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
jinjuku's avatar
jinjuku
226 posts
 
I once had coffee at a diner in NYC that boasted World’s Best Coffee.

For a purported expert of what constitutes valid testing you sure don’t understand the difference between an entirely subjective claim (taste) with objective ones like increased sound stage, stereo separation, more defined highs etc...

Now if Chord simply said "The world’s best sounding cable" they would have been fine.

I feel like the Ben Shapiro of Audio. 
toddverrone's avatar
toddverrone
840 posts
 
Increased sound stage, etc, are subjective claims. There are no measurements for these parameters, other than the impressions from one's ears, nervous system and consciousness. 
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Eggs ackly! So are sweetness, presence, air and venue recognition. ⛪️

geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 


Geoffkait: "One assumes jinjuku would attempt to debunk wire directionality by claiming that data transfer is not corrupted or changed when the cables are reversed so therefore wire directionality doesn’t exist."

To which jinjuku replied,

"Ethernet cables aren’t directional though... And before you go talking about STP cabling, don’t talk about it in a vacuum, because how the shield is tied is dependent on the installation environment.

You really have no clue what you are talking about."

Whoa! Easy, big fella. I’m not talking about shielded cables, Mr. Smarty Pants. Obviously you didn’t get the memo. This is what happens when some pseudo skeptic from somewhere out of the blue pops in and pops off. 🍾 This is going to be fun but I’m not saying for whom. 😬

jinjuku's avatar
jinjuku
226 posts
 
Increased sound stage, etc, are subjective claims. There are no measurements for these parameters, other than the impressions from one's ears, nervous system and consciousness.

Sure there is! Bias controlled testing.

Audiophile spoonbenders measure this all the time. Professional spoonbenders like Lavorgna, Plaskin, Van Es, Hall, Darko do it all the time in all manner of systems both at private residence and a noise laden, sub-optimal, trade show booth. 

What I'm saying is I can decrease the soundstage, the bass, the depth of field for you using your own cabling soon as I introduce 1. An additional cable and 2. Remove your sighted your bias. 
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