Which cables go with what?????

Audioengr, you may have had an "illustrious" career in the "computer business" but your premise that audio cables are either neutral or coloured is just bunk. NO audio component, passive or otherwise, can be completely transparent. If you take two identical cables and alter just a single design parameter, e.g. conductor purity, in one of them, they'll sound different. I find these claims by manufacturers to neutrality, transparency, or whatever, to be arrogant in the extreme and have far more respect for those that let their products - and the MUSIC - speak for themselves. Whilst I'm not enamoured of all of his work, I think Robert Lee of Acoustic Zen has it right when he says that cable design is as much an art as a science (Mr Lee is, I understand, an ex-professional violinist).
Oh, and if Audioengr is really starting these threads for the benefit of us mere music lovers, perhaps he could nominate a few manufacturers whose cables perform at the same exalted level as his own?

"Oh, and if Audioengr is really starting these threads for the benefit of us mere music lovers, perhaps he could nominate a few manufacturers whose cables perform at the same exalted level as his own?"

I do not see he is promoting his wares. I do see other participants sharing their views though.

"NO audio component, passive or otherwise, can be completely transparent."

Exactly,but there is a place at which you can enjoy the place you get to in your system. No component will ever get to the true live event,but it's what illusion you think comes closest to it that matters to the owner in my opinion.

"If you take two identical cables and alter just a single design parameter, e.g. conductor purity, in one of them, they'll sound different."
Agree partially becasue there are those things which will not be audiable. IF you change some things they will not be noticed I think is what I am getting at. Purity is the reason why I am looking seriously at cryo processing.

I think Robert Lee of Acoustic Zen has it right when he says that cable design is as much an art as a science (Mr Lee is, I understand, an ex-professional violinist). Being a pro musician ahs nothing to do with making up wires except the fact that you would know what the real sound of a particular piece sounds like. There are to many variables involved in design and playback and synergy is one of them. If a Cable can reproduce Instrumental Music correct ,but tthen you play vocals and they are not true then it is a bad cable, in my system anyways.

A piece that can be considered SOTA has the ability to be more syngistic placed in any system it is inserted. This I think is the goal of the good designer. If AZ Cables can accomplish that then they are worthy of being SOTA.
Almost anything can be considered an ART BTW if it has be perfected over time IMO.

Just a few things I noticed.

Nothing is completely neutral but there are degrees of closeness. Audio electronics companies like Meridian, Spectral, Linn, Levinson, Goldmund that design complete systems do strive to convey the signal end-to-end with as much linearity and as low distortion as possible. I believe this is what Audioengr is referring to.

It is also possible to define neutrality from a listening standpoint, as recording engineers do when they use a live mike feed as a reference for any subsequent changes in sound.

The problem is for the ordinary audiophile who has neither an oscilloscope nor a reference sound to work with.

I agree with Audioengr when he says most cable manufacturers do not understand cable physics. There is nothing easier to do than change sound. Avoiding changing it is what is difficult.

Bwhite wrote:
"So from your statement about preamps - I gather you don't view them as too important. What about source components? Are they important?"

Preamps are certainly important. The point is: that in most systems there the SYNERGY between the pre and the amp is not too important, In other words, several good preamps will all behave about the same. There are exceptions to this, such as my own amps, which seem to require a lot of drive to sound dynamic, and therefore a low output impedance preamp.

Source components are the MOST important to nail right. If these are wrong, you will chase your tail indefinitely trying to fix the sound. I have a significant number of customers that have subjectively "bright" or sibialant systems just because their CD source is not optimum. This is precisely why I offer a demo source "system" to audition. Htye just leave a deposit and they can compare the Transport, DAC and SP/DIF cable to what they have to determine where the weakness is.

Rjwood wrote:
"Oh, and if Audioengr is really starting these threads for the benefit of us mere music lovers, perhaps he could nominate a few manufacturers whose cables perform at the same exalted level as his own?"

Sure, I can do this:
Bogdan
Audience
Acoustic Zen - certain cables
Siltech