Why pick on cables ?

[colonelkernel8]

I wouldn’t be surprised some people perceive those as you wrote exactly

My subjective experience with cables is some of the silver ones can definitely sound like copper and vice versa, especially those that are made in East Asia or Pan Pacific boutique shops

Do you read that back in your head and go “yeah that sounds plausible”? Because that’s some of the most insane drivel I’ve ever read.

I’d love your take on “European cables”. More cold and sterile if they’re made in Norway and more warm if they’re from Italy? The world truly is full of wonders.

Like do you ever stop and consider that you’re probably wrong about these things?

 

[BS5711]

I don’t know much about clay target shooting, but compared to this hobby , there is a very important difference: an objective result—you hit the target or not. So, people can say whatever BS they want, but it’s not gonna fool anybody in the end.

There is this huge misunderstanding between “sound” (objective, measurable) and “perception” (subjective). I don’t know why so many audiophiles refuse to even acknowledge this distinction…. You almost have to compare it to religious fanatism to explain the behavior…

Absolutely agree, the lack of interest in, or even awareness of, perception versus actual hearing floors me. I can only assume that is because perception is so convincing folks don’t even think beyond what they think they are hearing. Thing is though, other people must have experiences like mine where perception changes significantly even with the same equipment, doesn’t that make them question just how much of what they hear is real and how much is due to other factors of a psychological nature ?

The aspect of clay shooting I was comparing it to is more a person’s involvement and desire to learn technical details that don’t necessarily effect the outcome of a broken target or no broken target.

In that respect there is a good parallel with audio whereby a person can shoot very well with little interest in technical information just the same as a person can enjoy high quality sound with no regard to, or even complete ignorance of, technical details.

 

[bigshot]

And has this never made you wonder that many things you say in your reviews might be completely wrong?

 

[LucheseCandido]

Totally get where you’re coming from. The jump in price doesn’t always match the jump in performance, especially in this hobby. Cables, amps, even headphones once you hit a certain level, it’s all about preference and synergy more than clear “better or worse.” Lot of subjectivity, even when we try to lean on science.

 

[Davesrose]

Do you read that back in your head and go “yeah that sounds plausible”? Because that’s some of the most insane drivel I’ve ever read.

I’d love your take on “European cables”. More cold and sterile if they’re made in Norway and more warm if they’re from Italy? The world truly is full of wonders.

Like do you ever stop and consider that you’re probably wrong about these things?

I mean it's a given that food and drinks can taste different in various regions because of climate, soil composition, and hardness of water. French wine makers have called it terroir. Maybe those that think that copper mined from Asia sounds dry compared to copper mined from Europe, believe it's because it's from the Earth. Never mind the fact that we're talking about metal elements.

 

[BS5711]

When one reads about crystals improving sound then conditioning the crystals in sunlight further improving sound nothing comes as a surprise anymore.

The extent of flawed logic that people grasp onto to explain the result of simple human perception is ludicrous.

 

[theveterans]

And this has never made you wonder whether the perceived differences may actually have nothing to do with the conductor material?

It’s not just about conductor material, that’s only some of the whole equation

Could that be because the food can be very spicy there? Or maybe because of the tropical weather patterns.

I don’t eat spicy food. It’s inflammatory to me

I mean it's a given that food and drinks can taste different in various regions because of climate, soil composition, and hardness of water. French wine makers have called it terroir. Maybe those that think that copper mined from Asia sounds dry compared to copper mined from Europe, believe it's because it's from the Earth. Never mind the fact that we're talking about metal elements.

Yep. Spring water tastes different than purified and remineralized water

 

[Davesrose]

I don’t eat spicy food. It’s inflammatory to me

Man, I'm sorry. Thai is probably my favorite Asian food, and it can get really spicy. Also some Indian stews. Heck, I'm from North Carolina, and there's a lot of American chili heads now. For one time, the hottest pepper in the world was a hybrid called Carolina Reaper. Of course a new hybrid strain has been grown to be even hotter.

 

[2leftears]

For one time, the hottest pepper in the world was a hybrid called Carolina Reaper. Of course a new hybrid strain has been grown to be even hotter.

Are they sure they should be doing that?

 

[Davesrose]

Are they sure they should be doing that?

Yep, one of the growers that continues to make the hottest ones also makes the hottest sauce for the popular interview show Hot Ones.

Here's one of his videos rating hot sauces (and giving you hints about how it could taste from ingredient list)

 

[bigshot]

Let’s just talk about that food and not Audiophoolery.

 

[Davesrose]

I don't know....I get a feeling someone will say this hot pepper expert isn't valid because he hasn't measured the attack or decay of a sauce.

 

[Ryokan]

How many here saying cables make no difference use iem's as their main listening device, let alone have multiple cables? While others who say they can hear a difference use them daily and have many cables to try so are more likely to be aware of subtle differences.

 

[BS5711]

I use IEM typically daily, have five that I swap between depending on the mood, got rid of about another ten or so and I have tried numerous cables on them all and swap between amps, DAC/amps and DAP often.

Every time I have thought there was some slight difference from a cable, digging deeper indicates the difference was faulty perception corrected with a slight adjustment in volume or simply head games having read that a certain type of cable should suit a specific IEM.

Every time when I don’t even think about the cable and just listen to the music there is nothing that I notice as a change.

I have plain copper cables, silver plated copper and gold plated copper and don’t notice any difference at all.

In a couple of cases 5 and 7 ohm BA IEM do seem to sound better with the 3.5mm on the same cable with interchangeable terminations which I put down to the lower output impedance from my sources with 3.5mm outputs. That is an output impedance of 1 ohm or much less in some cases is better with a 5 ohm IEM than a 2 ohm output impedance. I believe there is a difference and in those instances there is a viable reason for one so I don’t second guess myself on those ones.

The only other case where I feel there is a subtle but genuine difference is with a Schiit Vali 3 hybrid tube amp but of course that is a different conversation.

Of course the usual counter would be to question my hearing and how resolving by gear is.

 

[theveterans]

How many here saying cables make no difference use iem's as their main listening device, let alone have multiple cables? While others who say they can hear a difference use them daily and have many cables to try so are more likely to be aware of subtle differences.

I own almost all type of materials out there except for palladium-nickel, but yes, I currently use a "4-cable braid gold plated silver mixed with gold plated gold-silver alloy + 4-cable braid pure silver material" (emphasizes more technicality and at the same time warmer than pure silver) total of 8-cable braid on my Campfire Bonneville IEM. I have a 4 cable braid pure silver (reference neutral) and a gold plated copper + pure silver mix on another one (least resolving to me, but lush sounding cable) On both of my headphones (Susvara and Bokeh Open), I strongly preferred silver + copper cable (emphasizes dynamics) and I also have a gold-plated copper one and 7N OCC copper for my work headphones