What's your investment threshold?
This question only goes out to those like myself who enjoy the system gains running better cables bring. Non-believers can save their money and comments for another thread.
Do you impose on yourself a percentage range for cable spending relative to other components?
Speaking for myself, I do consider cables to be a component decision worthy of budget, but I seem to have stayed in the 10-30% range of what I've spent on other components. I can't see spending $1k for a cable on a $1k component for example. I have spent $1,500 for speaker cables for a $6k amp. That seems nearer the high end of my range but it still fits.
I realized I haven't planned this as a hard rule, but that's kind of how this has worked out for me over time. Anyone out there think a much higher percentage is justified? I won't argue because these improvements are worth all the enjoyment you can get, so more power to you.
That's compared to the amp. I should have compared against the speakers. I went back and compared all cables against all other components and I'm actually at about 25% cables vs. components. I don't aim at these percentages, but I guess I have a sensibility filter that stays active. |
+1 twoleftears - I fully agree if a cable price would bump you into the next component model up, that may be the better option. In my case I'm at the top of my line for the components I use so cable pricing is a separate decision. I did pull the trigger for the top offering from Cerious Technologies just for the speaker cables. CT only offers two lines, their value priced but very nice cables, and cost no object using all the skills the designer has, for those who like his approach and can spend more. There are two long threads here, one for each of CT's offerings. The speaker cables make the best impact of all the cable types I use and it is a wonderful contributor to my rig. The rest are very fine cables on their own but I couldn't justify quadrupling the cost on those, despite a 100% trade up policy. I do have a governor on my wallet. LOL |
The basic premise of these being “investments” is wrong. these are all expenses, not invest,ents I disagree. Per Wikipedia: In general, to invest is to allocate money (or sometimes another resource, such as time) in the expectation of some benefit in the future. The expected benefit for a financial investment is money. The expected benefit for an audio investment is improved sound. I invest both money and time toward getting better sound. |
