Who thinks $5K speaker cable really better than generic 14AWG cable?
I recently ordered high end speaker, power amp, and preamp to be installed in couple more weeks. So the next search are interconnect and speaker cable. After challenging the dealer and 3 of my so called audiophile friends, I think the only reason I would buy expensive cable is for its appearance to match with the high end gears but not for sound performance. I personally found out that $5K cable vs $10 cable are no difference, at least not to our ears. Prior to this, I was totally believe that cable makes a difference but not after this and reading few articles online.
Here is how I found out.
After the purchase of my system, I went to another dealer to ask for cable opinion (because the original dealer doesn't carry the brand I want) and once I told him my gears, he suggested me the high end expensive cable ranging from $5 - 10K pair, depending on length. He also suggested the minimum length must be 8-12ft. If longer than 12ft, I should upgrade to even more expensive series. So I challenged him that if he can show me the difference, I would purchase all 7 AQ Redwood cables from him.
It's a blind test and I would connect 3 different cables - 1 is the Audioquest Redwood, 1 is Cardas Audio Clear, and 1 my own generic 14AWG about 7ft. Same gears, same source, same song..... he started saying the first cable sound much better, wide, deep, bla...bla...bla......and second is decently good...bla...bla...bla.. and the last one sounded crappy and bla...bla...bla... BUT THE REALITY, I NEVER CHANGED THE CABLE, its the same 14AWG cable. I didn't disclosed and move on to second test. I told him I connected audioquest redwood but actually 14AWG and he started to praise the sound quality and next one I am connected the 14awg but actually is Redwood and he started to give negative comment. WOW!!!! Just blew me right off.
I did the same test with 3 of my audiophile friends and they all have difference inputs but no one really got it right. Especially the part where I use same generic 14awg cable and they all start to give different feedback!!!
SO WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK? OR I AM THE LAST PERSON TO FIND OUT THAT EXPENSIVE CABLE JUST A RIP OFF?
Here is how I found out.
After the purchase of my system, I went to another dealer to ask for cable opinion (because the original dealer doesn't carry the brand I want) and once I told him my gears, he suggested me the high end expensive cable ranging from $5 - 10K pair, depending on length. He also suggested the minimum length must be 8-12ft. If longer than 12ft, I should upgrade to even more expensive series. So I challenged him that if he can show me the difference, I would purchase all 7 AQ Redwood cables from him.
It's a blind test and I would connect 3 different cables - 1 is the Audioquest Redwood, 1 is Cardas Audio Clear, and 1 my own generic 14AWG about 7ft. Same gears, same source, same song..... he started saying the first cable sound much better, wide, deep, bla...bla...bla......and second is decently good...bla...bla...bla.. and the last one sounded crappy and bla...bla...bla... BUT THE REALITY, I NEVER CHANGED THE CABLE, its the same 14AWG cable. I didn't disclosed and move on to second test. I told him I connected audioquest redwood but actually 14AWG and he started to praise the sound quality and next one I am connected the 14awg but actually is Redwood and he started to give negative comment. WOW!!!! Just blew me right off.
I did the same test with 3 of my audiophile friends and they all have difference inputs but no one really got it right. Especially the part where I use same generic 14awg cable and they all start to give different feedback!!!
SO WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK? OR I AM THE LAST PERSON TO FIND OUT THAT EXPENSIVE CABLE JUST A RIP OFF?
Showing 14 responses by willemj
I agree that that link was real fun. However, it reflects exactly what has been found in other double blind tests. Personally, I was once Peter Walker of Quad fame's guest at a blind demonstration of his three famous amplifier designs. At the time people were arguing that his tube design sounded better than his 303 and that the 303 sounded better than the 405. Against such nostalgia he argued that they all sounded the same, if used within their specification. So he had this rig where levels had been carefully matched (this is crucial, and has to be within 0.2 dB), and you could listen, blind. I thought I could hear differences, but he cheerfully demonstrated that I had not been better than random in my identifications. The norm for amplifiers is a straight wire with gain, and that target has been reached a long time ago. |
The Wireless World publication of the underlying research is here: http://www.keith-snook.info/wireless-world-magazine/Wireless-World-1978/Valves%20versus%20Transistor... |
There are indeed tiny differences and they can be measured. But they are differences, not necessarily improvements. Good speakers are designed to be neutral with just ordinary cable. That is what Peter Walker of Quad and Alan Shaw (Harbeth) have always argued. If you want to tinker with frequency response (because that is what these tiny differences involve), all you need to do is use a tone control/equalizer. |
Geoff, you are producing just noise. You obviously need a first year undergraduate course in economics. And mind you, pricing stuff this way is not what I advocate - on the contrary. I only gave the mainstream academic description. Additionally, none of this has anythng to do with the craze in the US housing market and near collapse of the financial system. Just go to the library and read a book on such matters. By the way, once again we witness the argument that those who object to wasting their money are just jealous they cannot afford these tweaks. Apart from the fact that I happen to know that this is not the case for a number of your most vocal critics, it is also a pretty crude example of bad taste. So please restrain your outbursts. |
With these things it all depends on how you define functional hearing loss. In a practical sense there is no hearing loss if your hearing is fine up to, say, 12K, and more or less stops there. For the ability to hear slight sonic differences between cables, that does make a big difference, however. It is well documented that adult males lose their ability to hear the highest frequencies, the older they get. Females do rather better here. So yes, I think the question mark was a very legitimate one, and not at all in bad taste, unless you think reality itself is a bad joke. |
In fact, it has been argued here and elsewhere that the high frequency hearing loss of the audiophile demographic may explain the rise in the number of modern speakers with shrill top ends. Those attempt to bring back some of the 'air', 'sound stage', or 'detail' lost because of reduced high frequency hearing. |
Well, that is precisely what I argued that they did. Plenty of test tone generators on the web to test your own high frequency hearing. http://www.roger-russell.com/hearing/hearing.htm for some more data, but there is plenty more. And here, the Philips Golden Ears Challenge: https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/audiophile-workout-philips-golden-ears-training#MwEVE3DvWWGUqW... |