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
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
I’m not trying to start a fight 🥊 or show anyone up, but honestly, if you’re not on board the whole directionality train 🚂 shame on you. I’m talking about controlling the whole manufacturing process to ensure that directionality of wire is accounted for in the final product. Controlled for directionality, folks - all cables, interconnects, speaker cables, digital cable but more recently power cords and HDMI cables and probably Ethernet cables, too. If Audioquest sells top tier Ethernet cables the chances are good they’re controlled for directionality, like their top tier cables, HDMI cables and power cords. I’m not just talking here. I’ve got the AQ Carbon HDMI Cable. Controlled for Directionality. Accept no substitutes. Too bad all wires are controlled for directionality. It ain’t that difficult. To sum up, if you’re a cable skeptic you’re probably living in the 1980s and don’t know it. 
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geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
I’m just assuming Ethernet cables are like any other cable with metal conductors. You know, since all wires are directional.

THIS JUST IN!  It looks like my assumption was correct...

from AQ web page for Diamond Cat 7 Ethernet Cable:

”RJ/E Diamond prepared Cat 7 Ethernet cables use solid 100% Perfect-Surface Silver conductors, which completely eliminate strand interaction, one of the biggest sources of distortion in cables, for clearer, more dynamic and involving sound. Superior conductor metals minimize distortion by having fewer grain boundaries and less impurities (such as oxides) at those boundaries. Solid High-Density Polyethylene (PE) insulation helps maintain critical signal-pair geometry. Of course all AudioQuest Ethernet cables honor the directionality inherent in all analog and digital audio cables; arrows on the jackets indicate the direction (from source to destination) for the best audio performance.”
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geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
For the AQ Ethernet cables, which are probably the only ones controlled for directionality, the direction of the little arrows for best audio is stated in the last sentence of the paragraph I just quoted. It’s the same sort of idea for HDMI cables.
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