[porschemad911]

My friend came round for a delicious roast dinner the other night, and so I fired up my headphone rig and whacked on a Sons of Korah CD for her to listen to.

Now earlier that day, I'd been doing copious amounts of ironing, and had plugged in a 3m Dick Smith Electronics (read Radioshack) 3.5mm F - 3.5mm M extension cord between my K-501 and LDII+. Because I'd been ironing away busily, I hadn't really noticed any change in the sound.

Well, I was surprised when my friend said, "I think you got done buying all this hi-fi gear, these don't sound that great, just normal to me!"

"Hmmm," I thought, "these sound way better than 'normal' last time I checked." Convincing myself that she was deluded and used to boombox sound I thought nothing more of it.

Then, a little later, I was listening to a few favourite CDs, and had the haunting feeling that something wasn't quite right. The sound felt harsher, slightly thinner and with less life than I remembered. "Oh dear," I thought, "not upgraditis again!"

Then I remembered reading something in my vague past about extension cables lowering sound quality. "Hmmm," I though, "I wonder ..." So I unplugged it, whacked a 3.5 - 6.5 mm adaptor onto my K-501 and slipped it back straight into my LDII+ for a listen.

"Ahah!" This was more like it! My K-501 were back in action just the way I remembered them!

 

[ILikeMusic]

Quote:

My K-501 were back in action just the way I remembered them!

Yep, that's just what you expected to hear, so that's just what you heard.

 

[mirumu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by porschemad911 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Then, a little later, I was listening to a few favourite CDs, and had the haunting feeling that something wasn't quite right. The sound felt harsher, slightly thinner and with less life than I remembered.

That's exactly the sound flaws I'd expect (based on experience, not anything anyone else said) listening through a long and poorly made cable, especially those from Dick Smith Electronics. I cut one of their thick Hi-fi cables open recently and it was 90% rubber with and only three very thin unsheilded/untwisted copper conductors. I'm no crazy cable junkie either. While I doubt I could tell the difference between most expensive cables, the difference between a bargain basement cable like those DSE sell and a good cable is obvious in my opinion.

 

[porschemad911]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILikeMusic /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yep, that's just what you expected to hear, so that's just what you heard.

LOL, if only, then I wouldn't be tethered to my amp!

 

[Thelonious Monk]

i have a cheap extension cable that kills the right channel.

 

[xrM]

Anyone tried audio technica extension cables before? Seen some at my local store which are priced at roughly twice the normal compared to cheaper unbranded ones..

 

[takezo]

cables and interconnects, to use a poor analogy, can be thought of as motor oils in a car...

the best most expensive $15 per litre motor oil won't make your honda civic perform like porsche...but merely allows your 4 cyclinder civic to perform up to its specs...

but sustained use of cheap $0.79 per litre generic motor oils can and will degrade the performance on a porsche...leading to burnt residue and engine failure at prolonged high revving...

top of the line cables won't add to the source...unless there's a nano-amp in there...LOL

but poorly made, low spec cables can and most likely will degrade the sound coming from the source...

 

[daveDerek]

you might want to try the grado extension cable. it's not terribly expensive either.