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Dang it… cables do matter (at least in my system)

I really didn’t want to write this post.

Like many of you, I am not a cable guy. I would much rather believe that a well-made, sensibly priced cable gets you 99% of the way there and that anything beyond that is mostly jewelry for audiophiles. In fact, that belief is exactly why I started this experiment in the first place.

I recently picked up a higher-end phono cable (Nordost Heimdall 2) to compare against a Blue Jeans Cable I already owned and respected. My intention—honestly—was to scratch the curiosity itch, confirm that the cheaper cable sounded just as good in my system, and then send the expensive one back with my wallet intact and my worldview reinforced.

That… did not happen.

In my system, the pricier cable consistently sounded better. Not “night and day,” not “jaw on the floor,” but unmistakably better: wider and more coherent soundstage, stronger and more articulate bass, better placement of instruments, more air around them, and a more resolved top end that wasn’t brighter or etched. Just clearer. More sorted. More believable.

Still, I was fully prepared to chalk some of that up to expectation bias. After all, I knew which cable was which, and $1,200 has a way of whispering sweet nothings into your ears.

So tonight, during a dinner party, I did something unplanned. I had four people listen—my brother (a dyed-in-the-wool non-audiophile), my daughter (a budding audiophile), my sister-in-law (a musician), and my wife. I didn’t tell them which cable was which, only that they were two different phono cables at very different price points and that I was trying to decide between them.

All four, independently and without hesitation, preferred the same cable. Not subtly. Not with hedging. My brother—who could not care less about hi-fi and would happily listen through a Bluetooth speaker—said there was “no question” which one he liked and that he wouldn’t use the other if given the choice.

Cue my quiet sigh.

So yes, to my chagrin and to the detriment of my wallet, the more expensive cable outperformed the cheaper one in my system. I wish the Blue Jeans had won. I truly do. This would have been a much cheaper and more philosophically satisfying outcome.

I’m not claiming cables transform systems, nor that everyone needs to run out and spend real money on them. I’m also not suggesting this will translate universally. But in this case—same system, same music, multiple listeners—the difference was real enough that even the skeptics in the room heard it.

I remain annoyed.
But apparently… cables do matter. Somewhat.

Dang it

brighamdoc
akg_ca
2,479 posts
 

No surprise here. I used to be an all-NORDOST FREY user and have since upgraded to a card-carrying all-CARDAS CLEAR member .

I am copying and pasting an article quoted from a CANADA HI-FI article I saved from TAVES …an annual audiofest review here in Toronto from a number of years ago.
This interested me because I was there too as one of the thousands of the witnessing audience over the three day show .

Read on and draw your own conclusions .

".....I had a chance to sit in on a couple demonstrations in the Nordost room, giving my feet a well deserved break. I’m very familiar with the benefits of high quality cables and use a full Nordost Heimdall 2 loom with my reference two-channel setup. That being said, I always find the Nordost demonstrations to be an “ear-opening” experience.

Michael Taylor from Nordost demonstrated the significant sonic benefits of replacing an OEM cable with a Nordost model – in particular

1) a swap of a single USB cable, from OEM to Nordost Blue Heaven ($250/2m), to Heimdall 2 ($500/2m) and;

2) a swap of a single RCA interconnect, from OEM, to Blue Heaven, to Heimdall 2, to Tyr 2m, and;

3) finally Valhalla 2.

Along with convincing the audience in the room that cables DO matter, I’ve now got the bug to upgrade...."

 

my only editorial: I hope nobody tries to lamely serve up any mass hysteria “expectation bias” argument here … 

 

 

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
7,936 posts
 

I love bluejeans cables. In my system I have a set of RCA and a set of XLRs - they serve two purposes - 1) a spare if I sell my interconnects before I get a replacement, 2) they provide a solid baseline for cable comparisons. 
 

Listening to BlueJeans against better cables you realize it’s not just the soundstage and imaging that you can improve upon but also the musical engagement - bluejeans sound dull and lifeless. It doesn’t take long to hear that. 
 

I use Kimber Carbon phono cables and a set of Carbon XLRs from phono stage to integrated. Made a huge difference. 

steakster
2,176 posts
 

Years ago, I read on audio forums that people dismissed power conditioners to clean up the AC power.  Now, I own several.

Years ago, I read on audio forums that people dismissed Synergistic Research cabling. Now, I own a full loom.

Years ago, I read on audio forums that people dismissed Wilson Audio speakers.  Now, I own a pair.

- - - 

Ignoring the flat-earthers, cable-deniers and pontificating EE’s yielded the best improvement in SQ for my system.

brighamdoc OP
22 posts
 

Thanks for the comments.

I have to say I really enjoy my Blue Jeans cables.  My entire system is hooked up with them (except the phono).  If I walked away for 30-60 minutes I'd find it difficult to pick which cable was in use.

The analog portion of my system is Soundsmith Paua II - VPI Signature 21 - Pass Labs XP-17 - Pass Labs INT6 - Pure Audio Project Trio15 Classics with REL T7i subs on each side.

tubeguy80's avatar
tubeguy80
213 posts
 

I had a similar origin story back in the day. Really would have been nice if my experiments ended up not showing any worthwhile difference. That wasn't how it turned out though. 

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