$3000 USB Cable - WTF?!

Author
Discussion

paddyhasneeds

Original Poster:

51,570 posts

211 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
I suppose it had to happen some time, but I was just doing a little digging on whether there's any benefit whatsoever in spending money on a HDMI lead vs. using the one that comes with the Sky HD box.

I ran into this http://locus-design.com/index.php/cynosure-usb-cab...

Part of me thinks fair enough, each to their own, but on the other hand, I work in IT and if someone were to suggest to me that my data would be transferred more accurately between A and B, or that printouts would look more vivid and lifelike, all due to an expensive cable, I'd think they were mad - a well constructed cable that meets the specification required then yes fair enough, but how have hi-fi companies managed to take something that has worked perfectly well in the IT world for a decade, and mark it up pretty much a thousand fold?

silvagod

1,053 posts

161 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
Where there's someone that will pay, there's someone that will make the goods.

Not me, I must say though.

FlossyThePig

4,083 posts

244 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
silvagod said:
Where there's someone that will pay, there's someone that will make the goods.

Not me, I must say though.
"A fool and his money" springs to mind.

silvagod

1,053 posts

161 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
Exactly!

On a related point, I was reading a HiFi mag the other day and there was an article on the power leads (the figure of 8 ones) Some companies produce them for well over £150 and the concensus of opinion was that it was worth paying for the better leads both in terms of picture quality for a Sky box and for audio quality for a music system. Can't get my head around that one either. :S

davepoth

29,395 posts

200 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
It's possible. Anything analogue in the box would be affected by RF interference from a dodgy cable. If you're fully digital all the way through then the Hi-Fi People are lying.

headcase

2,389 posts

218 months

Tuesday 1st March 2011
quotequote all
You can buy a Gold Plated Optical lead....yes you can!

HVAC MATT

1,116 posts

208 months

Tuesday 1st March 2011
quotequote all
headcase said:
You can buy a Gold Plated Optical lead....yes you can!
For 4.99 from amazon, I have just orderd one to update a RCA

headcase

2,389 posts

218 months

Tuesday 1st March 2011
quotequote all
And the Gold plating does what exactly?

PJ S

10,842 posts

228 months

Tuesday 1st March 2011
quotequote all
headcase said:
And the Gold plating does what exactly?
Look nice?
Appeals to one's aesthetic values?
Stands out from others on the shelf/display?

Does it really warrant trying to start an argument because the manufacturer plays the "looks" card?
People have an expectation of audio cables being gold plated for better sonics, even if the components being hooked up are using nickel plated connectors.

k-ink

9,070 posts

180 months

Tuesday 1st March 2011
quotequote all
Spaztards

telecat

8,528 posts

242 months

Wednesday 2nd March 2011
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davepoth said:
It's possible. Anything analogue in the box would be affected by RF interference from a dodgy cable. If you're fully digital all the way through then the Hi-Fi People are lying.
If that's true why does Network cable come in different types?

headcase

2,389 posts

218 months

Wednesday 2nd March 2011
quotequote all
k-ink said:
Spaztards
Likes this wink