2. misc-audio
  3. 1251576787

High End and cables and tin ears....

First of all, most of my gear is of the non-commercial kind. In other words, you can't go into your usual places and buy it. I've ordered it online or had it custom made. That said, it isn't so much on the high end but better than the average bear's setup.

My question is, how high end of system do you need to really hear the difference cables can make?

I use Signal Cables in my system. They sound good to me. I've a got a friend that swears he can hear changes when we try out different cables. I can't hear a difference. I may be blessed with not being able to hear the difference and therefore not getting the need to get new cables.

Signal Cables makes several different kinds of cables. Mine are the starter cables, if you can call them that. They do a good job for me.

Which brings about another question. If I can't hear that big of a difference, if any at all, how low in the audio ladder can I go before I finally notice that it doesn't sound good anymore? If I get some really cheap Radio Shack cables will I hear a difference in quality? I've had some Radio Shack cables in my system before for test purposes but I can't tell the difference in one night's use. I need several weeks to get the full treatment.

Is having ears of tin a blessing in disguise?
matchstikman
Post removed 
jafox
1,456 posts
 
Next time you are with your friend, have him point out the sonic differences between a pair of cables. It's a learning process to recognize / observe the differences that can exist.

There's often much discussion that cables do not and can not make a difference. I find that as a system becomes more resolving, many cables out there can cause serious destruction of the system's magical capabilities. But this comes years after learning the subtle differences that once you become familiar with, are no longer subtle.
philjolet's avatar
philjolet
2,306 posts
 
It may be a good time to avoid the hi fi merry-go-round.

Signal cables are pretty good from what I have read, just keep them and buy music instead!
matchstikman OP
205 posts
 
My friend points out the differences all the time and I just can't here them. Of course, he is younger than I am and I've heard that as you get older you lose the ability to hear certain frequencies. I don't know if that is true.

For now, I am off the hi-fi merry-go-round. I've been on it and it can be a death spiral.
dcrugby
96 posts
 
if they sound good to you, you're golden.

i've definitely heard $1000 cables.

one thing that a cable like a radio shack might not be able to do is prevent hum, though, i wouldn't think they're particularly well shielded or carfully soldered or crimped...
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