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A/B test of interconnects - Will this work???

I have some spare time on my hands over the next couple of weeks and thought I'd sit down and try to figure out whether I can "really" hear differences between interconnects that I have accumulated. My thought was to put a Y-adapter on my cd player output and run one set of interconnects to the cd input on my integrated amp and another set of interconnects to another input. Then I can sit in one place and use the remote to flip between the two inputs while playing a cd.

I don't think this should blow anything up (let me know if you know otherwise) but will it work for what I intend? Or will the mere existence of another interconnect hanging off the Y taint whatever results I get?

Thanks for any thoughts.

Bill
wstritt
hotrod
60 posts
 
a better test is to leave one in your system for aw hile then take it out and try another youll either notice a loss or an improvement. ive tried the switching deal and logically you think if you cant choose one over the other their is no difference, but for whatever reason it is difficult like that but when you take out a better component etc you will notice it.
sean
6,231 posts
 
Tieing the two cables together in parallel will alter the total impedance that the source sees regardless of which cable is selected to listen to.

Running the two cables into different inputs may change things slightly. Since i am a confirmed believer in cable break in, it is possible for one input to have more "mileage" or "break in" on the internal conductors than the other input selected. If you must do this, select two line levels that are commonly used so as to minimize the potential differences.

Other than that, i would say that this test might give you some idea of what each cable sounds like, but it would not be an exact duplication as to what you'll get if they were set up individually within the confines of a system. Sean
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mfkeleher
146 posts
 
I have to respectfully disagree with the positive responses. Impedence matching is so important that to monkey with that in the way that a Y would do will skew the results. I concur with the break-in period as there is in effect a "charging" process. I've spent consideraable time comparing interconnects and haven't really found much ambiguity when the right one was installed. I've had trouble picking second place, but first has been obvious. And don't expect the right one to necessarily be the right one for each of your components.
sugarbrie
3,854 posts
 
Actually it is all of the above; and also any other method posted later. I do more than one thing, to be sure of my results and final opinion.
gunbei
2,327 posts
 
I've always done it the way Hotrod recommends. I try to avoid any variable the something like a Y adapter might introduce. I also think I get a better feel for each cable when absorbing a long listening session with each component change as opposed to jumping back and forth. Not that I ignore the fine details, I'm just more interested in the overall experience each cable portrays.
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