2. cables
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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
jinjuku's avatar
jinjuku
226 posts
 
That's usually what controlling bias, your words, implies.
This would be SBT. It's still controlling the lister BIAS. Toole and Olive are fans of bias controlled testing.

I could even setup the testing rig to be operated by someone the claimant chooses. Just a quick bit of training is all it would take. 
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
However you wish to phrase it or perform it or teach it, the results are simply a data point and don't prove anything, especially if the results are negative. If the results are positive I might say, well, that's interesting. 
shadorne's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
shadorne
7,477 posts
 
@jinjuku

You won’t get anywhere with this lot. They make wild claims and then back down and come up with 1000 excuses when challenged. There is also a big lucrative market for selling all these pointless bits of audio jewelry - so don’t expect anything remotely resembling a fair shake here.
dynaquest4's avatar
dynaquest4
445 posts
 
Actually I get the "audio jewelry" angle in all of this and would bet many buy these expensive trinkets for just that purpose...though they try to convince themselves and others otherwise. To wit (though from an auto perspective): my brother has a BMW X5. I tried to talk him out of it but he just spent north of $3000 to replace his 20" wheels with 23" wheels. This was all about show. Bigger wheels (the way he drives) has no impact on speed, economy, handling or braking.

Same applies to pretty wires and cables. Again, I get that. But high end ethernet? Those wires are always going to be ugly. Ineffective and ugly.
dynaquest4's avatar
dynaquest4
445 posts
 
Of note...lots of recent posts have been "removed."  Including one of mine that, I thought, was fairly benign.  Are THEY trying to silence us?
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