2. cables
  3. 136769-457

DO CABLES REALLY MATTER?

Yes they do.  I’m not here to advocate for any particular brand but I’ve heard a lot and they do matter. High Fidelity reveal cables, Kubala Sosna Elation and Clarity Cable Natural. I’m having a listening session where all of them is doing a great job. I’ve had cables that were cheaper in my system but a nicely priced cable that matches your system is a must.  I’m not here to argue what I’m not hearing because I have a pretty good ear.  I’m enjoying these three brands today and each is presenting the music differently but very nicely. Those who say cables don’t matter. Get your ears checked.  I have a system that’s worth about 30 to 35k retail.  Now all of these brands are above 1k and up but they really are performing! What are your thoughts. 
calvinj
prof
3,473 posts
 
^^^^^  and...there we go again....

Another in-depth analysis of the issue.
prof
3,473 posts
 

ron1319,
I am going to buy a USB cable because even though I’ve only listened to one of them so far, I’m 99% sure I will be able to differentiate between my printer cable and the better USB cable blind. My current belief is that the difference wasn’t subtle which is not what I expected.



Have you ever considered, just for the heck of it, having someone help you with a quick blind test of your cables. If you are getting new USB cables, that should be a pretty easy swap.

In my case my source equipment is in a different room from my speakers, so that makes it easier to set up a test where I can’t see/hear what’s going on during the swapping.


Though even if you have your source in the same room as the speakers, I"m sure you could do a blind test with someone helping so you don’t know which cable they swapped in. It may not pass peer review...but even informal blind tests at home can still be somewhat surprising and mind-opening :-)

calvinj OP
2,317 posts
 
Prof. No more babble? 
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
You can always tell a pseudo skeptic on a crusade because he keeps telling you blind tests will be surprising, or prove there’s no difference between cables, or prove a super expensive cable is just as good as Radio Shack cable or Monster Cable. Another clue is they never do blind tests themselves. Blind tests are as vulnerable to test errors as any other kind of test. All pseudo skeptic arguments eventually lead to Blind Tests, the pinnacle of pseudo skeptic logic. 🙄
unreceivedogma's avatar
unreceivedogma
979 posts
 
Geoffkait,

blind tests are how science is done. i worked in pharma marketing for 25 years. Your meds don’t make it to market without blind testing with control groups. 

The rest is superstition, demagoguery, snake oil ...

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