Lots of lookers so far but only 38 voters. Let's hear your opinions.

mbriant: I can't answer, because there's no option for "some/big difference - results vary with equipment".

jude: They still don't show that over here, but I liked it a lot, when I saw it in the US. Maybe Germany isn't prepared, yet, for these four women...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

Quote:



LOL! I was wondering what you were referring to, but then scrolled up to see my post! Yes, it's a funny show. The episode I was referring to was one of the first ones of this most recent season, and it had me on the floor laughing.

Well, with only 20 % of members voting so far, it appears the believers are the majority by a big margain.

I'm wondering whether the "not sure/undecided" crowd is fence sitting because they've never tried to compare or because they want to believe but still aren't quite convinced?

I personally believe that only crappy interconnects/speakerwire will make a difference.

If something isn't shielded, then it can let buzz in, for example, or it is put together poorly, it will sound worse, but if you use a good basic design and block out the interference you won't hear a difference.

If I ever hear a noticible difference, I will be the first person to speak up. I usually don't hear differences in transparency very well compared to how some of you can, but that will come with experience with a variety of equipment.

One last bump in case any of the new members missed it.

Switching from Ixos 104s to VDH D-102 IIIs has definately made a big difference.

For the not yet converted

In my experience, cables play a major role in sound quality. To me, they are like any other component in your system (they even require break in time). Different manufacturers have different sounds, and you need to find out the sound that is right for you. I think that there is a clear difference between cables in the >$20 bracket to the >$100 bracket to the >$500 bracket. I don't even want to consider the ones over $1000 right now.

For me, hearing that difference every time when certain transitions were made, how certain notes bloom, attack, or decay all because I changed a cable from my pre amp to amp, really makes me take notice. I did A/B tests for hours and on all of the recordings it was undeniable. At a certain point I knew which ones I preferred, but I have these trial cables, might as well test away.

You owe it to yourself to listen to several genres of music and hear the difference that a cable can make, especially if you have invested a bit of money into your system. Just think of the time that you invest when you sit down to listen.

Off the top of my head
I think that the Kimber PBJ is a great <$60 cable
above that has to be Harmonic Technology Prosilway2 <$300
You may be able to get each at half off at audiogon

I think that these are really good. I have read some sales stuff saying that your cables should cost at least 10% of what your system costs. I think that that should be higher in headphones because it seems a lot less expensive to get a top notch cans set up than a full blown home set up.

As far as sound goes, I think that the source is most important, the front end, because as the theory goes trash in trash out; then speakers/headphones, then pre amp, then amp, then cables.

So, yes, I think interconnects are important.

al

Completely agreed, souporhero. I'm actually getting a review ready for a few DIY cables right now. But you mentioned that you liked the HT ProSilway 2. Think you could describe it's sound?

Has anyone performed an experiment where they use one cheap interconnect for one channel and one expensive interconnect for the other, then play music in mono? I'm guessing that any difference would be apparent just by turning the balance knob. Would an experiment like that be an effective test? I know that the 'totality of system quality' considerations apply (i.e. you can't make a walkman sound like a serious amp).

I may try something similar with a Clou cable just to see if it is worth the money.

Everything sounds fine to me
Ponzio

Very interesting suggestion ponzio.

Of course, perceived changes in soundstage wouldn't be possible, but for things like frequency response, it could very well be a meaningful test.

I voted - big difference. I posted a review of my new cables earlier today.

I just did ponzio's suggestion with a really crappy freebie cable and another crappy cable (ratshack gold)... what I found was interesting...

First off, I ripped a track (princess mononoke track 12) into 320kbps LAME mono. Hooked up the freebie cable as the left and the ratshack into the right.

Now my tests were done on the basis of centering... anyways, I found this freebie cable to be pretty good in comparison to the ratshacks. Actually I could hear a few midbass notes on the freebies where I couldn't on the ratshacks. Though the ratshacks seem to win out in the midrange. The ratshacks are slightly smoother too. This would concidide with my vote of 'small difference'.

quote:

"Now my tests were done on the basis of centering"

I'm not sure what you meant by this.

To do the test fairly, you would also have to swap the left right cables to allow for any difference between amp channels.

Then also, you'd have to listen to both combinations again with the headphones reversed on your head to allow for any differences in your left and right hearing and differences in left and right headphone.

So essentially you'd have to do a combination of 4 different listens.....Cable A on left channel + Cable B on right channel...then comparing with phones on normal then reversed.

Then Cable A on right channel + Cable B on left channel and again phones worn normal then reversed.

To make it really valid, you'd have to have someone else helping you to do random switching of cables so your weren't influenced by any preconception.

Confusing, isn't it?

Best option to test out the I/C IMO is to.......
Get two similar setup with only the I/C that is different.
That way you get the best shootout.

Anyhow anyone have any good IC to reccomend?
Budget ~USD$100
Have a couple options currently:
Kimber PBJ
MIT Terminator 2 or 3
Van Den Hul D102 MK3
QED Silver Spiral
Nordorst Blue Heaven

Any1 have any opinion?
Check my profile for my humble little setup.

PS: Will like to have an IC with the following characteristics:
Fast, more bass

Or feel free to comment or add-on to the list.
Thanks.

Anders