The Science of Cables

I sold Nordost for over 10 years of time. I even sold the most Valhalla cables for many years. I have done thousands of test with cables in over 20 years of time. Differences between brands are huge. In the end, you need cables who can reveal and display all the different aspects of sound.

In 2010 I started to sell Audioquest cables again. I also sold Kimber a lot for a long time. As Purist Audio power cables.

But....when you test many different brands you all know ( I won’t tell the brands) the facts prove that most cables emphasis a certain freq. range. This always works negatively. It needs to be as linear as possible.

But......when people have no idea about sound and about the different aspects/properties of sound you have no idea what is the best choice. We do both sound&vision by Tru-Fi.

This means we work and think by all the different aspects/properties of sound and also for vision. Because you need them all to become one with your music. Many brands in cabels I tested are not able to reveal all the different aspects/properties of sound. They will always create a limitation in each system you use.

You will need an audio-system what can reveal all the details and different aspects of sound. You will find these details and aspects of each recording. But almost all products which are produced in the world of audio cannot reveal all the aspects of sound.

In cables, you see exactly the same limitations as in all other audio products. This is why almost all sold systems cannot reveal all the details and different aspects of sound. When we talk to new clients who own incomplete trial&error systems they often miss the engagement and emotion.

This can be easily explained when different aspects are missing. All the different aspects of sound can influence human emotion. So this makes it more clear why the level in emotion and intensity becomes less.

When we judge all different cables on all aspects of sound the facts prove that most are incomplete. People who work in audio and those who see audio as their hobby all do audio by trial and error. And most have no idea about the aspects of sound.

For them, it is even impossible to understand what the cable they want to buy does to their system. Because almost all sold systems in the world cannot reveal all the aspects of sound.

For over 5 weeks now I own the new Audioquest Fireblade Zero+bass in a single bi-wire configuration. I started to do research between the single wire cables vs the single bi-wire cables in 1999, So I know exactly the important benefit of single bi-wire cables for loudspeakers who have the option to be used in bi-wire.

We only create systems who are able to reveal all the aspects of sound. And the Audioquest cables can reveal and display all these different aspects as well. But.....most systems which are sold in the whole F. world are incomplete. This means that all AudioQuest cables you will use in an incomplete trial&error system cannot be used at the max they can offer you.

This week I bought a monster of a Gryphon Antilion Signature power amp of 90 kilos. And when it is being installed and we have done a new Statement Audio Pro-measurement I will invite AudioQuest Europe. It will make my stage even wider en deeper. And it will create a higher level in layering compared to my former Pass Labs.

I asked Audioquest to bring in all their Niagara conditioners. I will ask them to give a demonstration of how they use their products and cables at my place. I have tested the Niagara conditioners and I know that they cannot reveal all the aspects of sound.

After they have done their presentation I will show them what happens when you use a conditioner who is able to reveal all the aspects of sound. And how big the differences are in intensity and emotion. I do not want to make them look like fools. I only want to show them what conditioners can do when they are able to reveal all the aspects of sound.

I have sold in 2018 by far the most Storm power cables in my country. I already started to do a lot of research on power cables in 2002. In the Tru-Fi world, the level in the effectiveness of power cables is never comparable compared to the same power cable in an incomplete trial&error audio system.

All my clients call these cables a bargain. But when I talked to Audioquest about the Storm power cables the reactions in the whole of Europe and Asia are totally different. And sold not as much as they hoped for. In the US they are sold a lot more. But due to the lack of insight and knowledge in cables in most audio shops they cannot create the same level in effectiveness as we can create.

For the Audioquest loudspeaker cables, the differences are huge as well. We sell so much more expensive loudspeaker cables than almost all audio shops. In the Tru-Fi world, a cable is of the same importance as a source, loudspeaker or even an amp. Friday I had contact with Audioquest by phone about their new loudspeaker cables.

And I asked them does the sales of the new loudspeaker show that most are sold in a single wire? They saw in their system that this was correct. I predicted this a few months ago already. Most people in audio have not the insight and knowledge in the benefits of using single bi-wire for bi-wire loudspeakers.

And now comes the main reason for this. In a Tru-Fi world where the stage is always 3-dimensional and deep and wide. The benefit of a single bi-wire configuration is a lot bigger than compared to any 2-dimensional system by trial&error. Who often also miss other different aspects of sound.

We have sold the new Audioquest loudspeaker cables only in a zero+bass single wire configuration. In a shootout with an Audioquest loudspeaker cable in a single wire configuration and the use of bridges the outcome would be rather big. But......in a trial&error incomplete audio system, the differences are a lot less compared to the Tru-Fi world?

So......the question is?

What is the truth?

I can describe all the differences between many brands due to tests and comparing. And the differences are huge, so again the question is?

Which ones are the most coherent and realistic sounding cables?

Then you need to learn first how voices and instruments sound in reality? Because when you hear most audio products and even for cables count the same thing, they differ all too much from the truth.

When I talk with manufacturers and I ask them simple questions about sound and how the human emotion works regarding music they have no idea.

The next question is; how for God sake they make their choices. And on what it is founded?

In the past and still today most people who buy cables want to adapt the timbre and sound of their system.

This is not the way how you should use cables. People often have no idea what the DNA regarding the properties of each individual component is in their system. This is why trial&error is pure gambling.

When you do not know the DNA of each individual part in your system is, it is 100% impossible to understand what the F. you are doing. And yes these are 100% facts.

I talked since 2017 with many manufacturers about the way they work. They all agreed that the cannot look back what the DNA is of every single part. And they also agreed that trial and error has no real foundation.

Even when I talked to manufacturers who create products who can reveal all the aspects of sound, is that it is still difficult to understand why it can reveal all the aspects of sound. Like they had some luck. There is still a lot what is unknown in audio.

Since 2015 we spent a lot of time in testing and doing research regarding electro-smog, magnetism and high-frequent noise. We did all these tests with the advice of people who are specialists in these parts. But when I talked to manufacturers they have very little insight and knowledge about these aspects.

People who see audio as their hobby have no idea how low the level is of the effectiveness of each component in their system. It is insane how much quality, details, layers, and realism in sound you will lose. Due to the influences of the acoustic, electro-smog, magnetism and high-frequent noise on the sound and stage.

It is sad to see and hear how few products there are who can reveal all the aspects of sound. This proves how little most manufacturers know about sound and all the influences on sound and stage. They only focus on their products. And they don’t care about the systems where their products are used in. This is not their responsibility they often say.

I think a lot different about this matter. In my opinion, manufacturers have to work a lot more precise to create the best and most realistic sounding products. But the facts show that this is not how it is in reality. I have done thousands of tests with cables in over 20 years of time now. And even here the sad thing is the fact that most brands cannot reveal all the aspects of sound.

But trail&error will never make you aware and understand what the DNA is of the cable you just put into your system. They will only listen to the end result. But they will never have any F. idea of why the end result is what they hear. It is insane that the whole world is doing audio by trial&error. Even when people are interested in new cables they still have no F. idea of what they are doing.

For conditioners, you have the same outcome as with amps, preamps, sources, cables, loudspeakers that by far most products are still incomplete. So when you use these conditioners you limit yourself often with your audio system. It limits you in hearing and perceiving all the different aspects of sound.

But...due to trail&error, you will never have any idea what you miss. And which aspects that part in your system cannot reveal. This is why trial&error is pure random order. They all wanted us to believe that sound is just a matter of personal taste. You only can choose your own system.

Even this is not the truth. Based on the fact that both voices and instruments sound as they sound in reality. I have done a lot of research on how human emotion works regarding music. It made me understand that you need all the different aspects of sound to feel the emotion of your own music.

I am addicted to music since I was 6. I spend about 200 euro on new music every single month. This has been like this for many many years now. I make time to listen to new music for about 3-4 hours every single week. In over 20 years visiting hundreds of clients with audio systems I learned how little music the most people own?

So I asked them; are you happy with your system? And most were not. That is why they often invited me. All their systems where incomplete. So it was very easy to explain to them why they miss the intensity and emotion during listening to their system.

When I did ask them why they have so little own music? They said that when they have the sound they are looking for they will start buying music. But most people who do audio by trial&error will never come to the ultimate level they hope to create. Even after many years they still hope to find the sound they are dreaming of.

Almost all human beings can only perceive 1 to 3 different aspects of sound within 1 second. This also proves that is it 100% impossible to create an ultimate sounding system by themselves. Based on the fact that trail&error systems are almost all incomplete regarding the missing aspects of sound. What is missing never can be perceived when even one part of their system is missing aspects of sound.

The audio industry has been sleeping for a long time now. And trial&error is the main reason why the audio market is decreasing. When you are honest and see what the level is what you can get by doing audio by trial&error the outcome is not that great. Due to the fact that trial&error is extremely ineffective.

I use a lot of silver in my system. All interconnects are 100% silver. I use 2 sets of AudioQuest Wel Signature and the rest is AudioQuest Wild Blue Yonder. I only use Audioquest Diamond RJE-cables, Diamond HDMI cables, Diamond USB.

And the new AudioQuest Firebird has a lot of silver as well. The Bass uses 51% pure silver and the Zero about 30% of pure silver. I only use one Audioquest Dragon High-Current power cable with silver for my subwoofer. And an Audioquest Wild Dog 100% silver interconnect.

You cannot use silver as much as you would like to. Research proved that there are many many brands and products where copper cables work a lot better. Most audio products are very limited in the level of diversity (layering) in sound. And when you use silver cables, the level in layering will become even less.

But trial&error will not give you the information about the DNA of every single part within your system. You cannot look back to understand what the influence is of every single part. Because you are listening only to the end result. So you are doing audio by random order all your life.

You first need to imply products which can create a stunning level in diversity (layering) in sound before you can use silver a lot. And no most products are not usable for this. Power cables with silver work in most situations for amps, preamps, sources, power supplies and conditioners not as good as most copper versions.

They limit the level in layering too much. When you would judge a power cable on all the aspects of sound, it becomes even clear that copper will have a better end result on all different aspects compared to silver.

You only can understand which cable works best when you can judge your audio system on all different aspects of sound. But trail&error gives you no F. insight at all. You only can pray and hope for the best.

The new AudioQuest cables create a new level in sound quality I never have seen and auditioned before. When you compare the new AudioQuest cables with the old ones, they are now in a totally different league.

The only limitations I found are the Niagara conditioners. I can prove by facts and sound that they are incomplete regarding the aspects of sound. There are a few more Audioquest products which are not that great. But in general, they all own the DNA you want and need in your system.

The biggest difference is that AudioQuest cables have a much bigger influence in the Tru-Fi world compared to the limited trial&error world. This is why our clients have a different perspective and even truth regarding AudioQuest cables. Tru-Fi gives us full access to all the different aspects of sound.

But in the trial&error world, the AudioQuest cables work a lot less effective. Due to the fact that trail&error systems miss different aspects of sound. Trial&error (gambling) systems block you from having full access of all the AudioQuest cables.

When you miss different aspects of sound, you only can use the AudioQuest cables at a limited level. You still have no access to the parts which you cannot reveal with your system. This is why all people from the limited trial&error world have a different truth compared to all Tru-Fi owners.

And again the question is?

What is the real truth?

Many people are still rather skeptical about cables. After testing hundreds of cables in over 20 years of time I understand their thoughts very well. When I look back to all these tests I have carried out I have to admit that by far the most are not worth the money.

So the question is: Are most cables a scam or snake oil?

The problem can first be found more based on the limitation in insight and knowledge of the people who create them. When you cannot even answer simple questions about sound, or how our emotion works regarding music or even the aspects that influence sound and stage.

It is impossible to create good cables. In audio, many discussions are often about the limitations of products and by cables, we even hear it a lot more.

So again you may ask: why so many people still don’t trust most brands who manufacture cables?

Because first the insight and knowledge of people who work in audio are rather limited regarding the influence and importance of cables in general. Trial&error will never give you the insight to understand what exactly the influence and level of importance is of any cable.

You change a cable for another cable. But when you have no F. idea which properties of sound you took out and which ones you brought in. It is all one big guess and gamble. You never can tell what those cables do in your system. Trial&error is only focussing on the end result. This is why it lacks any kind of foundation. There is not even any kind of discussion possible.

Are there brands in cables who work well and are really important?

The answer is, yes there are. But.......only a few. This creates the main reason why most people are still so skeptical. All those brands and products which are not worth the money causes all these feelings and thoughts. And even create a wrong image of those products who are worth the money.

Most reviews in audio these days are paid. So what you read is often not the truth. This does not make people less skeptical. The audio industry makes it even worse. I think it’s very clear and easy to understand why our audio-market is decreasing?

Because the level in quality of most products is not good enough. This is the truth and the reason why something has to change in the world of audio. They way they make their choices now doesn’t work that well.

What needs to be changed and done to make people less skeptical about cables?

Very simple; manufacturers need to learn first more about sound and music in general. And create products which can reveal all the aspects of sound. This is the only way to change it. There is no other option what will work that effective.

The first problem is that most people who work in audio have often a very limited level in insight and knowledge. Every time I speak to them it becomes clear that they often don’t know the answers on simple questions. Sound is very complex and is formed on many different aspects/properties and you first need to learn what they are and what their influence is.

When I ask them can you tell me about all the different aspects of sound? They can’t even answer it. It goes a lot further than that.

When I ask them; which parts influence the sound? They even cannot answer this question either.

When I talk about the acoustic, electro-smog, magnetism and high-frequent noise they know very little about it. It proves that they do not focus on sound and all the influences on sound.

This is why it becomes so ineffective. Most manufacturers say that they focus on their products and have no time for those other aspects. I earn my money by outperforming all competitors. For me, it is a game and I want to win over and over again.

I have spent thousands of hours in research and tests in over 20 years of time. With the goal to be superior to all other people in the world of sound&vision. This is a choice I made. Research and understanding how sounds work will cost you thousands of hours.

But when I would not have been able to see patterns and I would not have a photographic memory in sound, even those thousands of hours would not have been enough. In 1998 I had a mindset that I needed to extract the DNA of each part within a system to understand and guide audio. The craziest thing for me is to see that the whole world has been sleeping and still do audio by trial&error.

This is the 100% prove why audio is being carried out at such a limited level. The world in audio sells boxes and brands. When I see the Threads over here they are often about brands and specific products. This will never make you understand audio and guide it. It is the wrong mindset and focus.

Sound is all about the aspects it owns. I create sound by DNA. This is totally different than the limited trial&error way to choose. It is so much more precise. The results are far superior to any other way of doing audio by trial&error. When I have a conversation with new clients who often see audio as their hobby. I need 5 minutes to make them aware that trail&error is useless based on facts.

After each conversation, they become aware that the way they made their choices was the main reason why they are not that happy and satisfied. It is the same when we aks new clients to bring in their own music to listen to a Tru-Fi system.

The reactions are always the same. Because they can hear so much more details and layers of the music they know well. They can easily compare it with their own system. Their trial&error systems do not even come close.

They often say; "even after I song I understood how limited my own system is"

Because of trial&error systems miss so many details and aspects of sound. This is why they only can offer a limited level of emotion. Reading about how human emotion works regarding music gave me very important new insights. It made me bring all systems to a superior level in emotion. This is what each individual person always will choose.

The fact that I sell more expensive power cables and loudspeaker cables of AudioQuest compared to any shop in my country says a lot. This is what thousands of hours in research and tests made possible. I always had a lot of contact by phone and email with the best specialists in their area.

During all research, I used their thoughts and insight a lot. And we were always discussing my thoughts and results. When I compare myself with colleagues at that time, they never contacted these people. I learned to understand sound as a whole. As I learned to think and work by the aspects/properties of sound.

I knew this was the only way to understand and guide audio. There is no other option. All other options are all done by trial&error. Each conversation I had with manufacturers had this outcome. When you have no real foundation it is 100% impossible to guide and understand audio.

The quality of the new AudioQuest cables is now that good that it is very easy to create a better end result compared using the same money for a source, loudspeaker or even an amp. Tru-Fi made the importance of cables so much bigger than you ever can reach by trial&error. It is not even comparable how big the differences in result are.

In the Tru-Fi world, a cable is equal to the importance of a source, loudspeaker or amp. Tru-Fi gives us and our clients access to all the aspects each AudioQuest can reveal. But when you go back to any trial&error system the outcome becomes a totally different world.

Trial&error systems miss different aspects of sound. So when you put an AudioQuest into a trial&error system you only can use the aspects of the cables which can be revealed by your system. This is why the level of effectiveness is a lot less compared to the Tru-Fi world.

As I said earlier; "our clients have a different perspective and even truth about AudioQuest cables compared to the trail&error people"

All the choices we make are based on the best results possible. This is why research and testing are so important. We need the data to understand it and make the best choices. We can see into details so much further than any other company in audio. Because due to the thousands of hours in research and test we have access to details most people cannot even think of.

It is not even on their radar and it will never be on their radar ever. When you cannot think in patterns and have no photographic memory you will never have access to these details and information.

When people cannot answer the questions it proves that they have no idea about the thing we discuss. They are often honest people who admit that they just don't know. Audio is all about sound and how it sounds in the real world. This is how you want to experience your music.

But when you judge most products in audio, it becomes clear how much they differ from the truth. There is a reason why so less audio brands and products can reveal all the aspects of sound. When your knowledge about sound and music is limited, it becomes clear why their products are incomplete regarding missing aspects of sound.

Most people believe that audio is based on personal preference. But this is only based on assumptions given by others what we believe. I have asked hundreds of people about their personal preferences regarding audio. And the facts showed that most cannot even describe which aspects/properties it is founded. This is how thin the line is where they all walk on. 

The truth can be hard and not the thing you would like to hear. But when you want to get an ultimate audio system you need all the aspects of sound to experience the full emotion of your own music. This has nothing to do with personal preferences but is just based on facts. Trial&error  mislead the people to create the best system for them.

When I speak with new clients, it often comes clear that most people are still looking and hoping to find the sound they would like to create. But when we explain to them what trail&error is and what it means. It becomes clear for them that this is the main reason why they are in a circle for many years. Trail&error will never make you guide and understand audio. All manufacturers I spoke agreed on this.

Almost all products are 2-dimensional. In over 20 years of time, I could test so many audio products. Besides the products we sold, I did lend a lot of stuff as well. It took me thousands of hours to extract the DNA of each individual product. In the first years, when I started to work in audio is was busy with it for over 80 hours every single week. I was and I am still addicted to sound and testing

We humans can perceive sound in a 3-dimensional stage. But....when you judge most audio products the stage depth is in almost all situations 0, all voices and instruments stand on the same line till 1 meter of stage depth maximum.

Our Tru-Fi systems can easily create a stage depth of far over 3 meters. And in width, you have the same differences. It let you hear instruments play till 1.5 meters beside the loudspeakers.

When we visited the Munich High-End show there was only one system that could create diversity in height. All other systems played both voices and instruments on the same height. When you visit small shows you will never audition this. Because most audio products and this counts even for most high-end products cannot create diversity in height.

This is an aspect of sound what you hear not that often. But it makes a huge difference in realism and also in emotion. When a system can reveal diversity in height the harmonics become more clear of the recording.

When you judge audio products on the most important aspect/property of sound what is diversity (layering) in sound, it becomes clear how limited most products are in this particular aspect of sound. This is the main reason why most people describe so many systems as dead or without emotion. Most products have what we call; a sound.

Manufacturers focus on/emphasis a certain freq. range. This does not give you the layers (differences in the harmonics) in sound what is needed to get involved with the music. But even on other aspects of sound, most audio systems are rather poor in it.

When you would listen a lot to live acoustic music as I did you get a totally different perspective about audio and realism in sound. For me, it is 100% unacceptable when voices and instruments are out of proportion. But the other limitation is the fact that both voices and instruments are not played in what we call: a 3D image.

When you audition to live music a piano, cello, violin or even a voice. When you close your eyes and you use your fingers to imagine the size, it becomes clear how small it is. When we are at audio shows it becomes clear that most people have no idea how big it should be played. When you hear an instrument live they also own a form within space it is being played.

Most audio systems cannot create it, but those who can make it so much more exciting and thrilling. I am addicted to music since I was 6 years old. For an extreme perfectionist, you want it as real as possible. This is why I spend so much effort to do research. I am improving sound all the time over and over again. This never stops, normal people, cannot even imagine the time and effort I put in it. They would describe it as insane.

For me, it is the most normal thing in life. It is the thing I love the most. That makes it easy to spend thousands of hours on it. When you do this for a living what I do, you have all the time to spend so much time on it. For me, music and sound are very addictive. It never saw it as work or even a hobby. It goes that much further. It is a part of me since I was 6 years old.

I met hundreds of unique people in audio in over 20 years of time. But when I speak about the hours and time In spend on sound&vision, people look at you and think are kidding. It is the truth, I understand that it is difficult to imagine when you go this far into details. When you love music as I do. It makes sense why you go that far. It is inside my head and system. It does not cost a lot of energy, it goes all automatically.

I don’t F. care about the reactions of some people over here. They make me laugh all the time. I always think; they are just little children and they just don’t F. understand what I do. I don’t blame them, and that is fine with me.

There have been many different tests in audio. There is one where they used an incomplete system vs a system what could reveal all the aspects of sound. 97% did choose blind for the system that can reveal all the aspects of sound. 
When we let new clients hear a Tru-Fi system we never heard that they prefer their own trial&error system. Most people told that they had no idea how many aspects sound is founded on. They did choose pure by gambling. Most even cannot describe what their personal preference is. This proves how thin the line is where you are walking on when you do audio by trial&error.

This is why you need to learn audio lovers what sound is and how music sounds in real. This will make them understand audio a lot better. So they can understand it and use it for their own system. People have their own personal taste in music, But sound and music still sounds as it sounds in real. Like our emotion works rather the same way. You need audio products who come a lot closer to the way how instruments and voices sound in reality.

This is why the audio market needs a new mindset to create products which come closer to the truth. This is what people need and should be given. It will also make new people interested in audio and music who are now not interested in the trail&error systems. Due to the lack of emotion. When we demo a Tru-Fi system to children it is impressive what it does with their reaction and emotion. At the end emotion is what each human needs and wants.

Steel is often used in fake cables. It is even possible!

When you judge the new AudioQuest cables on a technique they made a huge step. I have done tests with many different kinds of cables in over 20 years of time. I never auditioned any brand what made these big steps compared to their former series.

Garth should be blessed by Audioquest to give them this level in performance and quality. It started with the power cables. They are not even comparable with the former models they created. They are from another planet. And now with the new loudspeaker cables. Again it blows you away of how good they really are.

So the question is: Where their former cables not that good?

I have compared many different brands since 2010 with the former Audioquest cables. And in any shootout, I did win from each other brand. I always got a deal from the client. But now I think their competitors have a huge problem. Even when you want to come close to this level you need to make huge steps compared to your former cables.

The magic part is that they have less compression than others.

The materials AudioQuest uses are still the same as the former series. The way of welding etc. But.....the used technique is a lot different. There are brands who sell their cables burned in, but AudioQuest does not have this service. For the more expensive cables, I think they should have this option.

The differences in dynamic range are huge. It not only goes deeper, but it is also much faster. When I did swop from the Redwood to the Firebird (in single bi-wire Zero+Bass configuration) even after a few seconds it was already superior to the Redwood. My stage is already huge and plays extremely deep behind the loudspeakers. But from the start, the stage depth grew with more than 1 meter of extra depth. The width grew as well.

Today I received my Gryphon Antileon Signature and it will create an even bigger and deeper stage that the Pass Labs does. The individual focus of voices and instruments went to a level in realism and palpable focus I never auditioned before thanks to the Firebird. My modified Lumin X1 is one of the best digital sources at this moment available regardless of money. With the modified Lumin L1 and 2 additional modified power supplies, it creates new standards in digital audio. It is even superior in all aspects compared to the Aurender W20 together with the DCS DAC and upsampler.

In my system, I use for over 100.000 euro in AudioQuest cables. This is even excluded from the 19000 euros in Purist Audio LE power cables. The problem in audio is the lack of knowledge and insight regarding all kinds of different cables. Most can’t read the cables at all. The most common fault at this moment is the use of single wire cables with bridges for bi-wire loudspeakers. I compared single wire loudspeaker cables vs single bi-wire loudspeaker cables a lot. So I understand the benefit of it. But most people in audio have no F. idea of why it is that important.

In the Tru-Fi world where we have full access of all the aspects of sound, single bi-wire loudspeaker cables make an even bigger difference in the end result compared to single wire loudspeaker cables. In the trial&error world, you have no access to all the aspects the AudioQuest loudspeaker can reveal. This is why trial&error people have a totally different truth of AudioQuest cables compared to Tru-Fi owners.

When you have full access to all the different aspects AudioQuest cables can give you, they work so much more efficient and have a much bigger influence on the end result of any system.

The Audioquest Redwood uses about 30% silver. And the Wild even uses 50% silver. The William Tell only uses pure copper. So most people would assume that the Wild and Redwood will created more details in the high frequencies.

But.....the thing is that the William Tell is even beter in resolution. I never auditioned any copper cable from Audioquest what could reveal more resolution in the high frequencies. So a new technique can even make huge steps in resolution even when only copper is being used.

Each recording owns details and different aspects of sound. This is why you need to understand first all these different parts. This has nothing to do with personal preferences, they are just facts.

This is why I said: you first need to understand sound and music before you could be able to understand audio at all. Like you need to understand the influences of the acoustic, electro-smog, magnetism and high-frequent noise on the sound and stage.

Most people have no idea how much these different aspects influence the end result of your system. Due to the fact that they just have no idea. It is insane not to adapt anything to these limitations. The things you never tested you will never understand what their influences are.

When you think and believe your loudspeakers, cables, conditioner, amp, and a source will solve it all, you are a dreamer. Ask people what they can tell about sound in general and how voices and instruments are being formed in space and how they sound. Most cannot even answer these questions.

Trial&error proves that it gives you no insight into the aspects of sound and the influences on sound and stage. I did ask it to many manufacturers and they all agreed. When you cannot relate anything in audio it becomes just one big gamble. This has 100% nothing to do with a personal opinion. Most loudspeakers only can create an almost flat stage even with most recordings. When you think that this is caused by the recording you just don’t understand.

I spend thousands of hours in comparing loudspeakers, sources, amps, pre-amps, cables, conditioner and a lot more. You get insight and knowledge by doing research and tests over and over again. Insight and knowledge you cannot buy. You need to find things out to create insight and understanding about differences.

The audio industry wanted us to believe that by trial&error you can create your own personal audio system. But that is just not true. The sound, stage, and facts prove that these systems cannot reveal all the aspects of sound and stage. When you demo an audio system that is able to reveal all the different aspects of sound people directly describe it as more intense and emotional. This proves that when you can reveal all aspects of sound the level in emotion increases.

I owned and sold a lot of Furutech power connections. At that time they came out they were better than the brands we used and sold. But when Oyaide came out we did a comparison again. And based on Tru-Fi (all aspects of sound) the end results were better with the Oyaide connectors. So we started to sell Oyaide and changed all our Furutech power connectors by Oyaide power connectors.

These days we still sell Furutech wall sockets sometimes. The advantage of the Furutech can be found in the middle freq. compared to the Oyaide. But regarding all different aspects of sound, the Oyaide perform better. We always make time to listen to new products and even new brands. When we think they are better than those we use and sell. We are always prepared to change. It is always our first goal to give our clients the best end result.

I even asked to remove some of myself. It is always a reaction to a reaction. Audio becomes often so personal. This is why audio needs parameters so it becomes more clear what sound and music really are. Trail&error has put a mask on the truth of music. People don’t know how music sounds in real. The only thing what trial&error did was creating many different audio products which sound so much different than how voices and instruments sound in reality.

Most people understand and even describe that most systems they audition miss emotion and engagement. But most still have no real idea why they experience it without emotion. Everything has a reason for it. When you would read more about sound and the way our emotion works regarding music it becomes a lot more clear. Trail&error made people believe that you are the only one who can create their own favorite system.

When I ask people who see audio as a hobby for a long time; can you tell me how voices and instruments are being displayed into space? Or how big are they in proportion when you close your eyes? And what are the aspects of sound?

People say that they have no idea. Then I ask them; tell me what is your foundation and on what aspects you judge audio products?

They still have difficulties to answer these questions. It makes them aware that they have no foundation on which they make their choices. It even becomes clear for them that why their systems still do not sound as they hoped for. You cannot do audio without any real foundation to guide it and to understand what you are doing. This has again nothing to do with personal taste, we are all talking about facts.

The mindset people have chosen even creates the truth in your head. Only when something changes their thoughts, their truth could be changed. People will always choose the option which they prefer. Your truth is being formed by what you know. When you get a different perspective what creates a much higher result. It becomes easy for people to change their thoughts and even their truth.

Others make it personal all the time. So I take a look at what they sell or what they own. It becomes always very easy to prove which mistakes they all made. They were always the first ones who attacked me. So they asked for it. This is my world, and the best and most convincing sound will always be chosen. So start to do your research yourself and improve your own skills. But stop crying all the time and yes react on the thread.

The positive part regarding cables is that the best become even more influential than most loudspeaker, amps and sources are. Spend some time to read about sound and music. You will understand audio a lot better. And it will make the importance of cables more clear and more effective.

The audio-blindness make all people forget the essential part of audio. And that is music. When you just take a look at how most audio products sound and what they can reveal, most are just a joke. This has nothing to do with a personal taste or even philosophy. Most people have difficulties to face the truth.

They protect the brands and stuff they bought. I understand that, but it will always limit them in the end result. The facts prove that people get not the quality they paid for. Just start conversations with many people who spend serious money on audio for a long time.

It is even ridiculous to point at me, audio is all about facts. And not about assumptions and audio systems created without a foundation. Here you will find the pain of most people. We talk a lot with people their experiences in audio often for a very long period of time. We see a lot of similarities. Many are not satisfied or happy. You easily can see it back in the music they buy. I am often amazed at how much money they spend on audio and how less they spend on music.

Trail&error created a mindset in the heads of most people. And for most, it is difficult to let it go. When you will not change your mind, your incomplete system will always stay incomplete. When we show people how much more details and aspects their music owns, they understand directly why they miss the connection with their system. When you see smiles on people their faces, you are aware that this is what people want and need.

We only work for our clients and we listen to what they want. Instead of selling boxes they don’t want and need. Only those who envy us will always attack us without any kind of foundation. The only thing they can say; are just assumptions. You all may judge; just hear it for yourself and then you judge.

I got a lot of different questions each week of many different people. When people ask me things about products I don’t know, I will never tell them lies. You cannot know everything, just tell the truth. I am going to tell you a story about how easy it is to be wrong about the fact that you thought you were right.

I have a friend who is responsible for some brands you all know. And he reads a lot of user reviews. Sometimes he sends some to me as well. Even from Audioquest Europe, I get user reviews sometimes.

So the question is: What is the real truth?

We also do picture screens (we sell Oled screens by far the most) and vision by Tru-Fi. This means we judge and adjust all picture screens by all the aspects of vision. And again we just do it by facts. Vision is a lot more complex than sound. Most aspects of vision humans cannot even adjust themselves. This is why we use the most advanced calibration software in the world.

Like audio manufacturers make choices. They use cheap parts which we replace by superior ones. This brings it to a new standard in quality. Limited human beings can only sell a screen out of a box.

We have sold all Audioquest HDMI cables a lot since 2010. Due to research and testing, we know the differences between all of them. This makes it for us a lot more easy to explain all differences between these cables to our clients. But more important which one to advise and use.

In the last years, we saw and noticed during calibration of screens that many surround receivers use rather cheap video scalers. This makes the end result for us unacceptable. We cannot reach the level which we see as standard and what we demand.

Both my friend and AudioQuest Europe did send me users reviews of AudioQuest HDMI cables. There were different people who called them a scam and snake oil.

So the question is; are they right?

As always I will not write down any brands. Because it is not my responsibility that these brands and products are good products. But to be honest; if I should sell this quality, I would directly stop with my work and look for another job. These products will never make any person happy for a longer period of time.

People wrote in user reviews: that the HDMI cables of AudioQuest do not make any difference compared to cheap ones. So we took a few AudioQuest HDMI cables with us.

These surround receivers are of brands you all know. When we compared different brands and even different AudioQuest HDMI cables we were stunned. It didn’t make sense and they were not able to make a big difference at all. It was the opposite in result compared to all our own tests and findings with the same HDMI cables.

So we understood the thoughts of users regarding the fact that HDMI cables did not make a big difference. They were right but only for a part. Most reviews these days are paid. That makes it very difficult to get an objective idea about any product. People will often believe a review and what people write.

They all pointed out to AudioQuest. The fact is that the most video scalers they use these days are rather cheap. But you will not find this fact in any review. The products we use and sell regarding surround each AudioQuest HDMI cable makes a huge difference in both sound&vision. Even the cheapest one shows better results than most more expensive HDMI cables of other brands.

This proves how easy it is to blame the cables. These days people are looking for cables who fit their components and systems the best way. This is also trail&error level. When you will never be able extract the full DNA (name all different aspects of each individual part in your systems owns and misses) of all parts in your system you do audio by trial&error.

When you use products who are able to reveal all the aspects of sound, cables like AudioQuest will make a much bigger influence on the end result. This is why Tru-Fi owners have a totally different thought and even truth about AudioQuest cables compared to all owners of trial&error created systems. Sound will always prove these facts over and over again.

People often forget that we work only with different specialists who have a lot of insight and knowledge in their field. Together you will always be so much stronger. AudioQuest is a great example that when you hire a specialist in electricity your products can reach new levels of quality. Audio needs better people who understand certain aspects better than others do.

So together you can develop better new products. Only a higher quality and level in realism in audio products can make more people interested in audio. Audio shops need more education regarding all kind of different cables. When I hear the stories of AudioQuest Europe it proves that education is needed.

All the photos on Facebook and the Internet often show that many people who work in audio do not even understand the basic parts of audio anymore. The photos tell and prove it. You cannot wait and just stare. You need to act. I talked with AudioQuest Europe different times about this matter.

Their presentations are only based on the new technical enhancements of their new products. People need to be taught how to use cables and what they will do. When you see what is even possible with cables these days, in the past we could only dream of this.

The influence of cables has never been bigger than now. People often think that you need expensive cables. But that is not true. When you get the right DNA even the cheap cables can make a huge difference.

We work our way and respect is a lot more important than money ever will be. I receive each week emails of people who aks advice and want details of which cables or products we advice for their system.

But we work totally different, I will never tell them. We are not interested in selling just separate products. We create sound by how it is formed and which aspects it owns in real. We do not want people to get systems which cannot reveal all the aspects of sound.

When people would know more about how music sounds in real it will make them understand easier why their own systems sound so different. When you do not teach people how voices and instruments sound in reality, they will keep on buying products who can sound a lot different.

There are too many brands in cables who emphasizes a certain freq.range. But based on the fact that audio is done by trial&error they will never understand the influence and DNA of this particular cable. Trial&error will not give them the information that this cable emphasis a certain freq. response. 

Trail&error will always make you different faults within any system you want to create. This is why at the end your system can still not reveal all the aspects of sound which your music owns. The sound and stage your systems produce will always show what is there and what is missing.

We all have our own preferences, I love Purist Audio as well. I still sell Kimber as well. It is not only AudioQuest. But the new cables from AudioQuest are really impressive. The thing I love most about AudioQuest is the fact that they can reveal all the aspects of sound. Even their cheapest products work the same way. 

It is pure joy to work with these cables every single time. But what is even more important is the happiness of our clients who buy them. It is our task to create the highest levels in result possible. And AudioQuest has proven to be a big important part of the success of Tru-Fi. 

I mentioned it before, silver is a lot more difficult to use than copper is. Most people will always refer to cables. When it does not work, the cable is the one to blame. But when you do audio by Tru-Fi, it often shows that there is a different reason for the fact that silver does not work in that particular system.

Most audio products can only create a limited level in layering in sound. When you use silver in these systems it will make the end result rather clean in sound. When you use copper instead it will make the sound more diverse and pleasant. But when you use products like amps and sources who are exceptional in diversity in sound silver will not show the clean and harsh sound anymore. And will give you still a high level in diversity with even more details in the high frequencies.

The other problem can be found in tweeters. Older loudspeakers have a lot more difficulties with silver compared to newer tweeters. There are many dome tweeters who are not that found of silver. The other thing is the big differences in the quality of silver. Even with AudioQuest cables, these differences are more than clear. You cannot compare the WEL Signature and Wild Blue Yonder with the Fire and Wind. Both the WEL as the Wild are a lot more easy to use. The Fire and Wind can sound in some situations a bit more clean and harsh.

But using silver in power cables is even more difficult and complex. I’ve done a lot of research between power cables sinch 2002. Silver works well with subwoofers, but for amps, sources, and pre-amps I prefer copper. The most impressive step AudioQuest made with their new loudspeaker cables is that some new copper reveals more details in the high freq. than the older ones with silver. Some people believe that silver will give them more resolution compared to copper. But that is not true either.

Brands as Transparent, MIT and Tara Labs only use copper. But when your systems own amps, sources, power supplies who can create a stunning level in diversity silver can bring you further than copper can create. This is why it is so important to understand an be aware of the DNA of every single part within your system. This is the only way to understand what can be used and what will not work based on its DNA (aspects/properties of sound it owns and misses)

Dear Dave;

I don't sell a lot of silver and this is for a good reason. In far, most systems copper will work better than silver. Based on the limitations I mentioned regarding diversity in sound. And also in a less coherent sound in most situations. But there are a few exceptions I use silver. 

The great thing about audio is that each situation is totally different and it is is always a challenge to find the best tools and products to imply. But in the end, we want each system to be able to reveal all the aspects of sound. This is a necessity what is needed for success with each individual system. 

You first need to understand the DNA of each individual part within your system. Or you will make your choice on pure random order. You cannot do audio by only focusing on the end result. It will make it impossible to look back what the influence is of each part within your system.

I have done thousands of tests in over 20 years of time. And most I have done was with cables. The improvements which are made in the last couple of years are so much greater than what the improvements are regarding digital sources.

Audio need to be more focused on real music. Due to the unknown people have no real foundation of how to make the right and best choices. I will not name any brand, it is very easy to prove by sound that different brands in cables cannot reveal all aspects of sound. The sound and stage will prove which aspects are missing.

There are some similarities between some brands regarding how the aspects of sound are being formed. But........ in the end, they still differ from each other. Diversity (layering) in sound is by far the most important aspect/property of sound due to the fact that it has the biggest influence on human emotion. Silver often limits the level in the diversity of sound. Copper sounds in most situations not only more pleasant and more coherent. It reveals often more clearly the differences of the harmonics. Still, there are some exceptions.

Because......I auditioned systems that the silver cables sounded surprisingly more coherent. It really depends, but still in far most situations copper will work better. I see this as a fact. I never liked cheap silver cables. I tested many and always they didn’t make sense. The new Audioquest loudspeaker cables have proven that copper can be more open than silver with the older loudspeaker cables of AudioQuest.

When the audio industry has no real parameters, it is just one big Wild West. The word High-End is used and abused a lot. People have no idea when a product or system is really high-end or just hi-fi. People who buy cables have no idea if a cable can reveal all the aspects of sound. Trial&Error will never make this clear for them.