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Cable Costs Relative to System

Since making a spread sheet with my audio system prices, I have been thinking(shocked) about my total investment in cables. My total system retails at $67,000 (Digital and analog front ends included). I purchased all of it here on Audiogon so my investment is about 50%. Of that I have about 10% invested in interconnects and cables and another 10% in Power Cables (Shunyata Hydra included). That's $13,000 worth of wire. I'm starting to question whether it might be more effective to put some of this budget into acitve components. It would take forever to listen to all possible combinations, but would like to hear others experiences with relatively high end systems and cable selection. It would seem to me that the point of diminishing returns would be reached sooner with cables than with speakers and amps. Do most of you follow the 10% "rule" for cabling? How do PCs fit into this rule? Are there any super bargain cables capable of keeping up with highly resolving electronics?
metaphysics

Showing 3 responses by psychicanimal

psychicanimal
1,738 posts
 
The Jerry Springer Show would be a great place to hold this discussion. We could also take a few people who have disputes, too and bring some big 16 oz boxing gloves to have matters settled...in public! Of course, we would have pretty *mamis* in bikinis walking w/ signs between rounds...

If you guys knew what I'm using for speaker wire and how little I paid for it you'd flip. And it has specifications! Silver plated copper, 12 ga, 37 strands, twisted, Teflon insulated pairs & dipped in Teflon. Awesome performance for a mere $16.25 per 25 ft. The real deal.
psychicanimal
1,738 posts
 
Audioengr has summarized the subject--almost. There are rather inexpensive components that are stellar performers. For example, I recently purchased Channel Islands passive preamplifier. Give it a shot. Dusty's goal is to have a $6K system rival $30K ones. I'm on the bandwagon!
psychicanimal
1,738 posts
 
In blind test I would bet anything you could not pic Radio shack spoole wire form the The crazy 1K plus cables. Any money. Snake oil is snake oil. I dont need to brag on spending 5k on wire. To many on this site do.

Now, that's quite a generalization! It would do you good to find out which cheap products deliver and which ones do not. In my system I use 65 cents/foot military surplus signal transmission cable as speaker wire yet handcrafted, naturally insulated silver interconnects.

My system is resolving enough that anyone can tell apart same models of a power cable treated at different cryogenic facilities. My system is gentle enough that it can successfully play any recording of any musical genre regardless of recording quality.

With psychic power and primal intensity,
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