Audio Cables: All the Same?
My patience has worn thin reading numerous postings by individuals who proclaim that anyone who spends more than, say, $30 on a cable is an “audiophool” and that the manufacturers who sell cables priced above that price are snake oil dealers. These people base their claims on two factors: (1) they can’t hear the difference between a cheap cable and an extremely expensive one; and (2) all cables of any quality whatsoever measure the same when tested.
I believe that these individuals have blinders on. Allow me to set forth a useful analogy – eggs Benedict. The recipe for them is simple: toast an English muffin; sauté a couple of slices of Canadian bacon; poach two eggs; and prepare Hollandaise sauce. After those ingredients are ready, put the Canadian bacon on the English muffin, stack the eggs on the bacon, pour Hollandaise sauce over the eggs (and possibly sprinkle a pinch of hot paprika over the sauce), and serve. Voila! Now, take two preparers – one of whom doesn’t give a damn how his eggs Benedict turns and tastes as long as he gets his $17.50/hour pay; and the other a supremely talented chef renowned for his exquisite preparation of egg dishes. I am willing to venture a guess that one of them will taste terrific, perhaps being the memorable highlight of a marvelous breakfast, and the other will be an awful mess, perhaps a composition of barely toasted and soggy English muffin, Canadian bacon so overcooked that the meat is like shoe leather, poached eggs like hockey pucks, and a severely curdled muck of a sauce poured over everything, followed by far too much paprika. That serving will also be memorable, but for a far different reason.
Now, here comes the chemist to test and measure both versions of eggs Benedict. He confirms that, upon his testing of the two dishes, he is able to state unequivocally that they are identical because both contain exactly the same ingredients and provide the same nutritional value. The fact that one serving is nearly inedible and the other is altogether delicious is irrelevant. After all, there is no science-based test for taste.
I propose the same is true for cables – there is no scientific test for what we hear.
Let me end my soliloquy by relating my recent experience with cables. A couple of months ago, I upgraded my digital system by acquiring a new SACD transport and a new DAC. Both components are widely considered to be extremely high end pieces of equipment (and priced stratospherically, too). At the time I did not replace the cables I had been using previously – an Audioquest Cimarron Ethernet cable between my 24 port network switch and my DAC, and Monster Cable M1000 analog interconnects between my DAC and my preamp. Frankly, I was dismayed by what I heard when I began streaming (Qobuz) music through my new DAC. The magic I had heard at its demonstration at AXPONA 2024 was non-existent. Maybe it was a bit better than my old DAC, but certainly not by much. One of the local audio dealers with whom I shared my disappointment suggested I try a really good Ethernet cable, handing me a Shunyata Sigma V2. This Shunyata cable contains two filters (one for EMI/RFI and one for common-mode interference) as well as several differentiators in how it is constructed. I really despise the expression oft-used by reviewers – “like a veil was lifted” – but that is what happened. The magic had returned. However, now I had another problem. Voices seemed to come only from a singer’s mouth and not also from the chest. With instrumentals, a certain fundamental (bass) element was missing. Overall, it was as if the entire frequency spectrum was tilted – lifting the treble and lowering the bass. I went back to this dealer. He recommended I try a pair of DH Labs Air Matrix Cryo analog interconnects between my DAC and my preamp. All I can say is “Wow!” The frequency spectrum had returned to its proper equilibrium.
I have now been using these new cables for a month. Their impacts are not the result of a placebo effect. Moreover, the last thing in the world I had wanted was to spend a couple of thousand dollars more for cables after I had already spent far more than I had planned on the SACD transport and the DAC. However, they had addressed and solved two very real problems. The Shunyata cable filtered out noise coming from the network switch; the DH Labs cable eliminated a frequency distortion inherent with the Monster Cable cable (which evidently had been masked by the predecessor DAC).
Before this experience, I had never believed that cables could be so important an element of an audio system. I always spent between $100 and $200 on them because, on the one hand I did not want to “chintz” and shortchange myself sonically, but on the other hand I was very skeptical that even spending that amount was fully money-for-incremental-value.
Since then, I tried replacing another Audioquest Cimarron Ethernet cable between my Nucleus+ and my network switch with a $500 Ethernet cable of another well-regarded cable manufacturer. I could not detect a shred of sonic difference between them. Thus, it has become clear to me that every cable implementation is unique; sometimes there is a discernable improvement provided by one over the other, and other times there isn’t.
In summary, having a preconceived notion about the value of cables (or lack thereof) disserves oneself. In some cases, but not all, there is a cable out there that will truly improve the sound of one’s audio system. It may be immeasurable, but it is, nevertheless, very real.
“My patience has worn thin reading numerous postings by individuals…” For God’s sake, why? Who cares what “individuals” post? Audiophiles sound more loopy to the general public when we bicker and whine than when we say cable differences are real. Here’s a wild idea. Ignore those “individuals.” Do what you want with your cables, listen to music, and maybe take up meditation. It’s not worth the mental energy. |
I don't know if the difference in cables would hold up to ABX testing for most people. I initially thought that there was no difference in cables but tried a couple of expensive but not too expensive (under $1,000) cables and heard what I believe to be a difference for the better. However, the difference is not that noticeable in relation to the entire system for me. What I heard upon first hearing the cables is not something I notice anymore once the cable is incorporated into the system. I can hear the speakers and the amp as well as the source information. So the way I handle it is to get what I think is decent stuff but not to put too much emphasis on it other than definitely staying with the Silversmith Fidelium speaker cables for my main system (wife doesn't like the way it looks so not for the second system in the house) in my studio. |
Power cables must be safe as a first condition. There are micro shorts that can occur and many boutique cable manufacturers do not or cannot afford the equipment to test for power issues which could possibly lead to a fire and/or equipment failure. It is apparent that keeping RF/EMI in power cables away from equipment and from equipment infecting ICs and speaker cables is very important. Inadequate shielding can make cables act like antennas. Also, firmly fitting connections/connectors without overly heavy and/or overly stiff cabling is another important concern. After that, the field is wide open for cables of different types and different sonic behaviors, often system dependent (such as a cable sounding neutral, dynamic, tonally correct and maintaining a wide frequency spectrum in one system may not sound that way in another). This is the tough part. The other conditions should be met first, especially for high cost or boutique cabling. I went to Blue Jean Belden XLRs and digital cable (cheap) for a high end system ($195K retail) because it has the conditions I listed and permits me to hear most of what I paid for in equipment (see my profile). I spent my money first on the listening room ($150K), then on cabling with Acme treated fuses for $22/$24 replacing Synergistic Research fuses. I have many SR blue and purple fuses for sale now. |
"Let’s begin with what to avoid—gold is always a good myth to start with. All expensive audio cables on the market and even the cheaper ones will often make a big deal out of “gold plated interconnects” this and that. The reason for this has nothing to do with signal quality, as any metallurgists will tell you that copper and silver are far better conductors. Furthermore, the inner part of the cable will almost always be copper for that exact reason. Copper oxidizes in the air, requiring constant cleaning, or cables will not last very long. Gold or zinc plating doesn’t tarnish and ensures a longer life. However, even cheap cables have some form of coating that will last the cable’s lifetime. Gold plating is definitely not worth the extra cost. Another common sales pitch is the need for special shielding or insulation to prevent electromagnetic interference, crosstalk, or noise from other sources. Electromagnetic radiation can actually be a problem in some situations, for very low signal levels or when dealing with very high-speed digital data. It won’t be an issue over the short distance from your pocket to your headphones or from an amplifier to the speaker. The “skin effect” is another common cable myth, and you should steer clear of cable companies that claim their bits of wire fix this apparent problem. The skin effect has practical consequences in the analysis and design of radio-frequency and microwave circuits and antennas, but it does not occur to any meaningful extent at audio signal frequencies, so it is of no real concern in our application. Cables also cannot affect things like bit depth, sample rate, and the like. So if someone tries to upsell you on fancy cables that promise better audio quality from a digital source, don’t buy from them. Additionally, brand names do not have any influence on the laws of physics. Do not pay more for brand names." - Soundguys.com There's a lot of this out there no doubt, but we all keep spending money on expensivce cables. I dont use inexpensive cables, that's for sure, Speaker Lines, RCA Connects, S/PDIF, Ethernet, et al, however, I certainly don't drop thousands on them either. I will say though that silver wiring does sound differnt than copper. The higher composite of either can and does change the sound package. That needs to be minded whan matching cables to particular speakers & electronics. Just my experience... |
