New Signature Tuned Array

[stevebrock]

Ever since I have been into Hifi (25 years) I have always made sure cable are used in the direction stated, not because they sound better but because I trust cable manufacturers in the thinking behind it and I wouldnt be able to relax knowing that one of cables in a pair are the wrong direction.

I do buy into the cable theory - I believe they do make a difference - however not every expensive is better in your particular system.

I have gone from a Chord Odyssey & Rumour speaker cable to a cheaper copper cable and in my system I prefer it! But that Chord cable might be better than the cheaper copper cable in a different system,

The OP has tried a £750 I/C - he has found an improvement that he thinks is worth then money so kudos to him!

Don't knock it until you try it.

 

[Overdose]

Im with cnoevil on this one, just plug them in as advised sit back and enjoy. Let someone who makes these things for a living worry about the technical details.

I'm affraid that it's this and the 'scinece doesn't know everything' attitudes that some manufacturers are counting on their customers as having.

 

[chebby]

So personal testimony from people who unquestioningly believe (because 'clever chaps' at Chord say it is so) is an explanation?

It would be reasonable to expect a simple, replicable demonstration of a signal trace on an oscilloscope showing good results vs bad results when the cable direction is reversed.

Anyone out there with an oscilloscope and a metre or two of cable that the maker claims is directional? Proffski? One for you maybe?

 

[Frank Harvey]

Does science know everything?

 

[Overdose]

Does science know everything?

Not everything, but I imagine electricity and more specifically, electron flow in a conductor, is pretty much covered and has been for some time.

 

[richardw42]

Science, explores space and helps explains the history of the universe. Has created nuclear power and build the LHC. It still can't explain the properties of a hi Fi interconnect.

My last pair of interconnects was £4. No arrows on it though.

In fact I've just spent a fiver on a toslink.

 

[Deliriumbassist]

Science, explores space and helps explains the history of the universe. Has created nuclear power and build the LHC. It still can't explain the properties of a hi Fi interconnect.

My last pair of interconnects was £4. No arrows on it though.

In fact I've just spent a fiver on a toslink.

And mathematics can't prove that a straight line between two points is the shortest distance. Science hasn't been able to explain why we sleep, or even how a bicycle works.

Just because we can do things doesn't mean we can explain them. Yet.

 

[chebby]

Does science know everything?

No.

But that doesn't qualify just anyone to fill in the gaps with unsubstantiated, unsupportable, un-tested, unqualified theories.

 

[kmlav]

My Girlfriend said she preferred the old cables , I asked why and she said "because they were blue, I dont like black".... I said but they sound better, she said "but their not blue".

 

[stevebrock]

My Girlfriend said she preferred the old cables , I asked why and she said "because they were blue, I dont like black".... I said but they sound better, she said "but their not blue".

Don't worry about it, my missus thinks Rhianna is good music FFS!

 

[Frank Harvey]

I suppose it makes sense. Those that refuse to believe that something like cables can make a difference because science says it can't, won't be open to the fact that science won't know everything about everything.

As far as I'm concerned, if science knew everything, we'd be living in a perfect world. Science only thinks it knows everything. Until that is, they discover something new, or find out that what they believed to be true, is in fact nonsense. There's probably more we don't know than what we do know.

I just listen to stuff and make up my own mind.

 

[CnoEvil]

Almost every cable manufacturer talks about directionality. Now I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but why would this be an advantage that they could leverage? Taken at face value, it sounds ludicrous, so why throw something that has little "added marketing value" into the mix, if all it is likely to do, is pour doubt on the product?

Now if one particular brand was the only one that peddled it as a new "patented" breakthrough, thus giving them an advantage, then I could see the logic.

 

[CnoEvil]

I just listen to stuff and make up my own mind.

Ah, that's where you're going wrong, y'see. :doh:

 

[chebby]

I suppose it makes sense. Those that refuse to believe that something like cables can make a difference because science says it can't, won't be open to the fact that science won't know everything about everything.

As far as I'm concerned, if science knew everything, we'd be living in a perfect world. Science only thinks it knows everything. Until that is, they discover something new, or find out that what they believed to be true, is in fact nonsense. There's probably more we don't know than what we do know.

I just listen to stuff and make up my own mind.

You have no idea about science or scientific method then?

You have also just invested the whole of science with a personality (reification) by saying "Science only thinks it knows everything". Science is an activity and a methodology not a being or entity with the capacity of thought.

 

[floyd droid]

.... I said but they sound better,

Cables dont have a sound , just held one against my ear , nope couldnt hear jack s.....

Jus sayin like.

 

[Frank Harvey]

You have no idea about science or scientific method then?

Not really, I'm not a scientist, and I'm not about to spend time researching either - I have a life. I'm just not if the belief that science knows everything.

 

[Covenanter]

This is an interesting link:

http://www.aes.org/sections/pnw/pnwrecaps/2000/lampen/

From which I post this extract;

"Directionality, or the idea that electricity flows better in one direction through a cable than the other, is a common concept among certain self-identified audiophiles. Belden did a double-blind test for cable directionality in conjunction with an audiophile magazine. The end result was perfectly random. Belden is still happy to manufacture and sell directional cables to enthusiasts. They make up a long length of cable, cut it in segments, identify the ends of the segments so they know how it came off the spool (length A->B, length B->C, length C->D, etc), and then let the customer identify by careful listening which direction is "better". Over thousands of cables sold, the chosen "best" signal flow is random, for segments cut from the same spool!"

I'm not surprised by these results.

Chris

PS Not that it will make a jot of difference to the believers.

 

[chebby]

You have no idea about science or scientific method then?

Not really, I'm not a scientist, and I'm not about to spend time researching either - I have a life. I'm just not if the belief that science knows everything.

So scientists don't have lives and you are still maintaining that science itself can 'know' and 'not know' things as if it weren't a description of a human activity, but some kind of being independent from those who engage in it?

 

[TrevC]

I would be too ashamed to admit I had wasted hundreds of pounds on a piece of wire.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Almost every cable manufacturer talks about directionality. Now I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but why would this be an advantage that they could leverage? Taken at face value, it sounds ludicrous, so why throw something that has little "added marketing value" into the mix, if all it is likely to do, is pour doubt on the product?

Now if one particular brand was the only one that peddled it as a new "patented" breakthrough, thus giving them an advantage, then I could see the logic.

Agreed. If there's nothing to gain, there's no point mentioning it. Its almost like, "buy our amplifiers, not everyone else's - we've got inputs!" Yup, you and everyone else.

 

[Covenanter]

Almost every cable manufacturer talks about directionality. Now I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but why would this be an advantage that they could leverage? Taken at face value, it sounds ludicrous, so why throw something that has little "added marketing value" into the mix, if all it is likely to do, is pour doubt on the product?

Now if one particular brand was the only one that peddled it as a new "patented" breakthrough, thus giving them an advantage, then I could see the logic.

Because it adds to the mystique? But see the link on my previous post which is from a manufacturer who are happy to sell "directional" cables although they know they actually aren't because that's what some customers want.

Chris

 

[stevebrock]

This thread has real potential..............

Just saying

 

[Frank Harvey]

I would be too ashamed to admit I had wasted hundreds of pounds on a piece of wire.

This must be quite common, as all those that disbelieve that cables can make a difference have obviously tried good cables out for themselves, found they make no difference, and have sold them on. Of course, they never mention this

If you don't like something, your retailer will have it back. Although, most people buying relatively expensive cables do so after auditioning them, many in their own homes. I've tried certain cables in the past, far more expensive than those I owned at the time, and sometimes felt they didn't make enough of a difference to pay out for, or even make any difference at all sometimes.

Some cable manufacturers do actually take what they do seriously, unlike some.

 

[Dave_]

I have a life.

Yet you choose to spend it arguing the toss over cables...

 

[Frank Harvey]

I have a life.

Yet you choose to spend it arguing the toss over cables...

Good point, although im not arguing

So far this morning, I have been listening to a few albums with a view to either buying them on CD or vinyl, whilst posting on three forums, and keeping track of another one, which I do so because I enjoy it. There's no F1 or British Touring Car today, so as of around 4/5pm, I'll be watching a couple of films. In the meantime, I'll be re cataloging my vinyl collection, whilst trying some other newly discovered albums out.