Most Expensive Audio Cables
Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Electronics, Luxury on July 16th, 2008For years, audiophiles have been dishing out dollar after dollar to attain the highest level of sonic perfection. Have they achieved it or have their efforts been a total waste? There are many who will argue one way or the other but, whatever the case, expensive speaker cables aren’t going away.
Pear ANJOU Speaker Cables - $7,250
Pear Cable Corporation’s ANJOU Speaker Cable, a 12 foot length of which retails for $7,250, reportedly “allow new levels of sonic accuracy to be explored.” Supposedly, this exploration is accomplished by “proprietary hybrid geometry,” “ultra low electrical reactance” and “fully annealed 99.999% pure oxygen free Copper.”
In response to a glowing review by Dave Clark, editor of Positive Feedback, in which he refers to the cables as “very danceable”, the James Randi Educational Foundation offered a million-dollar prize to anyone who can prove beyond the shadow of doubt that these expensive speaker cables actually perform better (to the human ear, mind you) than Monster Cable’s $80 HDMI cables. While the prize is available to anyone who can prove the superiority of the ANJOU cables, the JREF unabashedly directs this challenge at Mr. Clark himself. In fact, the JREF apparently has many such unclaimed prizes for audiophiles who can prove that certain exotic piece of audio equipment are actually as exceptional as they claim.
Nordost ODIN Supreme Reference Cables - $20,000
Using twenty-four conductors made of 99.99999% oxygen free copper with an extruded layer of silver, these cables promise uncompromising sound. The conductors are constructed using a “Precision Dual Micro Mono-Filament” design. I’m not sure what that means, but it certainly sounds awesome. The conductors are arranged in four groups of six conductors for maximum flexibility.
Nordost WHITELIGHT Glass Fiber Optic Cables - about $33,000
Audiophiles have been using fiber optic cables for awhile now, but they’ve always been an expensive option. Toshiba’s TOSLINK connectors (generically known as EIAJ optical) have been in use since the early 80s. The advantage of optical cable is that the optical fibers—strands of clear plastic or quartz glass used to transmit the signal—are not susceptible to the electromagnetic interference that plagues ordinary cables. It’s not surprising, then, that the most expensive audio cable in the world is a fiber optic cable.
Nordost, a company known for their scientific approach to audio/visual cabling, produces the WHITELIGHT fiber optic cable. Made for two-or-more channel audio systems, this expensive cable uses heavily polished, high quality glass fiber with three layers of low loss insulation and an internal damping mechanism to deliver the best possible sound. Each end is capped with a composite TOSLINK connector with precision-polished lenses.
Siltech Emperor Crown - over $40,000
Siltech utilizes both silver and gold metallurgy in the construction of their Signature series of audio cables. Their twenty years of research in the field have allowed them to claim the lowest measured distortion of any brand of audio cable. They do so by reducing the microscopic cracks (crystalline boundaries) in the silver and filling the remaining ones with gold. The Emperor Crown, part of the Signature series, has the distinction of being the most expensive audio cable on the market.
Coat Hanger - Under a buck
The world’s most expensive audio cables may sound nice, but do they actually sound better? According to this rather humorous story, a simple wire coat hanger produces sound that is virtually indistinguishable from that produced by audio cables sold by Monster, another brand known for their relatively expensive consumer cables. Perhaps you should think twice before emptying your wallet for a pair of speaker cables.
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Most Expensive Audiophile Power Cable is the BMI Cables “OCEANIC STATEMENT” Version UL/LE .
MSRP. is $14,500 for a 6-footer. Platinum Design.
I have seen BMI OCEANIC at the Munich Show and OCEANIC sounds incredible. Heard a system with an without the OCEANIC. The upgrade is AMAZING ! Makes a pair of $10K speakers sound more like $100K. Makes a $15K amp sound more like a $50K. Hearing the improvement is the most impressive I have ever heard in my 50 years of Hi-End Audio Ejoyment. I am saving up for my first BMI OCEANIC STATEMENT.
Joe
The $15K BMI Cables Oceanic Statement Version UL/LE is the most innovative power cable product I have ever heard. I bought two and currently makes my hi-end audio system sound like a million bucks. True the Bmi OCeanic Statment version ul/le is expensive but it is worth the results. Superior dynamics and natural ambience. The human voice becomes so real when you insert a BMI Cable OCeanic Statement on the equipment. Currently using on my power amp and pre amp with great results.
Again BMI Oceanic Statement version ul/le is expensive but if you want the world’s best sounding power cable this is the choice.
Damn! $15k PC, I know how good are BMI Cables. BMI Cables are one of my favorite Power Cords out there and A+ Service. I own few of them like the Whale Supreme and The Orca MK 2 Amazing! power cords. Maybe one day I get lucky to try the BMI Oceanic Statement in my Reference System.
Proud to say that I own a BMI Cables Oceanic statement power cable.
Yes indeed BMI Cables Oceanic statement power cable is lot of $$$$ but I must say worth it ! Spending thousands of dollars on power cables over the years I have not been able to hear what I want. Until when BMI Oceanic cable was put on my preamp. Simply the most perfect vocal midrange I have ever heard. Listening to a lot of singer standard music the Oceanic makes the recording sound like they are in the room with great natural and accuracy.
Super smooth treble with great air and transparency. The bottom end is most impressive and extraordinary with bass extension and exceptional depth. I also listen to a lot of jazz and classical. With the BMI Oceanic all the instruments sound more precise and three dimensional. Giving pinpoint detail to the precise instruments. In classical the Oceanic is incredible. Just put in some Wagner- The Flying Dutchman or Mozart- Overture to the Magic Flute and the speed and transparency is the best you will ever hear with the BMI Oceanic.
If you want to hear scary deeeep depth bass just use a BMI Oceanic on your preamp or amp and listen to Holst the Planets or Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture. The cannons with Oceanic sound more real and I mean scary real like the cannons are firing at you. Just shakes the whole listening room with precise definition.
I find myself weighing out the cost of the BMI Oceanic verse the performance cost. Answer : If you want perfection in a statement power cable the BMI Cables Oceanic Statement is grand marvel in performance and worth it . I can not listen to music without it. Especially Classical, Jazz and singer standard type music. Thank you to BMI Cables for designing a most natural sounding power cable. Happy Listening
How does the Nordost Odin power cable compare to the BMI Oceanic Statement?
Burt, Nordost Odin series does not make a power cable. Nordost’s top power cable line is the Valhalla model. The Valhalla is a good cable for $3K msrp and more or less competes with BMI Cables step down models the Hammerhead Gold series. I personally preferred the BMI Hammerhead Gold power cable over the Nordost Valhalla. Felt the BMI Hammerhead Gold was more accurate and natural sounding. Having heard the BMI Cables Oceanic Statement at the Munich show this year I was very impressed. The dealer had both Hammerhead Gold and Oceanic Statement. The BMI Oceanic Statement had the most incredible detail and resolution I have ever heard in a cable. The improvement with and the Oceanic Statement was just incredible . The Oceanic Statement is head and shoulders above anything out there in the market for overall Natural sound in a power cable.
Joe
You almost had me believing all that stuff about Oceanic… Ok, not really. My bose speakers paired with a set of The Shirt Man coat hangers, powered by my Sound Tek amp will kick any Oceanic system.
Please send your email address and wire USD 10,000 to my Cayman account for details as to how you too can enjoy my kick ass system.
I am a fan of BMI Cables power cables.
Owning a plus $250K hi-end audio system with Wilson Alexandria and mainly Burmester electronics.
Very serious about my music and equipment. After spending many thousands of dollars on finding the correct power cables, I tried a pair of Bmi Oceanic statement power cables. To my ears I could not believe on how much of the music I was missing. The Bmi Oceanics settled my system down to a very real live sound. All the instruments and vocals had smoother but yet more accurate tones. I tried the Bmi Oceanic first on my Burmester power amps and then preamp. Very deep depth and incredible power was increased giving so much more dramatic soundstage and dynamics to the system. Then I tried Bmi Oceanics on my two piece Burmester 069 cd player and the improvements were the biggest single upgrade I ever heard on digital. The key word is “NATURAL”. If you want to smooth out any edginess and sty true to the recording and music I highly recommend the BMi Oceanic Statement power cable. If fact I will have to order a few more Bmi Oceanics to complete the perfect sound I have been striving to attain the last 50 years.
Regards
John P. Ho
Note- Excellent power cables are not just an accessory but a necessity for superb audio systems and BMI Cables does a great job in delivering a most natural sound design.