Interconnect length

We all have different hearing abilities, and our systems all probably have different resolution. I can hear a difference between different lengths, even between one meter and a half meter. However, I will add that shorter does not necessarily always sound better. Trust your ears.

Actually "less is more". How many times do high-end companies brag that their new series pre, power...whatever component has a shorter signal path...shorter traces on printed circuit boards...shorter wire paths, etc.

I had the chance to speak with the owner/designer of some very high-end cables..and had mentioned that a "salesperson" had advised me to buy 1m. cables because they were the optimum length and that the .5m (which would serve my need then) would not sound as good. This owner/designer said the salesperson was just trying to sell me up (likely because of what they had in stock as well). He said the shorter the better...always...and he used the analogy of making all the wires inside your high-end pre-amp longer...you just wouldn't do it. He asked me not to mention his name/company on the net..and I won't.

However...as mentioned above, the 1m. would be easier to resale and if your storage changes in the future the .5m. could prove to be too short.

I think shorter is better. I have heard the difference. I make my own cables, so I can make long ones and short ones and have spares lying around since they're so cheap. As I understand capacitance is the most importance factor in interconnect sound, and halving the length of cable will substantially reduce the capacitance (not halve it because of the capacitance of the plugs).

I'd get one short cable on sale-or-return and find out if I could hear a difference. Perhaps you won't, but science says you might.

I agree with the above posters shorter is usually always better but you will never hear the difference between 1/2 meter.

Chuck

Capacitance is what you want to minimize in IC's. Going to .5m lengths will cut this approx. in half (connectors cause quite a lot of cap). Definitely recommended if you can do it. I have done a lot of simulations and listening tests and cap is the first-order effect.