2. cables
  3. 128927-305

Most Important, Unloved Cable...

Ethernet. I used to say the power cord was the most unloved, but important cable. Now, I update that assessment to the Ethernet cable. Review work forthcoming. 

I can't wait to invite my newer friend who is an engineer who was involved with the construction of Fermilab, the National Accelerator Lab, to hear this! Previously he was an overt mocker; no longer. He decided to try comparing cables and had his mind changed. That's not uncommon, as many of you former skeptics know. :)

I had my biggest doubts about the Ethernet cable. But, I was wrong - SO wrong! I'm so happy I made the decision years ago that I would try things rather than simply flip a coin mentally and decide without experience. It has made all the difference in quality of systems and my enjoyment of them. Reminder; I settled the matter of efficacy of cables years before becoming a reviewer and with my own money, so my enthusiasm for them does not spring from reviewing. Reviewing has allowed me to more fully explore their potential.  

I find fascinating the cognitive dissonance that exists between the skeptical mind in regard to cables and the real world results which can be obtained with them. I'm still shaking my head at this result... profoundly unexpected results way beyond expectation. Anyone who would need an ABX for this should exit the hobby and take up gun shooting, because your hearing would be for crap.  
douglas_schroeder
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
""I don't see, nor have seen any credible hypothesis promoted, how a $700 cable with 8 metal conductors and shield (either floated, full/partial tied) would mitigate this noise vs another like built, 8 metal conductors and shield (either floated, full/partial tied) where they both pass what the standards body deems as in spec. "

So, you haven't seen one. Who cares?

geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
shadorne wrote,

"All of the anecdotal reports are pure placebo (result of parting with $700) effect but many others are actual equipment issues that happen to be identified or brought to a users attention when swapping out cables."

You say placebo. I say evidence. I win. Take two placebos and see me in the morning.


jinjuku's avatar
jinjuku
226 posts
 
The plural of anecdotal is not data.
shadorne's avatar
shadorne
7,477 posts
 
@jinjuku 

A place to start is forums where those with certain DACs claim a big difference with a reclocker or audio USB bridge.

I would have expected at least one person here to be able to accept your challenge but alas nobody is confident enough of their ears or what they think they heard.

I have read that the Holospring DAC sounds much better with a Singxer SU 1 

I have heard only very subtle differences on other systems / certainly too small to pick reliably in a blind test. I put it down to better jitter rejection which can be very subtle to hear.

I was totally unable to hear a difference on any of the digital inputs on my DAC (USB, optical, coax) with or without an audio bridge (Singxer SU 1). 
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
shadorne wrote,

"I was totally unable to hear any differences on any of the digital inputs on my DAC (USB, optical, coax) with or without an audio bridge (Singxer SU 1)."

You don't say? 😄
More to discover