Expensive cables, lines powerlines, and interconnects are just Audio Jewelry

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dorokusai

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You can encircle me into the cable believer camp....to a point. I've heard a plethora of high end cables in my travels, on my house rig and I still own the same MIT's I did 2 years ago. I spent enough money to notice a difference, which was all of about $200/set but I've heard $1K+ IC's. That's just silly and it was no change for me personally. The tweak bracket is most certainly filled with alot of BS but subscribe to what's makes sense to you and move on.

How long did it take for the MTM array to really develop a cult following? What a fantastic idea in contrast to the traditional design of the day. Do you think the Dahlquist DQ10 was an instant favorite when they took the wrapper off? Nope, Quad knockoff. I own a pair of DQ10 gems BTW, so don't get testy. I only reference these because of the overall idea.

Audio is full of BS, that's the way of any hobby and ultimately, of any opinion.

Isn't it what we hear individually anyways? I found what works best for me and I'm happy.

Mark
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« Last Edit: 23 Aug 2007, 03:29 am by dorokusai »

DaveC113

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You can encircle me into the cable believer camp....to a point.

Mark
Polk Audio CS

You're foil hat isn't tight enough  :roll:

Steve Eddy

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Isn't it what we hear individually anyways? I found what works best for me and I'm happy.

And that's fine. And if all anyone said was they found what they're happy with and left it at that, there wouldn't be anything to argue.

But when people effectively claim that there are actual audible differences between cables, then they're going beyond just the individual and those claims are subject to question or challenge.

se

TONEPUB

This is starting too much like those exams I had to take in Philosophy class
in college...

DaveC113

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But when people effectively claim that there are actual audible differences between cables, then they're going beyond just the individual and those claims are subject to question or challenge.

se

Would you put your money on ehider if you had to choose?  :o

Steve Eddy

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This is starting too much like those exams I had to take in Philosophy class
in college...

I wouldn't know. I didn't take philosophy in college.

But you say that as if it's a bad thing. If so, why? What's so bad about trying to have a rational discussion?

se


Steve Eddy

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Would you put your money on ehider if you had to choose?  :o

Given that in over 20 years no one has yet been able to conclusively demonstrate what he claims to be able to demonstrate, no, I wouldn't put my money on him if I had to choose. However in spite of that I would be rooting for him. If for no other reason than to finally see this issue come to a close before I depart this life.

se


NewBuyer

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...in spite of that I would be rooting for him. If for no other reason than to finally see this issue come to a close before I depart this life...

Be sure then, to also please resolve the Bybee Quantum Purifier thing, while you're at it! :D

Steve Eddy

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Be sure then, to also please resolve the Bybee Quantum Purifier thing, while you're at it! :D

Bah! Piece of cake! Give me something hard! :green:

se


TONEPUB

Ive heard the Bybees are nothing more than Ferrite beads....

Anyone know anything more concrete?


AJinFLA

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Be sure then, to also please resolve the Bybee Quantum Purifier thing, while you're at it! :D

That's more Randi Challenge than Tom Nousaine territory.

cheers,

AJ

AJinFLA

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Ive heard the Bybees are nothing more than Ferrite beads....

Anyone know anything more concrete?

Advanced, Area 51, top secret High-end audiophile technology often appears to be simple objects like that (you know, like a rock or an alarm clock, etc).
Don't be fooled.

cheers,

AJ

Steve Eddy

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Ive heard the Bybees are nothing more than Ferrite beads....

Anyone know anything more concrete?

What's known is that they are made of a conventional 0.02 ohm resistor which is inserted into a tube of some sort of as-yet-unidentified ceramic-like material, which may possibly be ferrite, and that some unknown goop gets painted on it and the thing slipped into a length of heatshrink. The leads of the device are the leads of the resistor.

It's also known that whatever the ceramic-like material is isn't conductive to any degree as the device measures 0.02 ohms, same as the resistor.

se


jneutron

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As an Electrical Engineer myself, I can handily tell you that no one with this particular degree learns enough about the wave field effects, interactive conductor/insulator/shield interactions, materials science or any of the dozens of other interactivities that may be preset in small signal effects within audio cables.

Really?  You must of skipped some core courses.. :duh: :P

All of the "technical" arguments from people "schooled" in EE  just don't hold water with me

I can agree that most of the technical arguments don't hold water, but there are some good ones out there.



Cheers, John


jneutron

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Certainly having a degree doesn't make for a valid argument.

How bout two?  Say, farenheit and centigrate?

Cheers, John

trianglezerius

EHider is spot on in his assessment of cables. I know this from experience cuz I use his system as a reference for trying audio gear, cables and whatever else. It gives me a really good insight into what my gear or such is doing (Imaging, ambience, soundstage are just a few things I've learned to listen for). I learned a lot through testing such gear that my system has moved on to a higher level with no money out pocket. Many thanks to Eric and his great gear, I've learned a lot.

TONEPUB

Hey, I'm being misquoted...

:)

Im not the one with the EE...

I was just responding to whoever said that!

Freo-1

I am in the camp that expensive audio cable is more about marketing than actual performance. The primary differences in audio cables are primarily how much resistance and capacitance the cable provides between the amp and speaker.

If one wants to talk about circuit topologies, what tube types sound best, what type of caps sound better, then a discussion can be had. To blindly state that there is a difference in high end cables, and anyone who disagrees is somehow flawed, is being snobbish. It's impossible to prove a negative. The vast amount of engineering data out there makes a strong case for the fact that high end cables cost and performance are not justified.

If you think that expensive cable makes a difference in your system, then by all means enjoy it. Just don't expect everyone to agree, and do not take it personal that reasonable people can disagree.

Here is an interesting link about cables:

http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm#thetruth


   

JohnR

I am in the camp that expensive audio cable is more about marketing than actual performance. The primary differences in audio cables are primarily how much resistance and capacitance the cable provides between the amp and speaker.

Are you Dan Banquer?

rabpaul

There is a tale of a fox that could not reach some grapes and later decided they were sour.
My I/C costs $500, I can't possibly justify one that costs $5000 but I am not going knock anyone who can afford those cables and say they are just bling-blings.