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!
Can anyone who hears differences in cables explain why "audiophile" cables improve the sound of an audio system? Technical explanations please. Manufacturers do something physical to a cable in order to claim that there i an improvement. What is that physical thing(s) and how does it(them) improve sound? I'm not looking for references to manufacturers websites. I would like an explanation that is as free from bias as possible and remains technical. |
I’ll allow someone who is more senior (*higher number of posts on audiogon*) to answer that question. Here’s my 2 cents so they can tell me I’m wrong. Long story short, properly designed and terminated cables should not make a difference - They should not improve the sound quality of a system beyond what the electronics and the speakers or headphones themselves are capable of reproducing as audio output. The sum of what you’re listening to is the electronics and the driver movement of the speakers/woofers. The cables can only do wrong, they can’t improve what is. Interconnects are like a bridge ---- really awful RCAs or balanced cables are like a semi-broken bridge. I wrote about why this happens with resolving systems, but I think the moderator deleted my post. Power cords just need to be sufficient for the electrical load, and have enough shielding so stray noise from Wi-Fi/wireless signals does not infiltrate them, hence why I recommend using ferrite cores on either end of power cords, so 2 ferrite cores per power cord. It cleans up high frequency noise that often causes noise contamination in audio systems - in modern households - like smart-home functions for lighting, small speakers in the ceiling etc. Yada Yada,. |
Thanks for the explanation. I was reaching for someone who definitely hears/thinks/believes cables can improve the sound of a system. You and I think similarly on this matter. I understand the physics explanation on how cables work. My post-graduate degree in Physics and 40+ years designing and developing sophisticated opto/electronic equipment (telecon, molecular biology research instruments, supermarket scanners, digital data optical readers (on film and CD, audio and video), military, and laser development)). makes me quite able to understand how audio systems and components actually work. It's not magic. |
I’m sure you do understand. And I’m not being sarcastic. kevemaher |
