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audiophile folklore - cables and claims from manufacturers

The cable debate.

Cables make a difference, sure. 

But SHOULD they?

I have been grappling with this question for the better part of 20 years! 

Fanatical claims from manufacturers, talking about how their cables will improve your system in specific ways, sonically. 

More accurate bass, cleaner midrange sounds, treble resolution... etc. soundstage and imaging, you get the idea.

The fundamental disconnect is - they have never heard YOUR system! 

So then, how do they know what their cables will sound like in your system. Not to mention, astronomical prices on some of these interconnects. The wilder the claims, the higher the cost.

The behavior we should be looking for is passing on the signal, with as little losses as possible. That can be done relatively cheaply, with well made professional interconnects that cost less than 100 dollars in most cases.

If you could build an audio system (all of it) from thrift store finds and cables really did make that much of a difference, then wouldn’t the sound quality scale that way?

It seems many audiophiles I know are in denial. And even worse, some use cables as TONE controls! This is where audiophoolery becomes a religion. Audio dealers promote it, because it impacts their bottom line! 

frank009
frank009's avatar
frank009 OP
195 posts
 

@cleeds 

There you go again, talking like you haven't got a clue.

@tomcy6 

You seem to be on the wrong train of thought. Preamplifiers and Power amplifiers that are used for their own respective purposes in their own boxes don't have the negative interactions that all integrated and all-in-one audio components have.

In addition, the gain structure of a preamp + a matching power amplifier, same brand, same series, is often going to sound better than an integrated amplifier from the same manufacturer.

If you think about it at first, it seems clever to stuff everything in one box, but you can't cheat physics and electricity. 

@ghdprentice 

Finally, someone here with something smart to say. And that's right! 

frank009's avatar
frank009 OP
195 posts
 

Broadcast Audio ≠ High End Audio

Do those in BA know what a Magnepan, Sonus Faber, Magico, MBL,…sound like?

Do BA know what a great tube amp sounds like? How about class A, AB…?

Thinking that BA have golden ears superior is to ours? In our hobby which is seeking higher fidelity?

Ridiculous.

@kennyc 

You do not have golden ears. It's obvious.

Brand loyalty, believing you know what certain classes of amplifiers sound like typically, thinking that you seeking higher sound quality suddenly makes you  golden-eared goblin... ummm no it does not. 

Amplifiers sound different because of their level of technology and the sum ora lack of their compromises at the most basic fundamental level. The class type has very little to do with the sound. It's how clever the circuit designer/engineers were, and their IMPLEMENTATION that counts.

frank009's avatar
frank009 OP
195 posts
 

@mclinnguy 

if you can use shorter speaker cables then go for it. It may look nicer, but may not produce better sound quality than longer interconnects. The problem is only when the cables are too long, like over 15 feet for each speaker cable. Then the sound can suffer in a 2 channel audiophile system.

I for one don't want or even know what a "ghetto blaster" is, so I will politely decline.

mclinnguy's avatar
mclinnguy
1,077 posts
 

frank009's avatar
frank009 OP
195 posts
 

@mclinnguy 

A nice photo of you outside. Enjoy your time in the wilderness.

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