A-B testing of cables


I recently attended The Show in Newport Beach California, and I asked some experts how to upgrade my cables gradually. I was told to start at the source. I should upgrade the source interconnect first then gradually work my way through the system, and I should hear the difference at each stage providing I am using audiophile quality cables; so I bought some cables at over $600 a pair to try out. My current cables cost $250 a pair.
My system is composed of:
McIntosh C2500 preamp
McIntosh 601 mono blocks
McIntosh mcd 205 CD player
VPI Classic 3 turntable
Nola Baby Grand speakers

I bought two y adapters and connected one pair of new cable and old cable between the CD player and preamp to do an A-B test. I also performed the same test with the turntable but I could not tell the difference between the cables whatsoever. I was very surprised and disappointed at the same time. I could not believe it so I called in others to have a listen whithout telling them what I was doing and they too could not tell the difference.

Has anyone else tried this test? I would like to hear your results.
Am I doing something wrong?

What is your experience in doing A-B testing of interconnects?
almandog

Showing 1 response by ct0517

10-21-15: Aintitgr8
Believe it or not women tend to have better hearing for higher frequencies. My wife, while she was clueless as to what she was listening for as pertains to critical listening, could hear edgy hardness in friend's systems and would remark that they were "nasty and hard to listen to". She'd tell me I needed to fix their systems.

Aintitgr8
Interesting example. thanks for sharing. In our household my wife only 9 months younger than I, has come in last on multiple hearing tests behind my myself and our now 21 year old fraternal twins (boy and girl).

so..... I don't think you can make a statement like this;

"Believe it or not women tend to have better hearing for higher frequencies."

...without looking at each case individually and the factors involved (age, environmental, occupation, heredity to name just a few)

And based on the clear evidence presented in this short fun video on hearing capability

Click here

I think that the statement can be modifed to say;

"Believe it or not "younger people" have better hearing for higher frequencies"

Now the above does raise the question for your specific example... is your wife younger than yourself and by how many (y)ears ? :^)

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@Almandog the OP of this thread who asked.

What is your experience in doing A-B testing of interconnects?

I look at it this way. You can be in one of two phases.

Phase A) Audiophile - uses music to listen to their gear.
Phase B) Music Lover - uses gear to listen to their music.

I have been in Phase B for a long time now. Over the years I would probably split it up into B - 85% and A- 15%.

But when in phase A ......I usually go deep. :^(

The clue for myself that I am in Phase A ....the music becomes a set of specific albums.

Happy Listening