So What Is Real?
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.
"dynaquest44 "....any silver version of AQ’s interconnects vs the corresponding copper version will change the character of a system greatly."Please! Greatly.....greatly? Perhaps there might be a subtle difference but it would be hardly audible; and that difference might not even be a pleasant change. >>>>Oh, like you know. That’s so funny I almost forgot to laugh. |
"
If you are going to use overreaching exclamatory words like "greatly,"
why not just use my favorite that I see on this forum: "Jaw-dropping!"
" Yes and show us the curves you measured the jaw dropping new results with. You can't measure it and show a difference before and after it becomes just another urban golden ear legend. Self validation with no evidence to support anything other than you said so. I think I might start a cable company. If you don't agree with my prices and aspersions to audio improvement you are, sadly, just lacking in discernment and ability to critically analyze the results I am telling you are there with no proof to support my premise. |
Reports that say that something hasn’t happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don’t know we don’t know. And if one looks throughout the history of our country and other free countries, it is the latter category that tend to be the difficult ones. Donald Rumsfeld. This is why, read the above. NO sense at all. WOW Donald Rumsfeld, that guy couldn't tell the truth NO MATTER what it was. One of the biggest ASSHOL?S that ever lived. Tricky Dick C. I loved that deceptive , underhanded, VP. He was one of the most influential VP that ever stayed in the VP chair..POWERFUL man. (actually Elvis don't tell). He was GREATLY misunderstood, with JAW Dropping results during his reign, Vice King Cheney. LOL The interconnect, couldn't tell ya, never used um'. Silver clad copper, though. OUCH!! My ears are closing up as I read. BRIGHT, blistering boiling, sizzling, comes to mind...Good silver, no clad, not a lot of difference, with my round speaker setups. Planars more so.. Regard. |
no ranter here but if you really can’t hear a meaningful difference in the AQ example i used be happy....but i strongly believe you will prefer one or the other. i don’t know the math but the two metals sound very different. i would expect the same with kimber among many that others that offer the two different metals. if you’ve never compared the two in your own system an opinion would simply be speculative. |
I am astounded that most people dont know that any audio changes in sound is not only system dependant relating to some particular electronic components, but way more related to the 4 grids where an audio system is embedded ... Then any affirmation of some changes, positives or negatives, is not here to be doubted and mocked or to be trusted, it is only an indication of a possible way to improve something in some particular audio system....The fact that we hear it ourselves or not has nothing to do most of the times with his reality for some ears other than our owns.... My best.... |
