Reddit and high quality cables need help with purchasing.

hey guys this is my first post. I have a serious question what do you guys think about upgrading speaker cables and rca interconnects ? I have wanted some for a long time but people on reddit just yell at me for it, like they get offended because it challenges their believes . Idk why. I think cables are really cool and honestly I think they could make a difference. This is my setup

Pro-ject esprit sb from turntable lab with ortofon 2m blue and chrome record weight.
Pro-ject tube box s phono stage also from turntable lab.
Bluesound Node 2
Cambridge CXA60
Pioneer ct-f950 fully restored cassette deck.
Wharfedale Denton speakers

I’m very happy with my setup but I think cables and a subwoofer would be great next.
I’m looking at the audioquest Golden rca cables they are like 70 bucks a piece and I would need 4 of them and want to upgrade my system even more for already built Banana plug cables The Bi wire kind they are called audioquest 8 rocket 33. The audioquest line if I where to re wire my whole system would cost like 600 bucks very pricy, or I could go the blue jean cable route for cheaper, I really wanted to biwire my Denton’s from my cxa60 amp, do you guys have any advice?

 

I like the Trolls on Reddit. It's fun especially if you can shame them down, but, it's Reddit. There are a lot of good people on Reddit, but it's not any better than old school Compuserve bulletin boards. Trolls existed then, they exist now.

If you are thinking you need a subwoofer, get the subwoofer. Cables won't fix lower end. I don't buy $2K speaker wire, my speakers didn't cost that much, but not by a lot. Wire can be an improvement, but you have to put things in perspective. Improvements in sound out of your system are hugely impacted by the laws of diminishing returns. The more you've spent on your components, the bigger the impact of spending money on wires. If your speaker cost $2000, spending $4000 to replace your speaker will only be marginally better, all thing equal. But if you instead spend $400 on better wires to improve the signal to the speakers, you will likely get better results. Diminishing returns is a game. It's all a game. Improve your weakest link to get the best results. I'm not suggesting one way or the other that spending $70 will improve the sound over stock cables. It might hopefully. But, if it doesn't, you have them for later.

Just a thought. But unless you are getting some kind of discount for getting 2 pair, why aren't you just getting a single pair and seeing which end of your bi-wire improves over the cable you have? It could be shipping. I have no idea. But Audio Advisor ships free for spending $49. I would think others have similar deals, especially if you point out that you are considering Audio Advisor over them. I've always been suspect of bi-wire. It's probably good. But is it better than bigger wire? I'm more inclined toward bi-amping, but that would require more amps. So I'm good, I can't afford another $2k amp when my car is 10 years old. Some day, probably soon, that car is going to get mad at me.

 

Just do it so it's not bugging you. As a loudspeaker engineer the case for biwiring improving things seems weak, but OTOH I've never tested it. It certainly won't hurt anything. And it's nicer to have cool looking stuff instead of ugly stuff, especially visible stuff like speaker wire. But don't start spending more on cables than your system is worth! Spend the money on...well, maybe NOT a subwoofer.

Your Cambridge is a nice piece of kit, but like so many stereo units stupidly has NO provision for highpassing the amp and main speakers (even though it has a "sub out" ). This means even if you add a sub, your Dentons will still be uselessly straining to try and put out the lowest bass, using up amp headroom in the process. So if you like the sound of your Wharfedales, consider instead of spending a bunch of money on sub etc which won't integrate properly, sinking the money into Reva 4s, mmm those sound quite lovely and don't really need a sub unless you want to play Das Boot's depth charge scenes.

If you do get any expensive cables, be sure they are easily returnable if you don't hear the improvement you hope for.

 

I only have one thing to add to the good advice in this thread so far: used cables are often priced 50% (or more) lower than retail. You lose the easy returns of retail, which is important for you to be able to experiment, but you could also get more for price point used. Maybe buy a few used or new at the same time and compare them in your system, then deal with returns or re-selling.

 

I’ll second this, most if my cables have been bought used, I started experimenting with purchases right here in the classifieds. Today I’ll be receiving a pair of Morrow MA3 interconnects for which I paid half price for, and of course they’ve been burned in by the previous owner.

I have purchased at retail level from Signal Cable and Better Cables. Both of these are direct sellers whose prices are quite reasonable, but most importantly who make excellent interconnects IMHO.

 

Who cares what Reddit thinks about what you buy. I don't care what Reddit thinks about my gear. I buy my gear because it sounds good to me. I don't buy my gear to get approval from Reddit or similar fools. The majority of people on the Reddit forums are idiots about actual audiophile audio quality. Ignore them. Buy what sounds good to you. I don't care what they think. The gear I've bought and listen to sounds awesome to me. And that's all that matters to me even though it would not meet the approval of the masses of the idiots at Reddit.

I haven't gone crazy with cables. But I do hear a difference with cables. I do hear a difference between the Blue Jeans LC-1 and Belden 1505F cables. I haven't really explored cables beyond that. But yeah, I do hear a difference between the LC-1 and 1505F (I like the 1505F better with my gear). Eventually I will explore more cables. But for now I'm fine. Buy what sounds good to you and ignore what Reddit thinks.

 

SQ vs price I think Wireworld makes some great cables. SVS would be at the top of my list for a sub to match the Dentons.

 

What cables do you have now? What's wrong with them? Personally, and from experience, I'd say that unless there is an issue with noise or conductor quality of the cables that you have, you'd be way better served by upgrading to the 2m Bronze cartridge and forgetting about the cables. Even if your cables are crap, the cartridge upgrade should yield more positive results. The exception to the cable thing IME is if you have some really cheap lamp cord for speaker wire, you really need to get some proper OFC copper wire. It can be 16ga, 14ga, nothing fancy but made of pure copper. Even the cheap RCA cables that come with many old components are of good sound quality and last well. I have many that have outlasted the audiophile brands (the cheap ones are more flexible and durable), and in a few instances have even resulted in lower noise. Tread carefully there.
-Bill

 

I say go for the audioquest cables, they're not crazy expensive and likely will offer improvements. Forget reddit comments and follow your instincts.

 

Agreed with Bill that unless your cables are grossly inappropriately inferior the best upgrade money would be spent on your equipment. I see cables as a way to squeeze that last little bit of prestige from an upper-tier system, where the psychological aspects of perception become very important. For normal hobbyist-grade equipment, I'd advocate for upgrades to the turntable and cartridge before cabling. However, it's your money and your ears and your desires that need to be fed, so if cabling is a thirst that must be quenched, have at it.

 

The argument over cables is between those who think they make absolutely know difference and those who believe they make a slight difference on very high end equipment. If you are talking speakers in the less than 1000 range, I’m not sure anyone would think a cable upgrade will have any effect.

A good subwoofer, OTOH, is universally considered a major difference and a huge improvement. I would focus entirely on that.

 

This is the best company out there for cables, new, used and they have a loaner program as well

High End audio, Video & speaker cables from The Cable company

 

Thanks for the advice!! I do want too to get some revas that’s a good idea. I just really want to try these cables because i think they are cool RadioShack what’s going to put custom wrap on them if I go with blue jean.

 

Thanks for the advice I will check that out.

 

Thanks I’m not sure what I’m going to do yet. Buy some floor standards like the ELAC uf5 or wharfedale Reva 3 if I can save up.

 

Thanks man.

 

That’s what I’m going to do maybe not the reva 4 because that’s out of my price range, but I could save up for the reva 3s and I think I will be very happy. Thanks man

 

If you are going to get cables...please know the sound of your system. It's very important to know what your system is doing before you get cables. Good cables ain't cheap, and it would be horrible if you purchase bright cables and it was a mismatch with your system. You always want your best interconnects at the source. Think about if you need silver, hybrids, or copper or some other metals. . And what kind of speaker cables do you require? If you need cables and interconnects, know why. Most audiophiles what a neutral sound from their systems. They want to be able to hear into the sound stage and they want transparent, 3D and depth If your gear is capable, good cables can help flesh all of it out. So tread carfully.. And educate yourself if need be. Know what flavor your system has....what it needs to be brought back to neutral if need be...and what flavor a interconnect/speaker cables has to meet your goals. Its very easy to blow money on cables if you aren't educated. That's one reason why guys give up and say cables are all the same.

 

Get used entry level good stuff like QED, Chord, cheapest Nordost, that's where the value is
don't expect any miracles! If you don't like their sound, they're easy to sell.
I have loads of spare good cables, shame you aren't in the UK.
Can a local friend lend you some?
Finally as Source Firster, it goes without saying put your a lot of your budget in the source component interconnect, and less in the speaker cables

 

Thank you. I think I decided on buying the presmade speaker cables first the bi-wire banana plugs canare 4s11 by blue jean cables. I’m going to have this technician customize them with heat shrink and this really pretty red and black wrap. From most of my research and reviews a lot of people are saying you can’t do much better with your money.

 

I would really like to get a pair of revas, I love the Denton’s because they look like harbeths and preform way beyond their price point. It would take me like 5 or 6 months to be able to save up comfortably for the Revas, I really like my system as a whole, but I think your right, the revas might be worth saving up for.

 

Yeah I know I’m 50 recent English even tho I don’t look it, I would love to go the the UK. And try out those cables and some audio equipment. I love the sound of British HIFI a I really think they do it best.

 

NO! Don’t waste your time and money!
As a matter of fact, I suggest you ditch your present wires and replace them with coat hangers or old shoelaces covered in tin foil.
The sound will be the same!

 

The wire quality, dielectric and specs and the construction quality of Blue Jeans speaker cables are great. Lower resistance, lower capacitance and inductance than the Audioquest products. The Blue Jeans products aren’t pretty - they’re not dressed in fancy, braided outer jackets/sleeves, and they don’t come with fancy pants on the end splits or fancy boots on the connectors. They just work perfectly and last forever because of good quality strain relief, cold welded connections and top quality wire. Choose the locking banana plugs when ordering. Excellent.

 

Very good troll sir you win Steve Hoffman.tv!