Page 1 of Expensive VS Cheapo Cables!

Im currently in the process of upgrading my Home Cinema System.

The question I want to know is, these Digital Co-Axial cables you can buy from the likes of IXOS and QED, are they worht shelling out the extra money, or will a bog standard cable be OK?

Cheers

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For the man who doesn`t take himself as seriously as his moisturising regime.

A bog standard cable will be absolutely fine. Strictly speaking, you should select a cable with the correct impedance and all that jazz, but in practice it really isn`t necessary.

Mike

Now this is a long running debate and I`ve always been of the mind that there is no difference between digital cables. I`ve always used a cheap optical cable and been totally happy with it until I recently replaced it with a profigold co-axial cable and the difference was clearly obvious. The sound was much richer and much more dynamic!
I swapped them back and fore a couple of times to be sure but the profigold definately made a big difference.
I understand the reasoning that the digital signal is just 1`s and 0`s but there you are!

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the difference was clearly obvious. The sound was much richer and much more dynamic! I swapped them back and fore a couple of times to be sure but the profigold definately made a big difference.

Did you do a double blind test? Don`t underestimate the power of the placebo effect ;)

A double blind test means getting someone to swap the cables over for you, so you don`t know which cable is being used at any one time. (The person doing the swapping shouldn`t be told which cable is which, either.)

If you do this, I suspect your results will be rather different :D

Mike

I believe cabels can make or break a system. But I would say that as I sell them. Likewise as I sell them hopefully I should know. I would not have spent the money I have spent on my system if there was no differance.

All the best,

The 42%er.

"I`ve always used a cheap optical cable and been totally happy with it until I recently replaced it with a profigold co-axial cable and the difference was clearly obvious."

I suspect a big part of the difference would have come from the change from optical to co-axial. I did the same with my system a while ago, and the difference was certainly noticeable. I didn`t spend megabucks on the cable, though - about £20 from Richer Sounds, which was about what I spent on the optical cable.

I hate cheap and nasty hi-fi cables - I recommend Cambridge Audio Atlantic interconnects and Eltax OFC speaker cable. Miles better than the freebie leads and bell wire you get!! :)

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I recommend Cambridge Audio Atlantic interconnects and Eltax OFC speaker cable. Miles better than the freebie leads and bell wire you get!!

Don`t get me wrong - I understand and appreciate the difference a good cable makes when it comes to analogue signals. Digital interconnects are a totally different kettle of fish.

Does anyone remember the infamous green pen scam? I rest my case ;)

Mike

This item was edited on Thursday, 24th July 2003, 10:53

Expensive leads do make a difference!!!!!

Profigold leads are what I use and have noticed an improvement across the board!

However, how far are you willing to take it, I know people that have spent hundreds of pounds an Scart cables! I think you have to limit it somewhere!

Gold plated 99.96% oxygen free cables do make a difference, and they wont break down over time!

As you can probably tell, I am in the trade!

Although I must admit, I`m using cheapie scart leads until I can replace all of them with the Cambridge Audio OFC scart leads - trouble is, they only do one length, and that`s 2m!!