A/V Cables

When it comes to audio, the true aficionado will tell you audio cables can make the difference between a jammin' audio system and an audio system that sounds like something got jammed in it. The catch? Like most electronics, better quality means more expensive. Of course, at Overstock.com, more expensive still means less expensive than retail.

So what's the real difference between basic analog audio cables (the ones that come with most audio equipment) and the high-end analog or digital cables? It's their anatomy -- the conductor, the shielding and the connector.

One of the first audio equipment technicalities to spring on the unwary is shielding. Double-shielded audio cables keep both RFI (radio frequency interference) and EMI (electromagnetic interference) from disrupting your audio signal. Single shielded audio and video cables only block some of the interference. Double-shielded audio cables may cost a bit more, but you get much better sound.

Next, a quality conductor keeps a consistent signal between CD players, DJ equipment, iPods,