Video Benefits of WW HDMI Cables

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by uwbadger

This may be true but not supported by others blinded tests

As a scientist I am very intrigued by cables and power cords.

Why don't people set up blinded studies. It would be very simple to do with video. Have someone switch cables 10 times and see if you can tell. If you are not correct nearly every time then it is salesman's smoke.

ayre dx-5, kxr, mxr, Vandersteen 5A

Do you believe/agree that high end audio and power cables make an audible improvement?

[uwbadger]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

Do you believe/agree that high end audio and power cables make an audible improvement?

At times, yes

But nobody does blinded studies

As the quote above - I want to see 5 people sit on a couch. Use a hdmi switcher (or manually change) and switch between $50 and $500 hdmi cable 20 times - see if ANY of the group can consistently tell cable a from b. I know which answer I would place my bet on. This assumes the cable lengths are not long - say under 25ft.

My brother has a phd in electrical engineering and builds computer systems for video for a extremely large company - he says anybody who can tell the difference between a ok - say $50 and more expensive cable is trying to sell snake oil - his company had done lots of testing.

He will not make the same claim for audio.

My good friend owns a high end audio video shop - he tells me the same thing.

WHY BLINDED STUDIES??? You try to publish comments like many make on this site and you will be the laughing stock of the scientific community.

My 2 cents on video hdmi

ayre dx-5, kxr, mxr, Vandersteen 5A

[uwbadger]

Btw - do you know that if I give you sugar pills you will say they help ailment. "X" 30-40% of the time. If I tell you one cable is 2x more expensive you just biased the observer.

ayre dx-5, kxr, mxr, Vandersteen 5A

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by uwbadger

Btw - do you know that if I give you sugar pills you will say they help ailment. "X" 30-40% of the time. If I tell you one cable is 2x more expensive you just biased the observer.

ayre dx-5, kxr, mxr, Vandersteen 5A

Interesting comment, assuming you don't have a real medical condition; then you'll know for sure 100% of the time.

[uwbadger]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

Interesting comment, assuming you don't have a real medical condition; then you'll know for sure 100% of the time.

Just commenting that any opinion not based on a double or triple blinded study violates all laws of scientific investigation.

ayre dx-5, kxr, mxr, Vandersteen 5A

[bakerman]

Originally Posted by uwbadger

Just commenting that any opinion not based on a double or triple blinded study violates all laws of scientific investigation.

As you're a scientist I can appreciate your need for factual evidence in matters like this, but I've never understood the whole blind study aspect myself. It doesn't matter to me whether or not a group of people can tell a difference between an inexpensive cord and a more costly one. I view the audio world, cords especially, as a kind of "black arts". Is some of it snake oil? I believe so, but much of it isn't.

For my system I'm the only one that matters. Some cord changes I can hear differences with and others not. Might some of it be that I just spent $$$ on something new and I want it to sound better, you bet. I can accept that. But if I believe a change in sound for the better has happened, I really don't care that it may be a placebo effect. I sure don't want to be choosing my gear based on some scientific study.

[asindc]

Originally Posted by bakerman

As you're a scientist I can appreciate your need for factual evidence in matters like this, but I've never understood the whole blind study aspect myself. It doesn't matter to me whether or not a group of people can tell a difference between an inexpensive cord and a more costly one. I view the audio world, cords especially, as a kind of "black arts". Is some of it snake oil? I believe so, but much of it isn't.

For my system I'm the only one that matters. Some cord changes I can hear differences with and others not. Might some of it be that I just spent $$$ on something new and I want it to sound better, you bet. I can accept that. But if I believe a change in sound for the better has happened, I really don't care that it may be a placebo effect. I sure don't want to be choosing my gear based on some scientific study.

Well said.

[uwbadger]

If you say cable a obviously looks better to you vs its much less expensive cousin then lets test that statement. It's simple to test.

Why the fear of science? If you can even pick out the cable, better or worse, your statement is validated.

ayre dx-5, kxr, mxr, Vandersteen 5A

[bakerman]

Originally Posted by uwbadger

If you say cable a obviously looks better to you vs its much less expensive cousin then lets test that statement. It's simple to test.

Why the fear of science? If you can even pick out the cable, better or worse, your statement is validated.

I don't fear the science aspect at all, I just don't want it impeading my auricular pleasure.

The problem is that I don't think I would be able to pick the cable!

I think we just have to agree that our views are different on the matter. That's how the world is.

[antipop]

To continue on the placebo theme, if the placebo cures you then you were right to take it...

If you can hear a difference, what is the point for trying to prove that there is none ? Sometimes, even when you tell people that there is no difference, they still hear it.