Quick Question About Power Cables

@unreceivedogma 

There are some folks that cannot hear audio improvements that are very apparent to many of us. I don’t have an explanation for this. I guess, consider yourself lucky. You can enjoy music to a greater extent with a lessor investment. 
 

A lot has to do with the enjoyment one gets from greater fidelity. I for one gain great enjoyment from small improvements in fidelity. I would much rather drive an older car and use lower quality TP in order to enjoy the lower noise floor and neutral balance of my AQ Hurricane than that of the very heavy copper power cord provided by the manufacturer. To me, the $2K is soooo obvious and worth the cost it is a no brainer.

This is why everyone should audition high end audio components in their system. Only invest in the ones that are worth it to you.

For a streamer, a preamp isn't worth spending a lot of money to boost the bass.  Buy, better assemble yourself, Saec 7000 cable.  Valikolepny control and supply of low frequencies.

@ghdprentice

”There are some folks that cannot hear audio improvements that are very apparent to many of us.”

I was reluctant to enter this conversation at all because of obnoxious attitudes such as yours. You suggest that I am hearing deficient because I don’t agree with you.

I was very clear:

A - I’ve tried 4 or 5 expensive to very expensive cables. Ages ago so I cannot remember the brands. I decided that to the extent that I heard anything, it was minimal, nowhere near worth the cost, or it was a placebo effect.

B - An audio engineer with decades worth of experience building amplifiers for home audio use, as well as building guitar amps (he is also an accomplished musician and member of the blues hall of fame), has listened to dozens of home audio systems, most costing well into six figures, said he had heard only one system that he felt sounds as good as mine, and that one cost $160,000. In some ways he preferred that one, in most ways he preferred mine. Mine cost me $30,000, spent over 40 years. The upshot of this observation? In other words, no - NO - amount of spending is likely to significantly improve my system, it will just make it sound different, and this engineer said so, and advised me not to spend any more money beyond maintenance and upkeep of what I have.

Add to this that my conscience opposes indulging in conspicuous consumption. $30K is already more than enough for this obsessive hobby. 

Jesus Mary and Joseph.

Moses Abraham and David.
Marx, Lenin and Mao.
Mills, Hayek and Friedman.

🙄🙄🙄

There are some folks that cannot hear audio improvements that are very apparent to many of us.

I agree, but the last part seems a bit like finger pointing.

While we all a share the passion for music, we also have unique:

• hearing ability
• Audio chains
• AC electrical noise
• AC filtration
• room conditions especially ambient noise floor

Thinking that one’s perception is truth for all is not logical under uncertain circumstances. Telling another that their perception is invalid based on one’s own perception seems wrongly arrogant.

@goofyfoot 

I suggest you try different returnable PCs, and/or buy used then resell if not satisfied.  Maybe not an issue for you, but if you buy new, the resale value will be much lower.  

@unreceivedogma

I definitely did not say your hearing was defective, nor in any way have an obnoxious attitude. Hearing is only one aspect. What we turn our attention to and focus on also plays an important role… what we value as well. For decades I have met with audiophiles and traded commenting on very subtle nuances in audio systems and used nearly the exact same words and were clearly were talking about exactly the same thing. Then, occasionally there is someone that just can’t hear it.

My best friend is one of them. We have been friends for 55 years. He is an amateur guitarist and has a bunch of guitars, which he can tune… I absolutely cannot. He has struggled with his system… he has $10K components and it sounds simply terrible… well, we agree on that. But I can swap a cable and he can’t hear it… a friend of mine who knows nothing about audio has his jaw dropped the difference is so big… my novice friend tries to describe the difference… stumbling… not having the words… but it is clear he completely got it.

So, why can’t my best friend hear it? For most of our lives his hearing was fine. I don’t know. I honestly do not.

When my partner and I watch our home theater we will notice completely different things. Sure both of us notice the big explosion…but I will notice the brand of fountain pen, while she didn’t even notice there was a pen involved. She will notice something completely different. Maybe there is some emphasis that is different for us audiophiles… beats me.