I think there are divided camps on this, but, I suspect many people will lean towards recommending long interconnects and short speaker cables, especially if you're using balanced connections. Any potential noise you fear you might pick because the interconnects might act like an antenna won't be an issue because of the common mode rejection created by the balanced configuration.

I think Jeffs' correct on this. I also have heard that despite having the amps next to the speakers, one still needs to use no less than 6-8 foot speaker cables. Forget all the technical reasons, something about the amps are designed expecting a certian load from the cable. Maybe someone else can chime in here.

RG

I think that may have to do with wavelength theory or something... I seem to recall there possibly being an issue with reflections. I know this can definitely be an issue with digital cables that don't meet the specified impedance. Hopefully, someone with some concrete info can chime in.

Jeff is right on...long runs: low impedence balanced cables between amp and preamp. On the digital side the little DIP worked great as it jumped up the voltage to compensate for long runs. This seemed to be an issue more in recording studios if I recall due to physical limitation on equipment racks and such. Who knows more about long runs of wire than in a recording studio.

Quote:
What are the best low end rca cables for audio? I thought that ST used to like the ARs, but I do not know if they are still around.

"Best" of anything is a difficult thing to quantify. There are so many cables out there, it's difficult to try even a fraction of them. There are also too many variables to account for... the limitations of certain gear may not allow you to distinguish subtle nuances that might make for the difference of something sounding good to it sounding great. A "great" cable might sound like garbage in a low resolution system. Everything is system dependent. At what price point do you determine where you're willing to sacrifice elements of sound quality or resolution? I'm not sure anyone can give you an answer. The best judge has to be the listener's ears. But, I do have an answer regarding your question about AR. Acoustic Research cables are still available:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005QXXM/sr=8-8/qid=1141254356/ref=sr_1_8/103-4043927-3829417?%5Fencoding=UTF8

Personally, I'd probably avoid them because they use PVC insulation, which I find smears sound. I'd have to hear them to be certain, though.

I know some budget conscious audiophiles like Blue Jeans Cables:

http://www.bluejeanscable.com/

I have no personal experience with them. I'd investigate what kind of Belden or Canare wire they're using, though... a lot of Belden uses PVC as well.

You can hear PVC? Just what does insulation sound like, please elaborate on this bit of audio engineering. What does rubber insulation sound like? I bet you also hear wall outlets? Hubbell versus Leviton? What about outlet covers, I think they influence the sound.

Come on, Jeff, if you really wanna just reach the end of the hobby and have perfect sound forever, trust the guy with 1200 watts, times two, per channel.

His cables are so good, he can tell the difference between Megadeath and Iron Maiden two houses over.

He can hear the subtle differences between tonearms on his VPI vinyl player (I can't figure out why he'd own something that sucks so bad compared to SACD,) but you can't hear differences on your rig unless he approves them.

DUP is the Imam of hi-fi.

Actually it is 1200 X 2 PLUS about 900 X 2 i run 4 mono amps, using teh AVA Ultra Hybrid Phase Inverter. It's not LOUDNESS it control, and reserve when a bass note comes along, and teh slam of a snare drum, remains a snare drum at realistic LIVE levels. Try a real system, you will discover what they are supposed to do. Remeber it takes 10 X the power to double the loudness, Sooo, if you want REAL levels, it takes watts and current, even with efficient WHISPERS, yes WHISPERS are in...magnificent but I only use SoundKing 12GA, so how can it possibly sound anygood? Read the Bill Dubleston, designer of speakers extrodiniare, and his explantion on what matters in speaker wire, not capacitance, not inductance, since it would take 100's of feet of wire to have any efect, it's D.C. resistnace which affects damping factor. I guess, he don't know nitin'.

Buddha - I'm afraid to make the leap alone... will you join me in replicating DUP's system so that we can enjoy perfect sound forever, together? I'm ready to put my entire system that I've been fine tuning the last 11 years on Audiogon tomorrow if you will.