Comments on: Do cables make a difference? http://www.hometheaterblog.com/hometheater/2006/05/do-cables-make-a-difference/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=do-cables-make-a-difference Mon, 18 Jul 2011 18:40:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Kirbyhttp://www.hometheaterblog.com/hometheater/2006/05/do-cables-make-a-difference/#comment-5881 Kirby Sat, 07 Mar 2009 08:02:31 +0000 http://www.hometheaterblog.com/?p=396#comment-5881 This may fall on deaf ears since the last post was over a year ago, but I have a test to help prove thhat high end cables make a difference. My current car audio system retails just over $4,000 and the sound is immaculate with one small issue. When you rev the engine, a terrible high pitched eeeEEEEEEeeeeeEEEEEEEeee! comes from the speakers. you can drown it out if you turn the volume up high enough, but many of my car audio associates have explained the issue is with my cheap cables. I have purchased now a $140.00 pair instead of the $30.00 Scrope specials, and when they arrive, I will post if they make a difference. This may fall on deaf ears since the last post was over a year ago, but I have a test to help prove thhat high end cables make a difference.
My current car audio system retails just over $4,000 and the sound is immaculate with one small issue. When you rev the engine, a terrible high pitched eeeEEEEEEeeeeeEEEEEEEeee! comes from the speakers. you can drown it out if you turn the volume up high enough, but many of my car audio associates have explained the issue is with my cheap cables.
I have purchased now a $140.00 pair instead of the $30.00 Scrope specials, and when they arrive, I will post if they make a difference.

]]> By: Kirbyhttp://www.hometheaterblog.com/hometheater/2006/05/do-cables-make-a-difference/#comment-6945 Kirby Sat, 07 Mar 2009 08:02:00 +0000 http://www.hometheaterblog.com/?p=396#comment-6945 This may fall on deaf ears since the last post was over a year ago, but I have a test to help prove thhat high end cables make a difference. My current car audio system retails just over $4,000 and the sound is immaculate with one small issue. When you rev the engine, a terrible high pitched eeeEEEEEEeeeeeEEEEEEEeee! comes from the speakers. you can drown it out if you turn the volume up high enough, but many of my car audio associates have explained the issue is with my cheap cables. I have purchased now a $140.00 pair instead of the $30.00 Scrope specials, and when they arrive, I will post if they make a difference. This may fall on deaf ears since the last post was over a year ago, but I have a test to help prove thhat high end cables make a difference.
My current car audio system retails just over $4,000 and the sound is immaculate with one small issue. When you rev the engine, a terrible high pitched eeeEEEEEEeeeeeEEEEEEEeee! comes from the speakers. you can drown it out if you turn the volume up high enough, but many of my car audio associates have explained the issue is with my cheap cables.
I have purchased now a $140.00 pair instead of the $30.00 Scrope specials, and when they arrive, I will post if they make a difference.

]]> By: Williamhttp://www.hometheaterblog.com/hometheater/2006/05/do-cables-make-a-difference/#comment-614 William Tue, 25 Dec 2007 18:19:43 +0000 http://www.hometheaterblog.com/?p=396#comment-614 I see many different brands of HDMI cables for sale at different prices. Is there really a different b/w spending 80 dollars for a monster cable and 40 for a Belkin cable. Thanks I see many different brands of HDMI cables for sale at different prices.

Is there really a different b/w spending 80 dollars for a monster cable and 40 for a Belkin cable.

Thanks

]]> By: Williamhttp://www.hometheaterblog.com/hometheater/2006/05/do-cables-make-a-difference/#comment-6944 William Tue, 25 Dec 2007 18:19:00 +0000 http://www.hometheaterblog.com/?p=396#comment-6944 I see many different brands of HDMI cables for sale at different prices. Is there really a different b/w spending 80 dollars for a monster cable and 40 for a Belkin cable. Thanks I see many different brands of HDMI cables for sale at different prices.

Is there really a different b/w spending 80 dollars for a monster cable and 40 for a Belkin cable.

Thanks

]]> By: S. Musialhttp://www.hometheaterblog.com/hometheater/2006/05/do-cables-make-a-difference/#comment-613 S. Musial Sat, 15 Sep 2007 02:51:47 +0000 http://www.hometheaterblog.com/?p=396#comment-613 This past Sunday though, I needed a 12 foot HDMI cable, to hide my wires behind the wall for the new 32” Samsung LCD in my office. I ran down to my local Best Bye and the least expensive HDMI cable was $99.00 plus tax, the young (well groomed) audio expert sort of snickered at my poor understanding of audio and video and at my only slight displeasure of the price. Trust me, no ranting here, just a leisurely Sunday afternoon. “Have you found a lower price for a 12 foot HDMI cable in this St. Louis?” “Are you aware of the differences in quality (this was Best Buys’s only 12 ft. HDMI wire, and we surely know that they are sharing price points with Kimber, Cardas, etc. Well actually I had to take his challenge, I had time to burn, my StL RAMS were stinking up the field. I remember I recently purchased a nice OPPO DVD player for another room with a six foot cord thrown in the box for about $150? I took the HDMI challenge! I did find another12 foot HDMI at the Radio Shack for $79.00 three doors down within the strip mall, a savings of $30.00 with the 7% tax at both being a wash? There again though, the thoughtful associate at the Shack suggested I go for the Monster brand though. Was it worth the walk at my middle age of 50 for about 6 minutes? Then the ultimate test, I come home to the holy grail of pricing, the internet and I find Firefold cables online (first time I have ever heard of the company, I promise I do not financial interest in anything one of these companies here, but some college tuition bills for two children, my retirement, etc., some of those real life things most of us do have), but here I have to settle now for (please sit down), a15 foot HDMI cable (25% longer mind you) for a total of $8.06 and no tax, but the first class shipping charge is a about a wash with the tax. I had to even settle for those gold plated tips too. I think some of us audio veterans have a have a heart for the young kids entering the hobby today. And it is a hobby or passion for most of us. I can just image my son working for $10 an hour this past summer, and having to put in a full extra eight hours for that wire at the “Best” Buy? Which I still will be a patron. My approximate 40 years of enjoying music has taught me, to one, buy used (be more selective and decerning on speakers here though). Put all you can in your speakers, there is where you will hear the largest difference. Then your amps, then work your way down. Cables, Interconnects and the snake oil capitol of audio, the power cord should be way, way down your list. Never use percents, for I have never worked for percents, never paid my bills in percents, use U.S. dollars. If you can afford $8.25 for per foot for the new and ever changing HDMI cable, and the clarity is one that the BB sales advisor stated “even my girlfriend sees a tremendous improvement, with that brand cable”, then maybe you have to "go for it". We all have to splurge once in awhile, right? But why not try the .53 cent a foot line first though, you may just be able to retire 10-15 years earlier adopting this approach once in awhile and have much more free time to hear much more music in your lifetime. I can say with absolute confidence though, the equipment, wire, lines and patch cords that created the majority of these recordings we all listen to, cost only a fraction of the cost of what is any of our systems. Is this sometimes getting to the point of Audio Alchemy? How can something that goes in come out so perfect? My opinion, and its worth about this sheet of paper this is printed on here, cables, interconnects and powercords are just audio costume jewelry. Just another viewpoint, I may be wrong, but I doubt it. (Sir Charles Barkley) This past Sunday though, I needed a 12 foot HDMI cable, to hide my wires behind the wall for the new 32” Samsung LCD in my office. I ran down to my local Best Bye and the least expensive HDMI cable was $99.00 plus tax, the young (well groomed) audio expert sort of snickered at my poor understanding of audio and video and at my only slight displeasure of the price. Trust me, no ranting here, just a leisurely Sunday afternoon.

“Have you found a lower price for a 12 foot HDMI cable in this St. Louis?” “Are you aware of the differences in quality (this was Best Buys’s only 12 ft. HDMI wire, and we surely know that they are sharing price points with Kimber, Cardas, etc. Well actually I had to take his challenge, I had time to burn, my StL RAMS were stinking up the field. I remember I recently purchased a nice OPPO DVD player for another room with a six foot cord thrown in the box for about $150? I took the HDMI challenge!
I did find another12 foot HDMI at the Radio Shack for $79.00 three doors down within the strip mall, a savings of $30.00 with the 7% tax at both being a wash?

There again though, the thoughtful associate at the Shack suggested I go for the Monster brand though. Was it worth the walk at my middle age of 50 for about 6 minutes? Then the ultimate test, I come home to the holy grail of pricing, the internet and I find Firefold cables online (first time I have ever heard of the company, I promise I do not financial interest in anything one of these companies here, but some college tuition bills for two children, my retirement, etc., some of those real life things most of us do have), but here I have to settle now for (please sit down), a15 foot HDMI cable (25% longer mind you) for a total of $8.06 and no tax, but the first class shipping charge is a about a wash with the tax. I had to even settle for those gold plated tips too.

I think some of us audio veterans have a have a heart for the young kids entering the hobby today. And it is a hobby or passion for most of us. I can just image my son working for $10 an hour this past summer, and having to put in a full extra eight hours for that wire at the “Best” Buy? Which I still will be a patron.

My approximate 40 years of enjoying music has taught me, to one, buy used (be more selective and decerning on speakers here though). Put all you can in your speakers, there is where you will hear the largest difference. Then your amps, then work your way down. Cables, Interconnects and the snake oil capitol of audio, the power cord should be way, way down your list. Never use percents, for I have never worked for percents, never paid my bills in percents, use U.S. dollars.

If you can afford $8.25 for per foot for the new and ever changing HDMI cable, and the clarity is one that the BB sales advisor stated “even my girlfriend sees a tremendous improvement, with that brand cable”, then maybe you have to “go for it”. We all have to splurge once in awhile, right? But why not try the .53 cent a foot line first though, you may just be able to retire 10-15 years earlier adopting this approach once in awhile and have much more free time to hear much more music in your lifetime.

I can say with absolute confidence though, the equipment, wire, lines and patch cords that created the majority of these recordings we all listen to, cost only a fraction of the cost of what is any of our systems. Is this sometimes getting to the point of Audio Alchemy? How can something that goes in come out so perfect? My opinion, and its worth about this sheet of paper this is printed on here, cables, interconnects and powercords are just audio costume jewelry.

Just another viewpoint, I may be wrong, but I doubt it.
(Sir Charles Barkley)

]]> By: S. Musialhttp://www.hometheaterblog.com/hometheater/2006/05/do-cables-make-a-difference/#comment-6943 S. Musial Sat, 15 Sep 2007 02:51:00 +0000 http://www.hometheaterblog.com/?p=396#comment-6943 This past Sunday though, I needed a 12 foot HDMI cable, to hide my wires behind the wall for the new 32” Samsung LCD in my office. I ran down to my local Best Bye and the least expensive HDMI cable was $99.00 plus tax, the young (well groomed) audio expert sort of snickered at my poor understanding of audio and video and at my only slight displeasure of the price. Trust me, no ranting here, just a leisurely Sunday afternoon. “Have you found a lower price for a 12 foot HDMI cable in this St. Louis?” “Are you aware of the differences in quality (this was Best Buys’s only 12 ft. HDMI wire, and we surely know that they are sharing price points with Kimber, Cardas, etc. Well actually I had to take his challenge, I had time to burn, my StL RAMS were stinking up the field. I remember I recently purchased a nice OPPO DVD player for another room with a six foot cord thrown in the box for about $150? I took the HDMI challenge! I did find another12 foot HDMI at the Radio Shack for $79.00 three doors down within the strip mall, a savings of $30.00 with the 7% tax at both being a wash? There again though, the thoughtful associate at the Shack suggested I go for the Monster brand though. Was it worth the walk at my middle age of 50 for about 6 minutes? Then the ultimate test, I come home to the holy grail of pricing, the internet and I find Firefold cables online (first time I have ever heard of the company, I promise I do not financial interest in anything one of these companies here, but some college tuition bills for two children, my retirement, etc., some of those real life things most of us do have), but here I have to settle now for (please sit down), a15 foot HDMI cable (25% longer mind you) for a total of $8.06 and no tax, but the first class shipping charge is a about a wash with the tax. I had to even settle for those gold plated tips too. I think some of us audio veterans have a have a heart for the young kids entering the hobby today. And it is a hobby or passion for most of us. I can just image my son working for $10 an hour this past summer, and having to put in a full extra eight hours for that wire at the “Best” Buy? Which I still will be a patron. My approximate 40 years of enjoying music has taught me, to one, buy used (be more selective and decerning on speakers here though). Put all you can in your speakers, there is where you will hear the largest difference. Then your amps, then work your way down. Cables, Interconnects and the snake oil capitol of audio, the power cord should be way, way down your list. Never use percents, for I have never worked for percents, never paid my bills in percents, use U.S. dollars. If you can afford $8.25 for per foot for the new and ever changing HDMI cable, and the clarity is one that the BB sales advisor stated “even my girlfriend sees a tremendous improvement, with that brand cable”, then maybe you have to "go for it". We all have to splurge once in awhile, right? But why not try the .53 cent a foot line first though, you may just be able to retire 10-15 years earlier adopting this approach once in awhile and have much more free time to hear much more music in your lifetime. I can say with absolute confidence though, the equipment, wire, lines and patch cords that created the majority of these recordings we all listen to, cost only a fraction of the cost of what is any of our systems. Is this sometimes getting to the point of Audio Alchemy? How can something that goes in come out so perfect? My opinion, and its worth about this sheet of paper this is printed on here, cables, interconnects and powercords are just audio costume jewelry. Just another viewpoint, I may be wrong, but I doubt it. (Sir Charles Barkley) This past Sunday though, I needed a 12 foot HDMI cable, to hide my wires behind the wall for the new 32” Samsung LCD in my office. I ran down to my local Best Bye and the least expensive HDMI cable was $99.00 plus tax, the young (well groomed) audio expert sort of snickered at my poor understanding of audio and video and at my only slight displeasure of the price. Trust me, no ranting here, just a leisurely Sunday afternoon.

“Have you found a lower price for a 12 foot HDMI cable in this St. Louis?” “Are you aware of the differences in quality (this was Best Buys’s only 12 ft. HDMI wire, and we surely know that they are sharing price points with Kimber, Cardas, etc. Well actually I had to take his challenge, I had time to burn, my StL RAMS were stinking up the field. I remember I recently purchased a nice OPPO DVD player for another room with a six foot cord thrown in the box for about $150? I took the HDMI challenge!
I did find another12 foot HDMI at the Radio Shack for $79.00 three doors down within the strip mall, a savings of $30.00 with the 7% tax at both being a wash?

There again though, the thoughtful associate at the Shack suggested I go for the Monster brand though. Was it worth the walk at my middle age of 50 for about 6 minutes? Then the ultimate test, I come home to the holy grail of pricing, the internet and I find Firefold cables online (first time I have ever heard of the company, I promise I do not financial interest in anything one of these companies here, but some college tuition bills for two children, my retirement, etc., some of those real life things most of us do have), but here I have to settle now for (please sit down), a15 foot HDMI cable (25% longer mind you) for a total of $8.06 and no tax, but the first class shipping charge is a about a wash with the tax. I had to even settle for those gold plated tips too.

I think some of us audio veterans have a have a heart for the young kids entering the hobby today. And it is a hobby or passion for most of us. I can just image my son working for $10 an hour this past summer, and having to put in a full extra eight hours for that wire at the “Best” Buy? Which I still will be a patron.

My approximate 40 years of enjoying music has taught me, to one, buy used (be more selective and decerning on speakers here though). Put all you can in your speakers, there is where you will hear the largest difference. Then your amps, then work your way down. Cables, Interconnects and the snake oil capitol of audio, the power cord should be way, way down your list. Never use percents, for I have never worked for percents, never paid my bills in percents, use U.S. dollars.

If you can afford $8.25 for per foot for the new and ever changing HDMI cable, and the clarity is one that the BB sales advisor stated “even my girlfriend sees a tremendous improvement, with that brand cable”, then maybe you have to “go for it”. We all have to splurge once in awhile, right? But why not try the .53 cent a foot line first though, you may just be able to retire 10-15 years earlier adopting this approach once in awhile and have much more free time to hear much more music in your lifetime.

I can say with absolute confidence though, the equipment, wire, lines and patch cords that created the majority of these recordings we all listen to, cost only a fraction of the cost of what is any of our systems. Is this sometimes getting to the point of Audio Alchemy? How can something that goes in come out so perfect? My opinion, and its worth about this sheet of paper this is printed on here, cables, interconnects and powercords are just audio costume jewelry.

Just another viewpoint, I may be wrong, but I doubt it.
(Sir Charles Barkley)

]]> By: Markhttp://www.hometheaterblog.com/hometheater/2006/05/do-cables-make-a-difference/#comment-612 Mark Tue, 31 Jul 2007 18:37:15 +0000 http://www.hometheaterblog.com/?p=396#comment-612 Interesting discussion. I have about $10,000 in my home theater equipment, (self installed,but at least a $7000 installation) but have spent less than $150 on Cables and it sounds fantastic. I am doing some tweaks and may report back here, but I have one very interesting observation.... Inside my components (Receiver, DVD, Dish box, and speakers) there is a lot of cable/wire and they are all very small diameter/high guage. I'm sure they are of high quality, but they are 28awg or smaller. The purities of the cable material (I believe) are insignificant (esp. at or greater than 99% purity). Shielding can help, but only if your cable is run intercepts a magnetic field. Standard EE laws tell me I need larger wire over distance, but when will a 14 awg show improvement over 24awg? This should be standardized, and read from a table. You should be able to pick the cheapest cable at the length & gauge you need and there will be no difference with other cables. Interesting discussion. I have about $10,000 in my home theater equipment, (self installed,but at least a $7000 installation) but have spent less than $150 on Cables and it sounds fantastic. I am doing some tweaks and may report back here, but I have one very interesting observation….
Inside my components (Receiver, DVD, Dish box, and speakers) there is a lot of cable/wire and they are all very small diameter/high guage. I’m sure they are of high quality, but they are 28awg or smaller.
The purities of the cable material (I believe) are insignificant (esp. at or greater than 99% purity). Shielding can help, but only if your cable is run intercepts a magnetic field.
Standard EE laws tell me I need larger wire over distance, but when will a 14 awg show improvement over 24awg? This should be standardized, and read from a table. You should be able to pick the cheapest cable at the length & gauge you need and there will be no difference with other cables.

]]> By: Markhttp://www.hometheaterblog.com/hometheater/2006/05/do-cables-make-a-difference/#comment-6942 Mark Tue, 31 Jul 2007 18:37:00 +0000 http://www.hometheaterblog.com/?p=396#comment-6942 Interesting discussion. I have about $10,000 in my home theater equipment, (self installed,but at least a $7000 installation) but have spent less than $150 on Cables and it sounds fantastic. I am doing some tweaks and may report back here, but I have one very interesting observation.... Inside my components (Receiver, DVD, Dish box, and speakers) there is a lot of cable/wire and they are all very small diameter/high guage. I'm sure they are of high quality, but they are 28awg or smaller. The purities of the cable material (I believe) are insignificant (esp. at or greater than 99% purity). Shielding can help, but only if your cable is run intercepts a magnetic field. Standard EE laws tell me I need larger wire over distance, but when will a 14 awg show improvement over 24awg? This should be standardized, and read from a table. You should be able to pick the cheapest cable at the length & gauge you need and there will be no difference with other cables. Interesting discussion. I have about $10,000 in my home theater equipment, (self installed,but at least a $7000 installation) but have spent less than $150 on Cables and it sounds fantastic. I am doing some tweaks and may report back here, but I have one very interesting observation….
Inside my components (Receiver, DVD, Dish box, and speakers) there is a lot of cable/wire and they are all very small diameter/high guage. I’m sure they are of high quality, but they are 28awg or smaller.
The purities of the cable material (I believe) are insignificant (esp. at or greater than 99% purity). Shielding can help, but only if your cable is run intercepts a magnetic field.
Standard EE laws tell me I need larger wire over distance, but when will a 14 awg show improvement over 24awg? This should be standardized, and read from a table. You should be able to pick the cheapest cable at the length & gauge you need and there will be no difference with other cables.

]]> By: Brian Louishttp://www.hometheaterblog.com/hometheater/2006/05/do-cables-make-a-difference/#comment-611 Brian Louis Mon, 16 Jul 2007 19:45:34 +0000 http://www.hometheaterblog.com/?p=396#comment-611 I have a set of AQ Gibraltar (about $1000/10ft pair biwired) for my main speakers. I loaned them to a friend and he gave me his monster cable that was about the same guage wire as my AQ wire to hold me over. At low volume I did not hear much difference if any. BUT, as I turned it up there was without a doubt a huge drop off in the bass response more than anything. The bass was there but sounded scratchy and distorted. He called me and commented how much better the bass sounded in his system with the AQ cables in there before I ever told him what I was hearing. So maybe at low volumes you can get away with a much less $$$ cable. I have a set of AQ Gibraltar (about $1000/10ft pair biwired) for my main speakers. I loaned them to a friend and he gave me his monster cable that was about the same guage wire as my AQ wire to hold me over. At low volume I did not hear much difference if any. BUT, as I turned it up there was without a doubt a huge drop off in the bass response more than anything. The bass was there but sounded scratchy and distorted. He called me and commented how much better the bass sounded in his system with the AQ cables in there before I ever told him what I was hearing. So maybe at low volumes you can get away with a much less $$$ cable.

]]> By: Brian Louishttp://www.hometheaterblog.com/hometheater/2006/05/do-cables-make-a-difference/#comment-6941 Brian Louis Mon, 16 Jul 2007 19:45:00 +0000 http://www.hometheaterblog.com/?p=396#comment-6941 I have a set of AQ Gibraltar (about $1000/10ft pair biwired) for my main speakers. I loaned them to a friend and he gave me his monster cable that was about the same guage wire as my AQ wire to hold me over. At low volume I did not hear much difference if any. BUT, as I turned it up there was without a doubt a huge drop off in the bass response more than anything. The bass was there but sounded scratchy and distorted. He called me and commented how much better the bass sounded in his system with the AQ cables in there before I ever told him what I was hearing. So maybe at low volumes you can get away with a much less $$$ cable. I have a set of AQ Gibraltar (about $1000/10ft pair biwired) for my main speakers. I loaned them to a friend and he gave me his monster cable that was about the same guage wire as my AQ wire to hold me over. At low volume I did not hear much difference if any. BUT, as I turned it up there was without a doubt a huge drop off in the bass response more than anything. The bass was there but sounded scratchy and distorted. He called me and commented how much better the bass sounded in his system with the AQ cables in there before I ever told him what I was hearing. So maybe at low volumes you can get away with a much less $$$ cable.

]]> By: Jimhttp://www.hometheaterblog.com/hometheater/2006/05/do-cables-make-a-difference/#comment-610 Jim Wed, 06 Dec 2006 22:06:13 +0000 http://www.hometheaterblog.com/?p=396#comment-610 Quick question - will my hdmi video signal suffer degradation if I take it from my cable box to a wall plate and then connect my tv's hdmi cable to the rear of the wall plate? I thought I could get away from cables by using a cable card but it did not work. Quick question – will my hdmi video signal suffer degradation if I take it from my cable box to a wall plate and then connect my tv’s hdmi cable to the rear of the wall plate? I thought I could get away from cables by using a cable card but it did not work.

]]> By: Jimhttp://www.hometheaterblog.com/hometheater/2006/05/do-cables-make-a-difference/#comment-6940 Jim Wed, 06 Dec 2006 22:06:00 +0000 http://www.hometheaterblog.com/?p=396#comment-6940 Quick question - will my hdmi video signal suffer degradation if I take it from my cable box to a wall plate and then connect my tv's hdmi cable to the rear of the wall plate? I thought I could get away from cables by using a cable card but it did not work. Quick question – will my hdmi video signal suffer degradation if I take it from my cable box to a wall plate and then connect my tv’s hdmi cable to the rear of the wall plate? I thought I could get away from cables by using a cable card but it did not work.

]]> By: DHGranstrandhttp://www.hometheaterblog.com/hometheater/2006/05/do-cables-make-a-difference/#comment-609 DHGranstrand Sat, 02 Dec 2006 13:46:32 +0000 http://www.hometheaterblog.com/?p=396#comment-609 I just purchased 25' video component cables from bluejeanscableDOTcom. They were $80 for the set of three cables. Exceptional Canare RCA plugs with Belden 1694A cable. Extremely well constructed and flawless video transmission. I just purchased 25′ video component cables from bluejeanscableDOTcom. They were $80 for the set of three cables. Exceptional Canare RCA plugs with Belden 1694A cable. Extremely well constructed and flawless video transmission.

]]> By: DHGranstrandhttp://www.hometheaterblog.com/hometheater/2006/05/do-cables-make-a-difference/#comment-6939 DHGranstrand Sat, 02 Dec 2006 13:46:00 +0000 http://www.hometheaterblog.com/?p=396#comment-6939 I just purchased 25' video component cables from bluejeanscableDOTcom. They were $80 for the set of three cables. Exceptional Canare RCA plugs with Belden 1694A cable. Extremely well constructed and flawless video transmission. I just purchased 25′ video component cables from bluejeanscableDOTcom. They were $80 for the set of three cables. Exceptional Canare RCA plugs with Belden 1694A cable. Extremely well constructed and flawless video transmission.

]]> By: Cap'n Preshoothttp://www.hometheaterblog.com/hometheater/2006/05/do-cables-make-a-difference/#comment-608 Cap'n Preshoot Sat, 16 Sep 2006 09:40:53 +0000 http://www.hometheaterblog.com/?p=396#comment-608 You're going to have to put me in the camp of the non-believers. I was in broadcast (FCC P1-17-11478) many years ago and worked for several more as a Region Engineer for Cox Cable back in the '70s. True, there are "proper cables" for the job, but overall the buying public is getting hosed on their home entertainment cables. The problem I have with "consumer grade" audio & video cables is the marketing hype of the "large" brand (pun intended) coupled with retailer greed in blister-packaging their own store brand & competing cables then pricing those "just enough" under the ridiculously priced brand to attract buyers. This "riding on the coattails" of the big marketer is tantamount to theft by deception. There are some differences in cables, but paying 10 times as much for one vs another is absurd and should never suggest nor imply 10x the quality. You can get excellent quality cables for very reasonable prices. Unfortunately, with pressure on margins you'll seldom find much in the way of reasonably priced cables at the same store where you bought your fine HT equipment. 10% of your HT budget spent on cables? That still seems awfully high. I guess it would depend on how much your budget actually is. For a $2,000 system spending $200 (10%) on the cables might be reasonable, but spending $500 for cables on a $5,000 system sounds more like someone's getting taken to the cleaners. That same exact set of $200 cables should work equally well on either system and I have serious skepticism about the ability of anyone to prove that their eyes and ears can see or hear the difference. In commercial broadcast we often made our own cables from bulk spools of brand-name cable (i.e., Belden) that at the time sold for a few cents a foot. Even the 5" diameter nitrogen-pressurized heliax cable carrying our 50 KW signal to the top of our 1,200-ft tower was assembled on-site from (huge) spools of Andrew cable that sold for a few dollars a foot. Gold-plated connectors? Well, if your component (amplifier, DVD player, etc) also has gold-plated jacks then I might agree, but otherwise you may be setting yourself up for some problems from the dissimilar metals. Anyone remember the problems the PC makers had with gold-plated memory being plugged in to nickel-plated tin connectors (and vice-versa) on the motherboards? It wasn't long (about a year) before these dissimilar metal connections began causing many system lockups. You’re going to have to put me in the camp of the non-believers. I was in broadcast (FCC P1-17-11478) many years ago and worked for several more as a Region Engineer for Cox Cable back in the ’70s. True, there are “proper cables” for the job, but overall the buying public is getting hosed on their home entertainment cables.

The problem I have with “consumer grade” audio & video cables is the marketing hype of the “large” brand (pun intended) coupled with retailer greed in blister-packaging their own store brand & competing cables then pricing those “just enough” under the ridiculously priced brand to attract buyers. This “riding on the coattails” of the big marketer is tantamount to theft by deception.

There are some differences in cables, but paying 10 times as much for one vs another is absurd and should never suggest nor imply 10x the quality. You can get excellent quality cables for very reasonable prices. Unfortunately, with pressure on margins you’ll seldom find much in the way of reasonably priced cables at the same store where you bought your fine HT equipment.

10% of your HT budget spent on cables? That still seems awfully high. I guess it would depend on how much your budget actually is. For a $2,000 system spending $200 (10%) on the cables might be reasonable, but spending $500 for cables on a $5,000 system sounds more like someone’s getting taken to the cleaners. That same exact set of $200 cables should work equally well on either system and I have serious skepticism about the ability of anyone to prove that their eyes and ears can see or hear the difference.

In commercial broadcast we often made our own cables from bulk spools of brand-name cable (i.e., Belden) that at the time sold for a few cents a foot. Even the 5″ diameter nitrogen-pressurized heliax cable carrying our 50 KW signal to the top of our 1,200-ft tower was assembled on-site from (huge) spools of Andrew cable that sold for a few dollars a foot.

Gold-plated connectors? Well, if your component (amplifier, DVD player, etc) also has gold-plated jacks then I might agree, but otherwise you may be setting yourself up for some problems from the dissimilar metals. Anyone remember the problems the PC makers had with gold-plated memory being plugged in to nickel-plated tin connectors (and vice-versa) on the motherboards? It wasn’t long (about a year) before these dissimilar metal connections began causing many system lockups.

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