$4,520 Kimber RCA Cable compared with Amazon Basics

[ToppingSMSL]

Kimber KS 1036 Silver RCA Cable Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Kimber Kable KS1036 "Silver" RCA Cable. It is on kind loan from a member and costs US $4,520 for a pair (1 meter). While I did not care for the cheap plastic box it came in, the cable itself has a bit of style with that loose wooden piece with...

www.audiosciencereview.com

I mean, nowadays I think the majority of people realise the audiophile cable market is a con, but it's always nice to be reminded every so often. 😀

 

[Dave_]

I mean, nowadays I think the majority of people realise the audiophile cable market is a con,

I'm not so sure...

but it's always nice to be reminded every so often. 😀

Awaits the believe their ears gang to bite.

 

[GroeneLeeuw]

I suppose there are people buying those ultra expensive cable or they wouldn´t be commercialized but I do wonder who buys them.
Is this people who need to make an effort to save money to be able to buy convinced they´re buying a superior product or, is these people who have money to burn, who?
And who knows that, who here was ever involved in the sales process?

 

[Angle Poise-Lamp]

I suppose there are people buying those ultra expensive cable or they wouldn´t be commercialized but I do wonder who buys them.
Is this people who need to make an effort to save money to be able to buy convinced they´re buying a superior product or, is these people who have money to burn, who?
And who knows that, who here was ever involved in the sales process?

There's a lot of people these days, for whom $4,500 is nothing and, there are those people who need to be able to boast to their mates, about how much money they have spent.

I'm sure if you bought some nails, painted them yellow, put them in nice little boxes and labelled them as, Super Special Low Noise Acoustic Nails, you could make a very substantial profit margin. They could be used to fix those, very expensive, cable risers to the floor...

 

[ToppingSMSL]

Professional types with a lot of disposable income. Doctors, for example.

 

[Dave_]

Aside from their disposable income though, there's no difference between someone who spends 40 quid or 4 grand on a audiophile cable.

 

[Gray]

Amazingly, the cable was on loan from an ASR member.

 

[GroeneLeeuw]

There's a lot of people these days, for whom $4,500 is nothing and, there are those people who need to be able to boast to their mates, about how much money they have spent.

I'm sure if you bought some nails, painted them yellow, put them in nice little boxes and labelled them as, Super Special Low Noise Acoustic Nails, you could make a very substantial profit margin. They could be used to fix those, very expensive, cable risers to the floor...

I´m not sure.
People with money tend to be people who look good after their money, for many that is how they get to have plenty of money. These people don´t tend to spend their money buying BS products
Also, from all the people who have plenty of money, not that many are into hi-fi, let alone "high-end(=very expensive)" hi-fi.
I actually think that most of the buyers are people(audiophiles) who have some money but have to save hard and long to be able to buy something like this (and other expensive high-end hi-fi).

 

[ToppingSMSL]

Amazingly, the cable was on loan from an ASR member.

Often happens that forum members send him things to review. Many members are converts from the snake oil side, many have expensive gear. Everyone is interested in what actual measurements show.

I used to believe cables made a difference. 20 years ago.

 

[GroeneLeeuw]

ASR definitely changed the paradigm of hi-fi online fora.
For me, the illusion that expensive hi-fi was better because it was expensive, specially when it comes to electronics, came to an end when I participated in a proper blind test of 2 amplifiers in 2001. I only remember that the cheaper amp was a Sony, that despite its price had the reputation of being a good measuring and sounding amp.
In cable differences I never believed

 

[Gray]

Often happens that forum members send him things to review.

Yes, I know they do 👍 - ok for products worthy of review.
(Surprised that a member of that site would own such a cable).

 

[Angle Poise-Lamp]

I´m not sure.
People with money tend to be people who look good after their money, for many that is how they get to have plenty of money. These people don´t tend to spend their money buying BS products
Also, from all the people who have plenty of money, not that many are into hi-fi, let alone "high-end(=very expensive)" hi-fi.
I actually think that most of the buyers are people(audiophiles) who have some money but have to save hard and long to be able to buy something like this (and other expensive high-end hi-fi).

There's an awful lot of very expensive snake-oil out there. There must be buyers, or nobody would be selling it. People who scrimp and save, can't afford to be that gullible.

 

[ToppingSMSL]

I´m not sure.
People with money tend to be people who look good after their money, for many that is how they get to have plenty of money. These people don´t tend to spend their money buying BS products
Also, from all the people who have plenty of money, not that many are into hi-fi, let alone "high-end(=very expensive)" hi-fi.
I actually think that most of the buyers are people(audiophiles) who have some money but have to save hard and long to be able to buy something like this (and other expensive high-end hi-fi).

Haha, good one. All sorts of people have money. Some have more money than sense. Even people who are good with money might think this cable is something they can afford and want to try it.

 

[jjbomber]

There's a lot of people these days, for whom $4,500 is nothing and, there are those people who need to be able to boast to their mates, about how much money they have spent.

Cr-Apple's target audience?

 

[Gray]

Even people who are good with money might think this cable is something they can afford and want to try it.

And they could afford to go private for the psychiatric attention they would need.

 

[ToppingSMSL]

And they could afford to go private for the psychiatric attention they would need.

Yes, if they realised they needed it.

 

[Jasonovich]

Cr-Apple's target audience?

You actually hit the nail, I think some people measure of excellence, are products that reflect their lifestyle.
Apple, Bose, Dr Beats, anything absurdly expensive etc.... It's about being part of the exclusive herd of cattle, eating special brand of grass but the neighboring grass from Farmer Joe's ordinary patch is equally nutritious.

 

[ToppingSMSL]

 

[davidf]

ASR definitely changed the paradigm of hi-fi online fora.

Only for those who never wanted to believe.

 

[ToppingSMSL]

Lots of people have changed their minds in the last 10 years. There's more and more evidence online, especially on youtube.

 

[Entrigo]

There's a lot of people these days, for whom $4,500 is nothing and, there are those people who need to be able to boast to their mates, about how much money they have spent.

I'm sure if you bought some nails, painted them yellow, put them in nice little boxes and labelled them as, Super Special Low Noise Acoustic Nails, you could make a very substantial profit margin. They could be used to fix those, very expensive, cable risers to the floor...

Ooohh that's an idea. I was thinking about finding a little supplementary income 🤣

 

[Entrigo]

You'd be surprised how many people still defend the "audiophile cable" paradigm. Might be because they fell for it and now try very hard to convince themselves and others that it's a real thing.

 

[Dave_]

Only for those who never wanted to believe.

Sums up everything wrong with hobbyists/audiophiles, it's not a bloody religion, or at least shouldn't be

 

[Entrigo]

Sums up everything wrong with hobbyists/audiophiles, it's not a bloody religion, or at least shouldn't be

To be honest, this argument goes both ways. Although I have been into hifi for about twenty years or so, I am fairly new to the pursuit of the ultimate sound quality. As such, a few months ago was about to fall into the cable trap. So I came on this same forum to ask for opinions. Albeit my post was neutral and, as above, one aimed at getting advice, and so I wasn't at all defending the cable snake oil trade, some responses were really not that balanced or friendly. One member in particular not at all subtly implied I was an idiot for even thinking about it, another member or two sided and applauded this comment... (Which was also very disappointing, as I normally find people in this forum very friendly)

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

One member in particular not at all subtly implied I was an idiot for even thinking about it, another member or two sided and applauded this comment... (Which was also very disappointing, as I normally find people in this forum very friendly)

Feel free to flag up the post and moderation will attend to it. There's a 'report' function at the bottom left of every post.