What is the single most influential cable for sound quality in an audio system?

Mike

Mike

Audioshark
Staff member
Joined
Apr 2, 2013
Messages
30,488
Location
Sarasota, FL
What is the single most influential cable for sound quality in an audio system?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Perhaps the power cable(s) on amp(s)?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Sean said:
Perhaps the power cable(s) on amp(s)?
Click to expand...

For me, the power cable on any piece of gear has made the biggest single improvement with each one added. ICs and speaker have yet to wow me as much as the power cables. Along that line, the power conditioners are the components that make the biggest improvement for me.
 
BlueJean cables. Allowed me to spend more of my audio budget on other components that actually made a noticeable difference such as better speakers and amp.
 
Funny back when I had Dynaudio C1's and the Octave V110 speaker cables made the most difference followed by interconnects and last was power cords.

That said with my current setup (and Lars coming to my home with Ansuz prototype cables doing an in home demo) it now is the power cords first (D-TC of course) followed by interconnects and last is speaker cables. Also although not a cable the Mainz D-TC power distribution made a bigger difference than anything especially when used with Ansuz power cables.
 
blueoak said:
BlueJean cables. Allowed me to spend more of my audio budget on other components that actually made a noticeable difference such as better speakers and amp.
Click to expand...
Blue Jeans Cable is at the sweet spot between price and highest quality construction.

If you spend more than BJC cables, you spent too much and gained nothing.
 
I am surprised nobody has said the most influential cable is speaker cable. I am not saying it is, just that I thought it would get at least one vote. Perhaps speaker cable is harder to come by for auditioning. Also,unless bi-wired, there is only one pair of speaker cables in a system but multiple power cords and they are easier to swap.
 
Dizzie said:
I am surprised nobody has said the most influential cable is speaker cable. I am not saying it is, just that I thought it would get at least one vote. Perhaps speaker cable is harder to come by for auditioning. Also,unless bi-wired, there is only one pair of speaker cables in a system but multiple power cords and they are easier to swap.
Click to expand...

I think it is. For me, it’s speaker, power, IC, digital.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Speaker cables for me as well. Especially my current MIT EVO. Power cables is cumulative effect. Wall to conditioner and the one on the DAC make most improvement. But I spent a lot more than blue jeans cables, so it could very well be my mind and ears playing tricks on me. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
Speaker and XLR IC combo (I only tested them as a combo) improved the imaging the most. Power cables the SQ and ‘weight’ of the sound. Digital the clarity.
 
Speedskater said:
For analog cables it would be a poorly chosen or designed one that allows increased noise/interference.
For digital cables it's more of a go, no go situation.
Click to expand...

agreed, makes sense.

blueoak said:
BlueJean cables. Allowed me to spend more of my audio budget on other components that actually made a noticeable difference such as better speakers and amp.
Click to expand...

again, agreed, follows what 'Speedy' said above ......
 
Dizzie said:
I am surprised nobody has said the most influential cable is speaker cable. I am not saying it is, just that I thought it would get at least one vote. Perhaps speaker cable is harder to come by for auditioning. Also,unless bi-wired, there is only one pair of speaker cables in a system but multiple power cords and they are easier to swap.
Click to expand...

My initial thought was power cords, but after considering what I could live without, speaker cables are more important. If I switched back to all stock power cords and kept my pricey speaker cables, I believe I would have better sound than a pricey power cord and some hardware store speaker wire that I used to use.

Dave
 
SuperDave said:
My initial thought was power cords, but after considering what I could live without, speaker cables are more important. If I switched back to all stock power cords and kept my pricey speaker cables, I believe I would have better sound than a pricey power cord and some hardware store speaker wire that I used to use.

Dave
Click to expand...

What about Miguels grounding system , these are cables too ..?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top