2. cables
  3. 128927-305

Most Important, Unloved Cable...

Ethernet. I used to say the power cord was the most unloved, but important cable. Now, I update that assessment to the Ethernet cable. Review work forthcoming. 

I can't wait to invite my newer friend who is an engineer who was involved with the construction of Fermilab, the National Accelerator Lab, to hear this! Previously he was an overt mocker; no longer. He decided to try comparing cables and had his mind changed. That's not uncommon, as many of you former skeptics know. :)

I had my biggest doubts about the Ethernet cable. But, I was wrong - SO wrong! I'm so happy I made the decision years ago that I would try things rather than simply flip a coin mentally and decide without experience. It has made all the difference in quality of systems and my enjoyment of them. Reminder; I settled the matter of efficacy of cables years before becoming a reviewer and with my own money, so my enthusiasm for them does not spring from reviewing. Reviewing has allowed me to more fully explore their potential.  

I find fascinating the cognitive dissonance that exists between the skeptical mind in regard to cables and the real world results which can be obtained with them. I'm still shaking my head at this result... profoundly unexpected results way beyond expectation. Anyone who would need an ABX for this should exit the hobby and take up gun shooting, because your hearing would be for crap.  
douglas_schroeder

Showing 1 response by waterzlife

waterzlife
139 posts
 
FACT: Also been in audio since the 60's.  That was a time of acceptance to trial and experimentation.  ( Remember the "POOGE" principles?  Progressive Optimization Of Generic Equipment. The Pooge concept was coined by Walt Jung, Chris Hollander and Richard Marsh in Audio Amateur.  The idea was to improve stock good sounding audio amps, preamps etc. by upgrading to higher quality components such as the component's hookup wire ( silver coated? teflon insulation?), caps (polypropylene?) , resisters ( metal film , switches ( silver contact?) , volume pots ( ALPS, stepped attenuators?)....by-passing caps with .01 mF caps, shortening the signal paths, improving the grounding layout, new circuit boards, better tranformers, etc.
 I "POOGED" my Dyna PAS tube preamp over several years with super satisfying results, taking out a lot of grain and bringing up the "you are there" feeling.  My best tube preamp ever - still have it and hook it up sometimes.
ANYWAY... I definitely hear differences between various speaker, interconnect, hookup wire in DIY components - sometimes subtle, sometimes none and sometimes glaring....sometimes positive and sometimes negative.  To me, making occasional trials with other wires is part of the fun of audio....and these trials with various ethernet cables is right up my alley.  As I listen to a lot of streamed music ( and films) I look forward to POOGEing my ethernet connection!!!
Let yuz know what I hear soon.

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