2. cables
  3. 128927-305

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
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,504 posts
 
I agree with @geoffkait

I use a Cheap Terra Grand for $10. Will be trying Wireworld. Based on my experience it takes time to really appreciate system changes. I would say at least 3-5 days of various listening sessions. So I will give it a week or so before jumping to a conclusion.

All of of this is so system dependent as to make your test rather limited in conclusions. Nothing wrong with your test or trying, but what is true in that one system is often not perfectly transferable to another system. Just the way it is.

If I don’t hear an improvement I certainly won’t buy another ethernet cable. I will certainly report back here. I actually have an open mind about this, but I realize what I report back on is simply based on my set of ears and my system.

jinjuku's avatar
jinjuku
226 posts
 
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. One test means nothing. Blind test, ABA, AB, what have you. A test cannot prove anything, but it certainly cannot prove that there are no differences among cables if the results are negative. Too many things can go wrong, even when everyone is on the up and up and trying to be thorough, etc. Geez, even disrupting the connections when unplugging and plugging cables during testing changes the whole playing field. Come on, people! No offense to anyone testing but don’t try to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes.

Lets start with some logic:

1. When normally hearing differences in cables a cable swap is required. So nothing is being done that already hasn't. 

2. One test and the outcome only has value for the claimant. I've said nothing concrete about anyone else. I have said this emboldens my belief that others would perform about the same. 

3. I can concretely say that in the system we had that you personally could not tell when the connections were changed. 

So what is your confidence level in your ears only evaluation? 
jinjuku's avatar
jinjuku
226 posts
 
I use a Cheap Terra Grand for $10.  Will be trying Wireworld. Based on my experience it takes time to really appreciate system changes.  I would say at least 3-5 days of various listening sessions.  
This is easily testable. I could setup a system were the computer is dual homed and remotely I could hit the switch and issue a 'shut' command on one of the interfaces in the LAG.

Switch>en
      Switch# conf t
          Switch(config)# int fa0/1 or fa0/2 (whatever the interfaces are)
               Switch(config-if) shut or no shut

That's it. I could remote in after two weeks and make a change, or one week, or 22 days. What have you. Just black box the entire thing. 
  
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,504 posts
 
Interesting idea.  
jinjuku's avatar
jinjuku
226 posts
 
All of of this is so system dependent as to make your test rather limited in conclusions. Nothing wrong with your test or trying, but what is true in that one system is often not perfectly transferable to another system. Just the way it is.  
If the Ethernet connection is implemented properly then it won't be an issue. If you have a device that is susceptible to just 12 out of 328 feet of cabling you have a problem IMO. 

Even it if I take what you say @ face value I still believe blinded testing is going to change the perception radically. 
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