You’ve heard the saying that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, right? Well the same applies to your brand-new audiophile-grade headphone or other audio components. The weakest link in this case is your stock cable or the stock interconnects the manufacturer threw in the box just to connect your audio components. Why is it the weakest link? There are many reasons, but foremost is that your stock cable isn’t manufactured in the same way your high-end product is that it accompanies. Your audiophile-grade gear has been tested, manufactured, milled to precision, and finely tuned, all while using the best materials and consideration. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for your stock cables.They are often mass produced, spec'd specifically for the product, and not quality controlled in the slightest. I might be a little harsh here, but the fact remains that the same care and consideration for your product is not mirrored in the accessories, especially the stock cable.
Most of the time, companies skimp on the audio cables included with their headphones or audio components because its an afterthought or an ends to a means. They put their R&D into the driver for the headphones and rightly so, as it makes the most difference in the sound quality of the headphones. However, they use poor materials in the cable that connects the headphones to your music source which creates a bottleneck in the sound or a curtain or veil in front of your music. Audio cables are more reliable than wireless connections, capable of transmitting the highest audio resolutions, and they are the easiest way of setting up your audio system. They are critical, and yet they are often an afterthought. Why do companies skimp on cheap materials and connectors? Because customers are buying the product, not the cable. We’ll learn more about this later in the article.
The other thing to consider when questioning if cables make a difference in audio quality is that everyone hears differently.