Got a mains cable, don't judge me before you hear what I have to say

IME..Silver or silver plated copper and pure copper m/c makes a diffrence IMHO.

I have some Fancy Power Cables just for the physical looks though when I bought them, I expected a bit more than looks. They did not cost me a bomb and I am fine with them working in the system and so I do not have to unpack the stock power cables.

Though, I experienced that i/c and speaker wires do some stuff to the sound.

Now here is what I don't understand. The OP has an amp worth £1,500, and says that a £60 cable has made a noticeable difference to his ears. Ok, that's fine - but if it is true, then why would a manufacturer of amps that cost that much, and who I asssume know all about how their amps work, not ship them with £60 cables to begin with? After all, if a £60 cable can make a £1,500 amp sound better then it is not a lot extra to pay for the amp and the manufacturer gets even more acclaim for its product?

Is it, perhaps, because said maker of this expensive equipment knows that it makes no difference at all to the sound of it? In fact if it did make a difference then no doubt those amp makers would be making their own cables to custom match their products and bring out the 'best' in them wouldn't they (think of the extra mark ups!), but none of them do, do they? Does that not strike you as... odd?

Shielded cables? Yes, by all means if you think there will be interference with others cables (phono etc), but I am willing to bet that makers of expensive amps know more about their products and what they can and can't do than makers of expensive kettle leads  :)

You could say the same about speaker cables.. But speaker cables are not even included.. Does that mean the hifi company thinks speaker cables are not important..?.. Its common pratices to include cheap mains cables to cut dwn cost.

No, it means loudspeaker manufacturers don't know how much speaker cable each individual will need, whereas mains cable lengths are fairly standard for most people.

I would encourage manufacturers to make equipment with 'tethered' mains cables (like they used to)  to put an end to this 'boutique' mains lead nonsense.

I read this about shielded cables: "Shielding can be a two-edged sword. On one hand, it can reduce radiated fields from impacting other components. On the other hand, the shielding may induce re-radiated fields onto the cable or component that it is being used in. Sometimes the cure may be worse than the illness."

Length of cable is not the problem.. .. All in one systems do provide cables for thier Hifi systems cause cables included is cheap so there fore can run in very long lengths. If Hifi seperate companies think quality of speaker cables are not important they would do the same like most cheap all in one systems include cheap cables inorder to run them in very long lengths.

Cables quality matters hence no cheap cables included in Hifi seperates.

edit: We talking about amps & not speakers

Wrong* and wrong** and you brought up loudspeakers first..

*A competently made interconnect is all that is required. 

**Naim include interconnects with their sources and - last time I looked - so did Rega with their CD players. I am sure there are many others who include interconnects with their seperate CD players. (And tuners.)

Mainly PS Audio AC 3 but I also have a couple of Naim Powerlines left over from when I used Naim amps. Also for digital sources i use Shunyata Venom cables. Yours are Cardas?

Hi Chebby, while it's true Naim include interconnects and mains cables with their equipment, the company also offers very expensive upgrade alternatives in the form of the HiLine and Powerlines. In Singapore, the HiLine interconnect sells for £600 while the Powerline mains cable costs £500 ( using the current exchange rate).

I have Cardas G.Ref and Clearer Audio Copper-Line / Copper-Line Alpha+

It does not matter weather its speakers or amps ... Does it..?

Frankly, I neither know nor care any more.

You inserted the point about speaker manufacturers - not including free cables - then told me... "We talking about amps & not speakers".

Now, apparently, it doesn't matter.

Make your mind up.

 Calm down dude..  we are only talking about Hifi here.. But its a fact does not matter weather its speakers or Amps.

So long as cables don't corrode, or have any nasty electrical behaviour and are made competently to certified standards, then there really isn't much to talk about.

Fancy mains cables are worthy of even less discussion. A manufacturer isn't going to go to the trouble of designing a high specification amplifier (with a deliberate choice of high quality components) and then 'nobble' it by maliciously including a sub-standard mains cable and plug.

If they really felt it was that important - to the integrity of the whole design - then they would ensure a 'bespoke' mains cable and plug was provided and charge accordingly. (And make a fuss about it in their marketing.)