Why so expensive?

[flyfisher]

[quote name='apa' post='1357480' date='Aug 31 2011, 01:23 PM']So the 2m of cable between the 100m of cheap copper cable and RCD's and Fuses and screw terminals and weakened hard strand where the sparky has bent it a few times and lumps of mortar and switches which youve sparked a zillion times that makes up your house wiring and your super dooper amp/turntable/CD/DAB etc makes all the difference!![/quote]

I once read a hi-fi magazine article that made that very point . . . . so their solution was to run a hi-fi system from a car battery, which actually makes some sort of sense given that it would be a nice stable, noise-free source of DC power. But I think they spoiled it by using a mains inverter, which are notoriously noisy things.

But that was a long time ago and people are not so daft these days . . . are they?
[url="http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2011/02/08/the-most-expensive-cable-in-the-world/"]http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2011/02/08/th...e-in-the-world/[/url]

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='flyfisher' post='1357863' date='Aug 31 2011, 06:54 PM']I once read a hi-fi magazine article that made that very point . . . . so their solution was to run a hi-fi system from a car battery, which actually makes some sort of sense given that it would be a nice stable, noise-free source of DC power. But I think they spoiled it by using a mains inverter, which are notoriously noisy things.

But that was a long time ago and people are not so daft these days . . . are they?
[url="http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2011/02/08/the-most-expensive-cable-in-the-world/"]http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2011/02/08/th...e-in-the-world/[/url][/quote]
I hope it was a Bugatti battery and not one off a Mondeo or something.

[4 Strings]

The same thing applies to guitar cables, the jacks make a poor contact and the plug in the guitar and amp is a bit of pressed steel and the internal wiring of tiny diameter.

Maybe if we soldered the cable straight into the guitar and amp circuits... certainly stop other people using my amp.

Joking aside, even I can tell the treble drop from a long guitar lead. My main and spare are different lengths, I use the shortest if I can. For me the main trick is not to have a lead fail.

I remember the gold plated mains plug phase, thinking how well they will transfer every mains glitch to the hifi.

[Musky]

[quote]Regular users of our guitar cables include; Dickey Betts, Lou Reed, Joan Armatrading, Mike Rutherford, Sir Paul McCartney, Bryan Adams, Mark Knopfler, Sting, David Gilmour, Iron Maiden, The Stereophonics, Jimmy Page, Kula Shaker, amongst others[/quote]

Never underestimate how obsessed some people can get over replicating their hero's set up.

[quote]Makes you wonder when we'll see the first boutique plectrum selling for £50.[/quote]

You may scoff, but I remember a thread on some forum where a guy seemed determined to find out [i]exactly[/i] which pick Eric Clapton used in the 60's and get hold of one. Not an identical pick in the same gauge, made of the same material by the same maker, but an original vintage 60's one. Muppets, the lot of 'em.

[paul_5]

I agree with this thread to some extent - there are a lot of snake oil salesmen about, particularly when it comes to musical / Hi-Fi kit. I too am a cynic when it comes to all the jargon (and let's be honest, some ingenious marketing) and would have been prepared to throw my hat in the ring with the rest of the scoffers up until last week.

Last week, for the first time in my life I bought some George L cables. Not content with believing what I'd been told I A/B'd my 'old faithful' Van Damme and Neutrik bass lead with a 10' length of George Ls straight into Pro Tools and then used a spectral analyser to measure frequency / signal loss (I know, the telly's broke). There was a noticeable [i]visual[/i] difference in the graph results, but not much [i]audible[/i] difference. Turns out I'm losing 10dB of signal in the 10KHz-20KHz region (top octave of human hearing), but the drop was down between the -70dB and -80dB region - chuff all really.

So, yes, there is a difference that is measurable. Is it significant? Not really.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

[quote name='markstuk' post='1357611' date='Aug 31 2011, 03:03 PM']And how about this for speaker cable?

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NORDOST-VALHALLA-SPEAKER-CABLE-4m-PAIR-4mm-Z-PLUGS-/160505091401?pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item255ed95549"]Speaker Cable[/url][/quote]
Bollocks! I hit the buy it now by mistake

[EdwardHimself]

[quote name='Musky' post='1357996' date='Aug 31 2011, 08:18 PM']You may scoff, but I remember a thread on some forum where a guy seemed determined to find out [i]exactly[/i] which pick Eric Clapton used in the 60's and get hold of one. Not an identical pick in the same gauge, made of the same material by the same maker, but an original vintage 60's one. Muppets, the lot of 'em. [/quote]

Lol you mean a pick is made out of plastic that would no doubt have degraded over the last 50 years? Unless that is, he found one that was kept away from any source of daylight or oxygen.

Edited August 31, 2011 by EdwardHimself

[pickle]

[quote name='markstuk' post='1357611' date='Aug 31 2011, 03:03 PM']And how about this for speaker cable?

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NORDOST-VALHALLA-SPEAKER-CABLE-4m-PAIR-4mm-Z-PLUGS-/160505091401?pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item255ed95549"]Speaker Cable[/url][/quote]


If you look in his feedback there is a set of these sold for £249 recently, thats a big price jump lol

[EdwardHimself]

Also in reply to the OP, i don't think £31 is too much of a ridiculous price to pay at all for a high quality cable.

[Lfalex v1.1]

There's an interesting point someone once made.

Surely a cable should have as little an impact upon the signal it is carrying as possible? The ideal being (in audio terms) the sound of "no" cable.
The best thing to do with regard to cables is;

Look after them (they'll continue to work correctly and not need replacing)
Keep cable runs as short as is practical for any given application (It saves money and the impact of the cable in terms of capacitance, inductance, exposure to RF interference is lessened)

That'll get the best out of whatever cable/s you buy

(And rechargeable battery (DC) powered pre-amps have been manufactured in the wacky world of HiFi before. Just buy a passive one with 1 input and a volume control- they're even "better". And [i]quite[/i] cheap.

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='Low End Bee' post='1357316' date='Aug 31 2011, 11:32 AM']It's a different colour at each end. That's at least twenty quids worth of cool.[/quote]

That's so you plug it in the right way round. Wire is directional don't you know. Your tone can get really flustered if you force it to go upstream and it can disturb its mating cycle.

[Shambo]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1358539' date='Sep 1 2011, 10:35 AM']That's so you plug it in the right way round. Wire is directional don't you know. Your tone can get really flustered if you force it to go upstream and it can disturb its mating cycle.[/quote]
Haha!

Just finished at 36 GBP, a bargain compared to a new one and I'm sure it'll make a world of difference to the lucky punters who'll appreciate it's superior erm.... something or other. Hell, if the new owner thinks it's gonna make a difference then who's to say it won't. Good luck to 'em. Meself... I'm still non the wiser.

[xgsjx]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1358539' date='Sep 1 2011, 10:35 AM']That's so you plug it in the right way round. Wire is directional don't you know. Your tone can get really flustered if you force it to go upstream and it can disturb its mating cycle.[/quote]
It's all to do with what way round the cable spirals.
If the signal goes down the wire in the wrong direction then they'll be out of phase & can cause the frequencies above 20khz to invert on themselves.
This has to be in sync with the earth's gravitational pull. If you're in the southern hemisphere, then your cables have to go the opposite way round!

[Paul Clifton]

THIS is expensive cable:

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alembic-Super-Cord-Preamp-/180574090599?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Outboards_Effects_MJ&hash=item2a0b0df567"]Expensive cable[/url]

but THIS takes the greatest biscuit:

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alembic-Guitar-Strap-/170637456749?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&hash=item27bac8f56d"]Expensive strap[/url]

[Hobbayne]

This takes not only the biscuit, but the whole pack!!

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brand-New-4-String-Electric-Bass-Guitar-Top-Xmas-Deal-/370291880645?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item56371db2c5""]Very expensive cheapo p bass copy[/url]

Edited September 3, 2011 by Hobbayne

[Paul Clifton]

[quote name='Hobbayne' post='1361265' date='Sep 3 2011, 08:13 PM']This takes not only the biscuit, but the whole pack!!

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brand-New-4-String-Electric-Bass-Guitar-Top-Xmas-Deal-/370291880645?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item56371db2c5""]Very expensive cheapo p bass copy[/url][/quote]

"This brand new Westwood electric bass guitar has been hand-crafted using the finest woods and materials. Its classic designs are implemented by some of the world's most experienced craftsmen. The instrument has been carefully inspected and tested to ensure it meets our highest quality standards. "

Hmm - that's not the Westwood I know...

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='Paul Clifton' post='1361296' date='Sep 3 2011, 08:40 PM']"This brand new Westwood electric bass guitar has been hand-crafted using the finest woods and materials. Its classic designs are implemented by some of the world's most experienced craftsmen. The instrument has been carefully inspected and tested to ensure it meets our highest quality standards. "

Hmm - that's not the Westwood I know...[/quote]
Deh iz onlee wun Westwood yoo need uh know abou bruv....



Pfffff.

[EdwardHimself]

[quote name='Paul Clifton' post='1361178' date='Sep 3 2011, 06:46 PM']THIS is expensive cable:

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alembic-Super-Cord-Preamp-/180574090599?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Outboards_Effects_MJ&hash=item2a0b0df567"]Expensive cable[/url]

but THIS takes the greatest biscuit:

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alembic-Guitar-Strap-/170637456749?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&hash=item27bac8f56d"]Expensive strap[/url][/quote]

Hah it just HAD to be alembic

[quote name='Hobbayne' post='1361265' date='Sep 3 2011, 08:13 PM']This takes not only the biscuit, but the whole pack!!

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brand-New-4-String-Electric-Bass-Guitar-Top-Xmas-Deal-/370291880645?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item56371db2c5""]Very expensive cheapo p bass copy[/url][/quote]

What the hell? The history of the 55 sold says that the previous 5 were sold at £80 each.

[goblin]

It's not shockingly bad that strap, considering a good Levy's is around £80 and Moody straps come in at £160. Some muggins will buy them at full whack, and then sell them on at a later date for not a right lot. My moody and Levy's combined were £50, oh and I play a second hand Warwick or two

[algmusic]

it's all relative.. Any connection (analog) between the bass and the 'speaker' or CD/Record to speaker you get a certain amount of loss.. You really should spend a reasonable amount based on the price of the amp/bass or CD/Record deck amp and speakers.. It's like buying a Jag then getting £30 tyres... but if you have a 20 year old banger then you stupid spending £100 on tyres..

or you could just OBHM cables, great value and will be great for basic to top end and will last like for bloody ages

Edited September 4, 2011 by algmusic