FYI, How to judge interconnects, power cords, speaker cable, etc. Let's share techniques together..

The biggest differences in cable for me, has been interconnects. Whether it's the connectors, the wire, or the dialectric or whatever, it's the top end that stands out the most to me. The Mogami wire I'm using makes my other cables sound rolled of in comparison. That usually impacts the soundstage as well. So that's what I listen to first with a well known tune. Then, I'll put in another well known tune, say Diana King singin Why Can't we live Together, and listen to the vocal and the mids to see if anything has changed there.
I haven't really noticed much different in bass response. Nor have I played with power cables.
I noticed a major improvement once when changing speaker cables, top end and less smearing in the soundstage. But usually nothing noticeable.

As for my phono cable I'm using a cheap plastic red and white cable set. All of the better cables I've tried smother the sound. Don't know why.

 

When I got better speaker cables I put on a beatles mono record, then swapped one cable at a time, putting my ear up against the speaker. My first time messing with upgrading cables so I did not expect to hear any difference, but I was shocked at the change in tone and elimination of upper frequency grain that I previously did not even know was there.

 

Changing a component and listening to a particular difference (or differences) can help isolate what has changed.

However, only by extended listening comparisons can you tell how those differences fit in the overall balance of the system, and if those differences - which initially could sound good or bad - are actually beneficial or detrimental to the system's sound. Also extended comparing to different styles/genres of music can be useful, again to make an overall judgement of the utility of the change.

It all has to be viewed within the overall context.

 

Do we need even more ABX or double blind tests? I think we should start an online betting service to settle this once and for all. Let's get our believers together and place our bets. They put up their $$, and we bet for or against them at even odds.

 

To test interconnects I use the beginning of tracks from several CDs and LPs in know well - Blues, Soul or acoustic Jazz.

For me the most telling thing is the snare drum. The cymbals will reveal, if a nice snap is only caused by too much treble.

Then I listen for a full sound of the bass. If drums and bass are balanced, usually everything else falls into place.

Next is naturalness of the lead vocal and the piano. To better judge soundstage and room information I change to a recording of a symphony orchestra.

Power cables are more about dynamics. I listen for the whole picture with those.

Like Steve, I wish I wouldn’t have to worry about cables, but they do make a difference. First time I changed from an interconnect that came with the CD player to an entry level audiophile one it was like someone had suddenly opened the door to the studio. Even my wife’s boom-box sounds better since I changed the power cord to one I didn’t use in the main system any more.

 

Power cords can make a huge improvement. Even on a TT. Seriously.

 

If a better power cord will give you better dynamic peaks instantly, why don’t cable companys illustrate this? It would be clearly measurable and repeatable.

 

What has worked for me for interconnects is: I record (in analog to CD) 2-3 tracks from a top source (usually favorite SH) using 2 or 3 different sets of cables and then play the CD-r (many times) on my home and car systems. Sometimes they sound very similar and sometimes not so much but I usually can pick a winner. I also listen via random play sometimes just to drive myself nuts. I use the same cables on the CD player as the recorder. Haven't changed interconnects for a few years.

 

I still say banana plugs look nothing like banana's, but if you stew them like applesauce they taste more like peaches than rhubarb does.

 

I agree with Steve’s response. I also respect blind listening tests and believe you need to be able to identify the differences in sound in a double blind listening test. Many are not able. Once you have proved your ability and are confident in your ability, it is more effective to listen directly.

This applies to any artistic endeavour. A sensitive guitarist, for example, can identify the different sound he hears when he puts on a different brand of strings. No need to do a blind listening test to confirm.

 

Do wine connoisseurs argue about measurements? I feel like they should have to live through this hell too.

When it comes to cable evaluations I guess I've done it both ways.

Method A: play the title track of Let It Bleed and listen for discernable differences
Method B: Steve's Trust Your Ears approach. Put it in the system and play it for a while. Do you feel an itch to put the old component back in? If yes, not a good sign. If no, that's a good sign. If not sure, leave it in for a while longer and then take it out later and see if you miss the sound. Maybe this is more the Marie Kondo approach. Do your cables bring you joy?

I use Method B more often now.

 

I think this does explain how a power cord may at times improve the sound, every little bit of improvement helps to some level which may or may not be perceived.

 

Unlike many here I've wired up plenty of houses, from the wire dropped from the power company to the sockets in every room. I've put in breaker boxes, breakers, and run a ton of Romex. Virtually all of it is 14/2 14 gauge solid copper wire. In almost every case, it is stripped and poked into a hole in the back of the outlet, and the contact is a single knife edge.

 

No worries. I’m already having enough fun in my current day job.

 

Zen master, "music is more than it's parts"

 

I think this is one of the worst approaches to judging music, as it clearway isn't how you normally relax and listen, it's introducing a abnormal variable. You could also ask did someone choose their amp because forum members and reviews told them it's fantastic, you have to believe in what you hear.

The other mistake people make relates to the concept of 'musical memory', switching between listening to a particular track too quickly.

In the dim and distant I used to conduct dems and it was a positive when a friend/partner came along, as they weren't the under pressure they would be the one identifying what sounded best.

 

Three areas I judge if a system change is worthwhile; affect on detail in the upper and lower frequencies, image stability and air around players/instruments and lastly the sound stage, width and depth. I will relisten over and over to a song(s) that has a lot going on in those frequency ranges. Each listen I focus on just one instruments sound such as a cymbol hit or the bass or a kick drum. I listen for how stable the imagine is, how much micro detail I can hear such as initial hit, pluck or strum and how that sound decays as it fades away. I listen to where in the sound stage I hear it and if it stays solidly in that position and how the edge around that position sounds or doesn't sound. Once I'm confident I know how that one instrument is fitting in and it's personality and I then move on to another and rinse and repeat. If I have a hint that something good is happening I then listen to music with that change for a few days to a week. If I am enjoying the music and ever so often get pleasantly surprised by something I hear that sounds wonderful then I know it's a keeper.

 

I have also wired houses and am very familiar with electrical systems... I also know that powerline ethernet barely works because of the mess that breakers etc cause... and ethernet is one of the most robust and foolproof systems going...

 

I worked as an Electrician's apprentice for a few years and this is what I found in many homes. In high school, I was taught to always use the screws on the side of receptacles to connect the Romex.

Luckily, the apartment I am in now uses 12 AWG wire. I was surprised to see this when I recently upgraded the receptacle feeding my system.

 

Interconnects....errr maybe.
Many miles of cable from the power station to my plug socket, struggling to reconcile how that last yard of Unobtanium power cable can alter anything.

 

Ha! I’ve thought the same thing, but my ears don’t lie...there is a difference.

I’m no longer in a position to continue ongoing experimentation, but for the three years working at a high end audio shop where we constantly worked at making improvements, testing products, testing theories, getting customer feedback, etc. (when the system was dynamic enough to reveal the differences) the power cable link became a pretty significant piece to the puzzle. Now, our reference system and listening room did have two dedicated 20amp circuits for our mono block power amps and we did actually try different circuit breakers to see which ones sounded best. Yep, we did that...and found the cheaper breakers to sound best...don’t ask me why or how, but we could hear it. And yes, the internal wall wiring was basic romex copper. We also found the better Leviton wall jacks to be the best sounding.

So, what process did we use? Similar to our hosts’ process, a controlled combination of well known source material (both audiophile grade stuff and some not so great stuff) in a well known room with well known electronics with two to three sets of ears zeroing in on dynamics and low end and midrange control and musicality. The system back then typically was Classe CAM 400 amps and either Willson Watt Puppies or Vandersteen 5a’s. Back then, we found Syltech and Cardas power cables to be our favorite...noticeable improvements in dynamics and control. We recommended improvements in the “power grid” of our customers’ home systems and often helped our customers work with their electrical contractors to build dedicated audio power grids when doing remodels or new builds. Granted, this was the Midwest where this was a relatively easy option for those who could afford it (or were crazy enough to care). The point being, we experimented, but did it in a semi controlled environment so we didn’t lose our way and had a somewhat real world “lab” to work within. And then we would recommend our findings to our customers who again, could afford to follow our findings and were crazy enough to care. ;-) We were able to replicate our improvements/findings in a dozen home environments.

Our theory about “what’s in the walls” was this....romex is pretty heavy gauge solid core copper wire. Much high end cabling tend to be some sort of solid core copper (or silver) cabling. So often we thought, “why don’t we just go get romex and make power and speaker cables using romex?” Well...we tried that too! We quickly found that is impossible. Romex is impossibly stiff and darn near impossible to terminate. But it did remind us that “what’s in the walls” is actually pretty good stuff.

 

Excellent information... thank you!... I can absolutely believe that different breakers and sockets would make a difference as I've seen first hand what it does to powerline ethernet...

 

It may be the case that the cable between the wall socket and the component simply changes the sound, and that change is perceived as an improvement, an improvement that is really a matter of taste.

 

Question - if you only have one fancy power cord, where do you use it?

From the wall to your relatively inexpensive power conditioner (a PS Audio Dectet) ? (This is how I'm using it)
From the wall to your receiver?
From the wall to your power amp?
From an outlet on the conditioner to the receiver?
From xxx to source component?

Or something else?

 

You’re welcome.

To continue the thought, if we have a reasonable belief that if the power grid of any given environment (someone’s home, studio, lab or listening room) has good wiring (assuming we agree romex is good wiring, I think it is) we can trace the power line system as such -

(Hopefully) clean power from your power company comes into the panel and is distributed via a the large capacity rails in the panel to properly functioning circuit breakers, then feeds thick copper romex to the wall outlets. I think it can be argued the power line up to this point, even without going to extremes is a high capacity power line.

Now, think of it this way, the power now hits an off the shelf braided copper 16 gauge IEC power cable given to the customer. I imagine it is like the power had an unimpeded flow from your power company’s grid all the way to the wall outlet and then has to make its final trip through a swizzle stick. Not to mention we are dealing with AC and the interactive dynamics of the power requirements of a power amp delivering music.

We used to think, it would be cool to hard wire the power cable on our mono blocks directly to the circuit breaker, but quickly realized this would be dangerous and would violate all sorts of electrical codes. So, the best alternative was to make as solid a connection to the romex to wall outlet and wall outlet to power cable.