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
 
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. 
jinjuku's avatar
jinjuku
226 posts
 
Whoa! Easy, big fella. I’m not talking about shielded cables

If it's not about the shield on a STP Ethernet cable, then it's not going to be anything else. 

Ethernet is either wired TIA586A or TIA586B straight through, or 586A on one end 586B on the other end for cross over. 

Most horizontal run will be CCA, patch is stranded (for better strain resistance and flexibility). Save yourself the laughable argument with grain structure, crystalline structure, etc... 

Ethernet is bidirectional. 
shadorne's avatar
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shadorne
7,477 posts
 
Since there is no audio clock timing information conveyed over an ethernet cable it can’t make any difference at all UNLESS your gear is crap (something extraneous affected by the cable used like grounding or load or digital noise related crosstalk on to the audio signal). Same for an identical file streamed on the internet halfway across the world or one from your local server.

Why can’t folks understand this?
jinjuku's avatar
jinjuku
226 posts
 
I still don't have an answer to the video I made where I removed the Ethernet cable and the audio still plays and nothing changed about the quality of it. 

I would love for Geoff, clearthink, granny to post a response video. 

Even decent dedicated streamers can do this. 
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