Cable curmudgeon


I'm not an 'audiophile" but I like to think I have a good ear having been a professional musician (principal wind player in major symphony orchestras) for 50 years. A number of years ago going into an excellent audio equipment store I talked with, what seemed, a knowledgeable salesman.  Being a musician experienced in audio systems but not expert on all the equipment out there I had some questions concerning high (over-priced?) end cables. The salesman assured there was an audible differencet in a demo room switching back and forth etc.  After a few minutes I noticed the sound coming out of only one channel.  He complemented me on my "good ear."  Hmmm? A few years later when setting up my home system I investigated speaker cables. Two sets of Monster, stranded standard cable, solid core copper (used for alarm system) attached with like connecters. There was a difference.  However, not in terms of better or worse: bass and treble were acceptable as was clarity loud and soft.  Differences were esthetic- like asking "whose the best tenor" (I like Plácido).  Now I know as a musician used to live (i.e. un-amplified) music that all I hear coming out of a loud speaker is perforce ersatz.  But most everything today comes out of a loud speaker whether a rock concert or a hi-fi system so perhaps my opinion is curmudgeonly. But, for me, spending oodles of money on hyped cables, well... I  liked the solid core for my alarm system- still do.

 

exflute

Well, I see the MAGA ll — Make Audio Great Again — flat earth crowd is now out in force here.  Yay.  Their motto:  I hear what I believe.  It’s a lot easier than admitting to the themselves that maybe either their ears or systems (or both) aren’t resolving enough to hear differences in cables.  Hey, they should be happy as they can save $$$ by using lamp cords and fire alarm wire and not know they’re missing anything.  Me?  The second I heard the Acoustic Zen Double Barrel Shotgun cables compared to my old Monster Cables it was game over — not even close.  To the MAGA ll flat earthers here I’d be happy to sell you my Monster Cables as they’re still sitting in my basement somewhere.  

Free market society last I checked (unless you are in say Cuba or China). You are free to buy or not buy.

Free to lie to folks by making false or unprovable claims about your grossly over-priced products or free to be chump enough to fall for them, or both? 

The only obscene thing here is notion that making obscene profits is obscene. Come on man with all the crap going on now days you pick cables and profit to be obscene?

I guess you might not see the connection between societal breakdown and the pattern in this country, in particular, of ripping people off because you can (monopolies) or because you are often free to make specious claims about whatever it is you're shucking. Do you think that's what made America great? Or did it make you money? You sound offended so I'll guess the latter.

 Go blow in a flute. 

If I do, I sure wouldn't buy that flute, or an insurance policy, or even an overpriced piece of wire, from you. Anyone that revels in the glory of being able to sell anything to anybody at rip-off (obscene) prices should apply immediately for a sales or a marketing position at any large pharmaceutical firm. You're just what they're looking for, and I hear the pay's fabulous, far better than selling overpriced magic-juju wire.

 

Why all the animosity? “Flat earth crowd,” “obscene profits,” “sales poetry,” - who cares what others think about the cables you use? This is not a contest, but you can vote with your own wallet to buy the cables that sound best in your system - it’s all good.
I owned AZ Double Barrel Shotgun SCs and thought they were pretty good but then found other cables I liked better - multiple solid core OCC wires in foamed polyethylene. However, I also like heavy gauge old stock Western Electric speaker cables, manufactured Furutech speaker cables, and cables I made using Jupiter copper in cotton wire. I sometimes switch between them for fun.

The reason I'm cable critical is because of the industry's long history of false claims and rampant over-charging. Yes, it is your right as an American to be ripped off. But to take that as a matter of pride just seems very weird to me. You want to pay the stupid money for a piece of wire be my guest!

How much are we allowed to pay for a piece of wire? Thank you. Please provide separate limits for developed countries , developing countries, emerging markets, and frontier countries. Thank you for your service to the audio community!