A stimulating read about cables (at least I thought so)

Hey headfi,

I hope no-one has posted this before, but I found it to be a really interesting read. I post this not to start a war of the zealots and im pushing no agenda here (people are more than welcome to disagree with this kind of thing) but because I found it interesting and well presented.

If opening with a thread like this is bad craic then I apologise in advance.

Let me know what you think guys, hopefully you will find it stimulating (if you don't agree with what he says, it might help you clarify your thoughts about why you don't agree).  

Happy reading

http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm

Well, I think his comments about the troubles of not being able to immediately A/B cables in most cases are quite accurate. Without an immediate method of switching it must be very hard to get an accurate impression of the difference. 

Perhaps more telling is that James Randi is offering $1 million to anyone who in blind tests can accurately distinguish 'audiophile cables' from monster cable. Obviously according to the McIntosh article the only way this would make a difference is if the lengths and gauges were different. So far no-one has claimed this prize which seems odd given that many cables are being reviewed as a night and day difference. 

I tell you, if I thought I could tell the difference I would be on the phone right now and id make myself a rich man. It really does strike me as odd that out of all the audio reviewers and consumers no-one has taken him up. If a headfier here is sure they can distinguish they should get on the blower. You could buy ALOT of sweet gear with that $1 mil. 

I'm still not angling to begin a war here but I would be interested to hear the opinions of cable supporters as to why Randi has not been taken up on his deal. 

Im glad you found the article interesting

A link to a news report about the offer - http://gizmodo.com/305549/james-randi-offers-1-million-if-audiophiles-can-prove-7250-speaker-cables-are-better

Not so - http://gizmodo.com/315250/pear-cable-chickens-out-of-1000000-challenge-we-search-for-answers

Randi was unwilling to let Framer use his cables (as they could have been tampered with). But then pear audio pulled out of supplying their own $7000+ speaker cable. Both Randi and Framer were game

exerts - 

Although it was Fremer's challenge to Randi, it was Blake who first announced it and agreed to provide the Pear Anjou cables for the test. And it was Blake who withdrew from the testing. Randi still invites Blake to provide his Pear Anjou cables for the test. He said, "It's all up to him [Adam Blake]. I'm 100% willing, always have been. I did not say that I was backing out. He could be saying that I'm backing out of it. No. It was very evident from the nature of the withdrawal of the Pear Anjou manufacturers, that they weren't going to provide the cables. I'm damned if I'm going to buy the cables. And Fremer says that he wasn't willing to, either. He wanted to borrow them."

As it stands now, both Michael Fremer and James Randi are still willing to perform the double-blind testing if they can be loaned a pair of Pear Anjou cables

Fremer said he felt he had been left in the lurch by Pear Cable, especially since he and Randi were both still willing to test the cables. Fremer told Gizmodo, "When the guy [Adam Blake] backed out—and I don't know him from a hole in the wall—I said, 'Why are you backing out? It's going to make you look bad.'"

No need to loose respect for anyone but pear cables as a consequence of these events.

Notes to readers - the original link is not related to the Randi fiasco and still comes highly recommended.