Blue Jeans Cables - decent inexpensive choice? - Page 3

...with reference to what? An alteration has to have a reference -- but the only reference I see in your example is that these two cables sound relatively similar to each other, while the Cardas sounds more «audiophile», with reference to the other two cables. How can you draw conclusions on neutrality on this basis?


...altering the sound compared to what? No cable?

I strongly suspect that the cable which shows the largest differences among different sources will at least preserve the most detail and thus have the highest accuracy and resolution. But from your description I guess that's not exactly what you mean. -- I'm confused.
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This is a bungled thread. I have set the control cable to be my Blue Jeans Cable Stereo RCA for interconnects. I have set my control A/C cable to be a regular 18AWG computer power cord. I have also chosen to establish my Cardas Golden Reference A/C and Interconnects to be my experimental cables. When I switch between the BJC and Monster, I hear about the same degree of resolution and accuracy. However, when I hook up my Cardas Golden Reference A/C and Interconnects, my listening results confirm that there is added warmth, harmonic bloom, greater smoothness and longer note decay. So which is neutral and accurate and which is not? My informal A-B listening tests make me conclude that the BJC are neutral and transparent. It is accurate to the source material because it lacks the colorations that I have repeatedly pointed out to you which are inherently present with the Cardas Golden Reference cables. It may lack a bit of resolution, but it does not add coloration as a result either. This is what I have been trying to express as my listening results. It has been replicated many times over with my other source components such as my Panasonic DV-RP82, LiteOn DVD-Recorder, and my reference system.

I realize that we live in two different countries in different time zones and even different continents, but I am striving as best as I can to get my consistent point across. This is not a double blind A-B-X test, that I realize, but at this point my best suggestion for you to understand fully what I am trying to describe is to purchase a 1 meter pair of both Blue Jeans Cable Stereo RCAs using the Belden 1505F and Canare RCAP terminations and Cardas Golden Reference Interconnects with the single ended RCA terminations as well as the Cardas Golden Reference Power cord for the electrical outlets used in your country. I simply do not know any other angle with which to clarify my subjective observations to you in this regard. Sorry.

appar111 I placed an order for the RCA to RCA IC and they just came in the mail today. They appear to very high quality. I am very surprised at their speedy turnaround time. I'm just waiting on my PPX slam before I can test them out. For $35 I really don't think you can go wrong. Good luck.

So I'm kind of glad I've bungled it... Just because a component *subjectively* creates a relatively neutral characteristic in a specific configuration isn't justification enough for considering it neutral per se. BTW, I don't think that any cable really can be neutral, just as little as any other electronics component can. Of course some are more colored than others, but apart from sound transducers it's hard to judge neutrality if you have to use real-world sound transducers for monitoring (with their susceptibility to synergies). -- It doesn't matter that the manufacturer itself calls the Blue-Jeans cables neutral and at the same time the «high-end cables» colored.
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one more thumbs up for blue jeans cable. i bought their belden 89259 rca interconnect years ago. their price is not much higher than if i were to diy!

belden cables are no non-sense, no bullshiet, anti snake oil cables. they publish their technical specs. do "audiophile" cable manufacturer publish their cable's specs? there are a few but most don't...

If neutrality equates to a flat tonal balance, this is an aspect that can be measured... and to my knowledge, nearly all cables are perfectly neutral from 20Hz to 20 KHz. In fact, I have my doubts that a cable can be non-neutral, unless some electronics are inserted inside.

As far as hearing, of course anything can be subjectively non-neutral. A headache or case of gas can affect this. Doesn't necessarily say anything worthwhile about the cable though, so much as its owner.

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I don’t want to spoil the friendly debate, but I also heartily endorse Blue Jeans Cable. Quality Belden cables with published performance specs constructed in a Belden-certified environment for very reasonable prices. I use their 1800F cable for AES/XLR digital, their 1694A for digital coaxial, their 1505F for analog interconnects and their DVI/HDMI cable. In fact, ever cable in my hi-fi and home theater systems (RF 1694A, RG-6, S-Video, subwoofer cable, etc.) is now Blue Jeans, simply because I trust their craftsmanship, I trust Belden specs and the cables are very affordable and sound great. I know this recommendation sounds like a commercial, but discovering BJC was a blessing because I no longer bother with any boutique cabling of any kind – they even made me a custom K1000 cable (Belden 1509C) for under $30 and it sounds great compared to my homemade Canare, Stefan AA Equinox and Wyvern Audio K1000 cables!

P.S. I love how they post cable FAQs and take the time to answer long custom cable requests (and back it up with answers based on real analysis).