$5700 Speaker cables on $350 speakers !! LOL Munich HIGH END '24

#audiophile #highendaudio #audio

[@artyfhartie2269]

My ex wife loved thick cables properly affixed in the rear. I use thin cables myself

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

That is awesome!

[@fredflintstone8048]

it's one of the best kept secrets in hifi that it's the speaker cable that makes the sound, not the spekers. Unplug them and see what you get.

[@Naardvark]

I had the absolute worst experience with the Cable Company. The worst most condescending attitude I've ever experienced. Guy basically said that I wasn't worth his time because he sells equipment to people who buys tens of thousands of dollars worth of gear and my order was below him. Yeah, no thanks.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Ouch

[@sonusancti]

I empathize with you. So much BS in high end audio. My money goes to the little Davids slaying Goliaths.

[@craigrudolph7258]

I have bought from them a couple of times and always had a good experience (gear and cables). Also, I didn't buy super expensive stuff.

[@sylvio1980]

Hey Mikey ! Man, you really made me wanna visit Italy 🇮🇹 Some of the footages of old places brought back some memories when I was growing up in Poland. You have a very healthy outlook on this hobby, showing us that there more to life than auditioning countless gear, looking a unicorn. I love when you discuss other things, like when you mentioning riding bikes, food, clothing - do more stuff like that.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Thanks Man !

[@BobCoalWater]

I'll always remember, it was about 23 years ago, we moved to a new place, was very disappointed with the sound. One weekend when my wife was at her moms for the weekend, I decided to move the speakers to where they should be, completely disregarding the living space and the sound just opened up. Not wanting to bother with spades I had used my cheap cables with banana plugs, I kept telling myself how incredible it will sound once I hook up my crazy expensive siltech cables. Well, I came to the conclusion that weekend that cables are mostly tuning devices and if your room is good you're ok with good ordinary neutral cables. Actually it was more an wakening from denial, because I had two similar experiences in the pass, but I was to indoctrinated to wake up.

[@carlosoliveira-rc2xt]

Ordinary cables aren't neutral and everything, including your room, is a tuning device.

[@n.lyndley.9889]

pass past

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Lol. Carlos thinks he's got it all figured out.

[@sportsfanivosevic9885]

Before I settled on my preferred cables I used to hand over my credit card as assurity and trial cables of ever kind. In my experience cables can produce tremendous differences but you must be aware that cables need time to run in and some need much more time than others. I've noticed changes after 100 hrs and some cables require longer than that.

[@BobCoalWater]

@@sportsfanivosevic9885 Yes, the break in. When a new room is built and there is no furniture anything, we have problems hearing each other talk, but the brain slowly adjust and after a while we hear just fine. I guess in hi fi we could say this is breaking in the room, but we cannot return a room for refund, therefore there is no use for this term.

[@grahamlester1386]

Jays Audio lab reviewed the MOFI speaker $3800.00 and pair them with $150.000.00 amplifiers.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Ok.

[@khoi83]

Nothing wrong with that!

[@grahamlester1386]

@@khoi83 Just like $5700.00 speaker cables on a $350.00 speaker, Nothing wrong with that!

[@khoi83]

@@grahamlester1386 very expensive speaker cables is bullshit. Very expensive amplifiers are not bullshit.

[@grahamlester1386]

@@khoi83 You don't pair a $3500 speaker with a $150.000.00 amplifier and claim this is an honest review, hopefully you aree but if you don't then GOD help you. OCD says beware the bullshit that is given to you by the HIFI press, I will add KZbinrs to that!

[@chrislj2890]

I bought AudioQuest stuff back in the '90s but I've gotten over that foolishness.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

There u go

[@dajikbatarang1]

These kind of videos are the reason you got my sub in 2020. Tell it how it is Mikey, you have my support.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Thanks !

[@jaimeballester840]

Common sense would dictate $350 speaker cables on $5,700 speakers. What a marketing gimmick! Shame on both companies!

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

It's par for the course

[@markbajkowski1171]

I think this is a reasonable question: why the AQ demo setup did not include the second pair of the same Elac speakers with $57 cables and A/B switch to DEMO the difference?

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

E X A C T L Y !!

[@JoJo-bz5pp]

Common sense and logic will take you far in life. Thanks for sharing yours my friend. Stay true!

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Always!

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Another great video Mikey

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Glad you enjoyed it !

[@Pok-001]

Don’t know if I missed it but, sure there was >10,000$ of electronics on those 350$ speakers too. 😂😂

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

I'm sure

[@connorduke4619]

I have an inbuilt radar that detects marketing hype, but glad Mikey is educating those who haven't yet built one! For comparison, the opposite of marketing hype would be Teac, which simply states a long list of custom components they pack into their multifunctional transport/streamer/Dac/headphone amp/preamp units.

[@carlosoliveira-rc2xt]

Lol Long list of "custom components" some of which make no difference to the sound or longevity so it's called SILENT MARKETING. It's still marketing.

[@connorduke4619]

@@carlosoliveira-rc2xt Those Teac custom components include the CD transport, a discrete dac, the volume control and buffer, internal clock, etc, those are hardly "no difference" components. Compare and contrast to Audioquest.

[@dragocelander6671]

Imagine spending this much time discussing Cuban cigars on this channel. That would be awesome! But you’re preaching to the choir, Mikey!

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Truth!

[@dzemoski45]

I still use my $5 speaker cable, bought in 1993 at radio shack 😂. It still works.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Great !

[@fatphoca5009]

What percentage of a speaker’s price would you recommend spending on speaker cables?

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

There is no speaker cable worth more than $6K for an 8 foot pair IMHO.

[@tango_gru]

@@OCDHIFiGuy and what cable do you have on your mind for $6k ?

[@jonathandavis9507]

Funny shit. Go to a pro recording studio and see if the 10k ATC monitors are using audioquest strawberry shortcake cables.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Exactly..

[@misterzero8667]

Pro recording studio and audiophile home system have different purpose a dragster and formula one race are not the same

[@phatjbl]

Classic Mikey love it.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Thx !

[@mafcarvalho]

I love this straight, no bs talk. There is too much of a snake oil market in this community...

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Thx ..;-)

[@Coolguy-xo3cj]

Very good comments. Amazing how so many get suckered .. into the audio cable paradox …

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

More than just cables

[@VinylBliss]

Another great video exposing the nonsense. Thank you for your service.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Much appreciated

[@theoriginalcraig]

Did you say Thunderbird? What's the word? What's the price? What's the action?

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Oh shit. I got a live one !! Lol

[@StefanoCipo87]

Amazing you’re here in Rome! What are you’re plans? Wonder if we can hang out

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Shit Stefano !! I would have LOVED to hang out !! I just left this AM !! In Florence now. Maybe next time !! Contact me via what's app and I'll put you in my travel list.. Phone number is at 11stereo.com

[@StanThePigeon]

Diminishing returns aside, did they make them sound better? I’d imagine it was incremental at best. High end cable companies biggest challenge is convincing people that their expensive cables improve sound vs cheaper alternatives. Once they “prove” (haha) this, it’s easy to sell even their lesser priced cables. They’re striving for their potential customers to say “if it improved those, what would it do to mine?” Personally, I don’t mind spending a few thousand for incremental improvements and they most of their customer base feels the same, so they target that group. Where it gets unethical is where people spend money they shouldn’t be spending on promises the changes are greater than they actually are. Companies feed off of people that need those serotonin spikes from making purchases.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Pigeon !!

[@shanestephenson8423]

Arrrr, Mikey is back!!! Where did you go brother🤔 You got all soft, gooey and squishy there for a while, although I don't mind that side as well mate.👍🎧😅

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

I'm starting to not give a shit any more Shane. The brands I rep are selling well, the tribe is expanding and I can basically ignore the industry. So I only post when my subs send me material, like this one ! ;-)

[@shanestephenson8423]

@@OCDHIFiGuy keep going mate we need you brother. I'm doing my best over here in Oz as well.👍

[@LorenzoNW]

The truth lies somewhere in-between. I’m willing to see the Elac/Audioquest pairing as a fun demo to show that an average speaker can sound better than average with high-end cables - not that anyone would put together a system like that in real life and not to fool potential buyers. Conversely, putting mediocre cables in a high-end system is just as ridiculous. I say that from experience. I own a high-end system and can clearly hear a significant improvement in musicality and emotional engagement from better cables.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

What amps and speakers and what cables ? My guess.. Gryphon, Wilson and Transparent. Ever consider the possibility it's planned ??

[@tomclark7551]

I dealt with cable company once. Found them to be really pressuring the sake and their prices are much higher than anyone else...no thanks

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Bummer

[@Random-kq4pz]

I like the TV antenna to your left, you don't see that design in the US, Wonder what cable is feeding it? 😀

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Lol. Who knows !

[@fullranger3435]

Common coaxial.

[@j.m.harris4202]

Mikey, your Perspective is the Very Meaning of "Caveat Emptor"! Trust but Verify! Let the Ears be the Guide!✌️

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

You got it!

[@hiresaudiocosta873]

You are right in one context and wrong in another. Spending more money, doesn't automatically equate to better sound from the same speaker. But using higher quality conductors can definitely change the way a speaker presents a sound stage. Better grade copper with a high grade di-electric will for sure without a doubt will make the same speaker sound better. I've done 12 years of testing on one system. Better wire on my system makes for quicker attack, longer decay, and more negative space around each instrument, thus a larger sound stage. Also, power cable upgrades makes for greater dynamics and louder volume. However, using a too large awg power cable can hurt the dynamics and reduce the power output. There's actually a sweet spot with regard to wire gauge and length. I did find that interconnect cables make more of a difference than speaker cables. Power cable upgrades just make the differences in interconnects and speaker wire more apparent. At least on my system, anyways. But I use Class A amplification, tubes, and A biased AB amplifiers as well as OpAmps in my DSP. Fully active quad amp system.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Lol. I founded VERASTARR cables 24 years ago and have a USA audio cable design patent. I'm very aware of what cables do. $5700 speaker cables on $350 speakers at a show is a dirty trick.. do you agree ?

[@hiresaudiocosta873]

@@OCDHIFiGuy It’s a dirty trick if it’s not disclosed. Isn’t there always a complete list of gear and pricing at shows? I know for sure there are hidden high tech devices that remain a secret🤐in some instances. I think that scenario is worse if it’s the case. I believe that without spending $5700, one could get equivalent quality wiring for much less cost. I do understand that there’s tremendous market up on cables and selling cables allows for profits. In today’s world, I also realize that it’s extremely difficult just selling only gear with marginal markups, so they have to do something to survive. Imagine what the world would be like if so many audio manufacturers went out of business because of lack of lucrative incentives. We probably wouldn’t be able to have our wonderful hobby. 🤔

[@glenncurry3041]

Coincidently got an e-mail from a prof friend of my that does sabbaticals to Italy for research every summer between teaching at a U on Antiquities, made me think of you sitting there! "If one could vaporize the tourists (horrible hordes), Italy would be wonderful. ... Sic transit gloria mundi." 🙂

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

True.. so go where they are not..

[@glenncurry3041]

@@OCDHIFiGuy Here's the rest of her comment! "As long as I stick to my route on the edges of town, it is pretty wonderful. The archivisti are always happy to see me. Any place mentioned by Rick Steves has been overrun and the staff are usually quite rude to Americans."

[@leegoodwin3466]

350 dollar occ cables on a 5700 speaker makes more sense

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Totally

[@dragocelander6671]

I want to hear more about Mark Levinson’s audio system!

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

It's big.. lol. Sounds like real life.

[@oliverbeard7912]

If someone is a cable believer, in my view they'd be best placed to consider them as analogous to tyres on a car. They are the icing on the cake of a good system,but certainly not the biggest source of problems requiring marketed/pseudo scientific "solutions ".

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

That's exactly it..

[@sveneisenhauer1]

I’d spend the $5700 on speakers, $35 on cables and use the remaining $315 for a world-class dinner with my love. Done! Win-win.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Svengali !!

[@sveneisenhauer1]

@@OCDHIFiGuy 😂

[@stratenboek]

It's a shame that Mr Mark Levinson doesn't want to invest in some nice speaker cables, then you know, he hasn't heard his system yet.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Lol. Nope.. imagine that !! He hasn't heard anything yet! 🤣 He's got NO IDEA about Cables !! Faaaaaaaaa. Also, cables are a liability, not an asset..

[@MrBazsi888]

Mark Levinson also favoured Litz silver in the past for years. But now he can correct the sound digitally with the Maria amp to sound similar to silver, with using a plain copper. But I dont care about class D trickery in the first place. After You have your dream speaker amp dac, than you will upgrade power conditioner and cables. Nobody will use wallmart occ on highend flagship equipment.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Mark Levinson does..

[@snomofilms]

I wear Versace underwear under my carhartts

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

I go Canadian

[@Daniel-hk3ru]

Sure you are having a great Time ! Enjoy !

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Thank you !

[@gadymarcus2362]

Bello/Magnifico.👑✡️✡️✡️✡️✡️✡️

[@stereo-nomad]

Not just speakers cables, dont forget the overpriced power cables these companies push. I find it ridiculous when I hear someone bought a very expensive power cable and then plug it into a power outlet that gets fed from the cheap home depot romex behind the wall.😂

[@LorenzoNW]

It’s one thing to hear about. And it’s another thing to hear. So many people on KZbin speculate about these things without having any personal experience. I own a high-end system and can clearly hear a significant improvement from high-end power cables. Your reflexive response may be “snake oil” or “placebo effect”. But it doesn’t matter to me because I can clearly hear the improvement with my own ears. Of course, I also have an excellent power conditioner, an Audience aR2p-T4 Adept Response. Without a good power conditioner, a high-end power cord is a case of diminishing returns.

[@mikelanden]

Your right ....why put a good power cord that's filters noise from the miles romex and is Thicker with a lower guage that allows more instantaneous current for a amplifier similar to why filter tap water to drink when all the water travels through that dirty ,corroded pipes....the water filter at the end will make no difference....😂😂😂

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

@stereo-nomad you just got schooled. Power cords filter the last 5 feet before the gear, and it's the one most significant change. My point was it's a hustle for me to wire a cheap system with world class cables at a show.

[@LorenzoNW]

"No other component engenders more controversy than aftermarket power cords. Traditionalists will often wonder what difference a power cord can make when the electricity has traveled through miles of electric lines to get to your wall outlet. The real question to be asked is, “what kind of damage does your audio component sustain by using a standard small gauge power cord?” The answer to that question is, “plenty”. By their very design, stock power cords impede transients, radiate electromagnetic noise and resist the smooth flow of electricity between the component and the electrical source. More often than not, they are “reactive” meaning that their design introduces capacitance, inductance and resistance into the electron flow which will compromise the interface between the component and the power source creating systemic noise and loss of performance. In addition, they often act as antennas in their ability to attract radio frequencies. As one can see, the innocuous looking power cord can introduce major distortion in an audio system. Another way to look at the power cord is to reverse the traditional view. Rather than the last few feet in a long line of power delivery, the power cord is the first few feet of your component’s primary transformer winding. Viewed this way, the power cord assumes an all-important and essential part in preserving the performance or your system. Audience power cords eliminate the damaging choke point that is represented by the stock power cord. Not all electronic phenomena are understood by conventional science or revealed through existing test procedures. The superior sonic enhancement of a good high performance audio/video power cord is no exception. While aftermarket power cords are a most controversial subject, the improvements they offer are also the most easily demonstrated. In many systems going from a stock power cord to a high quality cord designed for audio/video playback can be nothing short of transformational." - Audience-AV

[@stereo-nomad]

@@LorenzoNW excuse my cynicism, but is that wall of text explaining the merits of power cables sourced from a power cable vendor? 🤔

[@Phloored]

People trippin' on cables 🥁

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Sometimes..

[@aleksandarstojceski3139]

You missed the point. If the cable did transform the 350$ speaker then imagine how it would sound on 10k speaker.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

You missed the point. Cables should not "sound" anything at all.. lol. You believe the lie.

[@aleksandarstojceski3139]

@@OCDHIFiGuy You are selling CABLES.

[@thomaswipf7986]

That elac would sound way better on cardas/clear/maybe beyond. My thunderbird zero is for sale. Cardas has way better balance/detail/impact. Thunderbird works if you need more bloom on a lower resolution system.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

For 5700 per pair...lol

[@thomaswipf7986]

Cardas Clear speaker 2m retail @ $4585. A much better cable than Thunderbird Zero

[@glenncurry3041]

And what amp?

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Don't know..

[@glenncurry3041]

@@OCDHIFiGuy Just like cables, if driven by some $50K mon-blocks...

[@thomaswipf7986]

Ayre power cable vs audioquest hurricane variable current into my L5xe power distribution transformed my system. Better bass and clarity in a relaxing way. Ayre should bring back their power cables. I'm lucky enough to have argento flow/master reference pcs on the way but they will be judged against Ayre pcs!

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Argento ? Lol. What's retail price ?

[@thomaswipf7986]

Argento flow 2m pc 4600, flow master reference 2m pc 9200. I only purchased because Ayre pc unavailable. Ayre pc is many times the cable of audioquest.

[@myronhelton4441]

$5700 Speaker cables on $350 speakers !! LOL Munich HIGH END '24. Thats no worse than a $20,000 dac on $700 Magnepans!! LOL! After buying dac, had little money left for speakers! Just kidding. Actually thats a great setup! This is truth. Friend gave me $50 Monster Cables that was 10 times worse than any $1 dvd connectors that I ever used.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

I'm not at a show trying to sell $700 magnepans though, am I ?

[@KT88gs]

You fight and i like that,i do the same in the media with brands like Cerat,they piss on audiophiles,the most stupid brand ever,i battle on...

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Shiiii. Perfect match for the North American importer.

[@danielesbordone1871]

The Mighty Thunderbird , what a joke !

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Mystical beast 💪

[@DavidGilden]

Magico t-Shirt?

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Lol. NOT

[@leeloopatsy]

Yes cables make differences. But one needs to be coherent. The guy who puts Lamborghini tires on his Toyota Yaris believing that his car is going to go much faster is dreaming. Same here. 5,700$ cables on 350$ speakers is totally useless. When 350$ cables on 5,700$ speakers could make sense. You’re talking about Mark Levinson but have you seen any videos on Nelson Pass in his home ? He doesn’t have any thousand of dollars power cords, everything go straight to the wall with the original cords and his speakers cables look the same as lamp cables. These two genius know perfectly well that if you need a cable to improve your speakers then there is a problem with your speakers.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

There you go..

[@carlosoliveira-rc2xt]

More and more, I can't tell the difference between Biden and OCD.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Go lick Jay's nuts

[@mauricecuffee7220]

Hey Mikey, hehehe.

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Aloha !! ;-) hee hee

[@Staybrown11]

It’s a commercial Mikey…😂😂😂 I think you mad at capitalism…

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

I'm not mad, I'm laughing..

[@Staybrown11]

@@OCDHIFiGuy 🤣

[@Dankzzz]

Lol

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Right ?

[@kenmcglown6642]

Mikey........The king of whining!!!!!! Whine, whine, whine!!! How pathetic!!!

[@OCDHIFiGuy]

Lol. I've got you where I want you McClown...

[@johnpetrakis379]

I think you can still buy MD 20/20, Night Train, as well as Thunderbird, (20% fortified "wines")but you know that Thunderbird is not for your common wino, but for your tasteful discriminating wino snob, who can be face down in the gutter but...still looking down on the world. Challenge, double-blind test on any BS wire". Watch out for that pasta, eating any regional specialties, if so wanna know