Sum Total Cost Of All Cables In Your Rig?

@mgrif104 

"I’m not going to play along on the cost discussion. I’ve read through the posts which confirms some believe they have a full enough understanding of the science to sidestep employing costly wire in their system. Fair enough. I concluded differently.

I’m a retired finance person but like to think of myself as scientifically curious. More importantly, I am curious enough to understand that I don’t know what I don’t know. So I read. And I listen. And sometimes I buy when I think it merits the spend. 

I found the following article interesting and germaine to the discussion. Perhaps some of you will as well. https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/cables-always-sound/

Some of you may argue otherwise, or argue that diminishing returns are at play. Again - fair enough. But it seems to me a rational essay on why a listen is worthwhile and that not all “cable designers” are snake oil salespeople." 

Seems like you're convinced but. Skoff’s background is in economics, I can’t find where he was schooled in his bio. CWMA is a marketing organization (hmm?) and AAHEA is faith based. His research in the subject is as a hobbyist as is ours. Read between the lines!

@faustuss 

I did not link the article believing it to be an authoritative dissertation but to foster in those skeptics at least some curiosity by lending support to the idea that cables can sound different. 

No - I did not read his background. I read the article. And I found it to be rational as what he references are all things that can be supported in theory and measured in practice. The debate is not whether these things exist but whether they are audible. 

As you didn’t dispute anything he wrote, why dispute his background? If your standard requires that someone be properly degreed, then there are additional questions which must be posed. Degreed in what? Electrical engineering? Physics? Materials Science? And what school will be acceptable to you? And what about those who are gifted but choose not to finish their schooling? 

It’s fine to be a skeptic. Indeed, I used to be one. For years, I held the strong belief that power cables mattered not at all.  I ultimately had to come to a different conclusion. Heck - I heard a difference and still struggle with it conceptually as they’re no where near as obvious as speaker cables, but affect a sonic change nonetheless. 

@mgrif104 

"I did not link the article believing it to be an authoritative dissertation but to foster in those skeptics at least some curiosity by lending support to the idea that cables can sound different. 

No - I did not read his background. I read the article. And I found it to be rational as what he references are all things that can be supported in theory and measured in practice. The debate is not whether these things exist but whether they are audible. 

As you didn’t dispute anything he wrote, why dispute his background? If your standard requires that someone be properly degreed, then there are additional questions which must be posed. Degreed in what? Electrical engineering? Physics? Materials Science? And what school will be acceptable to you? And what about those who are gifted but choose not to finish their schooling? 

It’s fine to be a skeptic. Indeed, I used to be one. For years, I held the strong belief that power cables mattered not at all.  I ultimately had to come to a different conclusion. Heck - I heard a difference and still struggle with it conceptually as they’re no where near as obvious as speaker cables, but affect a sonic change nonetheless." 

Seems you'll throw anything at the wall and see if it sticks.

Now, was it ketchup or spaghetti? Or maybe a Big Mac with ketchup on it?

“Spaghetti Junction on the M6 at Birmingham England is equally baffling (in a non speaker way) to many traveler’s, but quite easy to navigate if one can read the signs. So too “The Magic Roundabout” in Swindon baffles weary drivers, but the signs are pretty useless in warning drivers (the non speaker type) of what’s to come.

Cables with their individual pathways remind me of the two above nightmares. No matter what statistics, explanations or valuations come out in is discussion, no complete answer will ever materialise. Only ears will decide, but as far as l know we can’t yet swap them over between listeners to  compare.

Friends, Romans, hi-fi men, lend me your wires.

what a fine collection of terrible people