Can we objectively rate speaker cables?

I'm not trying to dictate absolutes... as mentioned earlier, higher purity copper may sound cooler than low purity copper and then there's the whole extruded silver over copper thing. My objective is to get into specific cables and the community's impressions of these cables. Not everyone will agree, but if you have some experience auditioning different cables in your own system, why not share your impressions. It's all relative but I think we could all benefit.

Some people (mostly young or energetic) love to drive 2-door sport cars. They want to “feel” the roads; they want to cut corners hard and neck snapping acceleration. They want to “see” every little thing that the roads have to offer. Normally, they like the excitement and pay great attention surround them. In audio world, this type of people /cables /speakers /gears is called Hi-fi audio. People in this group like to hear and indentify every single note of the music /instruments. Thus, the more detail of sound, the better. Silver conductors and American products such Krell, Ayre, Esoteric, Nordost, seem to fit well in this category.

On the other side of the table are folks that rather choose luxury family sedan like Lexus for an example. They want their ride as smooth as possible; relaxation and extreme comfort are their priority. They want to avoid feeling every pumps, every rocks on the roads. They want to get lost in the transition. In audio world, this type of people is called music listeners, and their systems mostly sound musical, warm, and romantic. People in this category seem to lay back and enjoy the music and let the music takes them where ever it wants them to be rather than going back and forth analyzing their cables, speakers, or gears. Copper conductors and European products fit best in this category such Arcam, Triangle, Burmester, ProAc, Spendor, KEF.

Now, here’s a fun part that you guys have been contributing the most. IMO, not all things, especially in electronics, are definite but exceptions and possibilities. With today technology, there are some luxury cars that can out perform 2-door sport cars and can be fun just as much. There are some silver cables that sound more natural and less grainy than copper as well. Or American products, known as fast, accurate, and detail that could sound just as warm as the European’s such Vandersteen or Cardas …and other way around.

If someone ask you how’s your Corvette’s ride? What they’d probably want to know is how’d you compare your Corvette with (many) other cars that you owned or experienced? Because not everyone is projecting the same, so they are probably pin-pointing your perspective right now. Unless stated, they wouldn’t want to hear from you if you just gained few pounds because you just had a BigMac meal which could hurt the Corvette’s performance or degrease its gas mileage. Or should you wax the car to result less air drag or should you increase tire’s air pressure a few PSI, or should you drive your Corvette around only in cool weather cond for better performance… I know you guys know /understand a lot of technicality and me too but just give the man a simple answer. Now, if he had neck and back injuries and didn’t ask but went out and bought a Ferrari, that wouldn’t be our problem either, right? He should have asked.
Sorry my post may not related to any of yours mainly because I felt the heat right from the beginning and did not actually read any of them after that… except mine, of course. See? There goes an exception.

Have fun and enjoy listening guys. It’s a great hobby.

Nasaman say what?

Hi Jenny,

As you said in one of your posts, the ideas in your original post were not exactly discussed as much as other things, so I thought I would take a stab at it and throw out some ideas for thought.

Here are my suggestions for some scales that, taken together, might help pin down the characteristics of an audio component. I beleive the scales could be used for any type of component including speakers, amplifiers, wires and cables ....etc. It could be argued that for a given component some of the scales wouldn't apply. That is a reasonable arguement, I made the scales up independent of focusing on a particular component.

Anyway here goes nothing.....

1. Low Frequency Extension – describes how low the frequency response goes, as well as how well the bass balances with the rest of the frequency response.
(Lacking / Anemic……………………………………………………Deep / Full)

2. Low Frequency Character – describes the accuracy or clarity of the low frequency reproduction.
(Boomy / Indistinct………………………………………………Tight / Defined)

3. High Frequency Extension – describes how high the high frequency response goes, as well as how well the treble balances with the rest of the frequency response.
(Muffled / Dull…………………………………………………Sparkling / Extended)

4. High Frequency Character – describes the accuracy or clarity of the high frequency reproduction.
(Harsh / Metallic……………………………………………………Open / Airy)

5. Instrument Timbre – describes how accurately the instrument’s sound or voice is reproduced. How real do the instruments sound?
(Indistinct / Muddled…………………………………………Accurate / Palpable)

6. Timing – describes how clearly all elements of the music are kept in time.
(Dead / Unemotional……………………………………Toe Tapping / Engaging)

7. Ambience Reproduction – describes how clearly the performance venue sound cues are reproduced (reverberation, echo, background noise etc.)
(Flat / One Dimensional………………………………………3D / You Are There)

8. Transient Response – describes how well explosive / transient elements are presented (such as snare drum hits).
(Slow / Muted / Rounded………………………………………Fast / Pop / Snap)

9. Sound Stage Width – describes the over all perception of the width of the sound stage.
(Narrow / Compressed…………………………………………Wide / Expansive)

10. Sound Stage Depth - describes the over all perception of the depth of the sound stage.
(Flat / One Dimensional………………………3D / Walk Around The Instruments)

11. Sound Stage Height - describes the over all perception of the height of the sound stage.
(Single Line / Limited…………………………………Front Row / Bigger Than Life)

12. Resolution – describes how well minute sounds and details are reproduced, especially when they occur at the same time as louder sounds.
(Veiled / Muddy…………………………………………………Detailed / Precise)

From the other discussion that has gone on before, it would be fair to say that any rating will have to be a realitivistic one, specifically relative to the rest of the system the given component is in. However, as was suggested once before, hopefully some common patterns would arrise that helps define certain products.

At the very least it would be nice to have a common ground, common understanding that could be provided by a such a rating system.

ROVA

Rova, your list is much more comprehensive and if people would be willing to rate cables at that level it'd be very informative. But it seems this thread is somewhat of a bust. If someone here knows someone in the review business, they should suggest that professional reviewers provide such metrics. I know some reviewers rate some of these qualities on an scale of 0-100, with 100 being "best." What I'd rather know is what the thing itself is without value judgments of what is desirable.