I also know that this subject is taboo in most forums. To avoid a conflict I will point out a few facts and let everyone decide on their own, as this is just my observation.
Most industries such as telecom have standards in which a product has to meet or exceed a certain specification and or criteria. For Example, CAT 5 voice and data cable must meet minimum TIA/EIA and Belcore telecom standards before it can be certified as "CAT 5" and be sold for this purpose, the cable MUST perform to specification determined by TIA/EIA, Bisci and etc.
Now audio cable doesn't have regulations like telecom. So the people that sell their cable for $1000.00 per foot can say anything they want. They don't have to meet any specifications at all. All they have to worry about is that the cable can pass a voltage or signal.
Companies like Belden manufacture the majority of cable and then it’s re-packaged without Belden’s name. Most companies can’t afford to produce their own cable (except Monster and it’s made overseas). The tooling and overhead would be enormous. Why not have some third party companies produce the cable and put on a custom logo? Once the High Dollar or “ACME cable” company gets a hold of it they can freeze it, bury it, rub crystallized viper venom on it or whatever they want. It would be simple to do, why not start rumors on a forum (somewhere) about a new cable mfg that decided to send 120 Volt over a 49.5-hour period in a 100-degree room, as a result it “broke” in the cable and began the “molecular” alignment process, which produced the smoothest sound he had ever heard after many listening sessions. Most of us wouldn’t listen, there might be one or two that would buy this cable and repeat the whole process on another forum and so on. I have to admit most of that stuff is pretty and looks like it should perform the way it was marketed.
I would love to see real data comparing the majority of the cable out there. It would be interesting how similar a $14.00 cable would perform against a $500.00 one. I know this doesn’t apply in every case but it sure would be fun:)
The best bang for the buck in my opinion is Blue Jeans cable.
Anyone here have any thoughts on standards for audio cable?
Tom
