Cables, mains, interconnectors and speaker cables

[Golden Ears]

It's such a hugely discussed topic. Can cables make your system sound better? I feel the answer is NO but the can make it worse! This is the paradox, many people claim that cables are all the same, there are so many parameters as to what defines their audio experience. I have over the last 25 years experienced cables costing thousands of £'s and cables that have been thrown in the box with the item. The supplied cables always sucked. The expensive cables had varying sound characteristics. The latest experience I've had is with 2 type of cables mains and Speaker.

the mains cables have been so grey to term an expression I've personally noticed sound differences when replacing mains cables. I've had the discussion with professional sound engineers who have said its impossible and would never believe otherwise. Last week one of he engineers opened his system up to me. He has a modest Rotel amp, a project record played and a CD player (Sony) his system cables were audioquest and the speaker cables QED. The first thing he challenged was that a speaker cable can heave any effect. We listen to The hunter LP the sound of his system IMO was very poor.

We replaced the speaker cable with a military spec wire that I terminated with decent lockable plugs (Rhodium platd) the wire was silver plated rated at 6AWG. He sound instantly became more listenable. He acknowledged but couldn't understand how they had changed the sound. Next the mains cable. This being his biggest objection. The cable I chose was a DH labs mains cable terminated with Rhodium plugs.

Within 20 seconds he'd acknowledged the sound had been transformed. He insisted on is changing back to his standard cable. A smile came and he said the treble was much more realistic with the other cable. We replaced it again with the DH labs I had terminated needless to say I left his house without either cable!

anyone else experienced the DH Labs mains cables? I'm interested in hearing if you've tried the Red Wave and what if any performance traits you experienced. As for the theory of cables changing sound ink of it as poor quality can deteriorate the signal and better keep it more in tact aiding the transmission of the signal. No cable can fix a bad sourc! They can only aid the transmission in keeping the signal unpolluted 😉

 

[Covenanter]

I'm betting it gets to over 200 responses. :rofl:

Chris

 

[BigH]

Never heard it but at £70 pm I don't want to.

 

[Mattan]

Think you missed a zero. Those Red Wave cables are £700 per metre! (but only £100 per mere if you buy over three metres - bargain 🙂 )

At that price, I don't think I'll be running any tests.

 

[BigH]

Think you missed a zero. Those Red Wave cables are £700 per metre! (but only £100 per mere if you buy over three metres - bargain 🙂 ) At that price, I don't think I'll be running any tests.

Is it I better buy it up as this is only £63 pm + postage: DH-Labs Silver Sonic Red Wave Power cable.

 

[Golden Ears]

I've found it around £66 a meter on eBay as the terminated version is well expensive! Any tried it? I've the power plus and it's very very good and not anywhere near stupid money 😉

 

[Craig M.]

I'd rather eat my own feet than waste 1 second of my time pratting about with bits of wire.

 

[Golden Ears]

Well Craig many share your feelings are they too have no interest in hearing things at their best. You sit obviously in the boat of plug & play and are happy with that. And no one needs to try and change your opinion. So keep your feet 😉

 

[namefail]

Your grammatical [EDITED by MODS - please do not try and bypass the swear filter] up was so good you posted it twice. Bravo.

 

[Rethep]

Imo cables are best for finetuning. So start with a good system with just plain copper cable. If you are not staisfied you could try other (not too expensive cabling). But first try getting used to the first. A lot difference is "in the head", and not all cchanges are for the better!

Mains cables ? Only if your amp's power supply is poor!

 

[Golden Ears]

Well Craig many share your feelings they too have no interest in hearing things at their best. You sit obviously in the boat of plug & play and are happy with that. And no one needs to try and change your opinion. So keep your feet 😉

 

[Golden Ears]

Mains cables for port power supplies 😉 lol! Try a DH labs Power plus cable, you can source them cheap on eBay around $8 per ft. Power supplies need steady clean current and these babies deliver. I've heard the same old comments from Audiophiles funny how after I convinced them to listen the had to admit there was a difference and in 2 ceases have bought the cable! See amps cost over £5k and you'd expect the PSU to be king. Crap in crap out. As for fine tuning I've heard that statement many times too, it's a taste thing etc. I like to think of it as delivering the signal in tact with out adding or subtracting and that's the challenge 😉

 

[Golden Ears]

Second language isn't what it might be! But given Norwegian is my first I'd like to think some people would have a little more respect for people trying to communicate.

 

[Craig M.]

Well Craig many share your feelings they too have no interest in hearing things at their best. You sit obviously in the boat of plug & play and are happy with that. And no one needs to try and change your opinion. So keep your feet 😉

Maybe I should've said waste another second of my time. Been there, done that, woke up, where cables are concerned. I'm not missing out on hearing things at their best by not pratting about with bits of wire. And thanks, it was worth my while buying those new shoes then.

 

[Golden Ears]

Happy days 😉 hose who can do the who cannot don't and I enjoy the "prattling around" with wire 😉 if everything made no difference at all then all systems probably sound the same to you too 😉 life's too short. A poor system will pollute no matter how good the wiring so no difference win cables is one of a few things, ears, equipment or mains a combination or all such is life! Of you're satisfied with things there's no need to participate here 😉 I'm really interested in knowing if anyone has tried the DH Labs Red Wave mains as I've the power plus and the price hike had better bring dish washing on weekends lol!

 

[Golden Ears]

I agree that not all perceived differences are for the better but that goes to my feelings that cables don't make the system better they can make them worse! A good cable shouldn't add or subtract from the intended signal and the cpbetter the cable might not always make you happy to here your system true potential lol! That's where your opinion can prevail 😉 if your getting the cleanest signal and things sound crap then a porter quality cable might be better it's a mine field and sometime people do no hear a difference maybe there wasn't one, but many cable leave their signature on the resulting music and this (is noticeable) to a trained ear

 

[the record spot]

I'd rather eat my own feet than waste 1 second of my time pratting about with bits of wire.

That'll get you nowhere!

 

[BigH]

Seems to be a USA product with no dealers in the UK so I don't think you will find many on here, maybe try a USA based forum or Pink Fish.

 

[fr0g]

Golden Ears...

Cables make no difference, so long as you have ones fit for purpose to start with. Searching for any system upgrades with wire is a fool's errand.

Tussentakk for å lytte.

 

[Golden Ears]

Thanks for your input. It's nice to get some constructive feedback 😉

 

[Golden Ears]

What you hear is what you hear 😉 can't make you hap ear better than you do. As for it they make a difference or not i personally have heard many differences and have had the pleasure of demonstrating to many sceptics here in Norway who have ended up parting with their cash. Baring in mind they were exactly in the same position as you there can't be no truth to the fact. Also some systems are so poorly designed that they introduce more to the signal internally that nothing can be of help.

My wife never hears differences however a few months ago I changed the speaker cables. She came home fro. Work and asked me to turn down the bass as I have no tone controls I said it's not possible, her reply well you've messed with so,etching it never had that much bass before!

go figure lol

 

[Cypher]

All these wifes and husbands coming in and hearing differences in cables.............damn............there are a lot of those 😉

 

[davedotco]

What you hear is what you hear 😉 can't make you hap ear better than you do. As for it they make a difference or not i personally have heard many differences and have had the pleasure of demonstrating to many sceptics here in Norway who have ended up parting with their cash. Baring in mind they were exactly in the same position as you there can't be no truth to the fact. Also some systems are so poorly designed that they introduce more to the signal internally that nothing can be of help.

My wife never hears differences however a few months ago I changed the speaker cables. She came home fro. Work and asked me to turn down the bass as I have no tone controls I said it's not possible, her reply well you've messed with so,etching it never had that much bass before!

go figure lol

The wife/girlfriend scenario, conclusive proof everytime....... :clap:

Seriously, it is possible that you can hear these differences and that you could reliably pick the differences in an unsighted test. You would be a very rare individual indeed if you can do that, but it is possible.

All the collected evidence shows that the differences between cables can not be reliably picked in an unsighted test by any listener, trained or otherwise. Theis leaves many contributers to this forum deeply sceptical that these differences even exist outside the mind of the listener.

 

[Um]

What you hear is what you hear 😉 can't make you hap ear better than you do. As for it they make a difference or not i personally have heard many differences and have had the pleasure of demonstrating to many sceptics here in Norway who have ended up parting with their cash. Baring in mind they were exactly in the same position as you there can't be no truth to the fact. Also some systems are so poorly designed that they introduce more to the signal internally that nothing can be of help.

My wife never hears differences however a few months ago I changed the speaker cables. She came home fro. Work and asked me to turn down the bass as I have no tone controls I said it's not possible, her reply well you've messed with so,etching it never had that much bass before!

go figure lol

Your posts are hilarious. :rofl: Please keep them coming 😛ray: I just can't think what you are going to say next.

 

[SiUK]

Oh no, not again! All who dare enter here, anas! Quack quack!

Would it not be better to create a sub forum - of this forum - purely for ALL cable advice/talk/debate/ridicule?

Just saying...nothing else to contribute..