Oh NO! Cables again!!

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Rui

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Mar 23, 2021
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i am using cables with a good section and quality copper but it seems that above cables with nice look and way bigger cable section don´t increase the sound quality , only decrease the money in our pockets , this as been discussed since i remenber having started to look better to what i had to listen to music at a very young age.

Some teachers i had in electronics were hi-fi equipment fanatics and they did explain it to me as it was transmited the signal till the speakers and the drivers inside, in their opinion some very expensive cables bring nothing to our systems,

just look to professional cables and notice that they aren´t pretty but efective, XLR being in silver or both copper and silver as the old Din sockets a lot used by european brands(not only) were not bad cables as they had a silver wire makin`them better even with less wide cable section.

Professional wise type, where the specifications aren´t as home use equipment but a lot of envoled equipment isn´t all equal when reachin` the P.A. and then leveled and mixed and sent to the main speakers, not so simple as described but i think i showed what i meant tellin`, this because i already saw some using professional material with home equipment with balanced outputs using XLR cables with beautifull finishings , is it better sounding in reality?
 
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ToppingSMSL

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Oct 10, 2024
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Anyone else really annoyed that What HiFi helped perpetuate the myth that cables matter? I read WHF from about 1996 until maybe 2002. Got suckered by a bunch of cables back then.

Also DACs sound the same too, especially nowadays.
 
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Gray

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Anyone else really annoyed that What HiFi helped perpetuate the myth that cables matter?
Yes, plenty of us think that WHF cable 'reviews' are absolutely ludicrous.

With your username, I would have thought you may have heard the subtle differences between DACs though 🤔
Differences that get exaggerated out of all proportion, but they don't quite sound all the same.
 

ToppingSMSL

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Yes, plenty of us think that WHF cable 'reviews' are absolutely ludicrous.

With your username, I would have thought you may have heard the subtle differences between DACs though 🤔
Differences that get exaggerated out of all proportion, but they don't quite sound all the same.
No, I don't hear the differences. However those two make some of the best measuring DACs at decent prices these days. Has WHF ever reviewed one? Chose the username to wind up WHF tbh ;)
 
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ToppingSMSL

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We'd have to establish whether or not any DACs from these manufacturers have ever been sent to WHF for audition purposes.
If they haven't then there is your answer.
I'm sure they have tried sending to WHF. They seem to send them to everyone on YouTube etc for review. They send them to ASR. I'm sure WHF will chime in to tell us ;)

Also even if they haven't, you'd think if WHF were serious and not biased they'd buy one to test and compare. The fact they're just silent on these brands is quite telling.

Of course to buy one they'd have to crack into their advertising revenue from the big brands.
 

Jasonovich

Well-known member
Anyone else really annoyed that What HiFi helped perpetuate the myth that cables matter? I read WHF from about 1996 until maybe 2002. Got suckered by a bunch of cables back then.

Also DACs sound the same too, especially nowadays.
If I may play the Devil's Advocate, I bet many of the cable protagonist, who feel cables don't matter, I ask how many of them have simple bell wire tied to their system?
It's a little contrived.
Personally I think you don't have to go nuts to get the right tonal balance that compliments your system.
I'm always fishing on AliExpress for sensible priced cables.
Many people on this forum know my position and make no secret, choosing the right cable makes a difference but by the same token and;
Yes the claims are exaggerated and yes quite a bit of snake oil sprinkled in generous doses.
Sometimes choosing the right cables is not always about the sound. Equally important for me is the aesthetics and the quality of construction.
If you have a nice system, why not pimp it up?
😊
 

ToppingSMSL

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Oct 10, 2024
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If I may play the Devil's Advocate, I bet many of the cable protagonist, who feel cables don't matter, I ask how many of them have simple bell wire tired to their system?
It's a little contrived.
Personally I think you don't have to go nuts to get the right tonal balance that compliments your system.
I'm always fishing on AliExpress for sensible priced cables.
Many people on this forum know my position and make no secret, choosing the right cable makes a difference but by the same token and;
Yes the claims are exaggerated and yes quite a bit of snake oil sprinkled in generous doses.
Sometimes choosing the right cables is not always about the sound. Equally important for me is the aesthetics and the quality of construction.
If you have a nice system, why not pimp it up?
😊

Well bell wire is a bit thin and will have relatively high resistance. Watch this video:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlYjQBTx-rs
 

daveh75

Well-known member
I'm sure they have tried sending to WHF. They seem to send them to everyone on YouTube etc for review. They send them to ASR. I'm sure WHF will chime in to tell us ;)

Also even if they haven't, you'd think if WHF were serious and not biased they'd buy one to test and compare. The fact they're just silent on these brands is quite telling.

Of course to buy one they'd have to crack into their advertising revenue from the big brands.

I'm no fan of WHFs purely subjective reviewing methodology, and when they're claiming to hear differences between bits of wire, furniture and the like think they have little credibility.

Hovever, I've never bought into the conspiracy that reviews and advertising are linked.

I'd also question if you have as little faith in WHF reviews as you appear, why your so keen to have them review Topping & SMSL in the first place?
 

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