Best AA batteries for sound quality
May 7, 2007 at 2:15 PM Post #47 of 97
While everyone (or most everyone) thinks that this question is outrageously funny it should be noted that there is not a shred more evidence or backup for cables sounding different than for batteries sounding different, yet one one type of claim is taken seriously while another is not. Think about it.
 
May 7, 2007 at 2:25 PM Post #48 of 97
I personally use a combination of one rechargable and one alkaline battery in my Tomahawk. It expands the soundstage as well as adding a little more gain...I can power a pair of 600ohm Beyer's with it now. For all those who are wondering which batteries to be exact, here they are:
Alkaline: Duracell Coppertop
Rechargable: MAHA POWEREX 1000MAH
 
May 7, 2007 at 3:10 PM Post #49 of 97
Quote:

Originally Posted by Buddha /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Talk to the experts ...

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...isplay.php?f=9

It seems they prefer eneloops for build quality and LSD (low self discharge) ... and lithiums for extra current.



I thought I was weird for hanging around here until I saw an entire forum devoted to batteries.
 
May 7, 2007 at 8:55 PM Post #50 of 97
Quote:

Originally Posted by Orcin /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I thought I was weird for hanging around here until I saw an entire forum devoted to batteries.


Dude, that's nothing...

http://www.idaho-potato-club.com/idaho-potato-forum/

We need to start a new thread. "Best potato for audiophiles..."
 
May 7, 2007 at 9:23 PM Post #51 of 97
Quote:

Originally Posted by ILikeMusic /img/forum/go_quote.gif
While everyone (or most everyone) thinks that this question is outrageously funny it should be noted that there is not a shred more evidence or backup for cables sounding different than for batteries sounding different, yet one one type of claim is taken seriously while another is not. Think about it.


An interesting point.

Cables do certainly make a difference. Makes sense really since different materials have different conductive properties. Having said that, what is good and what is snake oil is highly debateable. Ask people in the DIY forum who make cables from cheap silver coated copper wire they get cheap off eBay (I'm one of them) and they will tell you they sound just as good as £50 interconnects. Speaker cable is even worse.

I suppose you could say, when it comes to cables it's clear that some are rubbish, but once you get to a good cable it's a case of rapidly deminishing returns.

As for power, well... it's a harder one. As I said before, it's hard to justify a £100 power cord when it's the last 0.5m of a 100,000m circuit (0.000005%). Then again, you get power conditioners... but you could argue that, since the equipment manufacturers know what their product needs the most and have probably experimented with various configurations, the PSUs built in to descent audio equipment should be good enough for general mains use. My house is old and wiring in this town is crap, but I can't tell the difference between filtered and unfiltered mains. People will say I need a better amp and source but hay...

As an experiment I tried various different batteries out today with a cmoy (dual 9V). That's the only batter powered device I have, apart from an iPod. Long story short, I couldn't tell the difference between battery brands, only charge levels. The sound does change a bit as batteries are getting low and about to die, but before then it's constant. The cmoy is very raw in terms of power, basically there are only minimal power caps and nothing fancy.

ABX tests are the key I guess. Oh, and as for the iPod, I didn't really notice any difference as it's battery discharged. Maybe Li-ion is more consistant? Batteries don't tend to drop voltage linearly, it drops quickly, plateaus for most of the batteries life and then drops quickly again. I think Li-ion is more linear though.

I think the other big problem with batteries is going to be finding a brand that is consistantly good. Most manufacturers chop and change things regularly as chemical prices fluctuate, and many big brand batteries are just rebrands. It seems like long life batteries should be best.

Just wait, audiophile batteries will appear on the market soon
600smile.gif
 
May 8, 2007 at 4:43 PM Post #53 of 97
Quote:

Originally Posted by mojo /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Cables do certainly make a difference. Makes sense really since different materials have different conductive properties.

As an experiment I tried various different batteries out today with a cmoy (dual 9V). That's the only batter powered device I have, apart from an iPod. Long story short, I couldn't tell the difference between battery brands, only charge levels.


Try a test on cables now.

See ya
Steve
 
May 8, 2007 at 5:40 PM Post #54 of 97
I have tried different cables in the past. Going back now, I can still tell the difference between home made silver plated cables and cheap off-the-shelf cables. The difference is not huge but noticable. To be honest, the connectors and quality of the soldering probably have a lot to do with it.
 
May 9, 2007 at 7:20 AM Post #55 of 97
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Quote:

yet one type of claim is taken seriously


To polish that comment with a little more accuracy ~ In fact:

Those who have taken the time to sit down with their equipment in a setting where they had no idea which cable was being swapped in at any given moment - without any peeking or hints whatsoever - no longer believe in cables 'changing the sound'. Those who have not done so, continue to believe...


Andrew D.

Cdnav

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May 9, 2007 at 11:01 PM Post #56 of 97
SamNOISE: It's not quite that simple. Certainly, between "high end" cables there is no (perceptable) difference. At the bottom end though, a few quid spent on cables can make a difference. The cheap stuff is noticably worse.

We really are only talking a few quid though.

I bet most people can ABX cables. Try hooking up your speakers with some doorbell wire.
 
May 9, 2007 at 11:55 PM Post #57 of 97
Try hooking up your speakers with zip cord and see what you find out. I bet it will surprise you.

See ya
Steve
 
May 10, 2007 at 9:55 AM Post #59 of 97
I'd love to do an ABX test with cables, but organising one is hard. Anyone live in the UK, and care to try?

A group of forum users from one of the big audio forums (HeadFi, Hydrogen Audio etc) need to get together and do some serious, scientific ABX testing of things like cables, anti-vibration pads, headphone pads, portable DAPs, power cords, optical/co-axal SP/DIF, different CDPs and sources with optical out, even high bitrate MP3/OGG vs. CD/FLAC. Get a statisically valid number of audiophiles together, including those on either side of the argument. Put the issue to bed once and for all.

I'm surprised no-one has done it before. Then again, if it were ever proved, it would make a lot of HiFi manufacturers and magazines redundant.
 
May 10, 2007 at 4:53 PM Post #60 of 97
It has been done before... hundreds of times. Cable believers just don't like the results so they retreat to the subjective "I don't know about the people doing this test, but to my ears..." defense.

See ya
Steve
 
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