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What do audiophiles want from a cable?

What should a high quality interconnect or speaker cable do to the sound of a system? Make it more transparent? Improve the sound stage and focus? Soften unpleasant highs? Tighten the base? Bring out the mids?

To me, a good cable should reveal more of what is on the recording and more of the true nature of my components. So when trying new cables, I look for more detail and accuracy without becoming cold and clinical. This seems logical, and yet after reading reviews and trying a few of the cables in the reviews, I find that the cables that have received glowing endorsements are not especially transparent or revealing. They modify the sound, but they don’t take me where I want to go. I wonder if the reason I don’t hear what the reviewer heard is that I don’t know what to listen for. Am I too focused on cable accuracy and resolution, and not enough on actual sound quality? Or is it just a case of no two systems sounding alike so why trust a review anyway? Thanks.
mward

Showing 1 response by tbg

tbg
5,263 posts
 
In my opinions cables are an essential ingredient in the thrill of realism in music reproduction. My cables including pcs, now represent at least half of the cost of my system. I really don't know where I might further improve my sound, but after the last four years, I cannot say where to try something new. And I should say that at my age I really hope I don't find one.

On double blind listening tastes, I have multiple times participated in them and think they are a complete waste of time as the mind is engaged in a completely different task during them than when we are relaxed and enjoying music. Psychologists using 30 second same or different judgments are wasting their time. It is an invalid measure.
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