I found a very interesting article on expensive cables....

[Poultrygeist]

If you think it sounds better then it does - the placebo effect is alive and well and highly profitable.

[Hyfi]

I recently started using Synergistic Research Signature1 Speaker cables I got with a complete system I bought in a garage sale. They are 14' in length. When I contacted Synergistic about the possibility of cutting them in half to make two pairs, they replied that their cables are "Components" and "would you cut an amplifier in half to make two". They did say that they would shorten them only for $300 but not make two pairs.

I was not happy with the answer but I'm not about to screw up the value, resale value, and possible positive snake oil included in their construction.

I said it a ways back in this thread. A pair of ICs costing $500 in no way "sound" 5X better than those costing $100.

I can tell you that in my experience, the Synergistc speaker cables worth $1200 do sound better than my $200 Tara Labs Prism cables but not 6X better.

The other thing to consider, just like matching amps to speakers is that a single set of ICs will appear to sound different between different Amp and Pre.

The bottom line is what your expendable budget is, how much you believe in cable differences, and mostly which cables sound better coupled with YOUR gear no matter what the cost is.

If you believe with all your heart and the info you have read that there are no differences, then just use the Black & Reds that came with your gear and move on.

[audio amateur]

I recently started using Synergistic Research Signature1 Speaker cables I got with a complete system I bought in a garage sale. They are 14' in length. When I contacted Synergistic about the possibility of cutting them in half to make two pairs, they replied that their cables are "Components" and "would you cut an amplifier in half to make two". They did say that they would shorten them only for $300 but not make two pairs.

That's a shockingly bad answer

[Kevio]

That's a shockingly bad answer

Not a bad answer from the perspective of making money though.

[audio amateur]

Not a bad answer from the perspective of making money though.

Not if you loose customers doing so...

[E-Stat]

Not a bad answer from the perspective of making money though.

Re-terminating sealed cables is labor intensive. Similarly, Shure doesn't *repair* their earbuds. They offer a flat replacement charge and throw away your core.

rw

[markw]

Re-terminating sealed cables is labor intensive. Similarly, Shure doesn't *repair* their earbuds. They offer a flat replacement charge and throw away your core.

rw

Earbuds area a bit different due to their size and complexity. We're talking cable ends here.

It costs $300 to put on four terminations? That's $75/each. Heck, send 'em to me!

If that's the case they should have offered to charge him $600 for the eight, no?

Sorry, but in that, or any, boutique business, accommodating the customers needs should be item one on the agenda. After all, customer satisfaction is directly tied in with the customer's perception of quality.

[Kevio]

Re-terminating sealed cables is labor intensive.

And probably tricky too do properly. If I'd paid kilobucks for cables I would be happy to spend $300 to have them re terminated by the manufacturer.

[Hyfi]

And probably tricky too do properly. If I'd paid kilobucks for cables I would be happy to spend $300 to have them re terminated by the manufacturer.

Too bad I'm not the original owner, they don't want "new happy customers" unless you buy new cables. Oh well, still glad to have them at the price I got them for.

[markw]

I recently started using Synergistic Research Signature1 Speaker cables I got with a complete system I bought in a garage sale. They are 14' in length. When I contacted Synergistic about the possibility of cutting them in half to make two pairs, they replied that their cables are "Components" and "would you cut an amplifier in half to make two". They did say that they would shorten them only for $300 but not make two pairs.

Not what you posted, but their response.

Are they implying that cutting the cables in half and terminating both ends will hurt the sound in the two cable pairs, but only terminating one pair so you only wind up with one pair won't? What happens to the surplus wire?

...and who is trying to tell me that greed and gullibility aren't the two main driving factors in this industry?

[Hyfi]

Not what you posted, but their response.

Are they implying that cutting the cables in half and terminating both ends will hurt the sound in the two cable pairs, but only terminating one pair so you only wind up with one pair won't? What happens to the surplus wire?

...and who is trying to tell me that greed and gullibility aren't the two main driving factors in this industry?

I was floored also after several emails to Synergistic. They told me that in order to cut and properly re-terminate the cable that it would interfere with production of new cables. Also, I would have had to be the original owner with papers to prove it which I am not.

I don't know if there is any proprietary termination techniques used that I would screw up if I did it myself. I could not find anyone willing to do it for a fee except some guy in Canada. I was also advised that if I cut and re-terminated them that they could no longer be resold as true Synergistic cables.

I am a little apprehensive to touch these cables since they cost $1200 when the guy I got them from bought them.

All in all I did not like their responses and posted about it on another board and someone from Synergistic chimed in to call me a liar and then I posted the full email from his co-worker that he must have been unaware of and the thread ended there.

[audio amateur]

If you think it sounds better then it does - the placebo effect is alive and well and highly profitable.

haha