There is a newsletter I subscribe to because the guy seems to talk about reality and not what some sales dude wants to sell you. mwaldrep@aixrecords.com Now the funny thing to me is that all these cable specialists of high dollar remedies for flawed playback are somehow going to magically change what you hear and will then rise above the abilities of the music file limitations and recording engineers. A dumb wire that is used to create the hi-res recordings so sought after is not somehow suitable for the playback of the same. The following is from Waldreps newsletter and I fully agree. I love this guy and he is a light shining through all the smoke and mirror BS of high end audio. I confess I too am a cable denier and incapable of hearing "
further uptick in micro-dynamic jump
" but love the delicious word salad these guys create to try to describe something that is not there. I can see the cable guy sitting there with his buddy. Wow did you hear that uptick in micro-dynamics!! You just know that's how he would talk, right?
As an aside here how does one become a professional listener? What is the criteria for attaining this lofty goal? How do you know when you have arrived and what governing authority sets down the requirements for such a thing so you know you are not deceiving yourself and others? Is it a nebulous category that is assigned to you when you spend a certain level of money or do you have verifiable and provable abilities above the norm as recognized by a large group of people including recording industry engineers, professional sound installers and high end audio system owners? In other words anyone but cable sellers?
The following is from "Dr. AIX Post for January 25, 2020"
"
Cable Nonsense
What
is it that Art Linkletter used to say? Kids say the darndest things.
Well, it seems some FB audio group administrators, audiophiles, high-end
audio salespersons, audiophile society officials, and manufacturers
also say things that make little or no sense when talking or posting
about cables.
I
usually steer clear of FB posts or online magazines that promote
high-end audio cables. It's just never safe to present with science,
established electrical engineering theory and practice, or objectiveness
when cables are concerned. A recent exchange on a familiar FB audio
group page resulted in a member calling me a "cable denier" because I
advocated for science and physics in evaluating power cords.
The
thread basically dismissed my comments because I'm a member of the
professional audio engineering community. Audio equipment salespeople,
FB administrators, high-end audio marketing managers, and the general
audio buying public are claimed to be better and more reliable sources
of information when it comes to recommending expensive accessories and
cables. According to the gentleman below, they are capable of listening in ways that audio professionals can not.
One commenter wrote:
"Mark is a pro and speaks just like one, but he is not a professional LISTENER, like you (Writer's NOTE: the guy offering the ultra expensive power cords),
I and so many others in the high-end industry. Interesting is that most
so-called experts are also naysayers who work in the recording
industry, not in the high-end industry."
What
does this statement actually claim? That professional audio engineers
and producers do not know how to listen? That spending one's
professional life in front of speakers in a control room doesn't require
listening?Maybe...just maybe...the engineers responsible for producing
the recordings that are played back in these guys high-end systems are
correct in their assessment of power cords and expensive USB/Ethernet
cables. Image that!
Can
you really trust a gentlemen that just launched a new cable company that
offers a 6-foot power cord for $3150? Oh and this person also believes
that cables are directional! BTW They are not.
Here's a couple of additional comments...
"Cables
can make a difference. I’m glad I can hear those differences it truly
enhances the experience. I have been a dedicated audiophile and in the
industry for over 45 years and have been able to identify those
differences since my first experience with Smog Lifters in the 70’s. I
search for and usually discover great products that deserve special
attention by people looking for the last bit of resolution and
coherency. I’m truly sorry for those that wouldn’t hear the difference."
Here's a comment from an individual that swapped a normal Ethernet cable for an expensive one.
"...the
Vodka seemed to remove a layer of film for superior textural reveal.
There was also a shade more tonal depth and recording space ‘air’.
Most noticeable of all was a further uptick in micro-dynamic jump."
I
don't know about you but I cringe when I hear people talk about audio in
such terms. And this after listening to a commercial album and then
stopping, swapping the cable and relistening. It's unbelievable.
I
could pull quotes from cable reviews all afternoon but I think you get
the point. When anyone starts spewing nonsense about power cords,
digital interconnects, or network cables, run away. Keep your wallet in
your pocket and unsubscribe from that group or online magazine. Their
motivations are suspect. They either want to sell you something (usually
at very high cost) or are dependent on advertising dollars from the
companies they write about or the individuals they interview.
"
