Best audio cables 2024

Best audio interconnect cables: quick menu

Chord Company C-line interconnect cable

(Image credit: Chord Company)

1. The list in brief
2. Best overall
3. Best budget
4. Best premium
5. How to choose
6. How we test

The analogue information passing between your source (be it a CD player, turntable or music streamer) and your stereo amplifier is rather complex - and there's an awful lot of it. Because of that fact, your audio cables can make a significant difference to the sound your system ultimately delivers. Be under no illusion: cables matter, and they're often a major aspect of most hi-fi systems that gets overlooked time and time again.   

We've rounded up the best audio cables we've tested for various different budgets and user needs, giving you the low down on how they affect the sound in your system. So whether you're watching the pennies or your high-end system demands a little more investment, these RCA interconnects can make the most of your hi-fi's potential.

The quick list

Best audio cable overall

Chord Company C-line cable on a white background

For the money, little comes close to what the C-Line can do for your system. (Image credit: Chord Company)
What Hi-Fi? Awards winner. These interconnects are the best we've tested for a wide range of hi-fi systems.

Specifications

Type: Analogue interconnect
Terminated: Yes
Length: 1m

Reasons to buy

+
Helps tie instruments together
+
Aids dynamics and musicality

Reasons to avoid

-
More premium rivals offer greater improvements  

If you've ever wondered what difference a metre of cable can make to your system, we'd urge you to give the C-line a listen.

This is Chord Company displaying once again an understanding of what makes hi-fi great, with the best RCA cable we've heard at the budget end. It never loses sight of what matters – the musicality of your system – and also helps enhance your system's detail levels, making for an entertaining and informative listen.

Read the full Chord Company C-line review

Best budget audio cable

QED Profile audio interconnect cable on a white background

QED's analogue interconnects are ideal for anyone looking to upgrade the cheap cables that came with their system. (Image credit: QED)
A cheap yet extremely cheerful pair of RCA audio cables.

Specifications

Type: Analogue interconnect
Terminated: Yes
Length: 1m

Reasons to buy

+
Tight sound
+
Good detail
+
Impressive dynamics

Reasons to avoid

-
Has been around for over a decade now

Despite the über-budget price tag, the Profile analogue interconnects punch above their weight, helping to deliver a tight sound that’s uncluttered and airy. Detail levels are surprisingly good for the money too, and the well-made Profile cables also show ability with their handling of dynamics.

These cables have been around for years now and remain a solid buy. As a first upgrade for an entry-level system (where components are a couple of hundred pounds or dollars each), these QED interconnects are a great option.

Read the full QED Profile review

Best premium audio cable

Chord Company Clearway Analogue RCA cables on a white background

These interconnects use Chord’s Tuned ARAY conductor geometry technology for the step-up in performance. (Image credit: Chord Company)
What Hi-Fi? Awards winner. These step-up audio cables help your system deliver the dynamism it's capable of.

Specifications

Type: Analogue interconnect
Terminated: Yes
Length: 1m

Reasons to buy

+
Open, nuanced and crisp sound
+
Great sense of timing
+
Works with a wide range of kit

Reasons to avoid

-
Small update over previous version

The original Clearway analogue interconnects have been around for a little while and were revised in 2022 to introduce a new plating to the plugs. The five-star cables deliver a step-up in quality from the cheaper C-ine mentioned above, but they do cost more and their talents will be heard more obviously in systems that are at mid-level price and above.

During testing, we found it quite unsatisfying to listen to the same songs with anything else of a similar price. They allow for our system to deliver an open, crisp and rhythmic sound and dynamics are communicated with confidence. The price tag might weigh heavy on many listeners’ wallets – and the cheaper C-line remains a class leader we can still get behind – but for those who can justify the outlay, the Clearway Analogue RCA (2022) is brilliantly capable of letting you hear where your money has gone.

Read the full Chord Company Clearway Analogue RCA (2022) review

How to choose the right audio cables for you

A good starting point is to consider getting in touch with the manufacturer of your stereo amplifier and asking if they recommend a particular brand or model of interconnect. After all, engineers will have spent hours experimenting during the development process and you might be told some valuable nuggets of information which might make your job of finding something suitable more simple.

You could also speak to a dealer to see if they've tried different cables during demos and have found any that work particularly well with your amplifier.

Otherwise, when it comes to picking the right audio interconnects, a lot of your decision-making will revolve around price and, of course, your system, whether you're putting one together or already have one set up.

As a general rule of thumb, we'd recommend setting aside 10-15 per cent of the total cost of your system for cables. In the case of a hi-fi set-up, you'll be looking at analogue interconnects, speaker cables and, potentially, a digital optical or coaxial cable depending on the sources you're using. So you'll want to dedicate a share of this to a pair of suitable analogue interconnects.

If you currently own an excellent entry-level set-up you don't need to spend big on interconnects. However, at the same time, there's nothing stopping you from trying more premium pairs to see how your system reacts. As you can see from our list below, there are some brilliant budget options available.

On the flip side, If you own a high-end set-up, we'd suggest looking at price-comparable interconnects but you could also audition some cheaper interconnects too.

One last piece of advice would be to not pick purely on the star rating. Read our reviews to help you understand the character of the cable and see if it matches the character of your system.

How we test audio cables

The What Hi-Fi? team has more than 100 years combined experience of reviewing, testing and writing about consumer electronics. We have state-of-the-art testing facilities in London and Reading, where our team of expert reviewers do all our in-house testing. This gives us complete control over the testing process, ensuring consistency across all the products we test.

The first thing we do to a pair of analogue interconnects is run them in by connecting them to our reference system. In our experience, their impact on a system can change over time so we make sure they have a couple of days with an audio signal running through them.

When connecting them, we also pay attention to the cable directionality which is usually marked on the cable sheath of plugs via the use of arrows. These arrows show you the direction of the signal from the source to your amplifier.

During testing, we start listening through our reference system as its transparency allows us to hear exactly how the characteristics of the cable are affecting the sound. We also connect them to a more price-compatible system to hear how they work in a more typical scenario. We compare each cable to rivals at the same price in order for us to reach a verdict and star rating.

All our review verdicts are agreed upon by the team rather than an individual reviewer, to eliminate any personal preference and to make sure we're being as impartial and thorough as possible, too. There's no input from PR companies or our sales team when it comes to our verdicts on audio cables, with What Hi-Fi? proud of having delivered honest, unbiased reviews for decades.

That's why if you take the plunge and buy one of the products recommended below, or on any of our other Best Buy pages, you can be confident you're getting a What Hi-Fi?-approved product.

You can read more about how we test and review products on What Hi-Fi? here.

MORE:

See all our best speaker cables

Here are all the best hi-fi and audio deals

These are the best stereo amplifiers we've tested

Andy Madden

Andy is Deputy Editor of What Hi-Fi? and a consumer electronics journalist with nearly 20 years of experience writing news, reviews and features. Over the years he's also contributed to a number of other outlets, including The Sunday Times, the BBC, Stuff, and BA High Life Magazine. Premium wireless earbuds are his passion but he's also keen on car tech and in-car audio systems and can often be found cruising the countryside testing the latest set-ups. In his spare time Andy is a keen golfer and gamer.

With contributions from
  • Squall Leonhart
    I would recommend Atlas Element Superior. I have been using it for almost a year and I havent had the urge to upgrade.
    Reply
  • MetAlbertR
    Some of the reasons to buy are hilarious:

    "Helps tie instruments together", "Helps with detail and timing" and "Spacious, clean soundstage".

    I notice you seem to no longer review digital cables. Why is that?
    Reply
  • abacus
    Before purchase always do a blind AB test between basic cable and any exotic cable, as I have yet to come across any of these special cables that make any difference to the sound. (A good quality cable should neither add or take anything away, so be wary of anybody that says their cable alters the sound)
    If you are really worried, get your cable from a Pro Music Store, (They will be a fraction of the price of these so called super cables) as then you will have the same quality as used in professional film & music production studios, whose equipment makes even Hi-End Hi-Fi sound mundane.

    Bill
    Reply
  • iMark
    They still write the same audio waffle.

    MetAlbertR's remark about digital cables is interesting. Have they finally worked out that there is no difference in digital cables?
    Reply
  • F8lee
    I get the sense that "exotic cables" are analogous to "UV filters to protect your front lens element" that camera stores often try to sell to unsuspecting customers.

    Basically, it's about the profit margins. Having worked in the photo retail industry years ago, I know that in order to keep competitive with the mail-order houses the profit we would make on a high end camera might amount to being $40. However, if we sold the customer on the idea that "you need a UV filter to protect that precious front element!" we would garner $20 profit out of the $40 sale of the filter.

    THe cable thing seems much the same - perhaps retailers cannot get much margin on the big gear that is always comparison shopped by potential customers; but once they decide they like that amp or speaker setup then pushing the "special" cables for "better sound" sounds like much the same strategy.
    Reply
  • DELBOY14
    I see the doubters are on here with there " all cable's are the same". I think if you have a fairly good system you will be able to tell the difference, I did that by going to the HIFI show a couple of years back and Chord had a demonstration room set up where they would play a track with there cheapest RCA cables (C-LINE) then they swapped them out the Clearway, a clear step up in detail retrieval, then in went Shawline RCAs and again a clear step up in depth with a warmer tone, after that I had trouble hearing the difference or at least enough of a difference for the amount of money that these more expensive cable's cost.

    For me It was proof enough that spending £90 on RCA cables on a connection between a £600 CD and £500 AMP would pay dividend's and it proved so, I already had £40 C-LINE RCAs and when replacing with the £90 Clearway RCA cables I was very pleased with the gain in detail and midrange clarity, there where instruments not detected before that where now present.
    I have now upgraded the AMP to a MF M3i and run a M-DAC+ and have tried a couple of cables Digital Chord Clearway and Tellurium blue Q digital and the Tellurium is better although cost a fair bit more.

    Of course if you have mismatched amps, decks, CD players, Dacs, or there poor quality HiFi then your not going to here the difference are you.
    For all those doubters out there stop bleating about a multi million pound industry being a load of old cobblers, if it was then by now those that spend vast amounts of money would have just fitted bell wire because if they don't here an improvement then they would look else where, that's because they can afford to.

    Anyone out there in doubt go to a good dealers, ask for a demo of a £1000 amp, £1000 CD player and dealer chosen speakers to match that are all run in, tell them to put say Chord C-LINE RCA cables between amp and CD, then listen to a good CD that is not load head banging rock and roll but say Fleetwood Mac, Tusk, Brown Eyes. listen a few times and listen to that fabulous guitar work, then ask for the cables to be changed to Clearway RC's, you will hear a resounding difference in the detail and space around the instruments.

    Simple really a child could tell you the difference.
    Reply
  • MetAlbertR
    DELBOY14 said:
    I see the doubters are on here with there " all cable's are the same". I think if you have a fairly good system you will be able to tell the difference, I did that by going to the HIFI show a couple of years back and Chord had a demonstration room set up where they would play a track with there cheapest RCA cables (C-LINE) then they swapped them out the Clearway, a clear step up in detail retrieval, then in went Shawline RCAs and again a clear step up in depth with a warmer tone, after that I had trouble hearing the difference or at least enough of a difference for the amount of money that these more expensive cable's cost.

    For me It was proof enough that spending £90 on RCA cables on a connection between a £600 CD and £500 AMP would pay dividend's and it proved so, I already had £40 C-LINE RCAs and when replacing with the £90 Clearway RCA cables I was very pleased with the gain in detail and midrange clarity, there where instruments not detected before that where now present.
    I have now upgraded the AMP to a MF M3i and run a M-DAC+ and have tried a couple of cables Digital Chord Clearway and Tellurium blue Q digital and the Tellurium is better although cost a fair bit more.

    Of course if you have mismatched amps, decks, CD players, Dacs, or there poor quality HiFi then your not going to here the difference are you.
    For all those doubters out there stop bleating about a multi million pound industry being a load of old cobblers, if it was then by now those that spend vast amounts of money would have just fitted bell wire because if they don't here an improvement then they would look else where, that's because they can afford to.

    Anyone out there in doubt go to a good dealers, ask for a demo of a £1000 amp, £1000 CD player and dealer chosen speakers to match that are all run in, tell them to put say Chord C-LINE RCA cables between amp and CD, then listen to a good CD that is not load head banging rock and roll but say Fleetwood Mac, Tusk, Brown Eyes. listen a few times and listen to that fabulous guitar work, then ask for the cables to be changed to Clearway RC's, you will hear a resounding difference in the detail and space around the instruments.

    Simple really a child could tell you the difference.
    A child will also believe anything you tell them.
    Reply
  • DELBOY14 said:
    I see the doubters are on here with there " all cable's are the same". I think if you have a fairly good system you will be able to tell the difference, I did that by going to the HIFI show a couple of years back and Chord had a demonstration room set up where they would play a track with there cheapest RCA cables (C-LINE) then they swapped them out the Clearway, a clear step up in detail retrieval, then in went Shawline RCAs and again a clear step up in depth with a warmer tone, after that I had trouble hearing the difference or at least enough of a difference for the amount of money that these more expensive cable's cost.

    For me It was proof enough that spending £90 on RCA cables on a connection between a £600 CD and £500 AMP would pay dividend's and it proved so, I already had £40 C-LINE RCAs and when replacing with the £90 Clearway RCA cables I was very pleased with the gain in detail and midrange clarity, there where instruments not detected before that where now present.
    I have now upgraded the AMP to a MF M3i and run a M-DAC+ and have tried a couple of cables Digital Chord Clearway and Tellurium blue Q digital and the Tellurium is better although cost a fair bit more.

    Of course if you have mismatched amps, decks, CD players, Dacs, or there poor quality HiFi then your not going to here the difference are you.
    For all those doubters out there stop bleating about a multi million pound industry being a load of old cobblers, if it was then by now those that spend vast amounts of money would have just fitted bell wire because if they don't here an improvement then they would look else where, that's because they can afford to.

    Anyone out there in doubt go to a good dealers, ask for a demo of a £1000 amp, £1000 CD player and dealer chosen speakers to match that are all run in, tell them to put say Chord C-LINE RCA cables between amp and CD, then listen to a good CD that is not load head banging rock and roll but say Fleetwood Mac, Tusk, Brown Eyes. listen a few times and listen to that fabulous guitar work, then ask for the cables to be changed to Clearway RC's, you will hear a resounding difference in the detail and space around the instruments.

    Simple really a child could tell you the difference.
    As per my signature - £4K amp, £4K CD player, Van Damme Blue vs QED... no difference heard. I have my opinion and you have yours, I'm not a child so I'll leave it there. I would rather spend my money on more music.
    Reply
  • abacus
    DELBOY14 said:
    I see the doubters are on here with there " all cable's are the same". I think if you have a fairly good system you will be able to tell the difference, I did that by going to the HIFI show a couple of years back and Chord had a demonstration room set up where they would play a track with there cheapest RCA cables (C-LINE) then they swapped them out the Clearway, a clear step up in detail retrieval, then in went Shawline RCAs and again a clear step up in depth with a warmer tone, after that I had trouble hearing the difference or at least enough of a difference for the amount of money that these more expensive cable's cost.

    For me It was proof enough that spending £90 on RCA cables on a connection between a £600 CD and £500 AMP would pay dividend's and it proved so, I already had £40 C-LINE RCAs and when replacing with the £90 Clearway RCA cables I was very pleased with the gain in detail and midrange clarity, there where instruments not detected before that where now present.
    I have now upgraded the AMP to a MF M3i and run a M-DAC+ and have tried a couple of cables Digital Chord Clearway and Tellurium blue Q digital and the Tellurium is better although cost a fair bit more.

    Of course if you have mismatched amps, decks, CD players, Dacs, or there poor quality HiFi then your not going to here the difference are you.
    For all those doubters out there stop bleating about a multi million pound industry being a load of old cobblers, if it was then by now those that spend vast amounts of money would have just fitted bell wire because if they don't here an improvement then they would look else where, that's because they can afford to.

    Anyone out there in doubt go to a good dealers, ask for a demo of a £1000 amp, £1000 CD player and dealer chosen speakers to match that are all run in, tell them to put say Chord C-LINE RCA cables between amp and CD, then listen to a good CD that is not load head banging rock and roll but say Fleetwood Mac, Tusk, Brown Eyes. listen a few times and listen to that fabulous guitar work, then ask for the cables to be changed to Clearway RC's, you will hear a resounding difference in the detail and space around the instruments.

    Simple really a child could tell you the difference.

    Did you do a double blind test on the cables with everything level matched so as to rule out inconsistences and placebo effect, if not then your claims are just opinions and not facts, so your assertion that a child could hear a difference is totally nonsensical.

    I realise this post will not change your mind or belief (Just like a flat earthier will always ignore the truth and keep posting easily debunked claims) but hopefully it will help others to not fall into the same trap and have an open mind so that they realise that just because you believe you hear a difference doesn’t mean there actually is a difference. (Hence the level matched double blind test)

    In the final analysis always try before you buy and if you are happy with something (Whether it actually makes a difference of not) and you can afford it, then go for it, as happiness cannot be measured.

    Bill
    Reply
  • DELBOY14
    abacus said:
    Did you do a double blind test on the cables with everything level matched so as to rule out inconsistences and placebo effect, if not then your claims are just opinions and not facts, so your assertion that a child could hear a difference is totally nonsensical.

    I realise this post will not change your mind or belief (Just like a flat earthier will always ignore the truth and keep posting easily debunked claims) but hopefully it will help others to not fall into the same trap and have an open mind so that they realise that just because you believe you hear a difference doesn’t mean there actually is a difference. (Hence the level matched double blind test)

    In the final analysis always try before you buy and if you are happy with something (Whether it actually makes a difference of not) and you can afford it, then go for it, as happiness cannot be measured.

    Bill
    Actually I took 4 tables and smoked a tree so as to make sure I was self opinionated and knew everything and would be guided by some myth blind testing an inconsistent placebo effect, but thanks all the same I know what happiness is, as do all those millions that have walked the cable path. cheers mate. 🙏
    Reply