[Uncle Erik]

Originally Posted by jp11801

agreed and thanks for the clarification, yes the above listed companies are large and without a doubt have a qualified R&D staff.

I was speaking in the context of ampbuilders in our community, many are 1 to a just a few person operations that do not have the resources for an R&D staff.

The difference between amps and cables is vast.

For one, standard test equipment (e.g. oscilloscopes) are used and accepted as a valid means of testing them. Try to test a cable and there is wild-eyed handwaving about the illegitimacy of such tests and screams about the delicacy of one's ears. We have to take what they hear on pure faith and testimonials.

When the innards of such a product turn out to be ordinary house wiring inside a garden hose, people tend to doubt the claims and testimonials. With an amp, you can do a parts count. You can test it. Not to say every builder is on the level - there's one who charges premium prices for amps that clearly are not.

But testing is the acid test of any electronic product. Virtual Dynamics is welcome to share their R&D here, but choose not to. Draw your own conclusions. Most amp makers will rattle off their stats and talk about the circuit.

This is not so much a cost:benefit analysis of cables but a question of their legitimacy.