[Venro]

I am thinking about getting a Cardas or a Zu cable for my HD650, but was wondering why the cables were so expensive. And I thought, who better to educate me why than you DIY guys? Where does all the value for the Cardas come? What makes it worth hundreds more than the stock HD650 cable? How much would the just the materials cost to build something like the Cardas cable?

 

[cantsleep]

cardas: $6-7/ft

 

[cotdt]

properly braided CAT6 is better.

 

[cantsleep]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cotdt /img/forum/go_quote.gif properly braided CAT6 is better.

why is that? also for hd650s?

 

[edisonwu]

Sometimes things are worth how much people would like to pay for them. Some are over valued, while some are under valued. Who knows. People buy because they like them. Value is kind of a subjective and personal thing.

 

[duchamp]

The proprietary Sennheiser connectors are what it boils down to. I'm not an Economics major, but this is my take on things. Only a few companies have made a mold for the connector. They can charge outrageous prices for something that the average person cannot build easily or buy from a large number of retailers. Very little competition means they can charge what some people will pay. A search of the DIY forums will reveal an assortment of attempts at modification of the stock connectors to fit custom cables- some quite successful, others not so much.
My theory is that Cardas is holding off releasing a DIY Senn connector because it will cut into their pre-made Senn cable profit.

 

[riffer]

Basic Economics - Pricing is not based on cost, it is based on supply & demand.

A cable is worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

The materials to build the equivalent of the Cardas Sen cable cannot be purchased (the plugs), so cost is irrelevant.

Now, if you were willing to bypass the plugs and direct wire everything, you could do a recable for $10-15 using starquad and a 1/4" plug.

 

[cotdt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cantsleep /img/forum/go_quote.gif why is that? also for hd650s?

the teflon-coated CAT6 in a triple-braid will have low inductance and high capacitance, perfect for the HD650! it will remove the veil!

 

[daggerlee]

I'd say a couple of bucks for the copper, couple of cents for the rubber sheathing and the metal for the plug...

 

[Sovkiller]

Get the Zu...The Cardas IMO is nothing spectacular in comparison to any other cable you can possibly make yourself, with the exception of the connector that many others indeed right now offer, with the difference that those others are indeed made of more fancier materials, and better cables...They are indeed cheap copper cables, but more expensive cause the name brand on them....IMO extremely overpriced for being copper cables...

 

[rsaavedra]

Well not to stir any fire, here some links that show a strongly skeptic opinion on snake oils applied to cables and many other audio components:

http://sound.westhost.com/cables-p6.htm#outro

And here's another:
http://www.verber.com/mark/ce/cables.html

 

[Sovkiller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsaavedra /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well not to stir any fire, here some links that show a strongly skeptic opinion on snake oils applied to cables and many other audio components: http://sound.westhost.com/cables-p6.htm#outro

Raul this link embeded in the one above is even a better reading:

http://www.csicop.org/si/9505/belief.html

OMG!!!!


And for some reason this picture reminds me of a dear headfellow around:

Simply priceless!!!!!!

 

[rsaavedra]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sovkiller /img/forum/go_quote.gif This link embeded in the one above is even better reading:

Yes articles in the Skeptical Inquirer are usually very thought provoking and well written. Used to buy that magazine btw.

I can guess who that picture reminds you of, but won't name anyone

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Venro /img/forum/go_quote.gif Where does all the value for the Cardas come? What makes it worth hundreds more than the stock HD650 cable? How much would the just the materials cost to build something like the Cardas cable?

Exactly. Unless your cable is damaged, there's no need to buy another one.