I see the issue with ABX blind testing

@dwcda well that’s great news! Confirm your findings and move on. $18,000 can easily be spent on an amazing improvement in room acoustics and components. Enjoy the music!

OP    There is no way my brain is retaining what I previously heard and then comparing it to what I currently hear.

I agree. So, I record the sound each time I change any cable or equipment. Can you post any live-record video?

This is my video of 4 power cords comparison. Click these times (4:46 JPS), (9:50 Zentara), (14:38 WT v2), (18:53 WTPC) to hear different cables. More time marks are in comment section.  Alex/WTA

@mihorn I listened to that on my system & heard no difference between any of the 4. So I had my spouse choose the part to play while I had no idea which she was playing & I could not tell if she was playing different pieces or just the same one again & again. So no difference for me.

Is it just me? Has anyone listened to those 4 recordings and heard differences?

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soix

8,560 posts

04-13-2024 at 08:40pm

“What works for you works for you. But professing what you perceive should apply to others’ perceptions and/or use cases? Better off having some evidence.”

@benanders Yeah, and if a frog had wings he wouldn’t bump his ass a hoppin’. Back in the real world and in most cases there is limited or no “evidence,” especially with something like cables.

@soix evidence for / against cable differences - that cable manufacturers don’t seem to hold consumer preference studies seems like a strange knowledge gap to maintain, IMO. Critical parameters for cables in aerospace and military purposes show minimal to no measurable difference in what almost any HiFi setup would use. But let’s set aside such measurements since admittedly they’re of limited relevance for music listening purposes if not closely aligned with consumer preference studies.

I mean, that’s why we’re here — to give others an indication of something they might or might not want to audition or try, not to profess as you say that our perceptions will necessarily be the same as theirs, but indications can still be very useful and helpful despite the inherent variability.

You previously stated you surmise anyone who cannot hear differences that you perceive in cables, to have compromised hearing and/or equipment; that sure seems like professing to me. I’m unclear which stance you actually hold since it couldn’t very well be both, could it?

(BTW, when I said I can hear differences that are clear, consistent, and repeatable I was saying for me — not necessarily others — in response to your assertion based on some study somewhere that people’s aural memory is crap and you need a flip switch to reliably discern differences — I again say hogwash to that.)

Well, that’s your prerogative @soix . Rigorous objective studies on our biological capacities and limitations tend to hold up among scientific panels and courtrooms, but admittedly Internet personalities can think of them whatever they want, whether or not they’ve reviewed the material.

dwcda OP

8 posts

04-15-2024 at 08:35am

@mihorn I listened to that on my system & heard no difference between any of the 4. So I had my spouse choose the part to play while I had no idea which she was playing & I could not tell if she was playing different pieces or just the same one again & again. So no difference for me.

Is it just me? Has anyone listened to those 4 recordings and heard differences?

@dwcda YouTube compresses sound files so there’s potential for argument. However, I’d expect any compression effects would be independent of cables. Multiple other reasons why YouTube clips could be problematic for comparisons like this, but I’ll try to give a listen later. Thanks @mihorn for making the effort.

dwcda OP

@mihorn I listened to that on my system & heard no difference between any of the 4.

Is it just me? Has anyone listened to those 4 recordings and heard differences?

Thank you for your honest feedback!

1st, it’s hard to notice the sound difference with my system which is a really good sounding system. The sound is still good with a bad power cable.

2nd, the change between 4 PCs is one piece power cable which is may be 3~7% of a whole sound. It is a small portion.

3rd, You have no idea what the difference looks like between 4 PCs sounds. The sound is a hard field to describe or explain since the sound is invisible. The evaluation of sound needs much experienced and trained ears. Many people and I took decades to earn seasoned ears.

Below is mahgister feedback of 4 PC test video from Cable matters thread which I agree.

I can hear the differences easily...😊

Wavetouch win for me easily ... More natural sound ... The worst is the first i dislike it completely 😁... Second zentara better indeed but wavetouch win the cake and is not fatiguing as the first cable and more natural timbre than the second ...

=============================================

4th, my system is an only natural sound system in the world and your ears are used to un-natural sounds. Your ears need a couple minutes of adjustment with my system sound.

A sample of the natural and un-natural sound.

There are many more me to say but it is useless if you don’t see it.

====================

4 sounds are confusing. Please try 2 sounds.

Please listen below whole music. Try to watch 70% (listen 30%) to locate sound images and location of instruments and voice. Concentrate and try to remember.

Please try to locate instruments and voice. Click 18:53

Please try to locate instruments and voice. Click 4:46 Please remember the difference is subtle. Alex/WTA