Any "good bang for your buck" RCA cables...?

bladesmith · « **on:** 2 Sep 2011, 07:50 pm »

Looking for some good RCA cables, 2 channel, to run from my preamp to my amp...

(Something that is not outrageous in price..I looked at a pair of RCA cables the other day and they where about 8" long, 2 channel, and I could have purchased an ounce of gold for what they wanted. That doesn't add up..)

Can't find anything locally here in my town that is very good, just monster cable and Radidio shack stuff..

Need a couple of pair about 12" long...(?)

Thanks...

Chromisdesigns · « **Reply #1 on:** 2 Sep 2011, 07:54 pm »

I have a lot of Kimber PB&J in my system, and like them. They are a fair bit more than Rat Shack, but nowhere near the spendy exotics. You might want to check them out.

neekomax · « **Reply #2 on:** 2 Sep 2011, 07:55 pm »

These AudioQuest RCAs are a good deal at $29 used. Echo HiFi is great to deal with as well:

http://www.echohifi.com/purchase.php?addtocart=4386

Also, I have these, very good for the money:

http://www.echohifi.com/purchase.php?remove=4386

nu62 · « **Reply #3 on:** 2 Sep 2011, 08:03 pm »

Blue Jeans Cable. Excellent service, will make in any length, quality construction, sound quality equal to or better than many cables 4 or 5 times more expensive.

Chris Adams · « **Reply #4 on:** 2 Sep 2011, 08:06 pm »

If you can solder, this solution is the best I have found. I've had some high buck cables in my system and found these to be every bit as good to my ears. Cost is $8.50 for RCAs and about $.08 a foot for the wire per stereo pair.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10pair-Pure-Copper-OFC-Silver-Plated-RCA-Connector-Plug-/290571823037?pt=Speakers_Subwoofers&hash=item43a76e27bd

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AWG-23-5-Copper-Magnet-Wire-H200C-High-Temp-/250819667777?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a66046741

corndog71 · « **Reply #5 on:** 2 Sep 2011, 08:09 pm »

I make my own interconnects from Homegrownaudio.com.

I've also invested in Kimber 4TC, 8TC, 4VS, and 8VS speaker cables. The TC cables have been in my systems for over 10 years. I use the VS cables for my front 3 channels of my home theater. Kimber Kable is what got me into this hobby 15 years ago. Even on inexpensive gear I could hear a difference over cheap/freebie cables.

I can also vouch for Blue Jeans Cables. Their video cables are top quality and very reasonably priced.

I would not recommend monoprice based on reports I've heard of poor copper quality that degrades quicker than it should. To be fair I've never actually bought anything from them.

rpf · « **Reply #6 on:** 2 Sep 2011, 08:51 pm »

Signal Cable and Blue Jean Cable offer very good ICs at excellent prices.

soundbitten1 · « **Reply #7 on:** 2 Sep 2011, 09:32 pm »

Morrow Audio MA-1

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #8 on:** 2 Sep 2011, 10:11 pm »

The best by far, hands down, absolutely no contest economic cable is from our own Sonny (Tuan), his Sweet Spot Reveal interconnects. He has two models, a silver composite and a pure copper. $125-175 for 3 meter pairs, ask for a quote for shorter lengths. Extraordinarily revealing yet sweet and delicate, thus the name. Not for those wishing to editorialize the sound with cables, they will lay out what you feed them in complete, unadulterated fashion with excellent soundstaging and dynamic, deep bass.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=50447.0
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=82925.0

tesseract · « **Reply #9 on:** 2 Sep 2011, 10:56 pm »

Quote from: neekomax on 2 Sep 2011, 07:55 pm

These AudioQuest RCAs are a good deal at $29 used. Echo HiFi is great to deal with as well:

http://www.echohifi.com/purchase.php?addtocart=4386

Also, I have these, very good for the money:

http://www.echohifi.com/purchase.php?remove=4386

I have experience with those, on several systems. I concur they are a very good cable for $29, I remember these being $90 in the 1990's. You can't build your own this solid for this price.

Devil Doc · « **Reply #10 on:** 2 Sep 2011, 11:09 pm »

Blue Jeans LC-1. Very low capacitance cable. I changed all my 20 yr old AQ Ruby to it and I'm very happy. It's very well made and terminated in the U.S I don't hear wire so your results may vary.

Doc.

Scottdazzle · « **Reply #11 on:** 2 Sep 2011, 11:11 pm »

Quote from: Devil Doc on 2 Sep 2011, 11:09 pm

Blue Jeans LC-1. Very low capacitance cable. I changed all my 20 yr old AQ Ruby to it and I'm very happy. It's very well made and terminated in the U.S I don't hear wire so your results may vary.

Doc.

+1 on the Blue Jeans interconnects. Great value for the money and pretty good in all respects.

gooberdude · « **Reply #12 on:** 2 Sep 2011, 11:15 pm »

+3 on the Blue Jeans cables. Their HDMI cables are awesome too.

A while back i soldered the rca's from an old Mapleshade ribbon IC onto a BJC lc-1 & it was a good combo.

JLM · « **Reply #13 on:** 2 Sep 2011, 11:21 pm »

Kimber PBJ is OK, but the cheaper line of Element Cables are better for less (I own both). Element is comparable to Signal and Blue Jean brands.

Better yet, google Scott Endler. He makes cables to order at great prices. I now exclusively use his cables for all signals (standard RCA, Cardas RCA, XLR; low level, digital, and speaker) in my main rig (the PBJ/Element stuff goes in secondary systems).

Note I'm an old audio fart and won't spend $$$ on cables, racks, feet, etc. I've heard $1k speaker cables A/B'd and know they're different but avoid "favoring" via cable.

timind · « **Reply #14 on:** 2 Sep 2011, 11:27 pm »

For the money it is hard to beat the Acoustic Research cables Sam Tellig recommended years ago. I have them feeding my sub and have used them in several applications. Well built cables. Be advised, I AM NOT A CABLE GUY. The pair I've linked to are 6 ft. http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-ft-Acoustic-Research-2-RCA-2-RCA-Stereo-Cable-5-4-/270517135785?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item3efc13e9a9

mtruong34 · « **Reply #15 on:** 3 Sep 2011, 12:22 am »

I use Virtue Audio Nirvana IC's and SC's. The construction, quality and customer support is unheard of at such a "banging" price.

wgscott · « **Reply #16 on:** 3 Sep 2011, 12:29 am »

I got mine from BlueJeansCable.com

Not dirt cheap, but very robust probably among the best of the non-designer-jewelry cables.

WC · « **Reply #17 on:** 3 Sep 2011, 12:38 am »

Well I just recently upgraded from the "crappy" ones that are supplied with most AV equipment to Monoprice Premium cables. They seem fine to me so far and cost less than every other one mentioned in this thread. I would rather spend my current AV dollars on equipment instead of cables. My current equipment isn't good enough currently that I would notice the difference between cables.

rollo · « **Reply #18 on:** 5 Sep 2011, 02:15 pm »

Before you try get a pair of Depends. Radio Shack " Stero Audio Cables" . That is right. At $7.99 per pair a neutral cable. They will go through a nasty and I mean nasty break in period of 150 hours. I almost cut them up in little pieces several times but stood it out and am really pleased with the results.
Adding RS speaker wire tied it all together. The speaker wire should be run with both conductors tied together to make one run. No connectors needed. The ICs cable needs to be separated meaning pull the wires apart from each other making individual cables for each channel.
As subwoofer cables I would not recco another cable. They do bass extremely well. These cables do no harm. If anything compared to the big boys it is a matter of omission rather than fault. Give them a try and you may be as surprised as I was.

charles
SMA

jtwrace · « **Reply #19 on:** 5 Sep 2011, 02:22 pm »

DH Labs & Mogami are the two that I'd recommend.