A fresh approach to cable analysis

Haven't posted in a long time. Hope I don't step on any toes :)

First high end cable I bought was a Cardas Hexlink. This was about the same time I started opening up and modifying my power amps.

My power amps where Counterpoint sa12's. I was able to talk to Mr. Elliot and we somehow got on the subject of interconnects. Boy did he laugh.

The vast majority of capacitors in EVERY piece of audio equipment is wound with tin foil. Let me repeat that. Hundreds if not thousand of feet of tin foil. But it is zero crystal.:)

The fun part of this hobby is trial and error. We all suffer with a need. Our systems allow us to satiate that need.

I miss Audiogon. Decades ago I had a lot of fun here, or is that hear?

@gdaddy1 

Just because cable deniers refuse to acknowledge reality

What 'reality' are you talking about? I haven't seen anyone provide ANY factual reality that verfies the claims made. Wouldn't you think the manufacturers of these expensive cables be proud enough to back their grandious claims with something real? Maybe they could show how they test them and why they sound better. They don't. That's reality.

Berkeley Audio Design makes a model "Alpha DAC Series 3" reference DAC.  It competes with DACs that are quadruple its price.

Reputable reviewers have sung its praises.

Where is the "provided factual reality that verfies the claims made" for that reference DAC?

How about the Aesthetix Metis pre-amp, and the Aesthetix IO Eclipse phono amp.

Where is the scientific proof of those product's reference level sound quality.

How about Vandersteen's M7-HPA reference level amps?  Where is verifiable proof of those amp's stellar sound quality?

The proof is in the ears of the people that have listened to those products with their ears.

If you wired up your stereo with Shunyata Research, Omega-X signal cables, your ears would give you the proof that you are seeking.

But, instead, you are denouncing cables you never demoed.

Dealers lend out those cables to reputable customers.  Shunyata Research also has review samples that they lend out.  The same goes for Audioquest and others.

I never demoed those cables.  But I have demoed others that are of similar quality, and the stereo system's sound quality improved, demonstrably.  I will not ask for proof of each model release.  My local high-end store would get me loaners, if I asked.  But I will not waste their time when I am not intending to buy them.

Apply the same "proof" standards to all audio gear, that you do to cables.  And when you put together a system based on lab reports, I will lay odds that that stereo will have so-so, or perhaps pretty good, sound quality.  But it will not have outstanding sound quality.

When I purchased my stereo, I never asked for proof of anything.  That was over a decade ago, and I still have no clue about 90% of my stereo's specifications.  I do not care, because my stereo sounds fantastic, and no specifications are going to convince me differently than what my ears hear.

Your idea is flawed because it would be financially impossible to spend thousands and thousands on high end cables that you then dissect and basically destroy in order to make YouTube videos to show how the cables are constructed. A YouTube channel that does this would not be getting millions of views, most people don't know or care about high end cables, it's a very niche audience.

Maybe this person is super rich and can afford to light cash on fire, in that case it's great and I would be curious to see, but I would be one of his few subscribers.

@fpomposo I don’t see it as a flaw as much as a challenge. for instance, there might be ways to non-invasively capture images of the construction of a cable, or it might be possible to dissect one end and then simply cut that part off and reterminate the cable. Perhaps funding sources could be found or maybe some cable manufacturers would even submit samples for review. Hard to say without trying if it were easy, someone would’ve already done it but if you want to be present in the YouTube marketplace with a unique product, I think it’s worth a little work and just might pay off.

it is a fascinating aspect of high-end cables that the manufacturer can make all kinds of promises and sell you something that they know you will be afraid to open up and actually inspect. What if a cable with a supposed double helix design in fact was just a piece of straight wire. How would you ever know? 

@bruce19 

Early humans created gods to explain natural phenomena they did not understand (like thunder, seasons, or disease). Psychological theories also suggest that the human brain evolved to seek patterns and authority figures, leading to the invention of deities to provide comfort, hope, and a sense of existential purpose. This was the basis of the development of Christianity which has no basis in science.

As a parallel, AudioQuest was created in 1980 and has gone about explaining some of the natural phenomena of cables that are rooted in science. Such as resistance, inductance, and capacitance. Also, material purity and signal shielding as others have pointed out here. Not all cables are the same due to the differences mentioned that can be measured via an oscilloscope or other scientific means. In contrast, there is no white paper on God, or photo, nor even a spec sheet. Why would you believe in something that has no proof of actually being real, yet struggle with a physical component that has scientific properties?

AudioQuest is one of many companies that specialize in cables and they do so quite successfully at around the tune of $25 million per year, which apparently, suits a lot of ears.

Not sure how much Christianity brings in a year, but pastor Joel Osteen is worth $100 million, so while he is not selling cables, he is selling something that is far more worthy of his time. Faith! You can find him on YouTube if you want to hear his arguments on the belief that there is a higher god. Not sure what he would tell you about audio cables, but...

In his Texas megachurch, Joel Osteen uses a line array of speakers (JBL VTX Series), utilizes Crown for his amps, Speakon cables, and he even uses DSP from BSS Audio! He is both a believer of God and high-end cables!! Holy moses!