The Whole Thing Is A Fraud: High-End Cables

[vintage_tube]

Originally Posted by The Trace

So far this thread seems to show that those who spend large money seem to feel that this dictates better performance. While I have great cables I did not spend anything like the amounts quoted.... and my equipment shows that I do not mind spending money on proven product. Seems to be more a case of it costs more so it must be better.

I'll go ahead and ask -- do you apply that way of thinking across the entire audio equipment "proven" spectrum or just towards cables since what many feel they add to their audio enjoyment is unexplainable with no clear cut specifications written in black n' white?

Best Sir,

Bob

[The Trace]

Originally Posted by vintage_tube

I'll go ahead and ask -- do you apply that way of thinking across the entire audio equipment "proven" spectrum or just towards cables since what many feel they add to their audio enjoyment is unexplainable with no clear cut specifications written in black n' white?

Best Sir,

Bob

You have answered your own question. Most of the equipment reviews are supplemented with distortion ratings, frequency resolve, etc. And again with cable it at best a subjective assessment from a reviewer. However some people like Bose. Again I refer to the "Distortion-less Transmission Line" theory. In the end it is all up to the buyer. We all use what we use.

[vintage_tube]

Originally Posted by The Trace

You have answered your own question.

Forgive me, but didn't know I had the correct answer to your "proven" theory.

Best Sir,

Bob

BTW, 43 years ago -- as a GI making $550 a month, Bose, which was widely sold in military post exchanges and Marine Corps Hobby Shops, kept me in the game especially when considering their military pricing & 'drop shipment' ordering.

[vintage_tube]

Originally Posted by richardallred

That's what I thought, Its on my wish list in that length.

Please let me know what you think

It may be my next step
R

Hey Richard -- I can only direct you back 5 years when I demo'd the new (at that time) Odin PC V1's and V1 speaker cables. After that experience, it has nagged at me the second I had to send them back to HQ.

Here's the thread -- I'm not playing any music right now, but in my tiny cranium, I for instance can vividly recall like yesterday Eva Cassidy singing with a wooing sound in between lyrics. It felt like a ocean wave hitting me in the face. In demo'ing them, there were other instances where they shined, but the most memorable and OMG moment was her in that number.

I about pee'd & from that point on, put Nordost Odin PC's & SC's on my bucket list. I can't wait to get the 3M SC's.

I've played that back in my mind hundreds of times. I know what cables can do & I want.

https://www.audioaficionado.org/show...=nordost+odins

Best Sir,

Bob

[SCAudiophile]

Originally Posted by dpgstereo

Yes, some sales receipts were never meant to be scene by significant others...

+1 and then some!

[AudioGremlin]

I can appreciate the R&D that goes into developing a cable, this alone offsets some the the cost. As an ex electronics engineer I experimented with countless multi and single cored cables with varying dielectrics. (I have three heavy boxes in the loft full of experimentations). Some of the successful ones were sold via Reference Imports UK. I don't do that now as solder fumes effects me far too much. It was fun trying though. I have huge respect for companies such as Wireworld etc. Cable technology has come a long way. Bravo!

[W9TR]

The unfortunate situation with high end cables is that some of them actually have advanced dielectric materials and conductor geometry / metallurgy that is well researched and goes beyond the normal bulk electrical parameters of inductance, resistance and capacitance. There is some really interesting cable engineering going on.

And then there are the network boxes. Beautifully crafted from rare hardwoods, these boxes contain lumped elements like inductors and capacitors that intentionally change the character of the music flowing through them. They are, in effect, tone controls.

The picture below shows the inside of one of these boxes. It contains an inductor in series with one of the conductors. This will make the cable respond differently to different loudspeakers. As frequency increases, the impedance of the inductor will also increase, causing the high end to roll off. Smooth, baby.

Point is, there are lots of options out there in cable land - and there are no right or wrong answers. That's what makes these discussions so interesting, despite the snarkyness that always follows close behind.

[The Trace]

All those pieces affect the sound. Even the connections affect the sound. And the cables ARE being used as "tone controls". If this were not the case why would a reviewer state the phrases of expanded soundstage, forward midrange and so on. I audition my prospective purchases by using my cables which I believe to be neutral. Why buy something you like for its "sound" with the idea that I want to change it. Just more money. This is my belief, As to the signal path. Two tonearm companies, Kuzma and Basis run their cables from the pin connections to the preamp inputs. Their belief. Thank you for the "tone control" reference.

[Mikeylee]

This conversation is fun especially since I was a cable skeptic until a couple of months ago. My dealer demo'd my current speaker cables compared to an equivalent to the inexpensive MIT speaker cables I had at the time. As you can see in my signature, it was a company with the inline magic box. The kicker is I took home a pair to demo in my system and my wife, who was a bigger skeptic than me, expressed hearing the exact same changes I heard, which included more accurate highs, without me telling her what I heard. If it's snake oil, magic gas, hocus pocus, or Tom foolery, I like what I hear. Oh, same happened with the power cords. I am still an IC skeptic...for now

[2fastdriving]

Originally Posted by W9TR

The unfortunate situation with high end cables is that some of them actually have advanced dielectric materials and conductor geometry / metallurgy that is well researched and goes beyond the normal bulk electrical parameters of inductance, resistance and capacitance. There is some really interesting cable engineering going on.

And then there are the network boxes. Beautifully crafted from rare hardwoods, these boxes contain lumped elements like inductors and capacitors that intentionally change the character of the music flowing through them. They are, in effect, tone controls.

The picture below shows the inside of one of these boxes. It contains an inductor in series with one of the conductors. This will make the cable respond differently to different loudspeakers. As frequency increases, the impedance of the inductor will also increase, causing the high end to roll off. Smooth, baby.

Point is, there are lots of options out there in cable land - and there are no right or wrong answers. That's what makes these discussions so interesting, despite the snarkyness that always follows close behind.

Wood networks? Anyway, I agree with much of what you have said but networks don't roll off highs. Not that I can hear, anyway.