Grover Huffman GH RCA ZX+ cables vs...

Do you remember this email from you to me?
Hi Grover,

I just received the speaker connectors to be able to connect your speaker cables to my system. It took a bit of work getting it all connected because of the limited space behind the components -- and I have gained a few pounds over the years -- I need to inhale to be able to squeeze past the speaker binding posts. After about 20 seconds of Steve Lawrence remastered it became clear that my Cardas speaker cables will be up for sale. Your speaker cables produce the most beautiful music -- totally compelling -- the best speaker cables I have ever heard -- ever -- I kid you not. The music has never sounded so beautiful -- it just doesn't get more beautiful than this. I give you a big, big hug and send you many, many thanks.

Best ...
Ken

Groverh,

I am not an authority when it comes to high end audio -- far from it -- and I have never claimed to be an authority. I only know what works in my system -- and what does not.

With all due respect, instead of addressing the issues in my recent posts you are now moving away from the cable issue under discussion by bringing up an unrelated and erstwhile professional matter that has long since passed. I feel this is inappropriate for this thread and should be the subject of a PM. I respectfully note that the issues I have raised here, stated honestly and clearly, that relate to various cables makers whose names I have cited, have been avoided by introducing into the discussion what I feel is an inappropriate distraction.

Full disclosure: Grover Huffman and I had a professional relationship in 2013. We were partners in a project to develop a new power conditioner of my design. He signed a non-disclosure agreement with me. He enthusiastically embraced my design and demoed it at Newport last year while crediting me as the designer. He developed the production model and I traveled to Singapore to market it. He then let me know by email that he had already proceeded to incorporate my design in his cables -- without my consent -- in a modified form that he claimed was unrelated to my design. As a result, I ended the relationship.

I think it would be appropriate from here on in to stick strictly to cable issues on this thread. We have a good discussion going that is very active with opinions and observations from all sides. This is the kind of discourse that provokes thought and elicits a wide variety of viewpoints. I believe this is a very instructive subject to explore and that we have been doing so in appropriate and constructive ways and should continue to do so.

Groverh,

I certainly do remember this email and my feelings of yesteryear. There has been a lot of water under the bridge since then. As with many things to do with cables and our perceptions, things change. Ted Denney used to quote my old posts about his SR cables. Things changed there too. There is no use looking to the past for things that have passed -- things that cable makers might choose to use in a self-serving manner. What sounded wonderful initially with Huffman cables did not turn out that way in the end, alas. Things changed. I imagine you would be embarrassed by emails of yours that I might quote. But I am not going there.

I have probably enthused on the forum about nearly every product I have ever introduced into my system. Are we to be judged by our past choices or by our present choices? Are we to be judged by the level of past enthusiasm for products that we would not look twice at now, in retrospect?

I will list the names of some companies whose products I have praised highly in the past but whose products my system and I have outgrown.

CABLE MAKERS: Grover Huffman, Synergistic Research, Bybee, Gabriel Gold, Supra, Pangea.

SPEAKER MAKERS:

JBL, System Audio, Totem, Merlin, Joseph Audio.

AMPLIFIER MAKERS: Marantz.

DAC MAKERS: AMR, Antelope, Berkeley, NAD.

POWER CONDITIONER MAKERS: Synergistic Research, Bybee.

This is only a partial list off the top of my head. If we are to be judged by our former audio likes and dislikes then there would hardly be a poster who would dare say anything on the Audiogon forum. Are we to live in fear of makers who choose to defend themselves on the forum by quoting our old posts to try to embarrass or intimidate us? I think not.