Cabling - the truth will out .....

[admin_exported]

I've just been reading a thread on Another forum debating the merits of cabling - and whilst I accept that some out there disagree with mains cables making a difference, I stupidly thought that it was established that Interconnects and Speaker cable will make a difference to the sound.

Debate was rampant on this subject - with the usual pointless abuse of people with differing views - but I was wondering how people on this forum feel - is it a more balanced view?

Do people agree that cabling is worth upgrading, or that 79 strand and freebie interconnects are not worth changing!??!!

I have experienced it making a difference, so do choose to tinker with cabling in my system, despite some thinking I am simply a nutter for believing such 'foo' as they call it.

I am interested who has tried 'better' cabling and decided it made no difference, so chooses to keep freebie stuff based on it's sound, rather than budgetary reasons........ ??

 

[Anonymous]

ooh another cable debate. Brilliant.

Just whats needed to ....whats the words?

"the usual pointless abuse of people with differing views"

 

[Anonymous]

I was surprised - simply because whilst I accept there are those who feel power cables can make no difference - as they carry no audio signal - at least there is a degree of logic there...... I thought it was well established that interconnects/Speaker cable are worthy of upgrade .... but there are those that disagree and have 'scientific' tests to prove their worth!!

 

[pete321]

I'm in the camp that cabling does make a difference, although my view is that the most difference will be heard with analogue cables, i.e. speaker cable and interconnects. These can make a massive difference to the sonic performance and can be used to good effect to tweak a system towards a more desired sound. I personally think digital cables have less of an effect, but I have noticed more subtle differences with digital.

 

[idc]

My experience is -

change from bell wire to QED then to Kimber speaker cable did make a noticeable difference each time,

change from freebie interconnects to QED made a small difference and then QED to Kimber attenuted a bigger difference,

change from Choseal to SHB interconnects made a subtle but worthwhile difference,

change from supplied power cord to a RA Yello made no difference on my amp, but it made a small difference on my CDP,

change between 3 different USB cables has made no difference.

 

[Anonymous]

i think it makes a small difference but not as much as people think

just changed my old brandless cable to linn and the highhat was a bit crisper and the bass a bit better defined thats all

wasted heaps on interconnects and they all sound the same

also think you need a very good system to hear the difference in the first place

 

[JoelSim]

They all make a difference and anyone who doesn't think so is deaf.

There you have it!

 

[Anonymous]

That'll be the "lots of pricey cables" comment in your kit list then JoelSim !!

Glad to hear it!

 

[Alec]

They all make a huge difference. They enable you to hear more than the sound of silence.

 

[Anonymous]

A slight difference from my VDH Source to Integration at roughly double the price.

Speaker cable? As long as decently thick copper wire - no difference.

Unless I am older and deafer than I think of course.

I love these threads.

 

[Anonymous]

I replaced my standard factory mains cable that came with my M-audio AV40s with a merlin tarantula and I'm a hundred percent sure it made a positive difference.

 

[Anonymous]

I bought a box full of speaker cables from an ebay seller who lives nearby ... he renovates/refurbishes restaurants and removed these from several restauarants over several years

there were some with names on the cables and some without ... I can say that they all sound different (on my system)

only paid £8 for a large box full of cables

as for interconnects, I can also say that they sound different (have not tried many, but can say that I am well pleased with the SHB and sounds a lot better than the standard interconnects suoolied in the box)

 

[gpi]

A good cable should add nothing and take nothing away. Using cables to change a system and somehow upgrade its components will not work IMO. A lot of people with budget gear seem to think installing more expensive cable (not necessarily better) will magically upgrade their system to mid-range or better. It aint gonna happen.

 

[JoelSim]

gpi:A good cable should add nothing and take nothing away. Using cables to change a system and somehow upgrade its components will not work IMO. A lot of people with budget gear seem to think installing more expensive cable (not necessarily better) will magically upgrade their system to mid-range or better. It aint gonna happen.

I feel that a good cable loses less, it can never improve on something.

 

[Anonymous]

Ive never been into paying alot of money for cables. Never needed to as I was happy with the sound of my system. I got van den *** d102 mkIII interconnects when I first bought my system in the deal and just plugged them in and forgot about them. As this is yet another cable debate I swapped it for a cheap £4.99 cable to see what the fuss is about. Listened to the same music over and over swapping every 15 minutes or so. Couldn't tell the difference. Im not saying there isn't, just that I can't notice it. Im glad or I'd end up spending a fortune on cables like Joel. So its now being sold on a well known auction site and the proceeds going towards taking the mrs out for dinner! Brownie points for next to nada!

 

[JoelSim]

bobbyg81:
Ive never been into paying alot of money for cables. Never needed to as I was happy with the sound of my system. I got van den *** d102 mkIII interconnects when I first bought my system in the deal and just plugged them in and forgot about them. As this is yet another cable debate I swapped it for a cheap £4.99 cable to see what the fuss is about. Listened to the same music over and over swapping every 15 minutes or so. Couldn't tell the difference. Im not saying there isn't, just that I can't notice it. Im glad or I'd end up spending a fortune on cables like Joel. So its now being sold on a well known auction site and the proceeds going towards taking the mrs out for dinner! Brownie points for next to nada!

Interesting, there's a wealth of difference between my interconnects. The vdh d102 III is ok, the Chord Chameleon is very bassy, the Crystal Cable is very detailed and the Nordost is also excellent (although still running in).

The other thing is bobbyg81, although I have spent a fair amount I will sell them all for the same. In fact I'm selling the vdh at the moment and got £35 for it. That's £35 more than I paid for it. The Crystal Cable was a subscription gift, the Chameleon was ex demo and will be sold shortly for what I paid, and the Nordost is a grey market import from the US (not a cut-down) so was effectively half price, and if I sold it, I would get my money back. Moreso than leaving money in the bank, may as well enjoy it!

 

[Anonymous]

Thats great Joel. Im not saying there isnt a difference between cables, just that I couldnt hear any. I dont have a problem with people shelling out alot of money on them. I have spent money on certain things in the past that my friends/family think is ridiculous and pointless. But it makes me happy! BTW im noy saying cables are ridiculous!

As with any hifi product though people should do a bit demoing to see if they can hear a difference. It shouldnt just be taken for granted that they will notice. I reckon as many people wont as will!

Anyway these threads go round in circles and people get bitchy fighting their corner. If you hear a difference, spend away. If not. then dont.

I think people look for approval from others a wee bit too much on here. Help and advice is great and always appreciated from other members but ultimately, you have to trust your own ears!

 

[JoelSim]

bobbyg81:
Thats great Joel. Im not saying there isnt a difference between cables, just that I couldnt hear any. I dont have a problem with people shelling out alot of money on them. I have spent money on certain things in the past that my friends/family think is ridiculous and pointless. But it makes me happy! BTW im noy saying cables are ridiculous!

As with any hifi product though people should do a bit demoing to see if they can hear a difference. It shouldnt just be taken for granted that they will notice. I reckon as many people wont as will!

Anyway these threads go round in circles and people get bitchy fighting their corner. If you hear a difference, spend away. If not. then dont.

I think people look for approval from others a wee bit too much on here. Help and advice is great and always appreciated from other members but ultimately, you have to trust your own ears!

Quite correct fella, and you are a gent by the sounds of things.

 

[SteveR750]

I can hear a small difference between ICs slightly nmore in speaker cables, but wold never describe it as "big" let alone "huge". Certainly nowhere near the difference between speakers at the same price band, or changing from a good budget CDP to say one of the Cyrus players. I have moved house recently and the tonal balance is completely different, and better thankfully. Must be because I put my curtains upside down

 

[JoelSim]

SteveR750:I can hear a small difference between ICs slightly nmore in speaker cables, but wold never describe it as "big" let alone "huge". Certainly nowhere near the difference between speakers at the same price band, or changing from a good budget CDP to say one of the Cyrus players. I have moved house recently and the tonal balance is completely different, and better thankfully. Must be because I put my curtains upside down

Couldn't agree more. I love cables but their only point is to refine a sound that you already get along with. To add a little (and it is a little) to something is often far better than buying a new amp for instance.

If you don't like a sound then change your components, or at least the one that you feel you don't get along with. Cables, IMO, will never make or break a system, they will merely add some refinement.

 

[Anonymous]

Cheers Joel.

I am passionate about many things apart from hifi and I know it can be frustrating when people dont 'get it' but such is life.

There seems to be quite alot of sniping on the forums recently and I dont see any need for it.

We all have a love of music and hifi and/or cinema in common. All our tastes in equipment vary wildly so what we all hear/see must be different, so its not nice to see people ridiculed for having a certain point of view, regardless whether you agree or not.

Im not aiming this at anyone in particular BTW!

I must be mellowing as I get older!

 

[JoelSim]

bobbyg81:
Cheers Joel.

I am passionate about many things apart from hifi and I know it can be frustrating when people dont 'get it' but such is life.

There seems to be quite alot of sniping on the forums recently and I dont see any need for it.

We all have a love of music and hifi and/or cinema in common. All our tastes in equipment vary wildly so what we all hear/see must be different, so its not nice to see people ridiculed for having a certain point of view, regardless whether you agree or not.

Im not aiming this at anyone in particular BTW!

I must be mellowing as I get older!

Could be worse, you could be a Liverpool fan.

 

[Anonymous]

Definately not. Not a big footie fan. My local team if any.Dunfermline Athletic.

 

[Anonymous]

JoelSim:Could be worse, you could be a Liverpool fan.

It can, I'm a Newcastle fan - and we are about to go down the tubes as Ashley is staying in charge and keeping Hughton on.......

As far as friends/family and spending money on hifi - I get cajoled for having 1,000 CDs as a waste of money! They've kept me sane many a time in my life so far.........

Graham.

 

[gpi]

I don't have a problem with people spending a lot of money on lengths of wire but I do get annoyed when those same people tell me I'm deaf not to hear a difference and/or I obviously have no desire to improve my system if I don't buy more expensive lengths of wire and won't even try some.