More 'Audiophile' bullsh*t
Discussion
Still wondering what company manufactures the cable. That is the people that weave the strands and put it on a reel. I suppose there are specialists who will do this? Some of unobtainium cables I see appear to have the same expanding weaved jackets we use. RS I think, various sizes, not expensive. Obviously not up to the task though......
Got a trip around a cable manufacturer when I was an apprentice and the larger core cables being wound with armour and the machines doing the winding were rocking the place. Very interesting (sorry, bit of reality crept in).
Got a trip around a cable manufacturer when I was an apprentice and the larger core cables being wound with armour and the machines doing the winding were rocking the place. Very interesting (sorry, bit of reality crept in).
The cable test in the attached link is worth a look http://www.audio-forums.com/threads/the-cable-test...
You don't have to listen to any files, just read 'til the end of page 3.
Edited for spelling error.
You don't have to listen to any files, just read 'til the end of page 3.
Edited for spelling error.
Edited by Crackie on Thursday 4th June 08:15
Crackie said:
The cable test in the attached link is worth a look http://www.audio-forums.com/threads/the-cable-test...
You don't have to listen to any files, just read 'til the read of page 3.
Nice one. Especially those who somehow managed to prefer one of the expensive cables explaining how they knew all along... You don't have to listen to any files, just read 'til the read of page 3.
FurtiveFreddy said:
Nice one. Especially those who somehow managed to prefer one of the expensive cables explaining how they knew all along...
The people who believe that cables play a vital roll in the sound of a system will contrive a way to conclude that the cheap freebie interconnect came last in the test. 
Crackie said:
The cable test in the attached link is worth a look http://www.audio-forums.com/threads/the-cable-test...
You don't have to listen to any files, just read 'til the read of page 3.
quite magnificent. And a total smackdown for the parade of tools who have spunked vast amounts of money on grotesquely overpriced nonsense who infest this threadYou don't have to listen to any files, just read 'til the read of page 3.
My experience is that cables can make a difference - but this is usually down to the design of the equipment they are being used with.
For example - a "passive preamp" (an oxymoron) will have a varying output impedance depending on the position of the volume control.
So at certain volume settings, with a cable that has a high capacitance, and audible high frequency attenuation will be evident, and can usually be heard.
Likewise preamps that have a volume control (potentiometer) as the final link in the chain - these too will exhibit a varying (high frequency) response dependant on position of the potentiometer.
This effect is also dependant on the value of the potentiometer, and will be worse the higher the resistive value.
So essentially a fancy cable will usually be compensating for a design flaw (or quirk in the case of a passive preamp).
Valve preamplifiers also tend to have high output impedances (depending on topology), so again, cable choice can play a part in the resulting sound.
For example - a "passive preamp" (an oxymoron) will have a varying output impedance depending on the position of the volume control.
So at certain volume settings, with a cable that has a high capacitance, and audible high frequency attenuation will be evident, and can usually be heard.
Likewise preamps that have a volume control (potentiometer) as the final link in the chain - these too will exhibit a varying (high frequency) response dependant on position of the potentiometer.
This effect is also dependant on the value of the potentiometer, and will be worse the higher the resistive value.
So essentially a fancy cable will usually be compensating for a design flaw (or quirk in the case of a passive preamp).
Valve preamplifiers also tend to have high output impedances (depending on topology), so again, cable choice can play a part in the resulting sound.
- I should point out that not all passive preamps operate in this manner - some have more complex attenuators that maintain a constant (low) output impedance) and hence the sound will be realtively unaffected by different cables.
TonyRPH said:
My experience is that cables can make a difference - but this is usually down to the design of the equipment they are being used with.
For example - a "passive preamp" (an oxymoron) will have a varying output impedance depending on the position of the volume control.
So at certain volume settings, with a cable that has a high capacitance, and audible high frequency attenuation will be evident, and can usually be heard.
Likewise preamps that have a volume control (potentiometer) as the final link in the chain - these too will exhibit a varying (high frequency) response dependant on position of the potentiometer.
This effect is also dependant on the value of the potentiometer, and will be worse the higher the resistive value.
So essentially a fancy cable will usually be compensating for a design flaw (or quirk in the case of a passive preamp).
Valve preamplifiers also tend to have high output impedances (depending on topology), so again, cable choice can play a part in the resulting sound.
Yes, yes. But now on to more important matters. How many of these magic beans do you want to buy?For example - a "passive preamp" (an oxymoron) will have a varying output impedance depending on the position of the volume control.
So at certain volume settings, with a cable that has a high capacitance, and audible high frequency attenuation will be evident, and can usually be heard.
Likewise preamps that have a volume control (potentiometer) as the final link in the chain - these too will exhibit a varying (high frequency) response dependant on position of the potentiometer.
This effect is also dependant on the value of the potentiometer, and will be worse the higher the resistive value.
So essentially a fancy cable will usually be compensating for a design flaw (or quirk in the case of a passive preamp).
Valve preamplifiers also tend to have high output impedances (depending on topology), so again, cable choice can play a part in the resulting sound.
- I should point out that not all passive preamps operate in this manner - some have more complex attenuators that maintain a constant (low) output impedance) and hence the sound will be realtively unaffected by different cables.
Not sure about you guys but I'm starting to find the increasing prevalence of 'audio grade' products in the TCP/IP arena quite irritating, now... I was mildly amused until my stepfather was recently keen to show me his magic expensive NAS drive, complete with audio-grade SATA cables, audio-optimised HDD firmware and network 'isolation' via packet filtering because apparently the streamer's NIC being on the same broadcast domain as other devices is detrimental to sound quality. I honestly dispair.
theboss said:
Not sure about you guys but I'm starting to find the increasing prevalence of 'audio grade' products in the TCP/IP arena quite irritating, now... I was mildly amused until my stepfather was recently keen to show me his magic expensive NAS drive, complete with audio-grade SATA cables, audio-optimised HDD firmware and network 'isolation' via packet filtering because apparently the streamer's NIC being on the same broadcast domain as other devices is detrimental to sound quality. I honestly dispair.
I can just about accept that those audio-grade SATA cables might have some effect in a PC based streamer which is connected directly to a DAC providing it had the same sor of treatment to the rest of th ecomponents and a high quality audio-grade PSU, but in a NAS? No chance.Mr_Yogi said:
I can just about accept that those audio-grade SATA cables might have some effect in a PC based streamer which is connected directly to a DAC providing it had the same sor of treatment to the rest of the components and a high quality audio-grade PSU, but in a NAS? No chance.
I simply cannot accept it at all.The data is read off the disk and checked, it can never be wrong (at the interface level).
SATA3 cables are also shielded, so even less likely to be susceptible to interference.
A friend of mine believed his £100 hdmi cable produced a much better picture than one that cost £1 from Amazon. Until I tricked him into thinking I'd changed them over but hadn't. The amount of bulls
t he came out with about how the colours were better and how much sharper the picture was. I then told him to have a look behind the TV and he was rather embarrassed.
Emperors new clothes spring to mind.
t he came out with about how the colours were better and how much sharper the picture was. I then told him to have a look behind the TV and he was rather embarrassed.Emperors new clothes spring to mind.
TonyRPH said:
I simply cannot accept it at all.
The data is read off the disk and checked, it can never be wrong (at the interface level).
SATA3 cables are also shielded, so even less likely to be susceptible to interference.
I what I have read on so called "audio grade" computer components, and the problems they attempt to address, specifically some written by people who actually work wioth and design HiFi DAC's, the issue is not that the data being transfered correctly but rather the RF that comes with it.The data is read off the disk and checked, it can never be wrong (at the interface level).
SATA3 cables are also shielded, so even less likely to be susceptible to interference.
theboss said:
audio-grade SATA cables...
I honestly dispair.
I honestly dispair.
It's true, these make a massive difference. I've fitted one to my PC, suddenly all my jpegs have a much more vibrant colour and all the data in my spreadsheets now has an extra five decimal places....Ask him to check his too
FurtiveFreddy said:
Crackie said:
The cable test in the attached link is worth a look http://www.audio-forums.com/threads/the-cable-test...
You don't have to listen to any files, just read 'til the read of page 3.
Nice one. Especially those who somehow managed to prefer one of the expensive cables explaining how they knew all along... You don't have to listen to any files, just read 'til the read of page 3.
Mr_Yogi said:
I what I have read on so called "audio grade" computer components, and the problems they attempt to address, specifically some written by people who actually work wioth and design HiFi DAC's, the issue is not that the data being transfered correctly but rather the RF that comes with it.
You don't actually believe this, do you?theboss said:
Not sure about you guys but I'm starting to find the increasing prevalence of 'audio grade' products in the TCP/IP arena quite irritating, now... I was mildly amused until my stepfather was recently keen to show me his magic expensive NAS drive, complete with audio-grade SATA cables, audio-optimised HDD firmware and network 'isolation' via packet filtering because apparently the streamer's NIC being on the same broadcast domain as other devices is detrimental to sound quality. I honestly dispair.
I presume he only listens to lossless audio files?Gassing Station | Home Cinema & Hi-Fi | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff