2. cables
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Yes, cables do make a difference -- regardless of price...

I thought you may find this interesting…or not.  I know, another "cable post".  Disclaimer up front — I am a believer that cables can make a difference in the sound that you hear from your system.  With my speakers, like most high(er) efficiency speakers, I can hear large and small changes made to the system components — and cables are part of that system.

What I want to share is an exercise that I went through with my better half in setting up her recording equipment that she will be using to record audio books.  The hardware part of the system is simple:  Audio Technica Cardioid Condenser Microphone AT2035 connected with a XLR cable to the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 preamp.

We started with the XLR cable that came with the microphone and recorded the short introduction of the book she has been contracted to record.  Then she recorded the same section using each of the our XLR cables I have on hand:  Vovox Excelsus, Mogami 2549, Gotham GAC-3, and Grimm TPR. Each of the cables have the same Neutrik connector and are very good studio cables that I have used in my system at one time.

Listening through headphones via the Scarlett 2i2, it was super easy to hear distinct differences in these cables.  The differences were not small and very apparent.  In the end, the Mogami cable was the winner — it seemed more open and warmer than the other cables and suited the tone of her voice the best. I have heard similar differences from these cables in my stereo system but not to the significant degree borne out by this exercise. 

To keep going, today I replaced the $10 USB C to C cable that I bought as an “upgrade” from the Scarlett 2i2 to a MacBook Air with a $70 Audioquest Forest cable. We were more than surprised that with the AQ cable in the system the drop of the noise floor was very significant and the blackness of background made the sound even more crystal clear.

The purpose of this post is not to promote or compares cables, just a public service posting for those of you who do not believe cables make a difference.  They really do affect how your system sounds (positive or negative) and if you cannot hear a difference then maybe looking at the transparency of your system is a place you should examine.

Imagine peace everyone.

crozbo

Showing 3 responses by mahgister

mahgister's avatar
mahgister
12,614 posts
 

You cannot buy a 1000 bucks cable for a 1000 bucks system value...it will be non sensical waste... 😁

Calling a 1000 bucks system value if not trash, low-fi gear, based on price tag is complete ignorance of acoustics and more...

We all have budget and needs anyway , different one, then bashing someone because he value low cost cable is not to my taste ....Even if some cable which are costlier one can make a difference in a costlier system...

My system value is near 1000 bucks , some of my cable are chinese one some from Morrow audio. And my system is high-fi and audiophile as much in his relative way than a 100,000 bucks one is if well embedded to begin with ... System-room -brain Acoustics dont change his laws only because of price tags...

And i am not a troll from ASR by the way....Audio is neither subjective nor objective as psychoacoustics is neither one but correlation of the two in one experience... But Consumerism faith is subjective conditioning only, as Pavolvian dogs reacting to bells or publicity are...

I trust myself only my acoustic experience experiments ( not my purchase nor my upgrade price tags) .

There are good cable synergetical with a system at low price or at high price, chinese or not... No rules here...Only experiments and basic knowledge in electrical,mechanical and acoustical embeddings and common sense...

I dont need an upgrade at high cost now, cables or gear...

I am not deaf nor gullible ...

 

mahgister's avatar
mahgister
12,614 posts
 

The fact that cables can make some small differences, which some will describe as huge differences, does not erase the fact that in audio it is the other factors that matter.

This reveal why cables obsession reflect ignorance. Not because cables dont matter but because their impact is completely secondary.

Cables thread are pathetic threads opposing two deluded groups  for opposite reason. 😁

mahgister's avatar
mahgister
12,614 posts
 

Another cable thread...

I cannot fathom why so much people can deny that some cable may make a change for best or worst...

I cannot fathom why so much people are obsessed by the importance of cable which is secondary and minor most of the times compared to anything that matter: mechanical, electrical and acoustical working controls...

It is like the gear focus on branded name , the costlier the better, instead of acoustics basic and on synergy instead of price tags...

 

Anyway.... Enjoy the thread... 😊

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