Moved Audio Quest cable to my DAC. WOW

It’s a curse having an electrical engineering background. It holds you back from getting a great sounding system. You think too much about things, using that hard-learned logic to persuade yourself that things can’t possibly work. I was similarly afflicted, but have now learned to listen first, then having decided if the difference is there, and is tangible and worthwhile, then use that engineering background to work out what’s going on - how can that work? You have to think outside the box too.

I have a much better sounding system now, and better understanding of what matters.

Wait till you try Shunyata, with one of their power conditioners…

I just moved my Audio Quest power cable to my DAC and noticed a more realistic open and better detail. 

Did you replug the cables BEFORE you moved them?

EVERYTHING EXACTLY as before? [i.e. different length that moved the power cables so one is not over the power transformer of another piece of equipment]

Line voltage checked?

Line noise checked?

Heavy load devices also operating? Hair dryer? Refrig? Heat Pump?

Engineers and physicist have beliefs just like everyone else. Selling stuff alters perspective.

Lack of rigor and confirmation bias accounts for most of what the untrained hear.

@richtruss

It’s a curse having an electrical engineering background. It holds you back from getting a great sounding system. You think too much about things, using that hard-learned logic to persuade yourself that things can’t possibly work. I was similarly afflicted, but have now learned to listen first, then having decided if the difference is there, and is tangible and worthwhile, then use that engineering background to work out what’s going on - how can that work? You have to think outside the box too.

I have a much better sounding system now, and better understanding of what matters.

the awkward middle ground, the 'never-ever land', related to this discussion is the (fair and scientifically well established) argument that when our minds are very strong, and can affect our senses and our perceptions, so sometimes if we are not careful we hear what we want to hear

so if we are not rigorous and careful in how we evaluate a system change, we can and will fall into this trap of sorts -- i think this is an important factor that many in the industry take advantage of, when it comes to selling 'improvements' 

@vanson1 

What AQ cable are we talking about here? And what DAC are we talking about? And what streamer are we talking about?