Mini to mini cables...any difference?

[stevenkelby]

Originally Posted by pharmrodant

If there really isn't hardly much of a sound difference in the cheap mini-to-mini cable compared to the expensive ones, why do people pay huge amount of money to get barely any sound significance at all? You can't tell me that they will pay 20x the amount just for the bling?

David

Well, it's about scale. If you can't hear any difference between anything, like some people here, then there is never going to be a point. But some people have amazing rigs and fantastic hearing, and to them the improvements in a good cable are huge.

[bigshot]

Originally Posted by pharmrodant

If there really isn't hardly much of a sound difference in the cheap mini-to-mini cable compared to the expensive ones, why do people pay huge amount of money to get barely any sound significance at all? You can't tell me that they will pay 20x the amount just for the bling?

The factor you're missing is the ego... Some people have a lot invested in being able to hear better than the average human being, and they think that the outrageous money they spent on their stereo equipment means that they somehow have "refined tastes" above those of other people.

Another factor is OCD. Salesmen play on fear. A lot of people are afraid that something they don't know about might be affecting the sound in a way they aren't aware of. They go down the road of overkill. Salesmen love to point to charts and diagrams and try to convince you that jitter is something you should be worried about and spend money on correcting. But the problems they are solving are inaudible, and the corrections are totally unnecessary. People may not be totally logical, but they are predictable.

The truth is, great sounding systems can be put together at just about any price point. Aside from the speakers and headphones, a lot of money is not necessary to get great sound. It takes a logical thought process to put together the right pieces into a great sounding and efficiently operating whole.

"Golden Ears" are a myth. Money doesn't necessarily buy you a "revealing" system. An insignificant difference is an insignificant difference. Anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to sell you something or has convinced himself that he can hear something he really can't.

See ya
Steve

[1Time]

Originally Posted by bigshot

It takes a logical thought process to put together the right pieces into a great sounding and efficiently operating whole.

Hmmm.... seems it would be easier to just post here at Head-Fi and ask for suggestions or recommendations. You know, the no need to recreate the wheel approach.

[bigshot]

It doesn't work that way. It's just as counter productive to hope that other people are going to tell you how to put together a system as it is to expect that money will automatically buy good sound.

Figuring out how things work is part of the fun. And how components work with other components is part of the trick. You can't just go out and say, "What's the best amp?" It all depends on your speakers, the room and the rest of your equipment.

Advice is good up to a point, but it's no substitute for understanding the problem and addressing it yourself. Besides, this is the internet. Not all opinions are created equal. Would you trust a chat board for legal or medical advice?

I think if there really was a person who actually took all the advice offered on this board, he would need a Hummer to cart around his portable rig, a turntable plinth the size of Mount Rushmore and the gross national budget of all the western nations combined. He'd have 5000 headphones for his two ears and wires as thick as your arm connecting them all.

See ya
Steve

[1Time]

Better yet, it seems to me the use of logic AND advice offered here at Head-Fi can net an efficient yet great sounding system. Of course "great sounding" would be in the ears of the beholder.

[883dave]

Originally Posted by pharmrodant

Is there really any sound difference in the cables that cost $5 to the ones that cost $90? Will I tell a difference?


David

Why not get a few different cables (from companies that offer money back), put them in your system.
Then start a thread with your impressions

[mrarroyo]

Originally Posted by 1Time

Could you please offer a quantitaive perspective on the subjective difference these cables made in your comparisons. For example, if you rate the Cryo Silver as a 100, how much would you rate the DIY by Fitz? And how would you rate other less expensive mini connects like the cheap ones that are quite common? Thanks

I have sold, returned, or given away all my cables but three. RAL, Turbo, and Fitz. I will not do rankings of gear I haven't heard in months or years. If was to rank them based on your scale I would say:

RAL = 100
Fitz = 95
Turbo = 87: Note: The IC from Turbo is over 2 years old, he has developed other ICs since which may be better.

I'd like to know what "sweetness" sounds like.

I could go into an explanation of why chose that word instead of the more commonly associated with audio. However I would be wasting my time since you are not a believer and instead you choose every opportunity to attempt to discredit other peoples opinion or thoughts.

For those who want to experiment, go out and buy or borrow ICs and listen for yourself. You may find that a free IC or a $10 one is fine and you can not hear an improvement w/ more expensive cables. If so be happy.

Or you may find that a $100 does sound better than a $20 one, but you do not consider the improvement in sound to be worth $80 and go with the $20 IC. Your call with your own gear and ears, thus a good call.

Or you find that indeed a $150 is the best for you and you have the money and get it. Also a good call because is based on what you heard not on what someone else told you.

No one is right or wrong whey they audition a piece of gear and choose it over another. What is wrong is when some members act like a butthole and use every opportunity to shoot down the ideas presented by others, specially when there is no way anyone can hear what someone else does. So the only suggestion I can truly make is to go and test various ICs and choose the one that sounds best to you and is in your budget.

[classicalguy]

I know that really crappy cables and connectors can harm the sound in a very audible way. I don't know if super-cables sound better than a plain proper cable. But ROI must be very very low.

[dazzer1975]

The ibasso mini to mini costs around $25 for anyone unsure as to even IF there is a sound diference between cables, and certainly those that doubt there is one using protable gear, get that mini-mini, hook it up any which way you choose and a/b it with a copper cable and I defy anyone to not hear a difference.

The next stage, would be determine what sound you prefer from what cable, but if you can't hear a difference between the ibasso silver plated copper cable and a normal copper cable then there is something wrong somewhere.

[noseallinit]

Originally Posted by dazzer1975

The next stage, would be determine what sound you prefer from what cable, but if you can't hear a difference between the ibasso silver plated copper cable and a normal copper cable then there is something wrong somewhere.

this is where I am at and could really use some help. wondering which company and wire to go with to give me best results if at all possible.

I already have one old model Ear Candy that I like the way it is built and the assortment of cables offered in this line. the Ear Candy V2 is out and Cable Pro says I will enjoy the difference in the two. orignally I had planned to stick with this line because all I need is an RCA to mini but I am wondering now if I could benefit from another cable make. as an extra to an amp sale I received a Moon Audio Black Dragon. from the couple of times I have swapped the two out I have not been able to tell any difference. I could tell a bit of difference from when I went from the Cardas HPI to Ear Candy. I have done other interconnect and speaker wire upgrades from much lower in the Monster line that I could easily tell a difference in the upgrade.

I have the Grado RS1's and recently just upgraded to the Ultra Micro Amp. I can easily say the Grado RS1's was the upgrade that made the most difference and I am really enjoying them. sometimes this setup seems just a bit bright or sterile to me. it really depends on the recording. I'm thinking I want to try an interconnect that will add warmth and coloring.

I am the user that would engage the loudness button on me old NAD at low volume listening. on me new NAD w/out loudness button I tend to crank up the bass and treble much more at low volumes. at higher volumes loudness is disengaged and tone controls close to neutral.