Cable costs
marvda1
Posts: 4,901
thought that would get you.
what's the most expensive cable you have had in your system and what are your thoughts on it?
mine is the Argento Organic speaker cables at $3300.
these are the best sounding speaker cables i have had in my system, the sound is... well.. organic. there is just music that draws you in. no one part of spectrum draws attention to itself, in fact you don't know you are listening to cables if that makes sense.
i like these so much that i am upgrading to the organic 2's and maybe even later the organic reference.
what's the most expensive cable you have had in your system and what are your thoughts on it?
mine is the Argento Organic speaker cables at $3300.
these are the best sounding speaker cables i have had in my system, the sound is... well.. organic. there is just music that draws you in. no one part of spectrum draws attention to itself, in fact you don't know you are listening to cables if that makes sense.
i like these so much that i am upgrading to the organic 2's and maybe even later the organic reference.
Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
Speaker Cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
Interconnects: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
Digital cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2 bnc, Tellurium Q aes, Silnote Audio Poseidon Signature 2 bnc
Puritan PSM156
Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
Speaker Cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
Interconnects: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
Digital cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2 bnc, Tellurium Q aes, Silnote Audio Poseidon Signature 2 bnc
Puritan PSM156
Comments
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I've found it is more about synergy than costs, ymmv- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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Dang Marv that's some cables! Funny, I never thought about cables as I do now, since I've heard and felt the difference of what good cables can do to a system.
No where near you're level, but on the journey!
Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD. -
i'm not saying the expensive one will sound better in your system, just what you thought about the most expensive one you have had in your system.
if you didn't like the way it sound in your system so be it.
@verb, being cheap, (ask skip) i paid nowhere near the $3300 for them.Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
Speaker Cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
Interconnects: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
Digital cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2 bnc, Tellurium Q aes, Silnote Audio Poseidon Signature 2 bnc
Puritan PSM156 -
What's the most expensive cable I have had in your system? Lets just say compared to your Argento Organic if i told you I would sound like an ignorant hack.......
But I do have a question. If these cables sound as good as they do on your system why would you automatically assume a more expensive cable (even from the same manufacturer) would have to sound better? Like you and others have mentioned it is all about synergy. So who says the more you pay the more synergy-erer it is to your system? -
it's kind of like amps and speakers that have a house sound the higher up the line you it adds more of what the lower ones do, besides i get to compare the two before i send in the ones i have now.Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
Speaker Cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
Interconnects: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
Digital cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2 bnc, Tellurium Q aes, Silnote Audio Poseidon Signature 2 bnc
Puritan PSM156 -
MIT AVt speaker cables - $79. I definitely live in a midfi world.PS Audio Stellar Gain Cell DAC/Preamp
Denon DVD 2910
Quad 12L Active Monitors
Marin Logan Dynamo 700W -
My current cables, the Audioquest Meteor 12ft double Bi-Wires were @$16,500 retail would be the best I have had in my rig.The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD
“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson -
Audioquest WEL 8ft single biwire speaker wire @ $31,800
Best I have tried but not worth the retail
Also have 4 AQ Wel power cables approx @ $4,000 eachMagico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
skip, i think the organics appeal to me more is because i listen mostly to jazz and female vocals and the smoothness of the cables highlight those genres.Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
Speaker Cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
Interconnects: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
Digital cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2 bnc, Tellurium Q aes, Silnote Audio Poseidon Signature 2 bnc
Puritan PSM156 -
Audioquest WEL 8ft single biwire speaker wire @ $31,800
Best I have tried but not worth the retail
Also have 4 AQ Wel power cables approx @ $4,000 each
I don't think any of these 5 figure cables are worth their retail prices, but that is just me.The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD
“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson -
nooshinjohn wrote: »
I want to say the same thing John, but, in a cost is no object system those 5 figure cables may be what brings out the extra little bit of the system. Hopefully scale works and the newer design and technology works it's way down in to the lower models sooner than later. -
nooshinjohn wrote: »
I want to say the same thing John, but, in a cost is no object system those 5 figure cables may be what brings out the extra little bit of the system. Hopefully scale works and the newer design and technology works it's way down in to the lower models sooner than later.
I can assure you what the Platinums brought out was not a ‘little bit’. At that level with true high end pieces it is every bit as much of a gain as cables in the midfi realm.
So, quantify it for us. If it's not a "little bit" is it 25% improvement? 35%? -
nooshinjohn wrote: »
I want to say the same thing John, but, in a cost is no object system those 5 figure cables may be what brings out the extra little bit of the system. Hopefully scale works and the newer design and technology works it's way down in to the lower models sooner than later.
I can assure you what the Platinums brought out was not a ‘little bit’. At that level with true high end pieces it is every bit as much of a gain as cables in the midfi realm.
So, quantify it for us. If it's not a "little bit" is it 25% improvement? 35%?
It gave him a woody....that's about all the quantifying one needs. HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
I agree about synergy but I also know I'd never buy a cable worth more than my speakers. To me it doesn't make sense. So it would come down to synergy and balance.
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Even after being on the forum for six years, I still have trouble understanding certain terms and explanations. Are you saying that speaker cables can actually speed up or slow down the actual music, or does it have more to do with the decay rate of a note?Transparent Audio Musicwave Reference - $6,000. The Equinox had more energy and better pace as well as a cleaner sound.
Cardas Golden Cross - $2,500. Overly warm to the point that the music was slow and lacked engagement. -
I think terms like pace refer to one's perception of the reproduced music.
That said, of course I'll defer to the perspective of the poster who actually used the term, @DSkip
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This is better Pace:
Just kidding, I hate that stuff.
About the cables, I dunno. I bought my MIT EXPs 2 for like $60 or $80 I can't remember. They retailed for $179.
I work with what I can work with. I am happy with them though.
Just a dude doing dude-ly things
"Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
" I have always had a champange taste with a beer budget" - Rick88
"Just because the thread is getting views don't mean much .. I like a good train wreck doesn't mean i want to be in one..." - pitdogg2
"Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
"Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member -
I'm just a beginner here. My best would be my MIT speaker cables (MH750) which sold for $4,500 in 1995. I'm sure there's been plenty of advancements since then but my pocketbooks says "don't even think about it". Thankfully those music hoses compliment my MIT Shotgun balanced interconnects quite nicely and I really don't have the desire (or the funds) to hear the next steps up.
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The most expensive (based on retail) that I've had is the Zu Libtec cables, but I currently have Wireworld Mini Eclipse 8 connected right now. I'm not rushing back to the Zu's, but I'm not getting rid of them either.
Not sure what will be next cable wise, but I'm sure I'll make more changes down the road.Analog: MoFi MasterTracker > MoFi UltraDeck > Sutherland 20/20
Digital: Cambridge CXC / Streaming > Cambridge CXN v2
MastersounD Dueventi > Rosso Fiorentino Certaldo or Arcam rHead > Hifiman HE4XX
Discogs -
Although some speaker cables have been more costly, one of the relatively high priced cables I have bought is the Wireworld Starlight 7 Platinum USB cable. Retailed for $550ish and got a good deal on one from Skip.
It provides outstanding detail and a wonderful, expansive soundstage. I also use Curious and Phasure Lush cables. The Curious provides a tad less detail but a bit more musicality, and was about a third of the cost of the Plat7. The Lush ($280 retail) is at the musical end of the spectrum - less detail than the other two, but a very enjoyable analog sound. My keeping the Plat 7 should tell you enough about my opinion of it since it could be traded for 2 or 3 of the others.
Another pricey (to me) cable that I bought is the Acoustic Revive LAN1.0PA that @headrott talks about in @DarqueKnight's TeraDak DC-30 Linear Power Supply Review thread. $145 for a daggum Cat5! BUT... I couldn't believe the improvement! Placed it between router and Roon server (SonicTransporter i5). Jaw-dropping difference. Increased inner detail, depth, spatial cues. Don't understand it. Don't care. Just love it and would like to find more to try between routers and endpoints. Thanks @headrott !!b]Beach Audio[/b]: Rega RP6 (mods) - AT33PTG/II - Parks Budgie SUT - PSAudio NPC * Eversolo DMP-A6 * Topping D90iii * Joule-Electra LA-100 mkIII * Pass Aleph 30 * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 2.3tl (mods) * PSAudio PPP3
Beach Study: Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra & Pre Box S2 * Pass ACA * DH Labs SS Q10 * Brines Folded ML-TQWT RS 40-1354 * PSA Dectet
Beach Master: WiiM Pro * Dayens Menuetto * Zu Libtec * Dynaudio Audience 50
Beach Den: Bluesound Powernode 2i * DH Labs SS Q10 * Zu Omen DWII * Richard Gray RGPC
Town Study: WiiM Pro * Chord Qute (Pardo) * Elekit TU-8600 * MIT S3 * Revel M22 * Beyer DT-990 * Shunyata Hydra 2
Town Den: Music Hall mm5.1se - Denon DL-103r - Jolida JD9ii (mods) * WiiM Pro * Cary xCiter * Rogue 99 Magnum * Schiit Aegir * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 1.2tl (mods) * Dectet * Bottlehead Crack - Senn 600
Town Porch: WiiM Pro Plus * Sunfire Sig II * Canare 4S11 * Magnepan 1.6 * Dectet -
motorstereo wrote: »I'm just a beginner here. My best would be my MIT speaker cables (MH750) which sold for $4,500 in 1995. I'm sure there's been plenty of advancements since then but my pocketbooks says "don't even think about it". Thankfully those music hoses compliment my MIT Shotgun balanced interconnects quite nicely and I really don't have the desire (or the funds) to hear the next steps up.
Am I a newborn then? Just saying, I would never relate experience with money. Hell I am sure there are some people that know WAY less than you about audio that have spent big bucks on cables.Just a dude doing dude-ly things
"Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
" I have always had a champange taste with a beer budget" - Rick88
"Just because the thread is getting views don't mean much .. I like a good train wreck doesn't mean i want to be in one..." - pitdogg2
"Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
"Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member
