[tacitapproval]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdupiano /img/forum/go_quote.gif That skill in science of correct and proper testing, choosing controls and knowing which hypothesis to test... it comes from mixing your experience with the information you gather. This skill, which you refer to as what separates the men from the boys isn't always just a skill its also a sign of genius. Its HEAVILY subjective, its based on YOUR experience, YOUR abilities, and YOUR understanding of the material.... wait a sec actually that supports what I've been saying about genius and the non-linearity and non-objectivity of science. so thank you?

 

[Iniamyen]

Seems like the only data that's ever being referred to is on the electrical side. Before it gets to your ears it has to drive a speaker coil. So there is a lot of stuff that you are probably forgetting to measure that would effect how the sound ultimately comes out. Hell, even the weight of the cable would affect the resonant frequencies of the headphones that it's attached to, albeit in most cases in a very small way. Like has already been mentioned there are too many variables that have an effect. The trick is picking the right ones. This could be the type of wire, but you'd want to measure the effect correctly before coming to any conclusions.

And it seems to me like "the right thing" to measure would be the sound. That's the whole point, right? Do you really care what the effect on the signal is before it gets to your ears? We're talking about comparing sound here, not designing transmission lines. Unfortunately I don't have the money to buy a setup to accurately measure sound, and if you don't, the next best measurement tool *might* be your ears, even if they are subjective. So we're back to what a lot of people have been saying the whole time - listen do different stuff yourself.

/Engineer
//Worked at a research lab for 3 years

 

[JamesL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iniamyen /img/forum/go_quote.gif Seems like the only data that's ever being referred to is on the electrical side. .... And it seems to me like "the right thing" to measure would be the sound. That's the whole point, right?

I perfectly and COMPLETELY agree with you on the second statement I quoted.
However, please understand that scientific approaches have been used, not only to analyze the electrical characteristics that can be measured at the output of a device, but has also been extensively used to evaluate what a person can(or can't) hear.
Most, if not all such scientific approaches(even under very leniant conditions) have concluded that people can not determine one cable from another at a rate distinguishable from random guessing when the identity of the cable remained anomynous to the listener.

That isn't to say the procedure is 100% flawless, but I think it's unfair to say that science doesn't try to measure the important things.

~james

 

[Iniamyen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesL /img/forum/go_quote.gif I perfectly and COMPLETELY agree with you on the second statement I quoted. However, please understand that scientific approaches have been used, not only to analyze the electrical characteristics that can be measured at the output of a device, but has also been extensively used to evaluate what a person can(or can't) hear. Most, if not all such scientific approaches(even under very leniant conditions) have concluded that people can not determine one cable from another at a rate distinguishable from random guessing when the identity of the cable remained anomynous to the listener. That isn't to say the procedure is 100% flawless, but I think it's unfair to say that science doesn't try to measure the important things. ~james

I guess what I was trying to say is that it's a little misleading to measure an electrical waveform out of the cable, and then to conclude from that, that the quality of the sound reproduced is known.

If the electrical/acoustic properties of the driver, enclosure, etc... are well-characterized then we might be able to reach a well-formed conclusion about the sound.

I just wanted to remind people that in a headphone cable you are after sound reproduction, not signal reproduction

 

[FormosaWest]

This heated debate shouldnt be about whos right or wrong. certainly it shouldnt be about putting  others down for experiencing things differently. We all do. 

 

[joeyjojo]

We've been waiting 4 years for that fabulous reply, Andrew. Thank you.
 
What is it with people digging up years old threads today?

 

[FormosaWest]

Hahahahaha!
 
i need to lay off the late night coffee!
thought id summarize. Hope you prefer the remastered edition.
 
 
 
so glad you have world class sense of humour.
 may this thread rest in peace.