[Mediahound]

I notice that Cardas and Audioquest sell metal caps made to fit over unused RCA and XLR jacks on amps and DACs. Do these really improve anything? 
 
Cardas demos this in the below video but I'm not sure if it would even be something that would be audible in actual practice? Thoughts?
 
 

 

[prot]

Yes, they keep the dust out of your device .. and look nice
And you can buy em from ebay china for $1 a piece or less

 

[Mediahound]

How about sound? 

 

[prot]

Afaik, they do not sound

 

[Speedskater]

No, they don't do anything. If RFI interference wants to get inside an audio component, there are many easier paths. In fact the connector opening is so smallonly signals in the high giga-hertz range could get through.

 

[Ruben123]

As always I wonder... if the differences are so great and easy to make/solve, why dont manufacturers not use those devices them theirselves? Same as with "better" cables etc.: if the Sennheiser HD800 sounds really that much better with a custom cable, why dont Sennheiser not mass-make a *much* better cables themselves so that every HD800 is even better than with the regular cable?

 

[Mediahound]

  As always I wonder... if the differences are so great and easy to make/solve, why dont manufacturers not use those devices them theirselves? Same as with "better" cables etc.: if the Sennheiser HD800 sounds really that much better with a custom cable, why dont Sennheiser not mass-make a *much* better cables themselves so that every HD800 is even better than with the regular cable?

 
Some manufacturers do. My Burson Conductor for example came with rubber covers over all the RCA jacks. 

In terms of cabling, they don't make a signal better, just different. That difference may or may not sound better to each individual (and everyone hears differently). 

 

[Ruben123]

   
Some manufacturers do. My Burson Conductor for example came with rubber covers over all the RCA jacks. 

In terms of cabling, they don't make a signal better, just different. That difference may or may not sound better to each individual (and everyone hears differently). 

Should we agree that 2 good cables sound the same? Makes it a lot easier

 

[Mediahound]

  Should we agree that 2 good cables sound the same? Makes it a lot easier

Nope. 2 good cables with different impedances or materials can sound different.

 

[Ruben123]

 
Nope. 2 good cables with different impedances or materials can sound different.

A good cable has a low impedance.

 

[gregorio]

  if the Sennheiser HD800 sounds really that much better with a custom cable, why dont Sennheiser not mass-make a *much* better cables themselves so that every HD800 is even better than with the regular cable?

 
I suspect you already know the answer to that question. IE. They don't "REALLY" sound any different. A custom cable can create a perceived difference, as opposed to a "real" one, especially with the aid of some good marketing BS, a road Sennheiser has obviously chosen not to take.
 
G

 

[Ruben123]

   
I suspect you already know the answer to that question. IE. They don't "REALLY" sound any different. A custom cable can create a perceived difference, as opposed to a "real" one, especially with the aid of some good marketing BS, a road Sennheiser has obviously chosen not to take.
 
G

Indeed, was more of a retorical question

 

[Mediahound]

  A custom cable can create a perceived difference, as opposed to a "real" one, especially with the aid of some good marketing BS, a road Sennheiser has obviously chosen not to take.
 
G

You mean like this?;
 
http://en-us.sennheiser.com/ch-800-s?v4r
 
"High-quality materials such as oxygen-free copper and gold-plated contacts ensure the highest sound quality.
 
Silver coating of the strains minimizes resistance for sound transmission."

1.