SVS Sound Experts Debunk Speaker Cable Myths

Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10

Comments

  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,042
    I like how they basically say cables matter up to the cost of the cables we sell. More expensive and exotic cables are not worth it.
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    Nightfall wrote: »
    I like how they basically say cables matter up to the cost of the cables we sell. More expensive and exotic cables are not worth it.

    Agree. Ridiculous and obvious.
    Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
    HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10
  • tophatjohnny
    tophatjohnny Posts: 4,162
    Nightfall wrote: »
    I like how they basically say cables matter up to the cost of the cables we sell. More expensive and exotic cables are not worth it.

    Well they wanted in the bigger profit part of the game so it's game on I guess? For myself , I have no plans to ditch any of my cheap cables to jump to their cheap cables and think the approach the company used here was cheap as their ropes probably are? The folks with higher end gear probably aren't looking to add SVS cables to their stable but in defense, I'm sure the folks that have the SVS speskers would be ok with SVS ropes?? It's all relevant.

    Not letting go of my SVS PC2000 subs anytime soon and still am a fan of their Subs!

    "if it's not fun, it's not worth it & remember folks, "It's All About The Music"!!
    *****************************
  • daddyjt
    daddyjt Posts: 2,305
    edited October 2019
    Stunning how a company that has established themselves as almost the authority in HT subs (In a very short time, I might add) would wade into this particular pool and start flailing about like a 5 year old.

    Now they risk alienating a substantial portion of their target market, and for what? If they want to sell cables, great - offer your cables and extol their virtues, but really? And if they really think they are going to change anyone’s mind at this stage of the game, well.... nope.
    "Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow


    “Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
    ― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    Clipdat wrote: »
    I reviewed their speaker cables here and didn't care for them. https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/186483/svs-soundpath-ultra-speaker-cable-review

    Yep I remember that. Quality problems, and performance, meh. Can't blame them, trying to grow the business as all companies do.

    Love their subs though! :)
    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.
  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,346
    Agree, that's just advertising to goose sales for their own product. Low budget advertising. :)
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,704
    It seems they have been trying to sell cables for at least the last 4 years if the date of this post at SVS is correct.
    I love my SVS sub and your company after seeing so many positive feedback from your customers and great advice from you. It is a shame that just about all of that is gone over you guys trying to sell your cables. I hate that I now think of your company in the same company as the Monster Cable company.

    As I've never seen SVS cables for sale new or on the used used market I'd have to say their effort has been a huge failure.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."


    President of Club Polk

  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    I've seen a few of their cables on the used markets. Lets just say they aren't very sought after.

    Kind of a shi ty practice though if you ask me. Make some mediocre cables then denounce any competition that may be better as hype or placebo. Just the fact that they feel a need to do that should be telling. Means their product can't stand on it's own merits.

    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
  • polrbehr
    polrbehr Posts: 2,825
    edited November 2019
    You guys are howling at the moon here. Email SVS and tell them what you think, maybe they will tone it down a little? I did just now.
    FWIW I bought a 10m sub cable from them many years ago, IIRC it was made by Better Cables so it was before they made their own. It's been durable and does what it was made to do.

    From SVS website- "Speaker and interconnect cables perform a very important role so it’s worth looking for quality from a name you trust, but it’s not worth overpaying for what could amount to minimal or nonexistent improvements in sound quality."
    So while it is important to get the best you can, there's no sense looking past what we sell because you would just be throwing your money away. LOL
    So, are you willing to put forth a little effort or are you happy sitting in your skeptical poo pile?


    http://audiomilitia.proboards.com/
  • I use their interconnects and their speaker cables. My experience has been very positive with them. The ones I received had excellent build quality, they sounded great and looked very nice with my gear.
    McIntosh MA252 Integrated Amp, LUMIN D2 Network Music Player, Yamaha Aventage RX-A840 receiver, Emotiva XPA Gen3 2 channel amp, Polk LSiM 703 speakers. Oppo UDP-203 Blu-Ray player, Polk LSiM 705 speakers. Polk Signature S20 speakers.
  • gyosa
    gyosa Posts: 675
    Never understood the whole “ they look nice “ thing with cables ....
    How often do you kook at your cables ?
    They’re behind your gear .

    Personally , I don’t care what they look like , so long as they do their job competently .

    Just ‘sayin

    Bk
    Parasound A21 , Yamaha wxc-50 , Polk SDA 1c’s ( my first love .. ) , Kimber Kable 4TC, Sony 42” - BEDROOM

    B&K EX-442 ( it will go in my casket when I die ... ) , PS Audio 4.6 preamp ( old school , but it still jams on ... ) , Yamaha wxc-50 , Boston Acoustic voyager 7’s - POOL

    PS Audio Stellar S300 , Eversolo DMP-A8 , Yamaha wxc-50 , Kimber Kable 4vs , Salk Supercharged Song towers ( difficult choice between these and my family if I had to choose ... 😩 ) , Sony XBR-A8F 65” OLED - DEN , MAIN RIG

    Cambridge Audio 851n - sitting in the closet , for now

    Onkyo TX-nr609 , Polk atrium 7 , Boston acoustic sound ware (4) , Boston acoustic sub , B&W center , Sharp 65” TV - PATIO

    DAYENS AMPINO ( thanks Verb ! ) , KEiiD streamer ( this was only 60 bucks ?? ) , Polk atrium 8SDi’s - KID’s BEDROOM
  • gyosa wrote: »
    Never understood the whole “ they look nice “ thing with cables ....
    How often do you kook at your cables ?
    They’re behind your gear .

    Personally , I don’t care what they look like , so long as they do their job competently .

    Just ‘sayin

    Bk

    I totally understand what you are saying. But I have a minimal amount of gear at three different locations. In the living room set up, the McIntosh integrated amp and the LUMIN network streamer are on top of a small entertainment center. About a foot of each of the cables is very visible coming out the back of those pieces of equipment if you are standing or walking anywhere near that part of the room. My wife cares what they look like so I have to care what they look like for her sake. I only mentioned the appearance of the SVS cables in case somebody else was in a similar situation.
    McIntosh MA252 Integrated Amp, LUMIN D2 Network Music Player, Yamaha Aventage RX-A840 receiver, Emotiva XPA Gen3 2 channel amp, Polk LSiM 703 speakers. Oppo UDP-203 Blu-Ray player, Polk LSiM 705 speakers. Polk Signature S20 speakers.
  • SIHAB
    SIHAB Posts: 4,491
    edited November 2019
    I think SVS was smart and hedged their bets with their comments.
    What % of people would notice a difference or even care to find out?

    oops. Didn't see this...
    "So while it is important to get the best you can, there's no sense looking past what we sell because you would just be throwing your money away."
    Speakers: Polk Lsim, ATC SCM19 v2, NHT SuperzeroSpeaker Cables: DH Labs, Transparent, Wireworld, Canare, Monster: Beer budget, Bose ears
  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,306
    gyosa wrote: »
    Never understood the whole “ they look nice “ thing with cables ....
    How often do you kook at your cables ?
    They’re behind your gear .

    Personally , I don’t care what they look like , so long as they do their job competently .

    Just ‘sayin

    Bk
    With sound quality covered, personally, aesthetics add to the experience for me. Just one of those refinements I enjoy about the hobby - the beauty of a nicely designed product, even cables and connectors. Additional satisfaction if I've made them, myself.
    I disabled signatures.
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    gyosa wrote: »
    Never understood the whole “ they look nice “ thing with cables ....
    How often do you kook at your cables ?
    They’re behind your gear .

    Personally , I don’t care what they look like , so long as they do their job competently .

    Just ‘sayin

    Bk
    gyosa wrote: »
    Never understood the whole “ they look nice “ thing with cables ....
    How often do you kook at your cables ?
    They’re behind your gear .

    Personally , I don’t care what they look like , so long as they do their job competently .

    Just ‘sayin

    Bk

    Not always behind your gear. Some speakers need to be out into the room more away from walls, and some gear too is out in front of a rack. This makes your cables very visible.
    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
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,350
    edited November 2019
    tonyb wrote: »

    Not always behind your gear. Some speakers need to be out into the room more away from walls, and some gear too is out in front of a rack. This makes your cables very visible.

    Tony is correct. Some folks even practice symmetry with wire. :wink:

    Once upon a time I had active crossover bi-amped speakers so I needed two sets of speaker cables. Those speakers are gone but the wire stayed.

    Since the speaker wire is the same, (other than woofer cables being internal bi-wire), and my amp has two sets of speaker posts, I used them on my Salk's instead of jumpers.

    The cables are older Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ (woofers, internal bi-wire) & Pro 11+ (tweeters). They used a high purity 6N Single Crystal Copper wire.

    7uu1mkphcla9.jpg

    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
  • delkal
    delkal Posts: 764
    edited November 2019
    Of course looks matter..........no matter what your ears hear your eyes have to believe in your cables too. They have to look and feel quality. And the thicker (physically, not gauge) a cable is the better. Seems like some manufacturers like to stuff their cables in garden hoses.

    Does anyone here use a $200+ cable that is bare with the printing on the side and not sheathed? (and I am not talking about 20 foot pairs)
  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,042
    My MIT SL-12's are pretty physically small. I think they were somewhere around $1,600 MSRP.
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,042
    edited November 2019
    nothing can help a Ford. :p

    Exactly, not even the government bailout money they didn't need and everyone else took. ;)
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,922
    Nightfall wrote: »
    nothing can help a Ford. :p

    Exactly, not even the government bailout money they didn't need and everyone else took. ;)

    Yeah, but Ford's gonna need some bailin' out soon, methinks :(

  • hauxon
    hauxon Posts: 161
    The article is basically right ... for most people. The 1% lives in here (and other places) and the article is not aimed at us. The only thing "wrong" is the salesperson's approach. In my eyes it serves no purpose for non-audiophiles to spend great amounts on cable but they might still benefit from buying reasonably good ropes and I assume the SVS cables are reasonably good even if they're not the ultimate high-end cable.
    SRS 1.2 TL | SDA 2B Studio TL | NAD M51 preamp/dac | DIY SET 300B tube amplifier | Cambridge Audio Azur 851W | Chromecast Audio | RoPieee Roon Raspberry Pi endpoint