The Audiophile Thread

[BobM]

The Spirit cables are in my range and I like the idea of your money back. Have you heard his RCA type cables and what differences have you noticed? I would start with these.

I actually worked with Pete as part of his design & alpha testing phase for both the speaker cables and interconnects. I have used the very well reviewed Analysis Plus Solo Crystal Oval interconnects (@$550/meter) and these are slightly better, more transparent but retaining all the other good things the Analysis Plus bring to the table. But at a better price point, and a money back trial period.

Tell Pete that BobM sent you.

[rcarlberg]

instead of this


Do this

Okay, that's not out of phase. That's simply wiring the tweeter in parallel with the woofer -- a normal arrangement, assuming there's a crossover buried somewhere in that cabinet. Both arrangements are electrically identical -- unless you want to count the speed of light across a 6" length of wire.

[Staun]

Okay, that's not out of phase. That's simply wiring the tweeter in parallel with the woofer -- a normal arrangement, assuming there's a crossover buried somewhere in that cabinet. Both arrangements are electrically identical -- unless you want to count the speed of light across a 6" length of wire.

Huh. I can just see you with your with lab coat, pipe in your mouth, beakers and test tubes boiling.......

[rcarlberg]

Nah. I'm the guy washing beakers in the back

[BobM]

Okay, that's not out of phase. That's simply wiring the tweeter in parallel with the woofer -- a normal arrangement, assuming there's a crossover buried somewhere in that cabinet. Both arrangements are electrically identical -- unless you want to count the speed of light across a 6" length of wire.

I just knew the engineer in you would say that. Which is why in my original explanation I stated: "Try this, it sounds fishy (I have never tried it) but others have reported a noticeable improvement."

So before you shoot it down do some experiments of your own and report back your actual results.

[Jerjo]

Nah. I'm the guy washing beakers in the back

beaker.jpg

[rcarlberg]

I just knew the engineer in you would say that. Which is why in my original explanation I stated: "Try this, it sounds fishy (I have never tried it) but others have reported a noticeable improvement."

So before you shoot it down do some experiments of your own and report back your actual results.

No need, I trust physics more than I trust my ears on something like this.

By the way, what I *thought* you might be doing was wiring the woofer and tweeter in series, rather than in parallel. That might actually have some sonic effect, as you're adding the driver resistances, creating a higher load on the amp.

[strawberrybrick]

I've heard that some of the best speaker cables are old vacuum cleaner electrical cables from the 50s...

[trurl]

I've always had great results with 18 gauge lamp cord... $.20 per foot

[rcarlberg]

You

No need, I trust physics more than I trust my ears on something like this.

It really should come as no surprise that so many people do not trust science. Afterall there is an entire industry devoted to selling "magic pills" with no proven efficacy beside the placebo effect (and recently they have been revealed to not even contain what they're labeled as containing). There are lots of "alternative medicine" techniques which are given undue respect by the public even though they have been proven to be useless, or worse. Athletes have lucky charms, supermarket tabloids (and the TV news channels owned by them) make up stories out of whole cloth, "organic" foods are anything but, magical claims are made for products that don't even have their "main ingredient"... and on and on and on.

And lots and lots of otherwise rational adults seriously believe in unseen magical things -- like angels and devils -- and life after death -- and a benevolent sky father who grants wishes like a genie you can't see.

Ours is basically a pre-literate society, with a patina of rationality but everyone trusts their own "feelings" more than logic and science.

[Staun]

It really should come as no surprise that so many people do not trust science.

That's because I've been BLINDED BY SCIENCE.

[Staun]

I've heard that some of the best speaker cables are old vacuum cleaner electrical cables from the 50s...

I've been using it for the last few years and it's alright except for all the dust in the air when I play an album.

[BobM]

No need, I trust physics more than I trust my ears on something like this.

And that's why you should not even be commenting on this thread and deluding others to think that engineering/science is the only answer. You are making assumptions and spouting absolutes without even trying the suggestion and testing the premise. Next you will be saying nothing can make a difference unless it is proven with a multi-meter.

[rcarlberg]

I might just say that. If it's not quantifiable it's not real.

[Pr33t]

No need, I trust physics more than I trust my ears on something like this.

Isn't most everything discussed on this board subjective (not just taste in music)? I'm appreciative of the suggestions that have been made in this thread, but in the end, my satisfaction is going to come from how *I* think things sound on my system, not whether I empirically have the best or most accurate measure.

[rcarlberg]

I've been using it for the last few years and it's alright except for all the dust in the air when I play an album.

It has to be a REAL power cord from the 1950s, but not necessarily from a vacuum cleaner. Any device that carries a lot of current for many years will do.

You see, the wire retains a "memory" of the electron flow, and a wire with many decades experience will pass your amplifier signals with greater ease and grace. The music will sound effortless and natural, because the wire is well practiced and doesn't need to struggle to conduct.

It's simple physics, really.

[rcarlberg]

And that's why you should not even be commenting on this thread and deluding others to think that engineering/science is the only answer. You are making assumptions and spouting absolutes without even trying the suggestion and testing the premise.

I'm sorry, are you saying science has no place in high fidelity?

[rcarlberg]

Isn't most everything discussed on this board subjective (not just taste in music)? I'm appreciative of the suggestions that have been made in this thread, but in the end, my satisfaction is going to come from how *I* think things sound on my system, not whether I empirically have the best or most accurate measure.

It is all a matter of taste, yes.

But electrical accuracy is not a matter of taste -- measurements like THD are real. There is science in music reproduction, and though certain people may PREFER a sound which is different from neutral or flat, or accurate, that does not make everything strictly a matter of opinion when discussing audio. There are preferences and then there is quantifiable accuracy. One must be careful not to conflate them.

[LASERCD]

I might just say that. If it's not quantifiable it's not real.

Or it may simply mean you are measuring the wrong thing.

[rcarlberg]

Or it may simply mean you are measuring the wrong thing.

It might. How does one measure "warmth"?

[trurl]

It might. How does one measure "warmth"?

EQ and harmonic distortion?

[BobM]

I'm sorry, are you saying science has no place in high fidelity?

i'll be very frank, and concise. I'm saying you have no place in this thread if you are going to spout engineering theory as gospel and say anything else is wrong without trying it yourself first and coming to an actual conclusion based on experience.

[rcarlberg]

This is why discussions about $1500 interconnect cables always turn nasty -- those without science on their side try to make it about character instead.

[LASERCD]

Robert as a point of reference - what exactly is your background in science?

[rcarlberg]

Check and mate.