What a difference a subwoofer cable makes!

[idc]

Hi everyone, objector here! Now, strapped for cash please get a friend to play you the old and then the new cable. Is there a difference in volume? Does the new cable sound louder? If so it is likely that the new cable will then sound better. However, you can achieve the same by a slight adjustment with the volume control. Sometimes, amps volume controls are rubbish and cannot make the slight adjustment a cable can. So you think the sound is better, because it is, but it only down to the change in volume.

Then get your friend to swap the cables you have, old and new, without you knowing which is which and you try and say if it is the old or the new one. Do so about 15 times, then see if you have done any better than average, which you get buy guessing. You need to get 90% to produce a meaningful result. Then you need to be able repeat that result on other occasions.So far, there are no reports of such with cables.

If there is no volume difference and you cannot reliably pick out your new cable, it only sounds better because of reasons of placebo.

 

[strapped for cash]

Without wanting to get dragged into the cable debate too deeply:

No, it doesn't sound louder (and changes in volume control via my AVR or on the sub directly do not produce the same results with each cable). To double check this I ran two auto set-up on my AVR, one with each cable connected. The volume levels of the different channels should therefore remain relatively uniform, assuming the AVR auto-set up works effectively. The overall volume on my AVR was set to the same level with each (-35db, which is more than adequate in my small living room)

The difference when switching between cables was not related to volume but tone and definition. The sound is simply tighter and better defined using the Chord; and it's possible to discern more complex and subtle shifts in tone and rhythm.

I think the test you suggest above, while fine in principle, would bore my freinds to tears unfortunately. I'd also need to do it blindfolded, as the cables are different colours (though the blindfold idea may help an auditionee focus more exclusively on sound).

I'm not sold on there being differences between digital cables (my HDMIs are cheap and work perfectly), but analogue cables are a different proposition. The "placebo" argument implies anyone detecting differences is a dupe.

I don't want to start a debate about digital cables, either, please...

 

[idc]

Placebo does not mean dupe. Telling/encouraging/reviewing/advertising to anyone that something is better than something else works, even telling people a sugar pill is better than a medicine that is known to work can mean the sugar pill performs better.

 

[Pistol Pete1]

It's a record...............20 hours without an objector!!!!!

And when one turns up, they all pile in......

Time to lock this....

 

[Anonymous]

strapped for cash:

matthaskell:Thanks for the info Strapped, i'm glad i went for the Crimson Plus now - same sub as well

Glad you're happy. Presumably you bought the sub from ebay as 'b' stock?

I did - bit of a bargain.

Also RE the placebo effect.

If spending £35 makes you 'think' it sounds better, surely thats a bargain anyway?

 

[strapped for cash]

Good call Pete. Lock the thread now, please.

Incidentally, before signing-off on the subject: a friend commented today that the sub sounds better; though, as they didn't know the cable had been changed, they thought the sub had simply run-in

I'm sure, however, someone will claim that my sub has bedded-in after a few weeks use and that this, rather than the cable "upgrade," accounts for any improvement...

 

[idc]

matthaskell:
Also RE the placebo effect.

If spending £35 makes you 'think' it sounds better, surely thats a bargain anyway?

Yes, until the day you realise it doesn't......

 

[idc]

strapped for cash:
...

Incidentally, before signing-off on the subject: a friend commented today that the sub sounds better; though, as they didn't know the cable had been changed, they thought the sub had simply run-in

I'm sure, however, someone will claim that my sub has bedded-in after a few weeks use and that this, rather than the cable "upgrade," accounts for any improvement...

Well, actually, that is true. There have been various measurements of woofers that have found that frequency response changes with use and that they do 'burn in'. But, if you then let the speaker rest and that can take anything from a few hours to a week or more, it will return to its original state.

If there are measurable differences which are in the audible range in a speaker, but not in a cable, surely it is sensible to conclude that the speaker has caused a difference and not the cable?

 

[v1c]

idc:
Hi everyone, objector here! Now, strapped for cash please get a friend to play you the old and then the new cable. Is there a difference in volume? Does the new cable sound louder? If so it is likely that the new cable will then sound better. However, you can achieve the same by a slight adjustment with the volume control. Sometimes, amps volume controls are rubbish and cannot make the slight adjustment a cable can. So you think the sound is better, because it is, but it only down to the change in volume.

Then get your friend to swap the cables you have, old and new, without you knowing which is which and you try and say if it is the old or the new one. Do so about 15 times, then see if you have done any better than average, which you get buy guessing. You need to get 90% to produce a meaningful result. Then you need to be able repeat that result on other occasions.So far, there are no reports of such with cables.

If there is no volume difference and you cannot reliably pick out your new cable, it only sounds better because of reasons of placebo.

I would like to indulge your objector status , could you enlighten me on why exactly cables make no difference to sound or vision what so ever. Is this based on the two cups and string principle of sound travel ?. I'm genuinely wanting to be educated here and break my cable addiction. Can you help please.

 

[v1c]

idc:Placebo does not mean dupe. Telling/encouraging/reviewing/advertising to anyone that something is better than something else works, even telling people a sugar pill is better than a medicine that is known to work can mean the sugar pill performs better.

I think i understand , If i believe the supplied cables can not be bettered by any other cable in existence then ultimately i never have to waste money on a cable ever again. THAT's BRILLIANT i think i've just cured myself.

Now if only i can get some other mug to buy my cables LOL.

 

[Anonymous]

I've just spotted this thread, and looking for a new subwoofer cable (as moved my subwoofer to a different location)

I've found some good cables, but I just can't decide green or blue ?

I've heard green sounds rather darker, and slower - but I'm looking for others views that have actually compared to the blue

cheers