Cables will make a difference

[drummerman]

Totally fed up with all the want-to-be-scientists on here trying to impress with their wikipedia knowledge about cables not making a difference.

Utter bxxxxxs (imho of course)

Either they have never used different cables or their ears are so gunged up (of far up their behinds ). Perhaps their systems are so cxxp that nothing, even different speakers would make a difference ... ?

To anyone new on here not taken in yet by our resident metallurgists/scientists/mathematicians and phycisists (on occasions all of them ... !), do try cables, be that interconnects, speaker cables or power cables/filters and make your own mind up about it.

I personally have found that they do make differences albeit relativerly subtle.

Where I personally would draw a line is digital but even there a nicer looking, reasonably priced (you can get them for a fiver) one seems better when looking down behind the equipment rack.

So, don't let the scepticists put you off but use cables to fine tune any imbalance you may have (and fine tune is all they do, none will make huge differences)

Happy Sunday everyone x

 

[andyjm]

Why doesn't the quote work for the first post?

Anyway, I will think you will find that the metallurgists/scientists/mathmaticians generally agree that cables can make a difference.

What won't make a difference is swapping out one perfectly good cable for another.

 

[TrevC]

I knew you were imagining things as soon as you mentioned mains stuff. *wacko*

 

[drummerman]

Ah, our most vocal, local scepticists again. No cable thread is complete without you two (no offense ;-)

Lighten up and try some different things, who knows you may find something new you never knew you liked ...

 

[Anderson]

A £3 cable of adequate construction that measures adequately well will "perform" as well as a £50/100/1000/3000 cable it just won't look as bling.

 

[bluebrazil]

they do look so much cooler than the standards, isnt that enough.

because i see them about once every 18 months and i think to myself, yeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaah pretty cables. i really should get some for the kettle and the other things which i could replace the dreary stuff with. maybe people who visit would be equally impressed.

 

[TrevC]

they do look so much cooler than the standards, isnt that enough.

because i see them about once every 18 months and i think to myself, yeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaah pretty cables. i really should get some for the kettle and the other things which i could replace the dreary stuff with. maybe people who visit would be equally impressed.

All my hifi and TV mains leads are tucked away out of sight, yet the kettle lead is always visible. Looks like I'll have to replace it now. *smile*

 

[bluebrazil]

and think how much better your tea could be, nevermind using the finest bone china cups, this has got to be the future for a fine mug of typhooooo.

 

[andyjm]

Ah, our most vocal, local scepticists again. No cable thread is complete without you two (no offense ;-)

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.

- attributed to Edmund Burke, around 1770.

 

[TrevC]

Ah, our most vocal, local scepticists again. No cable thread is complete without you two (no offense ;-)

Lighten up and try some different things, who knows you may find something new you never knew you liked ...

I'm curious. How does my post that says "If the resistance of a speaker cable is too high your signal is dissipated in the wire as heat, which is most undesirable . On top of that the signal attenuation varies with frequency due to the varying speaker impedance with frequency. To minimize this, large gauge (low resistance) wire should be used" equate with "cables make no difference"?.

 

[Vladimir]

Oops, posted in the wrong thread. Carry on.

 

[Frank Harvey]

See, you can start a thread about how cables can't make a difference and tell the believers to stay away, but you can't start a thread on how cables can make a difference without it being invaded.

 

[daveh75]

To anyone new on here not taken in yet by our resident metallurgists/scientists/mathematicians and phycisists (on occasions all of them ... !), do try cables, be that interconnects, speaker cables or power cables/filters and make your own mind up about it.

So you thinks its ok for the ingnorant and ill informed to encourage 'noobs' who know no better to potentially waste money?

 

[TrevC]

See, you can start a thread about how cables can't make a difference and tell the believers to stay away, but you can't start a thread on how cables can make a difference without it being invaded.

The believers didn't stay away from the other thread.

 

[Vladimir]

 

[adamrobertshaw]

I'm hoping to never replace my digital and analogue interconnects ever again after ugrading most of them last year.

They have improved my listening experience ... but some don't match well with my valve headphone amp.

The Qunex cables I had before now sound totally sh*te in comparison.

I can detect differences between each pair of cables I bought last year; particularly interconnecting my pre-amp and power amps.

They look very bling ... but I just love a bit of bling.

They did cost a fortune ... but it was always my choice to spend the money and it was never due to somebody's influence on me

 

[chebby]

Why aren't these cable threads going in the accessories forum?

 

[Vladimir]

The stock power cord that comes with any purchased unit is UL listed and many other safety requirements have been met. But when you buy an aftermarket power cord, it will not be UL listed since it is coming from the audiophile cottage industry. If by any chance your house burns down, you will lose your insurance money because you used non-UL, non-CE, non-RoHS etc. cable. Money aside, these aftermarket power cords are not safe and not tested properly. Many are just botched up hotgluegunned together. Don't let the bling fool you.

If you have fun swapping interconnects, speaker cables or special tone arm wiring, those are low power lines and no harm can happen. Power cords are completely different animal. If you care for your life and your family safety, you will not buy power cords that are not UL, CE, IEC, RoHS certified.

The most respected audiophile power cord manufacturer Virtual Dynamics (currently bankrupt and disfunctional) had one of their most popular aftermarket power cords dissected and put to shame on a public forum for its shoddy build quality.

My cat tore up my Virtual Dynamics Power 3

 

[MeanandGreen]

I personally am a firm believer that a good suitable cable is much like another good suitable cable. No harm in experimentation. I experimented a long time ago and came to the conclusion that speaker cables are the most likely to make a noticeable but subtle difference, nothing like what the Hi-Fi press would make out. Interconnects all seem the same to me regardless of price with the exception of freebies.

Mains and digital, well I won't even go down that road of BS.

I'm all for experimentation, some people possibly expect too much from a cable change.

I changed a couple of interconnects from my Blu-Ray player and DAC to my amplifier recently, mainly for aesthetics and piece of mind that they are of quality construction rather than sound quality reasons. I opted for Van Damme silver plated OFC RCA leads marketed as instrument cable rather than Hi-Fi cable. It is a significantly cheaper way of buying very good quality leads.

Anything aimed at audiophiles is generally over priced and over hyped IMHO.

 

[Cockroach]

I have no opinion about cables, because I haven't bothered to investigate, but I do know that the people posting here who are of the opinion that all cables sound the same make this forum a very boring place to visit. It used to be so much more fun.

 

[fr0g]

Having been taken in by my own ears and later deciding to actually test it scientifically, I respectfully disagree. Cables make ****** all difference "so long as the one you use is up to spec".

I heard differences and spent money. Trouble is, when I didn't know which was attached, the differences magically disappeared.

I would now use the easiest cable, within spec, to hide.

Other than that, I like you, Drummerman. Not keen on the dress though

 

[TrevC]

I have no opinion about cables, because I haven't bothered to investigate, but I do know that the people posting here who are of the opinion that all cables sound the same make this forum a very boring place to visit. It used to be so much more fun.

Has anyone actually said that?

 

[SteveR750]

As a metallurgist, I'm pretty sure that different metallic alloys of differing crystalline structures / grain sizes / impurites etc etc are measurably different in their electrical / conductive properties. The issue is whether these translate into noticeable sonic differences. There are so many other bits of wire and metal in the whole chain, then just looking at interconnects is like arguing whether the UK is flat or curved. It's no wonder some claims they do, and some don't. Maybe in some systems they don't others they do. In truth, the shape of your room, wall and floor construction and furnishings have a massively bigger impact to the SQ of your home system, so I'm amazed we don't spend more time arguing that blue cushions absorb more HF than red ones.

That said, I'm intrigued as to what a single crystal speaker cable might sound like. All I know is that mine are probably too long, and are messing around with the damping factor unnecessarily

 

[MeanandGreen]

In truth, the shape of your room, wall and floor construction and furnishings have a massively bigger impact to the SQ of your home system, so I'm amazed we don't spend more time arguing that blue cushions absorb more HF than red ones.

Indeed!

Having moved house with my kit a few times the impact on sound from house to house and room to room is very dramatic. I've bought new speakers and subs due to moving house.

Unless you use headphones what you are hearing is how your speakers interact with your room.

 

[Vladimir]

One doesn't need a metallurgy diploma to do a DBT.

Old man Van Den Hul was a professor of metallurgy and yet he owns a cable company and makes Health Rings.

Our Health Ring (*) is an innovative esoteric product for health and acoustic applications. Its highly structured molecular composition neutralizes negative disturbances. [/b]Carbon ring that can be used as a wrist bracelet for health reasons: it helps victims of whiplash (instability of the neck and spine after a strong impact, e. g. car accident). [/list]Improves the physical condition and reduces stress. [/list]It also works as a room acoustic conditioner helping to minimize soundstage problems. [/list]The rings are to be positioned at specific places in the room and on the equipment itself. Results are almost immediately audible.[/list](*) Hand made by A. J. van den Hul to each customer specific wrist size measurement. Its diameter fits perfectly when it slides in through your hand slightly squeezed. [/list]It beneficial effects start after a few days wearing it day and night. [/list] As A. J. van den Hul points out: [/list]
“These rings go a long way helping patients recovering from whiplash injuries. More specifically its psychological consequences in the form of mental block.

Over the past seven years, since first was introduced, the Health Ring has had a very positive reaction from patients. We’re proud to help these people to be happy again.”