audiophile Pricetag^® is also available in kit form at the substantially reduced price of just $19.95!

Each kit comes with a pre-cut tag, hole reinforcer, string and a tube of glue. The 23 page instruction manual is clearly written and includes more than a dozen illustrations walking you step-by-step from preparation to installation.

Let's hear what just one of our many satisfied customers has to say about this revolutionary new technology:

I was skeptical at first. But that ended just a few measures into the first song when I realized that I'd soiled my pants! You should offer a diaper with this thing! It's THAT good! And if you don't believe me, just moments later my wife who has no interest at all in this audiophile stuff telephoned me from the neighbor's house three doors down and asked me if I'd changed something in my system!

You guys are great!

Baskin Ennison
Runamok, South Dakota

It really is THAT good. In our own tests, we've even used the Audiophile Pricetag^® with interconnects made from coat hangers and bailing wire with the same result!

Of course all great innovations have had their detractors and the Audiophile Pricetag^® is no exception. There have been a number of critics who have claimed that any two reasonably well designed pricetags will sound the same.

We disagree. But who are we to say? Try it for yourself risk-free for 30 days. If you don't agree that it transforms even the cheapest interconnect into an interconnect costing $5,000, return it for a full refund.

The Auidiophile Pricetag^®: You owe it to yourself.

The Audiophile Pricetag^® is a registered trademark of Kludge Research, Inc. Copyright 2002 Kludge Research, Inc., all rights reserved.

se

Classic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Eddy 

 

Congratulations!

 

Keep working hard and maybe they'll promote you to manager and you can afford some better cables.

 

se

So at what price point does a cable become better?  $100.  $200.  $500.  $1000?

The original poster was almost willing to drop $100 on a Monster cable.  What's your go to cable at that price?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penarin 

So at what price point does a cable become better?  $100.  $200.  $500.  $1000?

 

The original poster was almost willing to drop $100 on a Monster cable.  What's your go to cable at that price?

If I were taking a utilitarian approach to it, I think I'd be partial to Blue Jeans' products.

se

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penarin 

So at what price point does a cable become better?  $100.  $200.  $500.  $1000?

 

The original poster was almost willing to drop $100 on a Monster cable.  What's your go to cable at that price?

Imo, just find something that is built right. If everything is solid and the cable is built right, it shouldn't sound any different. It's when you buy those cheap $1 cables that are slapped together by some cheap machine, is when you lose sound quality.

If you can, just build your own cables from reasonably price supplies.

x2 on building your own -- if you have the tools and expertise (or the means to invest in the gear and curiosity to learn).*

x2 on Blue Jean Cables if you don't.

*I've spent probably $150-200 total on my Hakko 888 soldering station, solder, wick, flux, flux bottle, desolder pump, iron tip, "toy" soldering kits I used to teach myself to solder, etc. etc. I'm not saying others need to invest as much, but it's going to cost you something to get the proper tools and training. And separate from that expenditure, I had to buy the parts (wire, sleeving, plugs, heatshrinks, etc.) to make the cable or amp.

I just completed my seventh project (earbuds repair, two amp builds, two RCA cables, recable of my Denons, recable of my friend's Grados) and I am just NOW feeling like I've recouped my initial capital investment.

---

So in other words, if you just want a few quality cables -- end of story -- look up BJC.

Bluejean cables are for the 13 year old pretty girls who enjoy their ipods....

Since young kids have no trained ears and don't know what's considered good sound, the low performing cables (Bluejean or ghey monoprice) would suffice.

At age 36 with descent job, and you have trained ears, the bluejean cable cannot suffice...  I have tried it before. It sounded like ass...  it sounded no better than some generic cables.  The only thing they will do is to deliver sound, doesn't mean it will give you the quality sound, huge difference.  You guys haven't grasped the concept yet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penarin 

So at what price point does a cable become better?  $100.  $200.  $500.  $1000?

 

The original poster was almost willing to drop $100 on a Monster cable.  What's your go to cable at that price?

$200, but not from Monster cable.

Cables with longer length go up about $60k.  That's more expensive than some of the top-of-the-line speakers you could find...

I can apply for a loan.... for a good rate.