Hasn’t this subject been covered sufficiently over the past 25 years or so, you know, from Silclear to Quicksilver to Quicksilver Gold to the newer contact enhancers with Graphene? I mean, come on, people, let’s do some due diligence! I’d be rather curious how big your electrician’s eyes get 👁 👁 when you tell him what audiophiles have been doing to electrical contacts for the past 25 years. |
I have been in contact with fuzztone in regard to particulars of the recommendation to use silver grease, but I thought the conversation may be important/helpful to everyone here. He warned me against using it on a breaker where a motor will be used, i.e. refrigerator, dishwasher, etc. I can also think of dehumidifier, garage door opener, etc. In my case, I have a concern about potentially having a problem with a component that would employ a motorized volume control. I believe that my breakers to the sound equipment will be separate, but for some, their utility outlets, i.e. the ones spaced around the room for vacuum, etc. may be on the same circuit as the audio gear. Thus, putting some silver grease on the breaker could potentially cause a problem when cleaning with a vacuum? I am conducting risk assessment of this idea, and so far it seems that the grease may dry out over time, thus the recommendation of fuzztone that the breaker be replaced every approx. 4-5yr., and the potential for issues when using a motor. I am seeking input from my electrician, too. I do not wish to disdain fuzztone's advice, but I am going doing my own due diligence. :) |
Geoff: "Next up, the pros and cons of micro arcing" Micro arcing has placed havoc on our faucets (the seats, though easily replaceable, go first - then eventually the faucet structure itself) ever since cable TV was installed in our apartment building. The cable companies "ground" to a cold water pipe, wich then creates micro arcing at the pipe ends/faucets. I could measure low voltage (on the faucets) with my old/better Fluke MM, but it's hit and miss with the $20 job I now have. I once took measurements (faucets) when the cable ground accidentally detached from the water pipe and guess what - Zero voltage. Oddly enough the bass response/clarity of my system also improved until the cable ground was reattached/repaired. DeKay |
mammothguy54 The choice of materials and production technique make a difference, no matter what the category or industry. Is a $600 Accurate fishing reel a better performer than a Zebco $89 fishing reel? Absolutely! I could not have landed that 150 lb. bluefin tuna with the Zebco. This also applies to inter connects, speaker cables, and power cables in the audio industry. As with everything, there are diminishing returns as you move up the scale in price. >>>>>One wonders if you could land a white shark with an AudioQuest Hurricane power cord? 🦈 |
The choice of materials and production technique make a difference, no matter what the category or industry. Is a $600 Accurate fishing reel a better performer than a Zebco $89 fishing reel? Absolutely! I could not have landed that 150 lb. bluefin tuna with the Zebco. This also applies to inter connects, speaker cables, and power cables in the audio industry. As with everything, there are diminishing returns as you move up the scale in price. However, as with nearly all product categories, the higher technology and materials applications are, to some respectable level, trickled down to the medium priced products of the series. You get very good value in about the middle price range of the product line. No matter what your budget is, for audio interconnects, speaker cables, and power cables you will be rewarded with improved audio performance when stepping up the chain to at least a mid level cost of goods. Your choice of brand preference, of course. All of the established brands offer good quality products. I became a believer in quality cables back in around 1990 when I replaced my Discwasher Goldends (yes, the record cleaner brand, Discwasher, came out with an early iteration of step-up grade connecting cables in 1979) with early generation of upper-end Audioquest interconnects. It was a revelation of musical discovery. I was amazed and astonished at such an improvement in audio performance through interconnects. I have made several upgrades since and there has always been a realized improvement. I am very satisfied now with what I have and all of my interconnects, speaker cables, and power cables will likely be with me for the rest of my life. Cables do make a difference, all of them. |
An interesting take by Andrew Singer. Not an up/down discussion, but how to sanely go about buying cables, at least at the outset of equipment purchases. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G_mhAbSs8M |
fuzztone, color me interested in your comment, given it's authentic and not a joke. I did look up silver grease, and it's a real product, so perhaps you are serious? I am having a 200 amp Square D panel being put in. What are you referring to, a 20A breaker treated with silver grease? Please give me explicit directions as to what you did. I will be having the grounding bars in the panel replaced with copper. |
Turkey jerky. All I can say is I bought a mid-range power cord (around $500) for my integrated amp and the impact was immediate. Not subtle. The manufacturer cord had no distress. So I was comparing apples to apples. It wasn't even comparable. I'm sure this is not the experience of all and may be the experience of some. Just like all other components, some work better with others and some do not. The variability in this hobby is vast. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it does not. I would not rely on the video to sway your decision. If you need an upgrade, then go for it. If not, then be happy! |
SHAME! SHAME! SHAME! How dare you ACTUALLY TRY to discern whether cables could make an AUDIBLE DIFFERENCE, by trusting YOUR OWN SENSES? This thread should IMMEDIATELY be deleted/censored! Anyone that agrees, MUST be ostracized/culturally cancelled/black-balled for failing to depend solely on the: I-can’t-HEAR-it, I-haven’t-actually-TRIED-it....BUT, no-way-it-can-work-if-I-don’t-BELIEVE-it, you-can’t-PROVE-it-works, naysayer mantras. (snort of derision) |
millercarbon
... That's not a discussion at all, let alone a good one. Indoctrination, maybe. Rationalization for not spending money, probably ...Audioholics posted a clue suggesting that right below the video: "Always remember the Audioholics.com mantra 'only poorly designed cables can be sonically distinguishable' and you will never make a bad purchasing decision. Once all of the nonsensical claims are peeled away ..." So they created a self-fulfilling prophesy. Or, they are the victim of "expectation bias." It's pretty obvious. |
Had a party at my place one time. Half a dozen audiophiles, half a dozen Porschephiles, another half a dozen friends from work. One of the audiophiles was Shunyata CEO Caelin Gabriel. Caelin brought along a few of his newest power cords.With everyone gathered in the listening room we played some music. After a while Caelin pulled out one of his power cords. We plugged it in. We did not play the same boring track over and over again. We just keep playing music. Only now with a different power cord. This was back in the early 1990's. The idea that something as seemingly irrelevant as a power cord could have any effect on the sound at all was ludicrous, unimaginable. Even if there was some difference, how could you hear it? Everyone's eyes went wide as they realized there really is a difference, one is clearly obviously better than another, and its not at all hard to hear. Again, this was 1990. Hard to imagine how bone head ignorant, stubborn, and (apparently) deaf a guy would have to be to make a video like this today. As obvious as it was then, that was nearly 30 years ago. Cables today are vastly superior to back then. But did you notice? The video pretends to be a "discussion" but then immediately the first thing he says is power cords do not make any difference. That's not a discussion at all, let alone a good one. Indoctrination, maybe. Rationalization for not spending money, probably. But a good discussion? No way. |
