WHY CABLES MATTER!


I have seen the argument over and over again on why cables matter and the that wire is just wire and how scientifically it’s impossible for them to make a difference. The thing that surprises me the most is that different materials are used. Different shielding is used. Different connectors are used. Different braiding methods of the cables are used. Materials are sourced from different manufacturers and put through different creative processes but I always get some guy who comes on and says. WIRE IS WIRE AND YOU ARE NOT HEARING WHAT YOU ARE HEARING? To me it’s pure arrogance to think you know more than everybody else to the point where you tell me what we are hearing through my ears and we are not smart enough to know when are minds are playing trick on us. But using all these different materials, process and shielding and creative processes don’t make a difference. I spent the last 15 years trying all the cables I could try.  Thoughts anyone?

calvinj

@everyone I always see snake oil comments when it comes to cables. The crazy part is those who make the comments think the rest of us who believe cables make a difference and we are a bunch bumbling idiots that are suckers because we can tell cables make a difference or we have equipment typically more expensive sometimes where the system is transparent enough for us to hear the difference. The thing that puzzles me is that most of us spend a lot of time and resources on our systems.  The majority of us are intelligent enough to make decisions about our systems that are ear pleasing to us.  The arrogance of someone else telling the rest of us that we are suckers that are not hearing what we hear and we need to be told why is the most laughable thing I have seen in my life and this hobby. 

@mitch2 Thank you. I am not a BJC supporter though the make a good product and I have used their cables in various systems over the years. I do however use a 9 awg cable now from Zavfino currently. Was not really and advertisement it was a cut from their webpage and is more informational than advertising. I just recalled reading it and thought I would share. https://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/speaker/index.htm

I tried OCC single crystal cables in my system. Simply stated, I didn't prefer the OCC single crystal in my system. 

I read about the perceived sound changes, and then I see stuff about how the cables are made, and how this and that might cause a difference. What I don’t see is anything that gives an in depth explanation with any real substance to it of just how the changes in cable construction effect the performance of the connected equipment, and how that relates to audible perception. Something interesting would be to show a phase shift or frequency response shift or change in noise and distortion that is known to be in the audible range. If none of those things are being changed, what else might be causing a change? If you aren’t doing a double blind test, then you absolutely cannot rule out listener bias, which can have a very powerful effect on audio perception in my experience. Our brain actively tries to interpret what it hears based on other things it knows about what’s being listened to. It works that way with smell too. My office manager told me she was mortified that someone came in to the office with horrible body odor. She was practically choking on each breath. She turned around to see who it was, and saw that it wasn’t body odor, but some fresh cooked food with a lot of onions in it. Suddenly it smelled just fine to her!

I should add to this that if you aren't doing blind testing, but you can show measurements showing response differences that are known to be in the audible range, then there's really no need to do blind testing. I've perceived differences in equipment and was able to verify those differences with measurements. There's no reason to go further with blind testing.

After using authentic OCC copper or silver cables, I will not buy or use anything else.  The clarity, dyamics, timing, all improved over ofc cables which have significant grain boundaries.  I would say for me the difference was night and day.