Hi everybody,

I have a question that I can’t take anymore. It is for all but I’d like to know what do think the artists because they are the source of my question.

Do you think it is important to have branded cables in a high-end stereo system? Do you think there is a difference?
In your studio I think you use different kind of them to make music and it does not matter really? So why there is so much expensive cables available for a stereo system?
The musical signal going from a source to an amplifier is complex and has an amplitude of about 2V if I’m not mistaken. The continuous signal going from the amplifier through the speakers may have a big difference between two peaks and can be subject to distortions. So starting from that do all the cable have the same job?

Thanks for all your answers

Cables make a huge difference.

You can have an awesome kitchen sink, but if the piping is in bad shape…well… 

Cables make very little comparative difference to the sound of a finished record.

The cables in my studio are mainly just junk I have salvaged from dumpsters and soldered plugs onto myself.

As long as the connections are good [not intermittent] and the screening [where necessary] is all intact you can use just about anything.

I’ve got cheap cables to an otherwise costly setup and I couldnt tell any difference with expensive cables.

Keep in mind that the wiring inside your electrical components is very very cheap.

Really?
I can definitely hear the difference between my Mogami (higher quality) cables and my Live-wire (cheaper) cables.
The mogami ones just feel…a bit more well-rounded.

Who knows…it might just be placebo… 

again…it all comes down to your ears and understanding your sound system.

I have a high end hi fi system and yes good cables make alot of difference to the sound coming out the speakers.  You do get to a certain price range and improvements do start to level off but I’ve found over the past 20 years that the better quality the amps and other equipment the better the cables should be to keep the whole sonic picture in balance.

It’s also worth investing in good quality electrial cabling and blocks and I’ve spent alot in this area too.  Check these two sites which is what I use..

For mains cables and loads of other equipment accesories.
http://www.russandrews.com/default.asp?src=google&lookup=1&region=UK&currency=GBP&customer_id=PAA2980118409138UGNEFWJPEKTRLEBJ

For interconnects
http://www.chord.co.uk/

And effort spent in the equipment shows just how good the production is in albums such as Twisted etc..

electrobot.808 - 29 November 2009 09:56 PM

For mains cables and loads of other equipment accesories.

Interesting discussion on mains cables here:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/410313-high-end-power-cables-did-make-difference-so-now-what.html

I’ve read a lot of bullshit, marketing hype and pseudo-science regarding high-end audio cables and I am firmly of the opinion that your wiring need only be adequate to give you optimum performance.

That is, an improvement in quality will only be present when upgrading from bad wiring to adequate. Once your wiring is adequate there is is nothing more to be gained.

By adequate I mean sufficiently screened [where necessary] cable of sufficient gauge and with properly attached connectors. With digital cables impedance is also important - 75 ohm being the usual specification.

The rest [in my opinion] is largely bullshit. Further reading below.

http://rationalwiki.com/wiki/Audio_woo

http://www.ethanwiner.com/believe.html

Thanks thats interesting, I noticed a considerable benefit from mains cabling…it can get very ‘headish’ though!

Very possible, although I would be inclined to put that down to your previous mains cabling being inadequate, with either insufficient gauge cable or poorly attached connectors.

An adequate IEC mains cable should cost no more than

Ott - 29 November 2009 11:48 PM

Very possible, although I would be inclined to put that down to your previous mains cabling being inadequate, with either insufficient gauge cable or poorly attached connectors.

An adequate IEC mains cable should cost no more than

I was referring to the difference between a $15 mic cable and a $60 cable of the same size.
Not these $300+ ‘voodoo cables’...

The $15 cable doesn’t sound ‘bad’ or ‘inadequate’ per say, but there’s a definite improvement in sound with the $60.
More fullness and clarity, one might say.

Thanks for your answers especially Ott, very interesting article from Ethan. Well I didn’t know that moving only 4 inches from the current listening position could have so much impact. Do you guys, artists, compositors, have a hi-fi stereo to listen to the music? Have you already listened to your own productions to some amazing speakers? What is your feedback?