@carlsbad2 Yes, I'm sure you're right. That's partly why I'm upset that they're not what they are advertised to be.
Raven Audio Soniquil Cables: Misrepresented Build & Tarnishing Connectors?
I bought a pair of Raven Audio Soniquil speaker cables a few years back. The connectors broke fairly quickly, and I finally got around to repairing them last week. I was disappointed to discover that Raven Audio is misrepresenting how the cables are manufactured.
The website states that the connectors are soldered to the wire.
However, the connectors on my cables are not soldered. They're just set-screw banana plugs.
I tried reaching out to Raven Audio for an explanation, but they haven't responded. Now I can't say with confidence that I personally could tell a difference in quality due to this issue, but I didn't like that the product is misrepresented.
Additionally, even though these connectors are supposed to be rhodium-plated, they appear to be tarnishing. Here's an image that shows the difference between the part that was exposed to air, and the part that was covered by heat shrink tubing. Does anyone know if this type of discoloration is to be expected with rhodium plated plugs, or is Raven Audio misrepresenting the metals used as well?
I'm guessing this might just be a case of "you get what you pay for" but I'd love to hear if anyone has had a different experience with these cables. Has anyone received a pair that actually was soldered?
Showing 8 responses by noryx
@cleeds I purchased them directly through the manufacturer's website. |
@macg19 I purchased mine 4 years ago as well. You don't have to peel back the sleeve to check though. You will be able to feel the round indent of the set screw through the sleeve if it is there. For mine, I can even see the holes now that I know what they are. |
@carlsbad2 Yes, I thought of that. I used the internet archive way back machine to check what the product page said back when I ordered them. I confirmed that it said the same thing back then as well.
I'm not stating that I can tell a difference in sound quality due to this issue. The problem here is just the misrepresention on the product page. I expect to get what I ordered, regardless of whether the sound quality will be different. |
I'm glad you've had a good experience with them. I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt as well, but we'll see if I get a response. I get your point of "why bother with the low dollar items" but this doesn't exactly build trust in the brand for me - regardless of whether it was intentional or not. I would not purchase another product from them without a reasonable explanation for why this happened, as this would just leave me wondering what other corners they might cutting. I'll definitely you know if I hear back from Raven Audio. |
Thanks @jsalerno277 for the detailed info. I'll definitely keep that info in mind when I get in touch with the manufacturer. @macg19 & @grannyring I agree with your sentiment - I'm not assuming that it's intentional. At the same time, I also agree with @devinplombier that it's ultimately Raven's responsibility to ensure that what they send me is what was advertised. My feelings about the company as a whole are not set in stone yet, so it'll just come down to the response I get from them.
@macg19 So far I just emailed them. I wanted to give them a few days to reply, but I appreciate the note about a phone call being more efficient. I will give them a call tomorrow.
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Thanks, @watersidedave, for the reply! I just sent you an email so we can continue the discussion. I also had a chance to speak with James (CEO of Raven Audio) today, and he shared the same sentiment as Dave. I really appreciate both Dave and James’ willingness to help, and I’ll be continuing the discussion with them directly.
@steakster Thanks for your reply! Yes, I created my account and posted on the same day simply because I figured this forum would be a good place to get feedback from others who might have experience with the brand, and I didn’t have an account yet. 😊 You're absolutely right—it was my fault that the connector broke in the first place, but that wasn’t the point of my original post. And I fully acknowledge that I’m not an expert on the differences between mechanical and soldered connections, so I have no grounds to argue which is better. My post was simply about the product description not matching what was delivered, which I found odd. Victimhood isn’t replacing problem-solving—I’m working directly with Raven Audio now that I’ve been able to get in touch with them, and I appreciate their willingness to help resolve the issue.
Cheers! |
I wanted to provide a conclusion to this thread. While it took some time, I was finally able to get in touch with Raven Audio. As you have seen on the thread, @watersidedave took time to respond and explain the situation from their perspective. I very much respect their effort to rectify the issue and take ownership of the situation. I appreciate their willingness to stand behind their product and make things right. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the discussion! |