2. cables
  3. 989252885

Power Cord Challenge

I've got a couple of weeks off before starting a new job. As I clearly fall into the camp of those who suspect no purely audible differences exist (except in pathologic cases of too-small cords or RFI interference), here's a challenge:

If you live in the San Jose, CA area, let's get together and put this to the test. Your system, your choice of music, I supply a stock power cord to test against your exotic. We play both cords blind (identified as A and B) for a reasonable amout of time; I then play one of the two (randomly chosen through a coin flip) for a reasonable amount of time and you identify it as either A or B. We'll do 10 trials for some statistical significance.

Given that some claim drastic and easily heard differences ("blacker background", "music is more alive", etc., etc., etc.), it should be trivial to get right and shouldn't take more than 5-10 minutes per trial. The kicker: you get 9 or 10 right and I'll give you $500! The downside: 8 or less correct and you donate $250 to the Red Cross. Hey, I'm even giving you 2 for 1 odds!

Regardless of the outcome, we post the results to this site. Any takers?

Cheers,
JHunter
jhunter

Showing 1 response by massvm

massvm
126 posts
 
Jhunter, I hope you are able to pull off this "PC Challenge". Sounds like it may be fun no matter what the outcome.

You state that you are from the "BAD" camp, in that you don't suspect that there should be an audible difference between stock (or what have you) PCs and aftermarket "exotics," but have you ever listened to any? Your writing implies that you haven't given one a test drive. I find it interesting that you would put up $500 in cold, hard cash for a 2 for 1 offer (which given 0 return to you, and the tax write-off to the loser if you are right isn't really accurate either) if you hadn't tried one of those "exotics." The same applies to Stevemj who is willing to up the ante to 4 to 1; have you ever tried one? 500 clams can buy an awfully nice PC on the used market.

Let the games begin!
More to discover