What cable do you use

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by Budgie

Oh yes, I'm an non-audiophile, so I don't hear the difference, and after 58 years my ears are still not trained. I hope it will happen some day. Audiophiles: a species of mankind with special ears. Like Johova witnesses: special species of mankind with very strong feet. Something like that? I can't believe some people believe all the bullshit that goes round on this topic. My speaker cables did cost 15$, no more (4 mm2, 5m long each, amp and speakers 200w). And they are doing hell of a job, believe me.

If you don’t experiment, you sir are NOT an audiophile. You are a music lover. That’s not an insult.

[Masterlu]

I replaced my last WW Platinum Starlight USB yesterday with a Sigma USB cable in my Bryston Active System.

I heard the positive difference in the first 2 bars of my Demo track.

[kaarmstrong]

At one time I would blind test all cables and alot of electronics in my system. Drove my wife nuts since she alot of times was changing the cables. My blind testing results aligned with my non-blind testing about 90% of the time. Not only did I hear a difference between cables, once I was familiar with a cables characteristics, in my blind test I could tell you which cable was being used. I no longer blind test anything. If I hear a difference, there is a difference. My wife is much happier now. :-)

To answer the question, I use WW Gold IC, WW Platium USB, WW Silver speaker, Cardas Clear Beyond PC.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by kaarmstrong

At one time I would blind test all cables and alot of electronics in my system. Drove my wife nuts since she alot of times was changing the cables. My blind testing results aligned with my non-blind testing about 90% of the time. Not only did I hear a difference between cables, once I was familiar with a cables characteristics, in my blind test I could tell you which cable was being used. I no longer blind test anything. If I hear a difference, there is a difference. My wife is much happier now. :-)

To answer the question, I use WW Gold IC, WW Platium USB, WW Silver speaker, Cardas Clear Beyond PC.

In my humble opinion, that only works when we are evaluating something we ourselves are buying. Try that at a friend's house when the evaluation process has nothing to do with your own purchase.

Much like the placebo groups can and do have spontaneous healing just because they "believe" they are taking medication, we choose to hear, see and perceive what we want to hear, see and believe. Add the glossy ads, the creative write-ups in the magazines that one has read at least a few times and you will hear exactly what you and "they" WANT you to hear. The confirmation from the enthusiast groups such as ours about any product go a long way to reinforce that effect. Some believe we create our own reality and live within that illusion, who knows, maybe on a quantum level, we do hear what others may not within the context of the reality we have created.

[kaarmstrong]

Originally Posted by PHC1

In my humble opinion, that only works when we are evaluating something we ourselves are buying. Try that at a friend's house when the evaluation process has nothing to do with your own purchase.

Much like the placebo groups can and do have spontaneous healing just because they "believe" they are taking medication, we choose to hear, see and perceive what we want to hear, see and believe. Add the glossy ads, the creative write-ups in the magazines that one has read at least a few times and you will hear exactly what you and "they" WANT you to hear. The confirmation from the enthusiast groups such as ours about any product go a long way to reinforce that effect. Some believe we create our own reality and live within that illusion, who knows, maybe on a quantum level, we do hear what others may not within the context of the reality we have created.

In my opinion, it has to do with if you are familiar with the system and the music being played. I have done the same tests for my brother's system which I am very familiar with and have gotten similar results. I was not purchasing any cable.

Are you saying, if I do not know which cable is in my system but listen to it and can guess correctly 90% on the time which cable is being used I am still effected by placebo?

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by kaarmstrong

In my opinion, it has to do with if you are familiar with the system and the music being played. I have done the same tests for my brother's system which I am very familiar with and have gotten similar results. I was not purchasing any cable.

Are you saying, if I do not know which cable is in my system but listen to it and can guess correctly 90% on the time which cable is being used I am still effected by placebo?

Considering the human hearing and pitch perception fluctuates throughout the day and is affected by mood, stress, hormone levels, etc, your 90% accuracy is astounding. I’d love to be a witness of your miraculous success rates.

[kaarmstrong]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Considering the human hearing and pitch perception fluctuates during the day and is affected by mood, stress, hormone levels, etc, your 90% accuracy is astounding. I’d love to be a witness of your miraculous success rates.

It is all relative, mood, stress may fluctuate but the cable difference remains constant. Remember, some folks are moodier than other. :-)

And I think hearing a difference in cables is hardly a miracle.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by kaarmstrong

It is all relative, mood, stress may fluctuate but the cable difference remains constant. Remember, some folks are moodier than other. :-)

And I think hearing a difference in cables is hardly a miracle.

I have to share a story and don’t take this personally, it’s all good and fun.

Among our small group of audiophiles that would meet up frequently at each other’s houses back in the day, was one that we nicknamed "Tweak-o-Phile Elite”.

Now this guy was very knowledgeable, used to read all the magazines and stay on top of his audiophile game. Had a great system too. Since he acquired all the top notch components he could afford, he was very heavy into tweaking and especially on a budget and with a creative effort.

Isolation of components was his number 1 topic. He could hear the “micro-vibrations” smearing the trailing edge transients. He swore he could hear the depth of the soundstage diminish due to carpet static, etc... I mean his speaker cables were eventually suspended from the ceilings after numerous attempts st various materials used to prop them up were no good!

One day he calls us over to stop by and witness a miracle of his tweaks. Bicycle tubes under all his components! This is after using maple and granite slabs which were all also selected for each component. He used a pump with a gauge and had to fine tune all the tube pressures for every component as well. He was gleaming.

We sat down to listen as he explained his theories of tube pressure and their effect on the front end vs preamp, etc.. The system sounded no different than any other time to any of us with our reference tracks.

Of course he claimed we are simply inexperienced... we can’t hear the things he hears. He on the other hand could hear every difference of every PSI in each tube... A mad scientist indeed..

This is were my friend decided to play a practical joke on him. While he was out of the room, he pressed the nipples on the tubes to let the air out. Needless to say it went on unnoticed for weeks and the system sounded better than ever to our mad science tweak-o-phile friend.

We didn’t have the heart to tell him the truth...Sometimes things just don’t need to be said so as not to shatter the illusions people create and believe in.

[Mikado463]

LMAO Serge !

[PHC1]

Oh the days of painting CDs with the green markers, using black light to charge up the phosphorescent CD mats... It was a ritual before a listening session could even begin... Tice clocks were mercilessly pushing time forward as the stylus and vinyl had to be thoroughly cleaned before the other side of the album could be listened to. Sheesh, I'm surprised we didn't have to sacrifice a virgin goat at the altar of the audio rack for it to sound better...

No more of that nonsense for me guys and I don't mean the goat!