Are Dirt Cheap RCA Cables Any Good? (Video)

[Sgt. Ear Ache]

You have no clue. What are you talking about?

You quote me then bring up boutique cables.

The noise resistant cables that are being tested in the video are Canare Quad Star. they might cost $25.00.

Get a clue.

Thanks DT

Nobody really has an issue with spending a few bucks to get a cable that has some better shielding just in case. The issue arises when companies sell ridiculously expensive wires on the basis that they will provide magical improvements to the sound of music. Proving that cheap cables might be a little more prone to certain types of interference doesn't really mean anything since as you've pointed out wires with better shielding can also be had pretty cheaply. There's no need to spend boutique money on wires. That's the primary point.

 

[Speedskater]

The noise resistant cables that are being tested in the video are Canare Quad Star. they might cost $25.00.

a Star Quad is very noise resistant when used in an XLR balanced interconnect system.
when used as a RCA interconnect, they don't have that extra noise resistance.

 

[amirm]

So that is the way it works?

Wave your hand and it goes away?

Take out your analyzer and show us.

Look at every unbalanced audio devices i have tested. They are all with Amazon basics cable.

 

[DualTriode]

Look at every unbalanced audio devices i have tested. They are all with Amazon basics cable.

I agree with you that Amazon basics RCA cable is solid performing reliable cable. In fact just yesterday I used a pair to connect my Cambridge Audio CD player. RCA cables are not provides in the box.

Back to where you are generating confusion:

Speedskater said that the test of the Canare XLR cable in the BenchMark video was likely difficult to reproduce.

First, It is easy to reproduce the noise in XLR cables shown in the Benchmark video. I have done it on my own bench.

Second, both you and I use Mogami Quad style XLR cables to connect to the APx555's on both our benches.

Third, what does Speedskater and I discussing XLR cables in the Benchmark test video have to do with you using Amazon basics RCA cables for your single end tests?

Thanks DT

 

[GuidoK]

Any short RCA cable not designed by a muppet will have low enough capacitance to avoid treble roll off.

Some of these thin RCA cables, even at these short lengths can have capacitance high enough to give an audible difference (and certainly a measurable difference in the audio bandwith) with record playback when using an MM or MI cartridge. Many cartridges perform best with a loading of about 100pF, whereas some thin RCA cables like these sometimes can have a capacitance up to 250pF, even for these short lengths.
So I think for a good cable review, measurements of R, L and mainly C should be included.

 

[Killingbeans]

Yes, turntables are a different beast. They totally eluded my mind. Only line level signals remained, and the "quality" of RCA cables became moot

 

[DMill]

Hey ... if you're buying audio jewellery and you know you're just buying jewellery... go for it.
Just don't expect acoustic miracles from what amounts to a hunk of wire.

I literally have a couple thousand$ of cables in my basement not being used. I won‘t sell them because I like to be able to sleep at night. In fairness, a bit of QC on cables is worth buying. I’ve been pretty happy with some of the World’s Best stuff on Amazon and their Basic line is just fine. Ironically, the most expensive cables I‘ve ever owned are the only ones that ever completely failed. Calling you out on this one Audioquest. Back in the day, we just didn’t have the info, Now we do so appreciate this review for anyone just got told they need ridiculous cables.

 

[Speedskater]

Some of these thin RCA cables, even at these short lengths can have capacitance high enough to give an audible difference (and certainly a measurable difference in the audio bandwith) with record playback when using an MM or MI cartridge

a phono cartridge to pre-amp input cable is a very different animal than a line level interconnect.
same thing for an acoustic guitar cable and some types of mics cables.

 

[spigot]

Third, what does Speedskater and I discussing XLR cables in the Benchmark test video have to do with you using Amazon basics RCA cables for your single end tests?

Fourth, what does Speedskater and you discussing XLR cables in the Benchmark test video have to do with dirt cheap RCA cables? He's on topic, you're off.

Thanks for the interesting review, Amir. Ugreen also make some cheap and nice gold plated /shielded/flexible cables, sometimes cheaper than Amazon Basics if bought from their official Aliexpress store.

 

[Speedskater]

Threads like this one, sometimes wander and co-mingle analog & digital, RCA & XLR, phono cartridge, acoustic guitar cables.

 

[LightninBoy]

Ironically, the most expensive cables I‘ve ever owned are the only ones that ever completely failed. Calling you out on this one Audioquest.

Same.

Half of my Audioquest RCA interconnects failed

Just a PSA for folks ... Back when I was building out the HT room I bought some Audioquest RCA G-Snake interconnects as part of a package from an installer. I have no idea what they cost, I only remember thinking they seemed a bit more expensive than the pricey Monster stuff at Best Buy. This...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[GuidoK]

Ugreen also make some cheap and nice gold plated /shielded/flexible cables, sometimes cheaper than Amazon Basics if bought from their official Aliexpress store.

I have one of these Ugreen rca cables and measured RLC with my meter, and that particular cable has the strange property that capacitance changes within the audio bandwith...
I've never seen that before in a cable, at least not in this amount (the audio bandwith is of course very small in cable terminology):
Capacitance changes from 188pF@1khz to 168pF@10khz.
And even worse, the capacitive difference between left and rigth channel was 20pF, so over 10% difference, which is worse than the thin black rca interconnects that I have (these vary typically between 1 and 5pF between left and right for the 3ft ones).
That Ugreen cable is in that respect by far the worst RCA cable I have.

 

[rebbiputzmaker]

I have one of these Ugreen rca cables and measured RLC with my meter, and that particular cable has the strange property that capacitance changes within the audio bandwith...
I've never seen that before in a cable, at least not in this amount (the audio bandwith is of course very small in cable terminology):
Capacitance changes from 188pF@1khz to 168pF@10khz.
And even worse, the capacitive difference between left and rigth channel was 20pF, so over 10% difference, which is worse than the thin black rca interconnects that I have (these vary typically between 1 and 5pF between left and right for the 3ft ones).
That Ugreen cable is in that respect by far the worst RCA cable I have.

This is a good example of why it’s not a great idea to use cheap garbage cables just like that because the quality control and or the consistency might be in question. Everybody likes to chuckle and say disparaging things about super expensive rip off products, but nobody here in good conscious is recommending them. But just buy some good stuff from a good manufacturer and keep it moving, how about that. Granted we can assume that the inexpensive piece of wire might be consistent from sample to sample, left to right interconnect. But what about the connector, construction and the solder or crimp ? Do you really want to trust some mass market mass produced product… When you could at least for a little bit more purchase something that one hopes to be more consistent from a trusted manufacturer. In my opinion the review does more of a disservice then provide a benefit. This is much different from the speaker wire review because that review clearly shows that there are wires that are not pure and are actually made from substandard material. Anyone familiar with current cabling would realize that they actually are selling aluminum even for networking which is really garbage.

 

[DualTriode]

To answer the question:

Are Dirt Cheap RCA Cables Any Good?

It seems that from the get go that the question is designed to stir the emotional juices rather than ask an Audio Scientific question.

Side stepping the intended emotion: Yes, cheaply manufactured RCA cables may measure just fine. However the quality control may also be a little short.

Consistent quality control is more likely to come with a name brand product. amazonbasics 2-Male to 2-Male RCA Audio Cable seems to be the recommendation that comes from this thread.

On My test bench I use Worlds Best Cable, About $27 a pair.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...e_1?smid=A2JAH816F3JQTD&psc=1#customerReviews

Thanks DT

 

[DualTriode]

Fourth, what does Speedskater and you discussing XLR cables in the Benchmark test video have to do with dirt cheap RCA cables? He's on topic, you're off.
...

it was posted here in the thread, it is fair game

 

[Andysu]

dirty cheap is where all audio cables come from the dirt in caves its copper of dirt cheap turned into all common dirt cheap cables . dirt cheap is good .

i have many tandy cables and i see detect no loss with high end panasonic 9000 THX and i think connected at ultra high end pioneer laserdisc player , so the tandy gets my free THX approval . also mix of other cheap diamond-delux-mega-ultra-high end amazon cables even get my free THX approval . now the hi-fi snobbery-phile cables costing £1 million pounds for 12" gets the Cat Litter Box treatment . buy cheap cables .

oh try sting and rub on the vaseline and rub it up and down on the string , rub it , rub it in and then try a voltmeter it should work theoretically giving LP records the high end that the snobbery audiophiles have been missing because they spent £1million on few inches of cable and less on voltmeter .

 

[Andysu]

high super gold plus xxx audio cables used in my system

 

[DualTriode]

dirty cheap is where all audio cables come from the dirt in caves its copper of dirt cheap turned into all common dirt cheap cables . dirt cheap is good .

i have many tandy cables and i see detect no loss with high end panasonic 9000 THX and i think connected at ultra high end pioneer laserdisc player , so the tandy gets my free THX approval . also mix of other cheap diamond-delux-mega-ultra-high end amazon cables even get my free THX approval . now the hi-fi snobbery-phile cables costing £1 million pounds for 12" gets the Cat Litter Box treatment . buy cheap cables .

oh try sting and rub on the vaseline and rub it up and down on the string , rub it , rub it in and then try a voltmeter it should work theoretically giving LP records the high end that the snobbery audiophiles have been missing because they spent £1million on few inches of cable and less on voltmeter .

Meow.

 

[cavedriver]

I had a pair of Audioquest's cheaper cables fail on me. Probably a bad connection internally. Annoying part was that the failure was gradual, like a headphone wire that broke from being kinked, even though my setup was static and had been sitting that way for at least months. Maybe they failed when I was swapping in a new piece of neighboring equipment maybe a month before. When I searched online I discovered that other people had reported similar failures with this model of cable. I think it was there Evergreen cables. At the time they were the most expensive cables I had in my system. Needless to say I'm pissed at Audioquest for making a low quality product and won't be buying any interconnects from them in the future.