Cafe Sceptico: The Objectivist Cafe - Page 27

Can't stand having anything stuck in my ears. It's headphones or nophones for me.

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I actually LIKE the feeling of things in my ear. Sick, I know, but I got used to sleeping with "classic" 3M orange earplugs.

Which is is probably why I ended up with Wax Deafness...

Innerfidelity has a new article about cables - it's an okay read, but I wish Tyll would take a firm position. Somebody with the equipment and know-how needs to do a thorough test that cannot be disputed. I don't care who is right to be honest.
 

What do you want to measure? Small placement changes of the headphones can cause huge changes compared to what cables do...

Quote:

Originally Posted by xnor 

What do you want to measure? Small placement changes of the headphones can cause huge changes compared to what cables do...

Why should anyone measure via the headphones? The ideal cable just has the same signal come out of it as goes in - surely this is a meter test?

Quote:

Originally Posted by scuttle 

 

Why should anyone measure via the headphones? The ideal cable just has the same signal come out of it as goes in - surely this is a meter test?

Because people talk about synergy with cable X and headphone Y. "Got a warm headphone and want more treble detail? Get a bright silver cable!" and such nonsense..

Audiophiles will complain that you're not measuring the whole chain if you just measure the cables. But then again, they will also say that there's something going on that eludes science, something that cannot be measured..... it must be the cable fairy (the voice in your head saying: "hey, this cable was **** expensive, it has to sound better").

But anyway, my main point was that even if you could show that a cable adds .5 dB here and there it won't matter much. Placement changes. Earpads wear out. Pressure from the headband can also change over time. And so on..

My best mini to mini from Ventura Craft luxury audio cable to date :

Source : AK 100 fad loaner
Amp : pico power
Headphone : LCD 2 rev 3
Cable : LCD 2 rev 3 use stock cable LCD 2 rev 1
Adapter 6,3 mm to mini DIY
Mini to mini use Ventura craft luxury audio cable
SQ : because of my best mini to mini from Ventura craft , SQ improve significant , more detail , more impact
Clarity increase , better bass impact , this is my best mini to mini to date .




Edited by rudi0504 - 4/17/13 at 3:50pm

Have a laugh at this one. It drives me nuts reading stuff like this.

Just a thought, is the ideal cable really having the same signal go out as that which came in? There are people who like pairing cables with cans, and if they want a cable that makes something brighter or warmer or whatever, they obviously aren't on a hunt for a cable in which the signal on the out end matches the signal on the in end. They are looking for a very long analog equalizer to connect their cans with their amp. 

I'm pretty sure that any effects that would come from the cable is much better achieved just with an equalizer, but I think some can + cable pairings might have some merit (in the sense that you can tweak sound by changing the cable, not in the sense that it actually makes sense to do so). 

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThinkAwesome 

Just a thought, is the ideal cable really having the same signal go out as that which came in? 

Ideal or not, unless they are very long, that's what all cables do.

Yes, that's what they are looking for.  They won't really find it, but they think they will/have.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThinkAwesome 

 

I'm pretty sure that any effects that would come from the cable is much better achieved just with an equalizer, but I think some can + cable pairings might have some merit (in the sense that you can tweak sound by changing the cable, not in the sense that it actually makes sense to do so). 

Can + cable pairings is, IMHO, is a ridiculous concept.  You spend a ton of money on a new cable that makes little if any real difference, then if you don't like it, you go find another expensive cable.  There is SO much more that can be done with even the most basic equalizer. The problem with using an equalizer to make the same change that a cable would is that the cable change is so tiny (if it exists at all) that you will have trouble making an equalization adjustment that small.  The problem is, equalizers are "bad", they are a processor, a DSP that chops your audio up into tiny slices, or a distortion-ridden active circuit, whatever, and wow that's all just horrible.  But a piece of expensive cable is created by elvin cable-wrights that make wire out of mithril plated silver laced with magic pixie dust, and that's always worth paying for.  

Or not, if you are realistic. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by doublea71 

My best mini to mini from Ventura Craft luxury audio cable to date

Well, dunno about those cables (and their $165 7Nclass 30pin Digital Short Cable). But their Go-Dap GD-03 ($20 + free shipping at the time of this post) certainly looks interesting if you have an iPhone3GS... it's a crazy world.

I bought one of those Go-Daps. I use it with my 3G Touch and I like it a lot. It's a neat toy for $20.