Can we objectively rate speaker cables?

These tests "prove" nothing except that the people involved did not hear a difference, not that others wouldn't.

Agreed. It proves absolutely nothing at all.

I think we can also all agree that there must be some (even if ever so small) difference and that the output of some gear may be a great deal more sensitive than others to a very small difference of this type (a speaker with a low impedance point of 4 ohms, for example, on the end of a 50 foot cable).

However, before we jump to conclusions, where are the blind tests that "prove" that there are "some others" who can indeed hear the difference on those high quality very expensive cables? (...and then logically what type gear specifically requires careful attention to cables?)

And I am not referring to the Misleading Monster cable in store demo which you can read about on Roger Russel's website and where a difference is very obvious.

Little if anything in audio related to cables can be objectively rated. What is good in one system/combination with "X" is horrible in "Y" and thus cannot be independently analyzed except for measuring capacitance, resistance, inductance, etc. Thus, cables can be only rated relative to the system they are inserted into. And, unfortuntely, they do make things sound "different" but not always better or worse. This is what keeps "audio" interesting. Moving\bending cables changes the sound and when comparing them, movement introduces another variable, so blind testing is worth little in this situation. The sound changes especially for the solid core stuff with movement. A good idea for a standard, but...Jallen

First off, what type of music people listen to and their frame of reference relative to live music events will inevitably influence how they hear and judge any audio product. What is possible can only be appreciated if you have a physical ear/brain experience or memory of live events/instruments and how they can sound in any given environment. Those with limited exposure to great music performed in great venues need not apply if they are conditioned to listening to electronicaly reproduced, poorly recorded, mass marketed material. If you have been around live music and frequented some of the best venues around for mucial events as I have, then it takes little imagination or effort to hear the differences in cables or gear. The realm of difficult discrimination becomes less of an obstacle you see because it is a physical sonic memory. Going to a few rock concerts and listening to mismatched/conventional components all your life affords one an extremely limited sonic imagination.

Oh geez, Stereophile Mag will never hire you guys to write reviews for them. Lol. Yes, I must agree that we all see and hear things differently. O.P did not mention that this is for IC’s or Speaker Cables (SC) but here’s how I “see” them and here’s how I rate them in MY systems.



A/ (Detailed) 1 ------------------------------10 (Warm)
- Nordost Blue Heaven (SC) ---- 4.5

- Nordost Red Dawn (SC) -------- 5

- Nordost SPM (SC) ------------- 6

- Gurtz MI-2 (SC) -----------------6

- Nordost Valhalla (IC) ------------3

- Nordost QuatroFil (IC) -------5.5

- Transparent REF (IC) -----------7

- Kinber SilverStreak (IC)-------4.5

- BlueJean LC1 (IC) ----------- 5.5
------------------------------------------
B/ (Focus Soundstage) 1 --------- 10 (Open Soundstage /airy)
- Nordost Blue Heaven (SC) ------ 5

- Nordost Red Dawn (SC) ------- 4.5

- Nordost SPM (SC) ---------------4

- Gurtz MI-2(SC) ----------------- 4

- Nordost Valhalla (IC) ----------- 8

- Nordost QuatroFil (IC) ---------4

- Transparent REF (IC) ---------- 4

- Kinber SilverStreak (IC)---------6

- BlueJean LC1 (IC) ------------4.5

------------------------------------------

C. (Slow) 1 ---------------------------------- 10 (Fast)

- Nordost Blue Heaven (SC) --------- 6.5

- Nordost Red Dawn (SC) ------------- 6

- Nordost SPM (SC) ------------------5.5

- Gurtz MI-2(SC) -------------------- 5.5

- Nordost Valhalla (IC) --------------9.7

- Nordost QuatroFil (IC) -------------6.5

- Transparent REF (IC) -------------- 4.5

- Kinber SilverStreak (IC)------------6.5

- BlueJean LC1 (IC) -------------------5

Sorry I mispelled. Please correct the "Goertz" MI-2.