The Science of Cables

I sold Nordost for over 10 years of time. I even sold the most Valhalla cables for many years. I have done thousands of test with cables in over 20 years of time. Differences between brands are huge. In the end, you need cables who can reveal and display all the different aspects of sound.

In 2010 I started to sell Audioquest cables again. I also sold Kimber a lot for a long time. As Purist Audio power cables.

But....when you test many different brands you all know ( I won’t tell the brands) the facts prove that most cables emphasis a certain freq. range. This always works negatively. It needs to be as linear as possible.

But......when people have no idea about sound and about the different aspects/properties of sound you have no idea what is the best choice. We do both sound&vision by Tru-Fi.

This means we work and think by all the different aspects/properties of sound and also for vision. Because you need them all to become one with your music. Many brands in cabels I tested are not able to reveal all the different aspects/properties of sound. They will always create a limitation in each system you use.

You will need an audio-system what can reveal all the details and different aspects of sound. You will find these details and aspects of each recording. But almost all products which are produced in the world of audio cannot reveal all the aspects of sound.

In cables, you see exactly the same limitations as in all other audio products. This is why almost all sold systems cannot reveal all the details and different aspects of sound. When we talk to new clients who own incomplete trial&error systems they often miss the engagement and emotion.

This can be easily explained when different aspects are missing. All the different aspects of sound can influence human emotion. So this makes it more clear why the level in emotion and intensity becomes less.

When we judge all different cables on all aspects of sound the facts prove that most are incomplete. People who work in audio and those who see audio as their hobby all do audio by trial and error. And most have no idea about the aspects of sound.

For them, it is even impossible to understand what the cable they want to buy does to their system. Because almost all sold systems in the world cannot reveal all the aspects of sound.

For over 5 weeks now I own the new Audioquest Fireblade Zero+bass in a single bi-wire configuration. I started to do research between the single wire cables vs the single bi-wire cables in 1999, So I know exactly the important benefit of single bi-wire cables for loudspeakers who have the option to be used in bi-wire.

We only create systems who are able to reveal all the aspects of sound. And the Audioquest cables can reveal and display all these different aspects as well. But.....most systems which are sold in the whole F. world are incomplete. This means that all AudioQuest cables you will use in an incomplete trial&error system cannot be used at the max they can offer you.

This week I bought a monster of a Gryphon Antilion Signature power amp of 90 kilos. And when it is being installed and we have done a new Statement Audio Pro-measurement I will invite AudioQuest Europe. It will make my stage even wider en deeper. And it will create a higher level in layering compared to my former Pass Labs.

I asked Audioquest to bring in all their Niagara conditioners. I will ask them to give a demonstration of how they use their products and cables at my place. I have tested the Niagara conditioners and I know that they cannot reveal all the aspects of sound.

After they have done their presentation I will show them what happens when you use a conditioner who is able to reveal all the aspects of sound. And how big the differences are in intensity and emotion. I do not want to make them look like fools. I only want to show them what conditioners can do when they are able to reveal all the aspects of sound.

I have sold in 2018 by far the most Storm power cables in my country. I already started to do a lot of research on power cables in 2002. In the Tru-Fi world, the level in the effectiveness of power cables is never comparable compared to the same power cable in an incomplete trial&error audio system.

All my clients call these cables a bargain. But when I talked to Audioquest about the Storm power cables the reactions in the whole of Europe and Asia are totally different. And sold not as much as they hoped for. In the US they are sold a lot more. But due to the lack of insight and knowledge in cables in most audio shops they cannot create the same level in effectiveness as we can create.

For the Audioquest loudspeaker cables, the differences are huge as well. We sell so much more expensive loudspeaker cables than almost all audio shops. In the Tru-Fi world, a cable is of the same importance as a source, loudspeaker or even an amp. Friday I had contact with Audioquest by phone about their new loudspeaker cables.

And I asked them does the sales of the new loudspeaker show that most are sold in a single wire? They saw in their system that this was correct. I predicted this a few months ago already. Most people in audio have not the insight and knowledge in the benefits of using single bi-wire for bi-wire loudspeakers.

And now comes the main reason for this. In a Tru-Fi world where the stage is always 3-dimensional and deep and wide. The benefit of a single bi-wire configuration is a lot bigger than compared to any 2-dimensional system by trial&error. Who often also miss other different aspects of sound.

We have sold the new Audioquest loudspeaker cables only in a zero+bass single wire configuration. In a shootout with an Audioquest loudspeaker cable in a single wire configuration and the use of bridges the outcome would be rather big. But......in a trial&error incomplete audio system, the differences are a lot less compared to the Tru-Fi world?

So......the question is?

What is the truth?

I agree that cables are super easy to measure in terms of R, C and L.


I think that what's not well understood is their effect on the final output. I've heard speaker cables behave in such a way that makes me believe amps and speakers are more susceptible to these than we think. I've heard a lot of cables which "enhance imaging" do so by cutting the treble.


In the mean time, snake oil proliferates and people pay outrageous sums of money for essentially tone controls, with noise blocking.


Pretty much why I use balanced, pure silver cables with shielding and build my own. Cheap, very very good sounding. If I need a tone control I'll use ... a tone control.


Best,

E

If I need a tone control I'll use ... a tone control.

My sentiments exactly.

I can describe all the differences between many brands due to tests and comparing. And the differences are huge, so again the question is?

Which ones are the most coherent and realistic sounding cables?

Then you need to learn first how voices and instruments sound in reality? Because when you hear most audio products and even for cables count the same thing, they differ all too much from the truth.

When I talk with manufacturers and I ask them simple questions about sound and how the human emotion works regarding music they have no idea.

The next question is; how for God sake they make their choices. And on what it is founded?

In the past and still today most people who buy cables want to adapt the timbre and sound of their system.

This is not the way how you should use cables. People often have no idea what the DNA regarding the properties of each individual component is in their system. This is why trial&error is pure gambling.

When you do not know the DNA of each individual part in your system is, it is 100% impossible to understand what the F. you are doing. And yes these are 100% facts.

I talked since 2017 with many manufacturers about the way they work. They all agreed that the cannot look back what the DNA is of every single part. And they also agreed that trial and error has no real foundation.

Even when I talked to manufacturers who create products who can reveal all the aspects of sound, is that it is still difficult to understand why it can reveal all the aspects of sound. Like they had some luck. There is still a lot what is unknown in audio.

Since 2015 we spent a lot of time in testing and doing research regarding electro-smog, magnetism and high-frequent noise. We did all these tests with the advice of people who are specialists in these parts. But when I talked to manufacturers they have very little insight and knowledge about these aspects.

People who see audio as their hobby have no idea how low the level is of the effectiveness of each component in their system. It is insane how much quality, details, layers, and realism in sound you will lose. Due to the influences of the acoustic, electro-smog, magnetism and high-frequent noise on the sound and stage.

It is sad to see and hear how few products there are who can reveal all the aspects of sound. This proves how little most manufacturers know about sound and all the influences on sound and stage. They only focus on their products. And they don’t care about the systems where their products are used in. This is not their responsibility they often say.

I think a lot different about this matter. In my opinion, manufacturers have to work a lot more precise to create the best and most realistic sounding products. But the facts show that this is not how it is in reality. I have done thousands of tests with cables in over 20 years of time now. And even here the sad thing is the fact that most brands cannot reveal all the aspects of sound.

But trail&error will never make you aware and understand what the DNA is of the cable you just put into your system. They will only listen to the end result. But they will never have any F. idea of why the end result is what they hear. It is insane that the whole world is doing audio by trial&error. Even when people are interested in new cables they still have no F. idea of what they are doing.

For conditioners, you have the same outcome as with amps, preamps, sources, cables, loudspeakers that by far most products are still incomplete. So when you use these conditioners you limit yourself often with your audio system. It limits you in hearing and perceiving all the different aspects of sound.

But...due to trail&error, you will never have any idea what you miss. And which aspects that part in your system cannot reveal. This is why trial&error is pure random order. They all wanted us to believe that sound is just a matter of personal taste. You only can choose your own system.

Even this is not the truth. Based on the fact that both voices and instruments sound as they sound in reality. I have done a lot of research on how human emotion works regarding music. It made me understand that you need all the different aspects of sound to feel the emotion of your own music.

I am addicted to music since I was 6. I spend about 200 euro on new music every single month. This has been like this for many many years now. I make time to listen to new music for about 3-4 hours every single week. In over 20 years visiting hundreds of clients with audio systems I learned how little music the most people own?

So I asked them; are you happy with your system? And most were not. That is why they often invited me. All their systems where incomplete. So it was very easy to explain to them why they miss the intensity and emotion during listening to their system.

When I did ask them why they have so little own music? They said that when they have the sound they are looking for they will start buying music. But most people who do audio by trial&error will never come to the ultimate level they hope to create. Even after many years they still hope to find the sound they are dreaming of.

Almost all human beings can only perceive 1 to 3 different aspects of sound within 1 second. This also proves that is it 100% impossible to create an ultimate sounding system by themselves. Based on the fact that trail&error systems are almost all incomplete regarding the missing aspects of sound. What is missing never can be perceived when even one part of their system is missing aspects of sound.

The audio industry has been sleeping for a long time now. And trial&error is the main reason why the audio market is decreasing. When you are honest and see what the level is what you can get by doing audio by trial&error the outcome is not that great. Due to the fact that trial&error is extremely ineffective.

I use a lot of silver in my system. All interconnects are 100% silver. I use 2 sets of AudioQuest Wel Signature and the rest is AudioQuest Wild Blue Yonder. I only use Audioquest Diamond RJE-cables, Diamond HDMI cables, Diamond USB.

And the new AudioQuest Firebird has a lot of silver as well. The Bass uses 51% pure silver and the Zero about 30% of pure silver. I only use one Audioquest Dragon High-Current power cable with silver for my subwoofer. And an Audioquest Wild Dog 100% silver interconnect.

You cannot use silver as much as you would like to. Research proved that there are many many brands and products where copper cables work a lot better. Most audio products are very limited in the level of diversity (layering) in sound. And when you use silver cables, the level in layering will become even less.

But trial&error will not give you the information about the DNA of every single part within your system. You cannot look back to understand what the influence is of every single part. Because you are listening only to the end result. So you are doing audio by random order all your life.

You first need to imply products which can create a stunning level in diversity (layering) in sound before you can use silver a lot. And no most products are not usable for this. Power cables with silver work in most situations for amps, preamps, sources, power supplies and conditioners not as good as most copper versions.

They limit the level in layering too much. When you would judge a power cable on all the aspects of sound, it becomes even clear that copper will have a better end result on all different aspects compared to silver.

You only can understand which cable works best when you can judge your audio system on all different aspects of sound. But trail&error gives you no F. insight at all. You only can pray and hope for the best.

The new AudioQuest cables create a new level in sound quality I never have seen and auditioned before. When you compare the new AudioQuest cables with the old ones, they are now in a totally different league.

The only limitations I found are the Niagara conditioners. I can prove by facts and sound that they are incomplete regarding the aspects of sound. There are a few more Audioquest products which are not that great. But in general, they all own the DNA you want and need in your system.

The biggest difference is that AudioQuest cables have a much bigger influence in the Tru-Fi world compared to the limited trial&error world. This is why our clients have a different perspective and even truth regarding AudioQuest cables. Tru-Fi gives us full access to all the different aspects of sound.

But in the trial&error world, the AudioQuest cables work a lot less effective. Due to the fact that trail&error systems miss different aspects of sound. Trial&error (gambling) systems block you from having full access of all the AudioQuest cables.

When you miss different aspects of sound, you only can use the AudioQuest cables at a limited level. You still have no access to the parts which you cannot reveal with your system. This is why all people from the limited trial&error world have a different truth compared to all Tru-Fi owners.

And again the question is?

What is the real truth?