Most Important, Unloved Cable...

I also find it interesting that when we talk about shielded, grounded, or ground quality or what not which may be associated with grounds, we finally get to the important unrealized meat of the matter.

Herb Reichert touched upon it in this month’s stereophile.

About how the ground, is actually the source. That the ground spike, at your given locale... is the electron source. Herb mentioned fixing bad sound comes from fixing the ground electron source via the spike at the given locale. That’s all he had to say.

The ground is not the sink. Nothing drains from anywhere, to it. It is the electron source point. We ended up with this misconception, as Ben Franklin got it wrong in his 50/50 shot at picking a direction in polarities. Like Einstein’s theories and E=MC^2, where he said ’I could have the sign wrong’, and there might be a minus in front of that equation. What I mean is, concerning the math it makes no difference, the values and results are the same, but the final result has the minus symbol in front of it --- or not. (also where the ’gravity is a push’ scenario arises. Then the errors in all our astronomical observations (which we covered up by pasting fudge factors on equations) go away.

This is why ground shielding works (it’s a blocker, it’s an electron source), and why ground quality and routing of grounds..........is crucial. Thus ground configuration and all complex association with the signal lines and active components... is also crucial. Those who know this in the world of audio don't want to share this basic information that most people miss. Part of the lore of making better gear.

Ken Hotte
Teo Audio

Doug, thanks for the missionary work in this area.  It may the missing link in CPU audio. Puns intended, of course. Best, Dave 

dgarretson, well, I'm reviewing them so... sorry, I have to be coy about it. I will reveal all in article(s). 

It's not a simple matter of shielding. There is a big differential between different Ethernet cables which are shielded. As usual audiophiles rightly wish for sky is the limit results from inexpensive products. That simply does not get one to the best sound. It may get you part way there, but nowhere near the best result possible. 

AL , I totally agree with you it does not mean more expensive better result... my background as an audiophile ,I read a lot of posting here, in the past I read magazine like stereophile , absolute sound. But like you said B Cunningham is a perceptive listener, I would assume he has good train ear? And he knows what He is doing...My biggest blessings I met two brothers who also have a good ears, they are as well perceptive listener , their systems are both musical, and very involving, their systems are  both less than 20k systems, Everything they teach me , I can hear it from their systems, AL ,read my thread Titled Good things happen when you don't expect it...I am very surprise how those cheap cables did it...Doug said on one of his post ,the most important component is the Audiophile...100% true, AL matching between cables and component as well..,,

Thanks, Doug.

Those reading this thread may wish to also read a series of posts beginning around 2-16-2012 in the following thread:

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/shielding-components-from-emi-rfi-help-please

Member Bryoncunningham, who IMO is an especially astute and perceptive listener, and is very thorough in his evaluations, described realizing a substantial sonic improvement by changing from a garden variety unshielded ethernet cable to an **inexpensive** shielded type. I described some technical effects which may have accounted for that.

Also, this thread will be of interest:

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/are-my-cat5-and-router-my-weak-link

A comment Bryon made on 8-7-2012 in the latter thread:

I can confirm what Al has reported about my experiences when I replaced an unshielded Cat 5 cable with a shielded Cat 6 cable. The result was more resolution. A lot more.

The $7 shielded Cat 6 cable resulted in a bigger improvement in SQ than several $1,000 power cords and several $2,000 interconnects. Yes, I know that sounds crazy. I can’t explain it.

I’m not saying that other systems will benefit similarly. In fact, I doubt it. But it’s certainly an affordable experiment.

As I’ve said in a number of past threads, the existence of differences does not necessarily mean that more expensive = better results.

Regards,
-- Al

Doug I read your Teo cables review, Thad to me is Passion, can't get better than that.

BTW, I am well aware of the revolting cost structure of such cables. If they were not proportionately outrageously efficacious I would not recommend them, nor use them.