Poll: Can You Hear Differences in Cables & Interconnects?

The recently closed thread on cables once again had me wondering about the percentage of people who can hear audible differences between different brands and/or types of speaker wires and interconnect cables and those who cannot.

Now I know this is a touchy subject for some (though personally i find the debate fascinating), and I understand that this sort of debate is barred from the Forum. So be it. So let's try something a bit different: an anonymous poll, with absolutely no discussion about which side of the issue you are on. In fact, don't even post a comment to this thread - just vote in the poll please.

I'm just curious if I'm in the minority or the majority...

 

See my recent post on Cables.

 

Mine too

 

I always get expensive cables, and then I wonder if I should have. I guess it is one of those things that you always think about.

It's tough explainging to "the wife" that you need a $150 cable to replace the one you already have that works!

 

I hear ya, Jon Especially when my wife can't even tell the difference between an SH Remastered CD and a crappy original release!

 

Sometimes, I think she can tell, but she would NEVER admit it!

 

If Krabapple voted I bet I know what vote he clicked on!

 

Hi,

Is he gonna be allowed to vote?

-Jeffrey

 

I thought Ray said no responses. I did respond but when I read that little bit, I removed my post.

 

I do not understand why this kind of debate is barred from the forum. We can debate whether or not a particular SACD or LP re-release is EQ'd properly, but we cannot debate the value of cables. Can someone please help me understand?

 

Re: Re: Poll: Can You Hear Differences in Cables & Interconnects?

I know on other forums, the arguments can get pretty heated, and you can't convince either side, one way or the other. It's almost like politics!

 

Re: Re: Poll: Can You Hear Differences in Cables & Interconnects?

Okay, THIS kind of talk is banned from my () poll!

Grant, I don't care if you guys talk about things, just keep it non-specific re: cables and don't give away your answers. Sometimes I think peer pressure on an audiophile forum affects some responses. I also don't want this one shut down.

 

Re: Re: Re: Poll: Can You Hear Differences in Cables & Interconnects?

That's the spirit!

 

I did not mean to offend anyone with my question about what we can debate. I am still relatively new to the forum and simply wanted to understand. I agree with what Steve and Wags said, this is a learning process and that's why I participate in the forum.

 

Some of the people hear differences some of the time, and some of the people hear differences all of the time, but you can't convince all of the people that there are differences all of the time.

Or something like that. I fall in the "Some of the people hear differences some of the time" category - sometimes I hear differences and sometimes I can't. ON THE SAME EQUIPMENT, USING THE SAME CABLE SETS. I believe that sometimes my ears/brain are more sensitive to subtle changes in harmonics/tonality than at other times. When I CAN hear the differences I tell which cables are which 100% of the time. (The equipment doesn't even have to be very good, as long as the SPEAKERS are decent.) The rest of the time, I'm just guessing. However, if it's GOOD equipment, I can tell MOST of the time. In my system, changing ANYTHING tends to change the sound, if only slightly. As far as wiring goes, yes, it makes a difference. Sometimes it's just DIFFERENT, and there's no real "better" or "worse." Sometimes one is markedly better than the other. And I have demonstrated cable differences to non-audiophiles numerous times. THEY can hear a difference too, and are usually more opinionated on which sounds best than I am.

I can't really understand people who claim wires/interconnects/components DO sound the same. Logic would seem to indicate that, since no two wires/interconnects/components can ever be EXACTLY identical, and since ANY change in a signal path is going to alter the signal slightly, they CAN'T sound exactly the same, even if the difference is so small no one can hear it.

I have 2 "identical" McIntosh MC7270 amplifiers bridged to mono. They were bought new. They sound SIMILAR, but they aren't EXACTLY alike. On a good day I can tell which amp is which. However, I can't say which sounds "better." I like both of 'em.

As for spending a lot of money on wires and cables, or trying to find the "perfect" wire or cable, it's like chasing a ghost. THAT is an audiophile obsession I can't understand. I'm using a combination of Monster and van den Hull right now. I intend to try the Grovers soon, but I'm not ABOUT to spend $1000+ on a set of wires or interconnects, or to waste a lot of time buying and swapping cables. Some of these things are so system-dependent I'd have to start over each time I replace a component. I'm a fanatic, but not THAT much of a fanatic. You reach a point of diminishing returns for time and money spent.

So my answer is YES, there is a DEFINITE difference in cables and interconnects. The difference is sometimes large, sometimes small, and sometimes you can't really hear it anyway - maybe your sinuses are bothering you, or you're distracted thinking about work, life, or love. So I don't think it's really worth worrying about. I think most "designer" cables/interconnects are an over-priced rip-off. Even if they do sound different. A $2000 Cd player tends to sound $1800 better than a $200 Cd player. I've never heard a $2000 cable that sounds $1800 better than a $200 cable. I doubt I ever will. My advice: buy some "decent" cabling and forget about it.

 

Wow, Steve, those are the best ears I have ever heard of, the question is are ears like that a gift or a burden.

 

"As for spending a lot of money on wires and cables, or trying to find the "perfect" wire or cable, it's like chasing a ghost. THAT is an audiophile obsession I can't understand. I'm using a combination of Monster and van den Hull right now. I intend to try the Grovers soon, but I'm not ABOUT to spend $1000+ on a set of wires or interconnects, or to waste a lot of time buying and swapping cables. Some of these things are so system-dependent I'd have to start over each time I replace a component"

Thats the rub. Audio mag cable reviewers say the effect of the cable depends on the mix of your components. If you consider all the different possible combinations of cables amp, preamps speakers etc. the probability of getting the "right" combination is as likely as winning the Power Ball Lottery.

I recall an audio Mag waxing ecstatically about $8K speaker cable. Cynic that I am, I think it would be fun to compare that stuff with 12 gauge zip not knowing which is which. The results could be amusing.
WVK

 

While I believe there are sonic differences in cables, I did decide on a cheap off-the-spool speaker wire over a high-end brand. The off-the-spool stuff had no connectors, and had to be wound to the amp and speaker terminals the old-fashioned way.

Sometimes I wonder if by focusing on the cable itself -- the skin effect, how it's braided, the insulating material, etc. -- we might miss a bigger explanation for the apparent differences in cables and wire: the quality of the plugs, connectors, and how they're attached to the cable itself. Certainly this is the most complex part of the cable.

 

I'd bet money that it would be...

 

"I'd bet money that it would be..."

I have no idea. If there is a difference, which cables would be preferred?
(According to the wildly gushing review of $8k cables the outcome should be obvious. Interestingly, the manufacture had a full page add in the same issue)

Of course if the zip cord "won", the supporters of the $8k cable would claim that it was tested with the wrong mix of components. (of the 3,498,876 possible combinations

WVK

 

Guys, Do not forget the laws of diminishing returns, that is really what much of high-end audio is about. do you want to pay to go that extra bit down the road?