Quote:
Originally Posted by brodricj
The outer jacket seems to be that (cheap) nylon snake skin braid, right? In a $2k cable I'd rather see a luxe silk like braid on the cable, more aesthetically pleasing for those who like to be aesthetically pleased (like what AQ and others are doing). They could color-code it with a pin stripe in the braid to differentiate an alpha from a sigma. Anyway, USB is not for me (note: I am an owner of Sigma clock and AES/EBU).
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Thank you for your feedback. I appreciate the opportunity to form a more general response that speaks to how we approach the market we participate in.
Certainly, there are cable manufacturers that prioritize aesthetics and spend significant money to create a curb appeal that sets their product apart. This has become a primary form of marketing in the cable business, starting in Asia but it has become true in the US and EU as well so its worth sharing our perspective. There are entire categories of gaudy looking metal accents, premium metal platings, machined metal collars, brushed aluminum parts and yes, designer silk sleeves available. The array of cable adornments are almost endless. Perhaps we should allocate resources for these accents regardless of the fact that from a design perspective, they either add nothing or detract from performance, yet still add cost to any design.
We've entered our 20th year in business because we prioritize high-quality hand craftsmanship from skilled employees that have been with us from the beginning. We spend massive resources on developed science, exclusive patents, treated metals, conductors, custom-made parts, measurement and testing. In terms of the Sigma USB, the pat-pending Transverse-Axial-Polarizer is a distinguishing technology that went through years of refinement, testing and cost us more to produce than any of the jewelry-like accents we could have added to the cable.
It comes down to resource allocation choices in terms of where money is spent. We use explainable science, published patents, lifetime warranties, reasonable retail pricing and professional credibility to compete in the marketplace. I recognize the 'bling factor is greater with some brands, but if that adds cost and not to performance, we are comfortable with the choices we've made. Hopefully the performance, design credibility and the inherent quality of our products continues to define us in the marketplace.
Best regards,
Grant