I found this article very interesting. What does everyone else think about it?

[Link: audioholics.com]

And the world is flat, and the Earth is the center of the universe.

What was that someone said? GOOSFRABAH!!!!! Yeah, that's it.

I agree with the article to the extent that an expensive, properly designed and built cable will sound no different than a cheap, properly designed and built cable.

If the cable is of sufficient gauge, well-shielded, has no extreme reactance, has well-terminated and constructed plugs, etc., there's no reason to pay for more.

I am the product designer and primary tech support for a company that builds cables.
The truth is "Electrons don’t care" enough copper of good quality is important, but after that how you wind it, wrap it or stretch the crystal is not as important as how you terminate it.
Solder joints are the enemy.
They change impedance (very important for video) and create an excellent fm noise antenna when used in conjunction with the typical tip/stem RCA construction.
These are the primary reasons that the crimp terminations work so well in RG and RJ cables.
Several years ago when we started this project I was told to purchase all of the natl. brands of cables and find out the real differences. Our first test was for freq. sweeps. We found that the cables out of the same package did not match on the scope (regardless of price); we got the same type of results when we ran the noise tests. Only two types of cables did well in both of the tests. RG/6 cables from my cable company (crimped) and Cat5 cables (crimped). Next we cut all of the tips and ran the tests again, this time the results were different R/L cables looked the same (in fact they all looked the same). However, two cables matched their terminated tests, the RG/6 and the Cat5. From this we deduced that the real key was proper crimp termination, and have based the Ethereal line on it. With crimp termination you get the same results cable to cable-to-cable etc. This construction is not cheap but it is also not expensive.
I would put this cable up against anybody’s and not be embarrassed.
Bottom line, you reach a point of diminishing returns quickly.

Okay, Brent, I'll take a nibble.

Let's see the real-world performance differences in your own three lines (Elite, Premium, and Economy). How would the superiority of each line over that below it manifest itself?

According to your own hype ("in fact they all looked the same"), all cables test equally sans their poorly-connected terminations. Why have three grades? Only the plugs are different?

Product Line up
Economy - Slightly more copper than the cables that you get with your DVD, VCR etc.
Intended as freebie cables on lower end jobs (same look as premium).

Premium - RG59 based product, does provide improved Video performance over economy line. Audio maybe/maybe not. Sturdier construction than economy.

Elite - It’s all about the Crimp termination. I wanted to build a line that would perform the same cable-cable. To do this, I manufacture them the same way you do. With a compression crimp. Oh, the video and digital cables are RG6 (18ga), but this was a concession to the marketing guys not a performance requirement. Consistent impedance is the most important thing to look for in video. That is what the Elite line provides.

All three lines are very competitive in their pricing and as stated above I would put the Elite line up against anybody’s product.
I am not selling a high-end cable with the emperor’s new clothes.
Good, solid, consistent performance is not cheap. But it does not cost a lot.

I will agree with you on one point: RG-6 has no performance advantage over RG-59 in any application other than RF. I made my RGB-HV cables with Belden 1505a and crimp-on 75-ohm BNC's. I'll stack them up against your Elites any day.

However, my last post was about documenting (showing, not bragging) the real audible/visible performance gains as you go up the food chain. I'd like to see/hear the difference with my own eyes/ears, or at least see some real test results.

Hell, I'd settle for some ABX blind-test results. This thread started with a question about whether cable 'cost' affects performance. Do $100 crimped RG-59 cables perform better than $25 crimped RG-59 cables? What about $500 cables, etc.

Same with speaker wires. Once you eliminate simple physics and reach the proper gauge for the power transfer and distance, why would expensive 12-ga. wire 'sound' better than cheap 12-ga. wire? We're looking for proof, not hype; hype is cheap.

We can find hype just by looking at manufacturer's (and even that's an uncertainty in the world of rebadging) advertising. I wouldn't expect you to say less than "Only two types of cables did well in both of the tests . . . cables from my cable company".

What would interest me is to read about the superiority of the signal by one or more disinterested, independent third-party testers; those who have nothing to gain by exageration or hollow praise, such as magazines with ads. How about Consumer Reports?

As you said, "Bottom line, you reach a point of diminishing returns quickly." No argument there. The discussion revolves around where that point is. It's not the same for everyone, and can be moved up and down the scale for others with the right hype.

Others of us will consider real-world proof; I'm in this catagory. I will not buy expensive wire. Good wire, yes; expensive wire, no. Want to sell me some of yours? Okay, prove to me that I will see and hear a difference; I'm open to real evidence.

If you are in a position to make your own cables (RG/59 or RG/6) with a good crimper (I use the cable pro). I do not think that you will see a difference by spending any amount of money above that. Video bandwidth being what it is A good coax is the BEST way to go. However not every one can or will make their own cables (one of the reasons for the Elite line is that I got tired of tearing up my fingers making cables). For those people they can get the same performance in a premade attractive cable for a reasonable price.
BTW "my cable company" cables came from Time Warner now Bright House (freebies).
As to speaker wires, where you hear a difference is inductance. Some tweeters (ribbons mostly) are affected by wire inductance. Lower is better.

"However, my last post was about documenting (showing, not bragging) the real audible/visible performance gains as you go up the food chain."
IMHO - If you crimp correctly there will be none.

"Do $100 crimped RG-59 cables perform better than $25 crimped RG-59 cables? What about $500 cables"
IMHO - If you crimp correctly there will be none.

My goal was to provide a completed cable package for the dealer/installer that would perform the same as a good homemade crimped cable every time with no call backs. At a price that is good for the consumer/dealer and me.

Brentm, your company should do a better job of explaining why your cables are better. To date, I have never been exposed to the above information and therefore have just dismissed the company as another interconnect cable company.

My rule of thumb was to calculate .5 db loss at each connector when working with optical and RF connections. Are your cables consistantly better than this value? or do they consistently acheive this value.

In addition, just like Larry said, I would like to be seen independant 3rd party test results of tests of your cables.

As far as "Consumer Reports" is concerned, I've seen flawed reports from that organization, so you need to take what they have to offer as just another data point.

Brentm, your company should do a better job of explaining why your cables are better.
It is not so much better as it is consistent.
As stated above if you can build your own cables (and do not mess up the braid). You will have the best possible connection, regardless of cost.
The Cable industry has long been the butt of "smoke and mirror" jokes (well deserved too).
Where I have seen problems, is with the terminations not being done properly by the installer, i.e.: not fully seated, braid folded back or my favorite the hex crimp from a $20 tool. This in when the cust. will see herring bones or rolling lines. All we have done is to eliminate these problems by making all of my cables the same with machine crimps.
Now cables can designed to enhance or retard a given freq. range, just as speakers or for us old guys phono cartridges. People can accept these changes as better (if sold that way).
There is no wire nirvana.
If you come to CES stop by and see me I will send you home with some cables to A/B.

Last year I decided to upgrade my cables, from the free cables that comes with gear, to high powered Quad conductor wiremy company sells.The installer accomodation won me over as I saved 75% off of retail.

I only replaced the audio connects in my house audio gear which consists if two mega CD changers, A CDR, Two double cassette decks, and an old JVC receiver. After spending hours labling and hooking in the new wire, I turned the system on.

The first thing I noticed was the volume was a lot louder than it was. What was once the "4" setting was now too loud. I had to set it to "2" to match the volume. The components seemed to sound clearer but maybe it was my mind telling me that all the work had to improve the sound.

The next day when I got home from work my wife asked me what I did to the stereo that made it sound better! This is the same girl that , when I hooked up my surround sound system and asked what she thought, stated "Well, it's louder".

My company used miniRG59 cable for video to Plasma displays. The stranded copper kind. We started to notice video artifacts that we never used to get with RG6.Wedecided to switch to a very high grade RG6 and the results are amazing. Yeah it's more wires to run but we didn't want to sacrifice quality.And we always use crimp on terminations with Cable Pro tools.

Am I sold on the idea that better cables are worth the inflated price. Absolutely not but I think they can make a difference as In my case.

Those of you that say cables are cables shouldn't sell them if they don't beleive in them.

"Those of you that say cables are cables shouldn't sell them if they don't beleive in them."
Cables are not cables. what I said was that the electrons dont care.
As long as you have enough copper of good quality Termination is absolutly the key.
I believe strongly that cables make a difference. I dont believe that you have to spend a ton of money. I learned as a custom installer how to make proper connections, I have applied that to mass production.
You can debate the merits of a specific type of cable forever (I suggest Belden white papers). But it realy is the termination that makes the biggest difference.

And to quote Larry Fine
"Hell, I'd settle for some ABX blind-test results."
If anyone is going to CES maybe we can set something up.

I think the point was that if you are payiong more per cable than for some of your other equipment then you are being ripped off.

I agree!
Proper cables are NOT cheap.
But, there is no reason for them to cost an arm and a leg.
A/B you cables (hav someone else control the test), if you can not hear/see a difference dont spend the money.
Having said that part of the cost as you go up is for better construction (reduced chance of cold solder joints etc.).
Well built cables include, but not limited to:
Apature
Straight Wire
Wire World
Tributaries
With the above listed companies I know the people and the product. They are built to last.

How about some of the other less expensive lines such as Blue Jeans, Impact Acoustics, River Cables, etc? I am sure there are many more.