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Opinions on QED budget speaker cables.

Steven Toy said:
https://www.pmamedia.org/en/home/putting-an-end-to-the-audio-cable-debate-part-1
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I hadn't seen that before, but there is a lot to like.

I'd say: -
1. Few ears are great testers and cables rarely make a huge improvement - diminishing returns hit hard here.
2. Sometimes different is better, sometimes it is just different.
3. Cables may well have more unwarranted claims attached (audible or as measured) than any other bit of kit.
4. It is rarely cost=effective to pay more than a few % of the total system value for cables.
5. We don't know all that we would need to measure, analyse, model and predict the whole hearing process from CD to brain to a useful degree.
6. Despite all that, not all cables sound equally good.
7. In many systems and rooms, QED79 can be well beaten for Sound Quality to many years.
8. QED 79 is nevertheless a perfectly good cable in many situations and great VFM.
9. No other QED cable gets quite the same unalloyed support at its price level - many have strong competition.

If you don't agree at all with points 1 to 6, you should probably ignore the the opinions in 7,8 and 9.
 
I have two sets of speaker cables, one VanDammned Hifi 4mm dressed up a little and VDH CS 122 Hybrid. Depending which amplifiers/speakers I use they come into play.

Both affect sound a little (as opposed to 'sound') different.

For example, with the Stirling BBC's the VD exaggerated bass and it was too loose whilst the VDH tightened things up albeit loosing a little treble extension. With the Quads it's vice versa.

I have used QED in the past but honestly, can't remember much about it. They seem, on the whole, reasonably priced.

So, I guess, I am in the camp of 'cables can make a difference' but perhaps not as much as some believe. I also don't think you have to spend too much to achieve a desirable result, whatever that may be.

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Have used various QED mostly the old silver anniversary found it to be absolutely fine.
Currently have Chord C Screen cheap and inoffensive. Don't see much wrong with it have Avondale black link but in current modest system the C Line is doing just fine
 
I’ve nothing bad to say about QED really.My system grew up with them.They do have a touch of brightness which may not work in more explicit sounding systems but they are good, well made cables.
 
I had Silver Anniversary for a few years, changed to Cardas when purchasing a more expensive system. They went when I changed room and bought some generic white copper cable with screw fixed side mount plugs. Truth be told I haven't done ABX or other testing but music is as good as I've heard it at home.
Perhaps my hearings lacking or maybe I'm not as critical a listener as some here. Spend your money as you see fit, you only live once!
 
Tim Jones said:
Excellent post Nick; apart from the above, which begs a few questions :)
Click to expand...

Also do feel free to get into some details on hearing, subjectivity and transient effects, the relationship between measurement of kit and any consensus on how it sounds, and which is more relevant to the next listener, and the various studies that remind us all how easy it is to be biased on all this stuff, plus how bad auditory memory is and how best to allow for all that. However, since all that is being thrashed out (with lots of useful facts and passionate opinion) on threads like "I know it's been said before but', so this chat may best belong over there.
 
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