Tweak Audio Cables On The Cheap?

Tired of the controversy over whether expensive audio cables might make a difference in your system? The best approach would likely be to try a few sets with your own equipment and room and see for yourself. But cost has prevented more than a few audiophiles from spending quality time with the pricey stuff.

Spotting an opportunity, The Cable Company has recently announced that they are opening a new website to serve as an "online buy/sell/trade marketplace" for used high-end audio and video cables at www.usedcable.com. The company says that it can offer a one-year limited warranty and a 30-day exchange privilege because it buys its products outright (from individuals, retailers and manufacturers) rather than listing or consigning them. The company also specializes in room acoustics and resonance control products, and audiophile accessories.

The Cable Company maintains an extensive cable-matching database, allowing staff members to give component-specific cable matching advice via the Web. The company previously created a "library evaluation system," which they say allows consumers to compare several brands of cables at home before making a purchase decision.

The Cable Company's Robert Stein explains that "the level of Internet activity in the used part of our cable business has been much greater than we originally anticipated---enough so that we felt it should have its own identity and focus. Now, after months of beta-test shake-out, usedcable.com is ready for a wider audience. Beyond providing consumers with a place to buy and sell high-end cable, we'll serve as an outlet for cable manufacturers to move their excess stock and for retailers to liquidate their demos and trade-ins."

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