The Science of Cables


It seems to me that there is too little scientific, objective evidence for why cables sound the way they do. When I see discussions on cables, physical attributes are discussed; things like shielding, gauge, material, geometry, etc. and rarely are things like resistance, impedance, inductance, capacitance, etc. Why is this? Why aren’t cables discussed in terms of physical measurements very often?

Seems to me like that would increase the customer base. I know several “objectivist” that won’t accept any of your claims unless you have measurements and blind tests. If there were measurements that correlated to what you hear, I think more people would be interested in cables. 

I know cables are often system dependent but there are still many generalizations that can be made.
128x128mkgus
glupson, thank you for your reasonable discussion. I have tried most of the attempts that you have, and imo the Schroeder Method is more profound in effect than any of them. 

You have chosen a zero sum position, and I can respect that, as you seem to realize that an absolutist position will cut you out of any potential benefit. Others see the low cost/effort to trial as worth a try. 





jhills
I’m not going to start dropping names here. Do a google search for high end audio cables. You might be shocked to find that $1K per ft. is on the bottom side of some.
I’m not interested in any random cable, but the specific cable(s) you refer to here that lead you to question the claims made for them:
... coated with Graphene; or filled with incredible, semi-conductor liquid; or made in USA ultra high grade, specially treated, conductors - with multi layers of high-tech shielding (actually come from China bulk conductor wire - the equivalent of 24AWG at about $.25 pr. ft ...
If you’re not willing to name the subject of your complaint, then there’s no way we can have a discussion about that. Perhaps that was your intent.

You also stated:
... the wild claims of some of these high priced cable guys - some of which already facing, or have faced, suits and fines for false claims and improper business practices ...
But again, you won’t be specific:
Again, do a little digging. Is pretty easy to find ...
Specifics, please. I’m aware of one case that involved a retailer, iirc, in the UK. I’m not aware of any other such instance and, I suspect, neither are you.

I’m with this guy:thecarpathian
jhills, you’re doing exactly what you’re accusing the cable companies of doing. Making an awful lot of claims without backing them up...

I have a set of 4 Y-splitters that I’m happy to loan out so others can test the SM. Just PM me. 
taras22,

Hate to nitpick but this is definitely what you wrote (copied and pasted from your post)...
spec·tac·u·lar Dictionary result for spectacular/spekˈtakyələr/adjective beautiful in a dramatic and eye-catching way. "spectacular mountain scenery"
Or, better to say, someone else wrote it for you. No "ear-catching" in sight.

You surely have not changed over the last 6 months.
@glupson
Hate to nitpick but this is definitely what you wrote (copied and pasted from your post)...
spec·tac·u·lar Dictionary result for spectacular/spekˈtakyələr/adjective beautiful in a dramatic and eye-catching way. "spectacular mountain scenery"
Or, better to say, someone else wrote it for you. No "ear-catching" in sight
.
Here is what I, as in me writing something ( and not quoting something ), wrote ...please refer to the quote below.

What I heard was beautiful in a very dramatic and ear catching way and thus my description of the event as spectacular matches up well with the Dictionary result found above. And that description was not an exaggeration or something not meant to be taken literally, it was what it was. As an important aside I should note that I do have the decided advantage of actually being an aural witness to said event, read in the frame when the event occurred, and as a result very much unlike yourself.

Please note the 11th and 12th words. Now if I’m not mistaken they are ear and catching and together they say ear catching and I definitely wrote those words and to folks with their eyes open they are most definitely in plain sight. They were part of a paraphrase of a definition that was just above it. And btw that definition in actuality was written by someone else and is demarcated as a quote to indicate same ( this is how quotes work and why they are used...to properly attribute words to those who wrote them ).

Here is a thought, and don’t mean to nitpick, mainly because this is way beyond nitpicking, maybe you should invest in some basic reading comprehension or reading glasses, or both, because your latest attempt at scoring a cheap debating point has only yielded a classic face plant, and dare I say a spectacular one, as in dramatic and eye-catching ( though unfortunately for you in watching a train wreck kind of way ).