The Case of the $7,250 Speaker Cables

Mon Oct 1, 2007 2:56PM EDT

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Renowned hoax-buster, magician, and all-around skeptic James Randi has a new target: a company that's hawking a pair of 12-foot speaker cables for a jaw-dropping $7,250. Oh, and he has a sub-target, too: the audio "critics" who claim that these cables are worth the cash.

According to Gizmodo, Randi is offering a cool $1 million to anyone who can actually prove that Pear Cable's "Anjou" speaker cables sound better than a similar pair of wires from Monster Cable (a company that—as Gizmodo points out—isn't above selling overpriced cables itself).

The best part of the whole story is this review by Dave Clark, the editor of a Web site called "Postivie Feedback Online." Indeed, I've rarely read a review that's more positive than this one for the Anjou:

Simply put, these are very danceable cables. Music playing through them results in the proverbial foot taping scene with the need or desire to get up and move. Great swing and pace—these cables smack that right on the nose big time. In this area, they are simply way better than anything else I have heard prior to their audition.

"Danceable cables," eh? For $7,250, I'd certainly hope so. Randi says that Clark is more than welcome to apply for the $1 million prize; so far, no word if Clark has taken Randi up on his offer.

Related:
James Randi Offers $1 Million If Audiophiles Can Prove $7250 Speaker Cables Are Better [Gizmodo]

Comments on The Case of the $7,250 Speaker Cables

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  • 6 Posted by patchboy69 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:01PM EDT Report Abuse

    I record music for a living, and even if these cables are all that they say they are, the cables we use from the mic to the mic preamp aren't at that level. And if it isn't in that original signal path, no amount of wonder-cable is going to bring it back at the other end. Good cables are important, but most of us in the recording industry just scratch our head at the shena----- ns and excesses of the audiophile community.

  • 7 Posted by c22gold on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:16PM EDT Report Abuse

    God, what a load of horse hockey!!! Who-the-heck cares??

  • 8 Posted by djchrysys on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:44PM EDT Report Abuse

    I don't whats worse the Cables or the speakers one the posts mentioned $100k for speakers are they made out the rarest wood, gold and platnum, and come with a on call sound tech cuz thats outrageous. Like post 7 I am in pro audio I DJ and run a home studio and I could buy a full low budget set up for the $7200 and still sound as good as high end set up, and those speakers anybody stupid enough to buy those come see me I can use some of the money you have to waste maybe sell ya a tropical paradise in Alaska if your that studid.

  • 9 Posted by neoleopoe on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:35PM EDT Report Abuse

    You've got to be kidding me;cables that cost as much as the taxman,takes from me every year! I'd pay(not that much),to see what nucklehead,would buy these things!

  • 10 Posted by vamountainman77 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:31PM EDT Report Abuse

    I seem to hear about diamond layer cellphones, panties, and other strange things for sale at Tiffany's these days. People pay millions for various paintings and such. A few years ago, someone paid many thousands of dollars for some celebrities underwear. I guess it's what's important to someone. I'm sure they're better than most, if not all other cable, but the price difference between better than average and this cable is rather staggering. I still think that if you have $100K-$200K worth of equipment, these cables are a drop in the bucket.

  • 11 Posted by neilsonkm on Thu Oct 1, 2009 10:35PM EDT Report Abuse

    HA HA! What a scam... $7,250 speaker cables! These where designed not for electrical excellence but for those folks that really do not understand electricity and need some bragging rights at the next house party - so their equally misunderstanding friends may give them kudos as to the "quality" of their high quality "oxygen free" copper or maybe even a very expensive super conductive ceramic composite that conducts electrons with zero resistance and zero signal affect over long runs. The only what these cable could be so useful is if they are thin and offer zero resistance and/or impedance. In other words a true supper conductor. Well as most know, there is something for everyone - even the foolish. Note: If you disagree - open up your $700+ stereo and look at the circuit board and connections to the speak connectors on the back of the unit. Realize that that copper laminated on the "Printed Circuit Board is as thiner than you everyday tin foil. You are not worried about signal loss with speaker cables - but a fire due to impedance and resistance of the cable itself - which can affect sound in long runs (over 25 feet). Current * Volts = Watts You have a 200 Watt RMS per channel stereo - 16 Gage lamp cord will do you fine. Don't believe me - look at the thickness of the cable running from your hair-dryer caring a 60hz 120v up to 10 to 15 amps. Most high power home stereos are using 120v 60hz and 5 to 10 amps. Do the math and realize your home hair dryer or space heater pulls and uses more watts. Where are the special cool power cords for my hair dryer?

  • 12 Posted by treky1999 on Sun Oct 14, 2007 10:32AM EDT Report Abuse

    hey vamountainman77 how is that new job at mickey d s working out? Thanks for reminding me about the fries! We all know your driving a pacer and living at home so don't even dream that any one buys your bull.

  • 13 Posted by esboella on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:56PM EDT Report Abuse

    These cables a total rip-off. It is possible to get perfect reproduction over 12 meters from a cable costing less than $20. All that is required is that the signal is digitised before sending an then decoded. This guarantees perfect reproduction well beyond the levels that any human ear could detect or speaker reproduce. I currently have about 25 metres of cable delivering me over 30 channels, in exactly the same quality as they were transmitted from the transmittor many miles away. Anyone who bought those cables needs their head testing, Oh yeah and I will have that $1,000,000 I can supply my bank details for him to wire it through :O)

  • 14 Posted by ib1niftycb750 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:22PM EDT Report Abuse

    WHAAAAA.......? I can die a happy man, for I have now heard it all. Seriously!

  • 15 Posted by tonepub on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:16PM EDT Report Abuse

    The funniest part of this diatribe is the person that wrote in to comment on how stupid these cables are, couldn't even spell stupid on more than one occasion. Guess I won't have him help me buy my next expensive hifi system!

  • 16 Posted by danmurphyartesyn on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:35PM EDT Report Abuse

    There was a person who made a box with a switch on it. He had lamp cord on one connection and expensive speaker wire on the other. He did a test, and not one person could hear the difference. Its the guage of wire that is important when hooking up speakers, not the brand of wire. Put your money into speakers, not cables if you want great sound.

  • 17 Posted by ironrhino on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:25PM EDT Report Abuse

    The way people are these days, selfish and insecure, they may be better in that some moron can attempt to mask his insecurities by bragging to his (so called) friends about how he spent so much on cables. I got into an argument with my old roommate that spend a bunch of money on a HD 65" TV, well I don't argue, but he still doesn't understand his tv still does not have the quality that my 21" computer monitor has. People think just because something is expensive, it must be better and because they spent more money to purchase something, it is better than the same thing sold for less. For example, brand name drugs versus generic; they have legally required to be the same drug, chemically. I wonder if these cables are made the same way most crap is these days, designed to break after limited use, so they can sell you another set, making even more money. I know it has been this way all throughout history, but are we ever going to be for the good of mankind rather than the good of a few? That may be part of the reason aliens haven't made contact, they're really not finding intelligent life here. Those monster cables are also overpriced; take a trip down to Radio Shack and you can buy parts and construct your own cables.

  • 18 Posted by castanedafrank on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:19PM EDT Report Abuse

    Audiophiles should be put in the same room as pedophiles, and shot. $1 speaker cables work the same way.

  • 19 Posted by shypoolguy on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:21PM EDT Report Abuse

    Unlike most of the experts on this post thread, I don't know anything about speakers or cables or even stereos. I'm quite content with my Yamaha receiver and Polk Audio speakers. But I do know one thing...even with my very very serious five-figure year-end bonus, I would not pay $7K for speaker cables. And one previous poster was absolutely correct...someone with more dollars than sense who pays $100K for a set of speakers would certainly be find &7K cables to be a steal...though I must admit the 87 Octane example was rather odd. Than again, perhaps as another poster had suggested, I'm already deaf. Huh? Wah?

  • 20 Posted by bill_murray_360 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:08PM EDT Report Abuse

    Ah, It's all a matter of perspective. I don't think so. It's is a RIP off. Wait lets get the SUPER HEAVY DUTY brake fluid that has to be better. Do you engineering home work and you will see there is no way the cables are worth this price or provide any beter performance. Let's see The Emperor's New Clothes: The two swindlers invited him to step closer, asking him if it wasn't a beautiful design and if the colors weren't magnificent. They pointed to the empty loom, and the poor old minister opened his eyes wider and wider. He still could see nothing, for nothing was there. "Gracious" he thought. "Is it possible that I am stupid? I have never thought so. Am I unfit for my position? No one must know this. No, it will never do for me to say that I was unable to see the material."

  • 21 Posted by menard1955 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:16PM EDT Report Abuse

    I doubt if anyone commenting on this actually has heard a really well set-up revealing audio system. I have a friend that has one, it is waaay out of my budget. But, I have been fortunate enough to have spent hours comparing components/cables and tweaks using his system as the basis point. Just as there are those who would deem 100K too much for a car when 15-20 et al would still get you there. There are audible component differances,wether they are viable to you is a question only you can answer. On a side note, there are other (great) cables going for 3K a metre retail. Makes 7K for 4 metres seem reasonable eh?

  • 22 Posted by bobwein83 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:10PM EDT Report Abuse

    t_sayles, you say to vamountainman77 that he had a bad analogy, and then go on to say that it all starts out with the foundation of your system. All you did is support what vamountainman77 had to say. Unless what you mean by "foundation" refers to the foundation in your home. Yes, of course there are good quality cables you should use for good quality speakers. And then their are speakers and amps and such that the average Joe couldn't afford, that system with a "foundation" is perfectly complimented with such high quality cables. Everything that you said perfectly supports vamountainman77's post. I hate morons!!!!!!!!!!

  • 23 Posted by wazye on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:42PM EDT Report Abuse

    Let's see, $7000 speaker cables... Yup, there is a sucker born every minute. With 30+ years experience as an electrical engineer, I doubt that you could find a significant measurable difference between the $7000 cables and a 12 foot long piece of lamp cord, from Home Depot. Anyone who would spend $7000 on speaker cables should be subject to a sanity hearing!

  • 24 Posted by wahinton@rogers.com on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:38PM EDT Report Abuse

    Well folks that is a pile of bunk at $7,200.00 ....anyone want to buy a bridge?? I spent over 20 yrs in the wire and cable manufacturing business and can emphatically tell you unless they are making it only in 15 ft lengths - short set up and run for a plant. Cabling for aircraft which requires some very sophisticated designs, which indeed are very expensive due to certain materials which require flame and chafe resistance, specific temperature requirements, RF Shielding, etc. do not even come close to that inflated cost. So cavet emptor!!!!!

  • 25 Posted by ninecell on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:39PM EDT Report Abuse

    Save $7,245 by going to Home Depot for zip cord. It will sound the same.

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