A most unlikely cable convert


OK, here is a BIG win for those who know that different speaker wire sounds different! My dad is an electrical engineer of the 60's ilk. In EVERY sense of the word. You know the type, if it measures better, it is better, solid state measures better than tubes, wire is wire, blah, blah, blah. Of course, my collection of cables engenders reactions that range from ridicule to outright disgust. So tonight he was visiting, and he heard a jazz CD I was playing. Down To The Bone, "From Manhattan To Staten". Great CD, if anyone cares. He was mesmerized, thought it to be the best CD he's heard in years. My system has always drove him to disgust, "Tubes?!?". He couldn't get over how great the system sounded. The fact that he even admitted this after all these years was astounding enough. Then, I suggested the new speaker cables I am using to my mids/tweeters are a very poor match in my system(will be soon taking them out). His answer was, "BS!". So I switched the cables used for the woofers(AudioQuest Midnight) and the ones to the mids/tweeters. Instant difference for the better. And not insignificant. He could not only hear it, HE HAD TO ADMIT IT. So now one of the world's biggest cable naysayers has just become a convert. I hope all who still think "wire is wire" just open their ears the same way my father did tonight.
trelja
Great Story. Your system provides you with a new source of satisfaction now that Dad's eating crow!
Trelja, Loved the story, does not surprise me a bit. Open minds and ears help!
Good job Treljia! Satisfying isn't it - I did a similar thing to my wife - a real naysayer. I was testing ic's and connned her into participation cause she hears better and as much as it hurt she could tell a clear audible difference like me for the better ic's. Unfortunately they were much more $$$.
Oops I mean Trelja, and I chewed my son out last night for poor spelling on an English paper.
Oh boy,

I hope Steve reads this. Probably won't matter though - opinions on either side tend to be set in concrete. However, your dad's story does give one hope. OTOH, maybe he's just another convert to the legions of benighted (us) who are fooled into hearing differences ;).
Mike Vansevers who now makes Power Cords, Conditioners and Interconnects (all the stuff engineers hate) was one of those guys until he had a similar experience at an audio show many years ago. The realization hit him so hard, he became obsessed with why cables and power do matter and how. His experimental discoveries sent him into the business he once laughed at.
Hi Trelja, great story. This proves your Dad can hear the difference in different cable and that he has an open mind. If Stevem does read this it will make no difference to him at all. His mind may be open but it's from a gaping wound.
I am another EE convert from the "wire is wire" school. Still don't fully understand it but who cares? The sound is obviously our 'bottom line' not the need to understand the electrophysical reasons why. ex: You don't need to fully understand how a car works to be able to drive it, & it's still just as much fun.
Hi Brulee. Thanks all. Yes, the story is quite amazing. I will ask him more about it today, at my sister's birthday dinner. My father had a closed mind, even that night. But, I only switched cables on one speaker. Fortunately, the differences in the two are dramatic. Exactly the ideal situation for the most stubborn cablephobe. You just have to move two feet in either direction to hear a world of difference. One cable is flat, uninspired, recessed(bass, midrange, AND treble), and extremely bass/dynamic shy. The other is upfront, forward, alive, detailed, and punchy. It is my opinion that anyone with even below average hearing can hear the difference. Having such disparate cables allowed me to keep my mouth shut. All I asked was that he stand here, then move to here. He moved back and forth on his own. And then said, "I cannot believe how different the sound coming from each speaker is. Why is that? A cable CAN'T make that kind of difference..." My father's hearing is not even that great. He has been around a lot of machinery, gunshots, and helicopters in his past, and his hearing has been receding in the past five years. But, he had no trouble discerning the difference. I only wish I could do the same demo for anyone who strives for good sound in their system, and dismisses cables as nonsense.
GREAT STORY.I am a convert and in the past 2 years i have converted a few non belivers.Each cable has its own sonic signiture.Its a lot of fun finding the one that makes our systems sound better.
There is no question that cabe sounds different.Anyone who states tha the sound is identical, does not hear the difference because they don't want to hear it.This aside,there is no excuse for the flat out rip-off prices. My AMPEX ATR-100 Master Recorder came in at $8500.00 new in 1981. There was no question that the unit was worth every penny. The parts, engineering, complexity, power supply etc. all added up to the price and then some. Cables on the other hand, do not. Support of $10,000 8 foot lengths of music hose,does nothing more but make us all appear to be fools.