Audiophiles should learn from people who created audio

@willemj 

Well, most of it is decent, some is excellent.

The tube cube amp is used for measurements and testing. It is surprisingly bad, but you can learn a lot if you look at the signal on a scope. I mean, it is really bad. The THD is around 10% for low frequencies, it rolls off above 10kHz, the signal is extremely dirty -- contaminated by the switching power supply etc. But you can learn a lot by measuring this thing.

Right, I overlooked the tube cube.

And since we are at it, here are my systems:

Main system
Chromecast Audio/TV/BD player+Quad 33/606-2+Quad 2805+B&W PV1d/Antimode 8033
I still have a Quad FM3 tuner but it is no longer used (replaced by internet radio). Similarly, the Linn Sondek/SME combination sits idly, waiting to be sold off.

Home office system
PC+ODAC+Emotiva Control Freak+12 dB inline attenuators+Quad 405-2+Harbeth P3ESR. Mildly equalized with REW to cope with a slight bass hump from the proximity of the desktop.

Bedroom
Chromecast Audio/Ava Maestro 50/Wharfedale Diamond 9.0
The beauty of this system is that the tiny amplifier does not only have an optical input, but also an auto on/off. So it can sit out of sight in the wardrobe, turned on and off by the signal from the Chromecast.

Finally, I have a Tivoli Radio 2 for in my university office, with a computer into a Behringer UCA 202 external usb DAC as its source. I also take it with me on my extended research trips abroad. I cannot live without good music, but institutional accommodation never has an audio system and this is the largest/heaviest that I can take.

None of these use fancy cables.

Statistically half of the rigs must be average to mediocre; the cable skeptics largely do the job of creating those systems. 

+1, douglas_schroeder. More tan likely they are listening to a system that usually lacks soul in the music, IMHO.