MUSING #2, Magic Vs. Snake-Oil ......, my (not-so) humble opinion on CABLES.

It’s amazing……….., the number of people who continue to spend exorbitant dollars on….., wire. OK, so before the avalanche of emails nail my in-box, let me digress.

In the years before “Monster Cable”, and Noel Lee, the audio community didn’t really even consider wire a “component”. Radio Shack zip-wire was the name of the game back then……, AND, even company’s like McIntosh, Klipsch Audio and even Altec Lansing/Western Electric used barrier strips with teeny, tiny screws as “binding posts”………, do you remember that? So, what has changed? …..

Transformers, neither then, nor now, were wound with wire heavy enough to lift the component off the shelf. Unless you intend to use that wire as a spare set of jumper cables, I’d “pass” on that expenditure. That wire will not “help” your system sound any better than a nice (read: well-made, tinned-copper conductor, quality connectors SOLDERED to the conductor/s, etc.) set of cables of the appropriate gauge (based on the current/voltage demand).

My personal preference for speaker cables is pure copper spade connectors soldered (with real Kester Sn60Pb40 LEADED solder) to vintage Western Electric “KS” series stranded, tinned-copper, cloth-jacketed 16ga.-12ga. (buy what you can find). You’d be extremely hard pressed to find a “better” sounding speaker cable………, go ahead and try if you must. ;)

Interconnects?……………, Belden 8402 with Nickel Switchcraft RCA connectors….., simply great sounding.

So, Magic Vs. Snake-Oil………………? You be the judge, but know this, if anyone tells you that you can “FIX” the sound of your system with more expensive cables, they either have a vested interest in selling you those cables, they designed a poor component, or most likely, they read the same B.S. on the internet that has been lining the pockets of cable purveyors for the last two decades…..

Lastly, I’ve saved the best for last…………., take a screwdriver, remove the switchplate of your power outlet and pull that duplex outlet into the light where you can see the wire attached to it……., it may be Romex or BX jacketed, solid-core 16ga., maybe 14ga. if you live in a hospital or somewhere required by code….. I think you can see where I’m going with this. Yeah, I use 14ga. computer power cords (with molded IEC connectors) here in the studio/listening room……., I DARE ANY Mfg., to participate in a double-blind power cord comparison, to be judged by disinterested 3rd parties. ;) Nuff’ said.

SAVE YOUR COIN, BUY MORE RECORDS….., preferably from the artists themselves. Cheers! Matt.