[olblueyez]

Sorry Nick, that sounds terrible, I know your a decent fellow, I should have said im not willing to use this for a few weeks.

 

[KevM2]

As has been said before, some of these cable manufacturers have a 30 day return policy, so it's up to you to audition them and get your money back if you aren't pleased with them. If you ask nicely enough, they may just allow you to audition them without 'purchasing' them first. To be honest, I don't really have a desire to record music and run it through a spectrum analyzer or whatever elaborate process will convince people that I'm not fibbing, especially when there's an option to test with your own ears for basically the cost of shipping and a 'hold' on your funds if you don't like them.

The difference in sound quality between interconnects is definitely noticeable to my ears. Will it be as mindblowing as jumping up to some expensive new amp? Probably not. Anyhow, the biggest difference in sound will come from going from one metal to another. Try silver if you have copper and vice versa. Copper is heavier sounding (more focus on bass), with everything having more weight. Silver is generally leaner and faster with more of a treble focus.

Now, I'm not here to win converts and to sway the unswayable and lead the flock into the land of interconnect bliss. I'm just posting impressions based upon my own experience. If you want to do a cheap test, although they are not interconnects, you can experience the difference of a cable's effect on sound. If you have an HD600 or HD650, order the other cable for your phones. For example, if you have HD600, order the 650 cables. If you can notice the difference in sound quality between the two relatively cheap cables, then that'll give you some hint of what cabling can do. If you can't, you might as well just not worry about it and just keep your money in your pocket.

 

[olblueyez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevM2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif As has been said before, some of these cable manufacturers have a 30 day return policy, so it's up to you to audition them and get your money back if you aren't pleased with them. If you ask nicely enough, they may just allow you to audition them without 'purchasing' them first. To be honest, I don't really have a desire to record music and run it through a spectrum analyzer or whatever elaborate process will convince people that I'm not fibbing, especially when there's an option to test with your own ears for basically the cost of shipping and a 'hold' on your funds if you don't like them. The difference in sound quality between interconnects is definitely noticeable to my ears. Will it be as mindblowing as jumping up to some expensive new amp? Probably not. Anyhow, the biggest difference in sound will come from going from one metal to another. Try silver if you have copper and vice versa. Copper is heavier sounding (more focus on bass), with everything having more weight. Silver is generally leaner and faster with more of a treble focus. Now, I'm not here to win converts and to sway the unswayable and lead the flock into the land of interconnect bliss. I'm just posting impressions based upon my own experience. If you want to do a cheap test, although they are not interconnects, you can experience the difference of a cable's effect on sound. If you have an HD600 or HD650, order the other cable for your phones. For example, if you have HD600, order the 650 cables. If you can notice the difference in sound quality between the two relatively cheap cables, then that'll give you some hint of what cabling can do. If you can't, you might as well just not worry about it and just keep your money in your pocket.

Good point, if you have a 200 dollar amp then please dont spend 200 on cables. Save that cable money for a new amp that will fully utillize a 200 dollar interconnect or headphone cable.

 

[KevM2]

The good thing about cables is that you can always reuse them on your next system. I would say they are good at adding some finishing touches on the sound. My cable combination (Equinox and Excaliber) was critical in eliminating the traces of that heavy, somewhat muddy sound often talked about with Sennheisers ("the veil").

I often hear that people should upgrade the cables as a sort of last resort... only when they absolutely have nothing else to upgrade. My opinion slightly differs from that line of thinking. I'd say that it'd be wise for someone to experiment with a cable upgrade after he has purchased a decent source and amp as opposed to shuffling through amp after expensive amp. Key word here being decent. It's worthless to spend crazy amounts of money buying cables when you have a lackluster amp. However, once you get something decent, then cabling is something to look into. The reasoning behind this is that people need to really see what they have in an amp and a source before deciding to spend 600 to 1,000 dollars getting a new one. Proper cabling can bring out sound that you never even though was possible from your sound system.

My cabling combination eliminated much, if not all of that sleepy, overly polite sound that the Sennheisers have a reputation for. It made music much more lively and engaging by getting rid of those recessed vocals as well as adding overall impact to the sound. Also, as stated before, whenever I do decide to get a new amp, I can always reuse the cables and make sure I'm hearing the most out of my system.

Before interconnects, I'd recommend a headphone cable upgrade, especially for the Sennheiser 6XX series, since those make a more noticeable improvement than interconnects. Equinox is very noticeable. In terms of how much of an improvement cabling can make, it's all relative. For some, they will say it's major because the cable added whatever element they required, while others will say it's subtle. The only way to really know is by trying yourself. As said before, a lot of these cable sellers have 30 day return guarantees. Me posting graphs, bar charts and pie graphs won't do anything to tell you if a cable upgrade is worth the money, just as looking at graphs won't tell you if a certain headphone is for you. The ultimate decider should be your own two ears.

 

[KevM2]

This is a very good link 'reviewing' interconnects and power cables.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f22/jp...-review-13785/

This is a guy who was also skeptical and felt 'a wire is a wire,' until he got his hands on some different cables.

Here is also the forum for reviews of tons of cables
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f22/

 

[Vandal]

I'd say that cabling does affect sound. But the difference noticed will vary depending on the quality difference between the cables. For example I moved from a cheap RCA interconnect to a more decent OFC interconnect with neutrik connects and definitely noticed a difference - I had been using my A900 at the time on the LD MT amp and noticed that the highs weren't as unfocussed as they used to be straight off.

But the difference in sound between top quality interconnects will be more subtle and probably also depend on ones ears.

 

[Currawong]

nick_charles: While I appreciate the idea of your experiment, frequency response differences wont indicate why some cables allow more detail in music to be revealed, and some less.

Possibly what's needed is a measurement of frequency of frequency changes when different cables are plugged in, with the same music.

Interestingly, a friend of mine is a manager in a well established and highly reputed hi-fi store. He regularly bets wealthy cynical customers $500 that there is a difference between cables. He has never lost in the years he's been there.

 

[nick_charles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by olblueyez /img/forum/go_quote.gif [Why do you think Skylab wont write about amps he hasnt had a chance take home and spend time with?

What has that got to do with this ? . I have not once here said that cables cannot not make an audible difference. I have admitted a level of skepticism and have asked repeatedly for *good* evidence for this proposition.

Since you asked me about my cables and I was perfectly honest about them it is only fair that you return the compliment and tell me what cables you use.

 

[nick_charles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Currawong /img/forum/go_quote.gif nick_charles: While I appreciate the idea of your experiment, frequency response differences wont indicate why some cables allow more detail in music to be revealed, and some less.

Then how does one operationalize detail ? If it is not an accurate rendering of the frequencies and intensities in the recording I am not quite sure what else it could be ?


Quote:

Possibly what's needed is a measurement of frequency of frequency changes when different cables are plugged in, with the same music.

Sorry I will have to ask you to explain this. A cable has a certain frequency response that is measurable and as far as I am aware under a given set of circumstances quite consistent. Unless there is bizarre impedance matching issues with the amp (such as some NAIMs) the behavior will be consistent.

 

[nick_charles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by olblueyez /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sorry Nick, that sounds terrible, I know your a decent fellow, I should have said im not willing to use this for a few weeks.

You are not being very open minded here

 

[olblueyez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nick_charles /img/forum/go_quote.gif Then how does one operationalize detail ? If it is not an accurate rendering of the frequencies and intensities in the recording I am not quite sure what else it could be ? Sorry I will have to ask you to explain this. A cable has a certain frequency response that is measurable and as far as I am aware under a given set of circumstances quite consistent. Unless there is bizarre impedance matching issues with the amp (such as some NAIMs) the behavior will be consistent.

Using your ears has always been the answer.

 

[nick_charles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by olblueyez /img/forum/go_quote.gif Using your ears has always been the answer.

But what does more or less detailed mean ?. It just seems like a vague statement that cannot be the same for any two persons.

If you say cable A is more detailed than cable B but somebody else with equivalent hearing and experience says the opposite is true then where does that leave us ?

PS what cables do you use ?

 

[mark_h]

I went from Cambridge Audio to Stereovox to Nordost each one different from its predecessor, with the move from the Cambridge Audio to the Stereovox being the most significant difference. The Stereovox was compellingly musical, the Nordost more revealing, things of a cognitive, philosophical nature not a scientific one. I am frugal and do not squander money on anything other than records, if I could not differentiate between the cables I would not have changed them. I actually miss the Stereovox. I would be willing to take a DBT between them all though I am skeptical of its validity. The experience of music defies scientific explanation beyond the basics, as does the experience of art.

I need to add, that between the three the most expensive was not my preferred cable, I thought it was but made the wrong choice. There is something I miss from the Stereovox the Nordost doesn't have? But this is a realization that has occurred slowly, over several weeks and not a A/Bing thing, I can only describe it as the familiarity one develops of a music collection is changed and the subtle differences are chanced upon, not deliberately sought.

 

[olblueyez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nick_charles /img/forum/go_quote.gif But what does more or less detailed mean ?. It just seems like a vague statement that cannot be the same for any two persons. If you say cable A is more detailed than cable B but somebody else with equivalent hearing and experience says the opposite is true then where does that leave us ? PS what cables do you use ?

It means you can listen to "Sinatra Live at the Sands" and hear silverware tapping a plate in the background during the monologue. Not something you will hear with an iPod or a low end amp. A nicer cable can make the music much more resolute.

 

[nick_charles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by olblueyez /img/forum/go_quote.gif It means you can listen to "Sinatra Live at the Sands" and hear silverware tapping a plate in the background during the monologue. Not something you will hear with an iPod or a low end amp. A nicer cable can make the music much more resolute.

Okay, so it allows you to hear low level details that other cables might obscure through noise or attenuation.