Mains cables

[stevebrock]

Awwww the Big Cable con

 

[TrevC]

Scientific tests of what exactly?

Of what was being discussed earlier in this thread.

Matt

Our scientific knowledge is complete in such matters.

 

[Covenanter]

Scientific tests of what exactly?

Of what was being discussed earlier in this thread.

Matt

Our scientific knowledge is complete in such matters.

Scientific knowledge is never complete! However the physics of transmission in cables is pretty well understood (even if my professor couldn't beat it into my head 40 years ago). I doubt that a hifi company is going to come up with anything new.

Chris

 

[CnoEvil]

Scientific tests of what exactly?

Of what was being discussed earlier in this thread.

Matt

Our scientific knowledge is complete in such matters.

If even 10% of Quantum Physics is correct, then a mains cable making a difference is not beyond the bounds of feasibility. :twisted:

 

[Covenanter]

Scientific tests of what exactly?

Of what was being discussed earlier in this thread.

Matt

Our scientific knowledge is complete in such matters.

If even 10% of Quantum Physics is correct, then a mains cable making a difference is not beyond the bounds of feasibility. :twisted:

Now you have annoyed me! What do you mean "If only 10% of Quantum Physics is correct ..."? Quantum Physics is the most tested of all scientific theories and there is absolutely no current evidence that it might not be correct. Quantum Electro Dynamics (QED), which is the part of Quantum Physics which deals with light and electrons (so includes all of chemistry as well), has been tested to an accuracy equivalent to measuring the distance between New York and Los Angeles to the thickness of a human hair.

How can you possibly question it, especially when talking about hifi which is pretty much made up of quantum devices?

Chris

 

[CnoEvil]

Now you have annoyed me! What do you mean "If only 10% of Quantum Physics is correct ..."? Quantum Physics is the most tested of all scientific theories and there is absolutely no current evidence that it might not be correct. Quantum Electro Dynamics (QED), which is the part of Quantum Physics which deals with light and electrons (so includes all of chemistry as well), has been tested to an accuracy equivalent to measuring the distance between New York and Los Angeles to the thickness of a human hair.

How can you possibly question it, especially when talking about hifi which is pretty much made up of quantum devices?

Chris

I think you have missed the point (or "pull yer neck in", as they say in my part of the world. )

If "even10%" is correct, then imagine the effect of 100% on the likelihood of P/Cs making an improvement.

 

[Alantiggger]

Why quantum mechanics is the biggest embarrassment in all of modern physics

Here : http://io9.com/5981842/why-quantum-mechanics-is-the-biggest-embarrassment-in-all-of-modern-physics....

 

[davedotco]

Mmmmmmm......... Quantum theory applied to hi-fi, interesting.

If we apply the Copenhagen Interpretation to hi-fi systems we can easily see that the performance of any given system is completely unknown until it interacts with an observer, or in this case a listener.

The system may be capable of any standard of reproduction whatsoever, and these can be plotted on the hi-fi equivilent of the quantum wave front which is then 'collapesed' by the observer/listener.

Will have to give this further thought...... :?

 

[CnoEvil]

Mmmmmmm......... Quantum theory applied to hi-fi, interesting.

If we apply the Copenhagen Interpretation to hi-fi systems we can easily see that the performance of any given system is completely unknown until it interacts with an observer, or in this case a listener.

The system may be capable of any standard of reproduction whatsoever, and these can be plotted on the hi-fi equivilent of the quantum wave front which is then 'collapesed' by the observer/listener.

Will have to give this further thought...... :?

Go for it, I say.

I wonder if Dr. Brian Cox is free atm.....or just maybe he can be all over the multiverse at the same time. 8)

 

[davedotco]

Mmmmmmm......... Quantum theory applied to hi-fi, interesting.

If we apply the Copenhagen Interpretation to hi-fi systems we can easily see that the performance of any given system is completely unknown until it interacts with an observer, or in this case a listener.

The system may be capable of any standard of reproduction whatsoever, and these can be plotted on the hi-fi equivilent of the quantum wave front which is then 'collapesed' by the observer/listener.

Will have to give this further thought...... :?

Go for it, I say.

I wonder if Dr. Brian Cox is free atm.....or just maybe he can be all over the multiverse at the same time. 8)

Of course he can, just don't actually look for him.....!

A long time ago in a forum far, far away, I managed a rather nice (spoof, naturally) dissertation on how Quantum Theory can be applied to football, the game makes a suitably contained macro universe determined by the individual quantum events that occur each time a player makes a decision or plays the ball. Worked rather nicely.

Included a rather nice sidebar on how referee's decisions are almost entirely determined by General Relativity, too.

But try as I might I am having great difficulty in applying Quantum Theory to hi-fi systems. A lot of time to be spent in cars today, I shall ponder it then.

 

[TrevC]

Scientific tests of what exactly?

Of what was being discussed earlier in this thread.

Matt

Our scientific knowledge is complete in such matters.

If even 10% of Quantum Physics is correct, then a mains cable making a difference is not beyond the bounds of feasibility. :twisted:

Desperation is setting in. That reminds me, I must replace the mains lead on my kettle to improve the taste of my morning cuppa. Does Russ stock proper kettle leads?

 

[CnoEvil]

Desperation is setting in. That reminds me, I must replace the mains lead on my kettle to improve the taste of my morning cuppa. Does Russ stock proper kettle leads?

If you are desperate, a nice cup of tea is a good idea....I hear camomile works well.

 

[stephennic]

Oh dear, why is listening to music so complex , quantum theory etc. Yes time for a cuppa I think

 

[busb]

Oh dear, why is listening to music so complex , quantum theory etc. Yes time for a cuppa I think

Just having one now - with a hotcross bun. A friend opined that music lovers don't post to Hi Fi forums but equipment lovers do!

 

[CnoEvil]

A friend opined that music lovers don't post to Hi Fi forums but equipment lovers do!

Or frustrated Troglodytes with dodgy backs. :wall:

 

[davidvann]

hi all,just putting my 50 pence worth,what i cant understand is,how is it when the likes of nordost ,shunyata ,russ andrews,chord,xlo,wireworld and many other that i could mention ,sell thousands of cables every year,why is that the guys who buy them me included me allways go back and buy another one does this mean are hearing gets worse for every cable we buy lol,this cable debate will never be won,but i dont think it's fair to knock the guys who are prepared to give the cables a go.were not asking the people who dont believe to go out and buy one,were just reporting what we hear.cheers david

 

[michael hoy]

Desperation is setting in. That reminds me, I must replace the mains lead on my kettle to improve the taste of my morning cuppa. Does Russ stock proper kettle leads?

I put my HiFi mains lead on the kettle without telling my wife, she made me a cup of tea and it did taste different.

Found out we had run out of decaf tea bags and had to use caffinated ones..

 

[nopiano]

At the risk of going off at another tangent, pretty all the comparison tests of cables that I recall have started with the allegedly inferior product first. It is rare to start with the top of the range stuff then revert to the standard or cheaper version.

Just saying.

 

[TrevC]

hi all,just putting my 50 pence worth,what i cant understand is,how is it when the likes of nordost ,shunyata ,russ andrews,chord,xlo,wireworld and many other that i could mention ,sell thousands of cables every year,why is that the guys who buy them me included me allways go back and buy another one does this mean are hearing gets worse for every cable we buy lol,this cable debate will never be won,but i dont think it's fair to knock the guys who are prepared to give the cables a go.were not asking the people who dont believe to go out and buy one,were just reporting what we hear.cheers david

It's one of those instances when you shouldn't trust your ears.

 

[davidvann]

so what your saying trev c,that the thousands of people that have bought mains cables all have problems with there hearing,and all the companys that produce mains cables are liars and thives,as i said before no one telling you to buy ,but dont knock guys that do buy them.david

 

[hammill]

so what your saying trev c,that the thousands of people that have bought mains cables all have problems with there hearing,and all the companys that produce mains cables are liars and thives,as i said before no one telling you to buy ,but dont knock guys that do buy them.david

No, he is not saying that thousands of people have problems with their hearing. He is saying that if you spend a lot of money on a cable and expect it to sound better then it may well do to you , regardless if it makes any real difference. There are countless experiments that show that is how people behave and this is to do with the brain, not the ears. I recently bought an SACD of a favourite album and was convinced it sounded better with a lot of new detail. I then compared with the original CD and found all the supposed new detail was already there - I was simply listening very carefully and expecting a difference for the SACD, which was imaginary. As to the second part, sorry but I do think that the companys who make expensive mains cables knowingly make a product that does not improve sound in the slightest and would be out of business if it were up to me.

 

[TrevC]

so what your saying trev c,that the thousands of people that have bought mains cables all have problems with there hearing,and all the companys that produce mains cables are liars and thives.david

There is a lot of technical sounding gobbledygook on the internet desiged to deceive the unwary, CNo posted some. I've not criticized anyone's hearing either.If you want to waste your money, fine, go right ahead, but there is no possibility that a mains lead affects sound quality.

 

[Supreme]

It's one of those instances when you shouldn't trust your ears.

:roll:

 

[davidvann]

in all fairness you could say that about an amp cd player,a tv and so on you could listen to an amp for £300 pound and then listen to an amp that cost £1000 pounds,is also possiable that you should'nt trust your ears because one sound better than the other,our ears are the tools that we choose are hifi products,just because some people dont hear a diffrence between one product and another dose'nt mean there is'nt one.as you said if people want to waste there money thats upto them,but i dont feel that i have wasted mine.to me you seem 100% sure mains cables dont work ,may i ask which ones you have tryed that makes you so sure.the guys of what hifi have tryed quite a few and in many cases find the do make an improvement or are they wrong to.cheers david

 

[ID.]

in all fairness you could say that about an amp cd player,a tv and so on you could listen to an amp for £300 pound and then listen to an amp that cost £1000 pounds,is also possiable that you should'nt trust your ears because one sound better than the other

Didn't you get the memo? All competent amps sound the same (subject to certain provisos).

Oh, and digital sources too :cheers: