[ServinginEcuador]

Quote:

Originally posted by RobertR ok then how about a blindfold listening test in which the same cable is used but one has the insukation stripped off

DBT free zone here on Head-Fi. While it sounds like a good idea, I don't agree with it. Far too often the pressure of figuring out whether or not the evaluator actually made any changes or not causes people to freeze up. A more relaxed environment where they would change cables, even between 3 or so, to see if someone could pick up any differences would be agreeable. Knowing that this was cable 1, 2, or 3 would help you keep track of how they sounded different. I use the same piece of music and go through it taking notes on everything I can hear, placement of instrument, realism of instruments, cohesiveness, strigency, etc. Once I have listened to it enough to get an idea of how it sounds, I then change over to anothe rcable and repeat the process ASAP. This eliminates certain parts of subjectivity, but can never remove it.

 

[Chops]

I'm telling you, if you want to go cheap, (price wise that is), get some Magwire Nakeds. You won't be dissapointed.

 

[Ctn]

Quote:

Originally posted by meat01 Of course the majority is going to say there is a difference, this is the cable forum. I believe you have to have a high end system to notice a difference and biggest difference is between a really crappy non sheilded cable and any decent cable that is shielded.

Exactely.

 

[dudlew]

If you cant here the difference between at least generic crap and a good quality interconnect, then your ears are full of wax or your system should only be used for listening to am radio!!!!

seriously though in my system and in my brother's system i hear the difference in cables easy enough, so I voted in that vein

 

[kwkarth]

Absolutely, there is a diference. You don't have to spend a bundle to get something good.
http://www.outlawaudio.com//products/cables_specs.html

 

[Ctn]

Quote:

Originally posted by dudlew If you cant here the difference between at least generic crap and a good quality interconnect, then your ears are full of wax or your system should only be used for listening to am radio!!!! seriously though in my system and in my brother's system i hear the difference in cables easy enough, so I voted in that vein

I agree if you are comparing a cable that comes free/rat shack/etc and say good quality $25 cables. Big difference there.

But, there isnt much difference from $25 cables and uber expensive cables.

 

[Gallaine]

I don't have any "scientific" testing to backup my belief that cables do make an audible difference. So, I can only say that IME, in my system I've heard not so subtle differences when auditioning various wire.

I agree with fewtch that, at least to some extent, pyschological factors play a role in our perception of how something "sounds". That should be evident just reading random posts in these very forums and noting the subtle, and not so subtle, differences in how head-fiers describe the same component; or even in the disagreements about what sounds "good" e.g. forward, laid-back, dark, bright. I suppose you could argue that those apparent differences are merely a matter of non-standard vocabulary and varying degrees of communication skills. But even then I think there are fundamental differences in how each of us perceive sound based, as fewtch suggested, on emotional state, age, etc.

 

[NotoriousBIG_PJ]

One day I was listening to my system and thought, this sounds pretty ****ty, the smoothness is not there like I remember it, sounds well grainy. Then the next day I noticed, I had hooked up my stock interconnects and forgot to take them off! I replaced them with my diy ic's and problem solved.

Biggie.

 

[Sean H]

Quote:

Originally posted by Gallaine I agree with fewtch that, at least to some extent, pyschological factors play a role in our perception of how something "sounds". That should be evident just reading random posts in these very forums and noting the subtle, and not so subtle, differences in how head-fiers describe the same component; or even in the disagreements about what sounds "good" e.g. forward, laid-back, dark, bright. I suppose you could argue that those apparent differences are merely a matter of non-standard vocabulary and varying degrees of communication skills. But even then I think there are fundamental differences in how each of us perceive sound based, as fewtch suggested, on emotional state, age, etc.

Yes, I would definitely agree with this too.

 

[dd3mon]

As a most basic of test - something actually repeatable - put a super-cheap cable in a noise-heavy environment (ie: my dorm rom). Turn up volume on amp. You hear noise. Replace that cable with anything better - you hear obviously less noise. Replace that cable with a really good cable (eg: my VD Reference) - you hear nothing.

-dd3mon

 

[Ebonyks]

Anyone who doesn't believe in cables just hasn't heard the right ones, IMHO. I'll be the first to admit that the cable industry is filled with plenty of snake oil and bad gimmicks, however, there's no doubt in my mind that cables influence the sound of a system

 

[Sovkiller]

IME and IMO it is true to certain degree, from certain quality on, or from this point on, or is extremelly hard to notice the difference or is all in your head, but if you are happy believing that, is all that matters, enjoy them.....I notice the improvement form my crappy factory ones to the ARs I have now, I have tried some others and no difference was really noticed, maybe is the sytem, maybe are my ears, or maybe is true that is no difference, IMO is the third, but who knows....

Another point is that IME is very important the lengh of the IC, instead of going up and up, if you keep your IC up to 6-8 inches or even less, it will be very hard to notice any change, in 12' that's another story, the electromagnetic parameters usually increased along with the lengh of the conductor and on very short lenghs the diferences are very small also....

 

[usc goose]

i can relate to the height thing. i'm only 6 foot tall but my friends (many of whom are 6'4''+) keep forgetting that. i'm sure you know people who seem taller or shorter than they are. that probably makes more of a difference than anything measured.

i don't know, i find that perception is often much more important than reality.

 

[fewtch]

BTW, I just wanted to state for the record that I'm not saying cables don't sound different -- I have no evidence to back that up, and I don't think anybody does (sounding different is a subjective quality anyway). But I look at the available evidence and can find no reason why one properly matched (capacitance, etc) cable with a solid connection should sound different than another -- particularly qualities like "bright" and "dark," which can be measured and should show up on scopes and equipment like that.

As far as measurements -- suppose you look at two people, and one of them looks a couple inches taller than the other? Then you measure their height, and they're both exactly 5'9" tall. Maybe it's just me, but I would trust the measuring tape and figure that something about the my eyesight (lighting, angle, etc) was the problem. I don't see why it should be any different with hearing than it is with seeing.

There may be some aspects of audio that can't be measured (unproven either way), but brightness, bass issues, frequency response, etc. are like the height example - what we hear is directly correlated to the measurements. I'm surprised then that cable dealers don't release some specs on their cables like companies that sell amps, speakers, headphones, turntables, cartridges, CD players, sound cards, etc. do.

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally posted by usc goose i don't know, i find that perception is often much more important than reality.

I'd more tend to say that it seems artificial to call one perception "unreal" and another perception "real." Looking at a measurement is a perception, too.

Aside from issues like build quality, durability, looks, etc. I agree with "if it sounds good, it is good." That's why I'm into vinyl... it sounds good, so it's good. Cables... I just lean toward the side that doubts that kind of thing, but I don't have any proofs. I rarely ever even think about it, except when a debate of this kind comes up.