The Science of Cables

Well I guess someone has to say something about an earlier post and request by douglas. First let me say that I sympathize with the families of any victim of violence but I cant understand why anyone would ask that certain words and speech not be used in their presence because it "offends". Worse yet to apologize and add credence to such a request.

May I remind you that you words must be taken in context and intent is critical. I am ashamed of these recent developments in our society which have lead to: safe rooms, time outs, optional school attendance due to some perceived trauma, discouragement of healthy political and social discourse and challenge referred to as hate speech to name just a few.

My day is not complete without several offenses, challenges and some spirited discourse. Just think about how ridiculous most of this has become.  

Look, maybe cables matter, maybe they make a difference, maybe not so much, maybe they don’t. Each to her/his own. Who cares? What really matters here is sharing what has worked, not worked, in his/her own systems. After many years of buying cables both expensive and not so expensive, I found that I don’t need to have expensive cables in order to get good sound; sound that I am happy with and so can forget about the stupid cables. Chances are there is no such thing as a bad cable, it’s just system context, once again, and one’s personal preferences for form, fit and function. Again, who cares? Be happy. Listen to music, not boring cables.

Refresher: the Schroeder Method (“SM”) of interconnect cabling a system refers to taking 2 similar or dissimilar brands of interconnects and connecting them in parallel. Y-splitters can be used for native interconnects. One can also use manufactured assemblies in which the separate interconnects (typically of the same brand and type of core cabling) are configured in parallel and terminated with the desired connectors (RCA, BNC, XLR or AES/EBU).

Douglas Schroeder posted the original article here:
https://www.dagogo.com/audio-blast-schroeder-method-interconnect-placement/

The main cable forum thread here is the following:
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/doug-schroeder-method-double-ic

In that forum thread are 2 further links to Teo_Audio threads that describe possible mode of action behind the method. Those are essential reading as to the underlying principles that really aren’t addressed in the above thread. Commentary at the end of Schroeder’s Audio Blast article cited above also provides insight. 

@jsautter, too idealistic my friend. All through history wrong words in the wrong place had to power to get you killed. Nothing different today. 

Most Audiogon posters are relatively civilised and tolerant. Thus we are able to converse freely and  rationally as a result. To a point.