i have auditioned cardas, dcaa, pear audio, ear to ear, audioquest, purist audio, audience, synergistic, mojo audio, mac, kimber cable, and a few others i don't remember. |
hi doug:
generalizations are generally wrong. |
regarding 558's implied question as to the consequences of mixing power cable brands, can anyone offer a logical reason why mixing or not mixing makes a difference, intrinsically ? |
hi doug:
i think you are the one who needs to offer evidence.
you have not defined mediocre sound and your idea of what it is vs superior sound is still your opinion.
since you have not yet sampled all combinations of cables, your sample is incomplete. note also,. you have not auditioned all brands and so would you say that any brand of cable is better than mixing other brands? or are you saying a particular brand, is superior to mixing other brands.
i think you need to clarify your statement.
i think you have problems in logic. |
whiole empirical experience can build confidence, there is no logical basis or necessary condition which makes one brand of cables throughout a stereo system superior to multiple brands.
how do you prove this ?
remember, the goal is to enjoy the music.
i suspect that there are so many variables that there is no validity to the assertion that one brand is superior to mix and match as far as cables are concerned, when the goal is optimizing the sound of a stereo system to suit your taste. |
i agree that cables are tone controls. they have sonoic characteristics.
however, i have found that when using one brand of cable throughout my system, i have found that by replacing an interconnect, or speaker cable or power cord i have preferred the sound. it is possible that you would have preferred the souind using one brand.
there is no logical reason that mixing cable, with their different sonic signatures could not sound better to a listener than just using one brand.
i guess i am talking about complementary colorations.
i am talking about blending rather than having one color. it may not be possible to find the flavor that one desires with one brand, as it is impossible to audition all cables from all cable companys. |
i know of no manufacturer who will admit to designing any component having a particular coloration. hence it will be imposible to satisfy my taste with the product(s) from one company.
if i am correct. achieving the flavor that i desire will be impossible to attain from one company.
what is the probability that i can find one company whose sonic personality matches my taste ?
if you are aware of such a company, enlighten me.
i think blending is the more realistic approach to achieving my goals, as i prefer a very distant perspective, and recordings are not usually miked in that manner.
i will grant that for many, one brand may be preferred, but in my particular case, i believe i am the exception. |
hi doug as to method of selecting cables, it was more of a trial and error. i would just listen to whatever i could obtain, substituting one cable from another. i'm probably not yet finished. although i'm not sure.
as i said i have owned and reviewed many sets of cables, but have found the sound of one brand, throughout unsatisfactory.
i guess you could call me an alchemist without a method. |
i should add that at present, my stereo system is represented by four manufacturers:
power cords by mojo audio, fusion audio, soundstring audio and ear to ear.
interconnects are represented by the aforementioned , but i am using ear to ear speaker cable. |
here is my stereo system:
speakers: quaf esl and magnepan 1.6
digital: audionote cd2, pw audio pwt and pwd, eastern electric minimax dac
preamp: bent tvc
amplifier; VTL deluxw 120
turntable: sota sapphire, with audioquest arm and grado (least expensive ) cartridge
cables: mojo audio, sound string, ear to ear, fusion audio
accessories, ps audio power plant, noise harvesters, room tunes, sound fusion sound boosters, juice bar, bpt power strip, alan maher passive line filters, and egg crate mattressses suitably placed.
i will admit that my room is , perhaps over damped, creating a soft presentation. naturally, the sound changes with the digital source. when i use the ps audio front end, there is more extension and resolution. when i use the audionote there is some attenuation in the treble and bass. |
hi inaa:
are you basing your conjecture on my statement regarding the damping material i use, or the comment i made regarding the audionote cd2 being on the soft side.
by the way, i omitted interconnects, namley soundstring audio, fusion audio, mojo audio and ear to ear.
i would say that it would be counter intuitive if i selected specific brands of power cords, if i could not detect differences between them.
in addition, if you read my reviews, you will note differences in my perceptions of the sound of my stereo sytem related to the components reviewed.
perhaps there is another reason for your intimation.
i realize that you used the word may, but i am curious as to your reasoning.
certainly, with the ps audio transport and dac, i believe there is sufficient resolution to detect diferences in other components. |
let's look at this issue logically.
if you assume that each designer can be ascribed by having its cables exhibit a sonic personality, can one find a manufacture which satisfies your taste.
i say one manufacturer's product will not do it and so it is advisable to combine the products from different companies. |
