2. cables
  3. 128927-305

Most Important, Unloved Cable...

Ethernet. I used to say the power cord was the most unloved, but important cable. Now, I update that assessment to the Ethernet cable. Review work forthcoming. 

I can't wait to invite my newer friend who is an engineer who was involved with the construction of Fermilab, the National Accelerator Lab, to hear this! Previously he was an overt mocker; no longer. He decided to try comparing cables and had his mind changed. That's not uncommon, as many of you former skeptics know. :)

I had my biggest doubts about the Ethernet cable. But, I was wrong - SO wrong! I'm so happy I made the decision years ago that I would try things rather than simply flip a coin mentally and decide without experience. It has made all the difference in quality of systems and my enjoyment of them. Reminder; I settled the matter of efficacy of cables years before becoming a reviewer and with my own money, so my enthusiasm for them does not spring from reviewing. Reviewing has allowed me to more fully explore their potential.  

I find fascinating the cognitive dissonance that exists between the skeptical mind in regard to cables and the real world results which can be obtained with them. I'm still shaking my head at this result... profoundly unexpected results way beyond expectation. Anyone who would need an ABX for this should exit the hobby and take up gun shooting, because your hearing would be for crap.  
douglas_schroeder
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,055 posts
 
@willemj 

Did your banker say that they had to use cheap cables cause you want free checking account? 
jinjuku's avatar
jinjuku
226 posts
 
Lalitk,

Can you answer one simple question, when the cable is removed and the audio still plays what happens to the SQ?

Why is this such a difficult question for subjective folks to answer?

That is indeed the crux of my argument:

If I came out and you couldn’t see your setup, only hear it, assuming you are using quality components with adequate buffer (and a lot of them do) would you be able to tell when the cable was removed but the music still played?

Stop the tap dancing, realize the non real-time nature of networked audio and attempt to answer the question.

Bottom line there is a reason you aren’t and because it’s a tacit admission that your understanding about how networked audio works is fundamentally flawed.

Is there an intellectually curious or honest subjectivist here that would be willing to actually trust their ears (and I mean ears only)? 
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,055 posts
 
@jinjuku,

I would be happy to answer your question if you tell me what happens to SQ once the info in buffer runs out assuming Ethernet cable remains out of the equation?
jinjuku's avatar
jinjuku
226 posts
 
I would be happy to answer your question if you tell me what happens to SQ once the info in buffer runs out assuming Ethernet cable remains out of the equation?
What happens to your Youtube playback when your local connection has been down long enough? 

What happens to your buffered audio while the cable is unplugged/plugged back in while never allowing for the playback to interrupt? 

At least you are admitting audio is playing out of the buffer and not the Ethernet cable. It's a start. 
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,055 posts
 
Sadly, you are not willing to admit the importance of a cable carrying the digital bits to your buffer zone. Again, garbage in garbage out. You’re only focusing on the sound that comes out of your noisy $10 sound card within your laptop. Who gives a shit about the SQ :-)

Enough said!
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