Most Important, Unloved Cable...


Ethernet. I used to say the power cord was the most unloved, but important cable. Now, I update that assessment to the Ethernet cable. Review work forthcoming. 

I can't wait to invite my newer friend who is an engineer who was involved with the construction of Fermilab, the National Accelerator Lab, to hear this! Previously he was an overt mocker; no longer. He decided to try comparing cables and had his mind changed. That's not uncommon, as many of you former skeptics know. :)

I had my biggest doubts about the Ethernet cable. But, I was wrong - SO wrong! I'm so happy I made the decision years ago that I would try things rather than simply flip a coin mentally and decide without experience. It has made all the difference in quality of systems and my enjoyment of them. Reminder; I settled the matter of efficacy of cables years before becoming a reviewer and with my own money, so my enthusiasm for them does not spring from reviewing. Reviewing has allowed me to more fully explore their potential.  

I find fascinating the cognitive dissonance that exists between the skeptical mind in regard to cables and the real world results which can be obtained with them. I'm still shaking my head at this result... profoundly unexpected results way beyond expectation. Anyone who would need an ABX for this should exit the hobby and take up gun shooting, because your hearing would be for crap.  
douglas_schroeder
Just to remind what this discussion is about and why "we" disagree with esoteric, expensive Ethernet cable being able to actually IMPROVE the sound quality of a streamed audio program over a basic spec cable...it is this.

When you have spent (for example) $40,000 on your speakers and another $50,000 on playback delivery and amplification equipment, you have already demonstrated that you are compulsive in this hobby.  Perhaps you have no other interests or entertainment outlets.  Like the auto-geek squeezing a few more horsepower out of a high performance engine, you seek any avenue  (like expensive cables) to ”make it better." It is in this audio zone (where true performance cannot be measured) that expectation bias rules.  Those that understand it, temper their follow on purchases with good judgement.  Those that do not, bleed from their wallet and refuse to accept that there are product manufactures that understand you, know you are an easy mark and take advantage of your naivety.
@jinjuku,

No one listens to music with their cables 'unplugged'. Since you don't believe in 'cable makes a difference' there is not much to discuss or debate here. 

Even If I shoot a video with A/B test and post it on YouTube, i highly doubt either you or anyone for that matter can discern 'SQ' between different cables. 

Is this simple enough for you to understand? 

BTW, how many comments did you receive on your YouTube video :-)


dynaquest4
Just to remind what this discussion is about and why "we" disagree with esoteric, expensive Ethernet cable being able to actually IMPROVE the sound quality of a streamed audio program over a basic spec cable...it is this.

When you have spent (for example) $40,000 on your speakers and another $50,000 on playback delivery and amplification equipment, you have already demonstrated that you are compulsive in this hobby. Perhaps you have no other interests or entertainment outlets. Like the auto-geek squeezing a few more horsepower out of a high performance engine, you seek any avenue (like expensive cables) to ”make it better." It is in this audio zone (where true performance cannot be measured) that expectation bias rules. Those that understand it, temper their follow on purchases with good judgement. Those that do not, bleed from their wallet and refuse to accept that there are product manufactures that understand you, know you are an easy mark and take advantage of your naivety.

>>>>>If you object to the high cost of some peoples' systems go on Dr. Phil. This debate has nothing to do with the cost of systems. If you had been following the thread you would have seen that many, if not most systems, on which folks actually heard differences for Ethernet cables were not expensive ones. So that’s only a Strawman argument, a logical fallacy. Expectation bias can be controlled through careful testing. So that argument can be thrown out as well. Looks like you struck out again. Better luck next time, Slugger!


jinjuku
The plural of anecdotal is not data.

It’s not dotard, either.


No one listens to music with their cables 'unplugged'. Since you don't believe in 'cable makes a difference' there is not much to discuss or debate here.

Ethernet as a protocol and cable is the only cable in all of audiophiledom that I know of that you can unplug and you will still get playback. 

That you don't get the significance of this and unable to answer that age old simple question: What happens to the SQ when the cable is removed and the audio keeps playing?


Even If I shoot a video with A/B test and post it on YouTube, i highly doubt either you or anyone for that matter can discern 'SQ' between different cables.

Is this simple enough for you to understand?

BTW, how many comments did you receive on your YouTube video :-)
What I posted was for proof of concept Post your own rebuttal video and see how many comments you get ;-)