I don't have room for an amp near the speakers either right now.
Nothing goes my way.
Bought some new speaker cables tonight.
- Thread starter GP Hill
- Start date
Nothing goes my way.
pete_mac
Super Member
Whilst you may genuinely trying to have (or initiate) a laugh, 'The Cutting Edge' forum (which absorbed the old 'Thinking Out Loud' forum and follows the same rules) is the only place on AK where a number of 'contentious' audio matters are able to be discussed without naysayers ruining the threads.
With respect, I think the regular participants in this forum have heard every cable joke under the sun, and welcome having a part of the forum where people can share their views on these matters without being badgered.
Well, at least my crime has been reduced from "insulting" to merely "badgering". HA!
While I disagree with the response of the Mod, and honestly thought the response was somewhere between "childish" and "smartass", I do realize it is their "house" and their rules. So, as long as those rules remain in place, my best choice would be to frequent the areas of this site I enjoy and just ignore the Cutting Edge forum.
Archguy
Official Roiurama Factory Rep
This issue is actually difficult (or just complex) for me. Because I enjoy making fun of most everything, including myself and including outrageous expenditures, and I also enjoy spending too much money on really cool stuff. It doesn't always pan out but I've certainly found that there's a lot more to be learned anywhere you look. Pre-judging something you haven't personally tried, though--that's just stupid.
We have lots and lots of cable threads and they often get people excited. The OP seems sincere in this case and my response would be that as with many things, the first steps away from the 'quotidian' and 'pedestrian' are the biggest. I became a convert simply by replacing standard-issue RCA (coaxial) interconnects--the kind that AVR mfrs supply for free with their sets--with Zu Audio Mission which aren't actually very expensive, but the result was like night and day. I imagine that if I were moving from $5K to $6K it wouldn't be so dramatic a change. But that's prejudging
One of the hardest things when assessing any modification is trying to keep all the other variables constant. There are so many, and some are psychological, like your mood or your reaction to a particular passage of music. You also need a patient assistant if you want to go 'single-blind' which I daresay is as far as most of us can do.
We have lots and lots of cable threads and they often get people excited. The OP seems sincere in this case and my response would be that as with many things, the first steps away from the 'quotidian' and 'pedestrian' are the biggest. I became a convert simply by replacing standard-issue RCA (coaxial) interconnects--the kind that AVR mfrs supply for free with their sets--with Zu Audio Mission which aren't actually very expensive, but the result was like night and day. I imagine that if I were moving from $5K to $6K it wouldn't be so dramatic a change. But that's prejudging
One of the hardest things when assessing any modification is trying to keep all the other variables constant. There are so many, and some are psychological, like your mood or your reaction to a particular passage of music. You also need a patient assistant if you want to go 'single-blind' which I daresay is as far as most of us can do.
Well said sir.This issue is actually difficult (or just complex) for me. Because I enjoy making fun of most everything, including myself and including outrageous expenditures, and I also enjoy spending too much money on really cool stuff. It doesn't always pan out but I've certainly found that there's a lot more to be learned anywhere you look. Pre-judging something you haven't personally tried, though--that's just stupid.
We have lots and lots of cable threads and they often get people excited. The OP seems sincere in this case and my response would be that as with many things, the first steps away from the 'quotidian' and 'pedestrian' are the biggest. I became a convert simply by replacing standard-issue RCA (coaxial) interconnects--the kind that AVR mfrs supply for free with their sets--with Zu Audio Mission which aren't actually very expensive, but the result was like night and day. I imagine that if I were moving from $5K to $6K it wouldn't be so dramatic a change. But that's prejudging
One of the hardest things when assessing any modification is trying to keep all the other variables constant. There are so many, and some are psychological, like your mood or your reaction to a particular passage of music. You also need a patient assistant if you want to go 'single-blind' which I daresay is as far as most of us can do.
I tend to hear differences over the long term, as opposed to direct comparisons, and will hear it when I am not specifically listening for it. My recent interconnect change was like that. I was working, mind elsewhere, and playing something familiar that I have had in the rotation a lot lately. I noticed this strength and clarity to the bass which had not been there previously, and it caught my attention and made me take notice.
Sadly, that is also how I come across shortcomings or problems in my system. I will have heard something a dozen times, and there will be that one time where I will notice something sounds wrong, which I didn't remember before.
Maybe I want to say it is a change in the familiarity that I hear when I change something, vs. hearing a direct, immediate change. Although I do hear that as well--it depends on what I have changed. When I pulled my dumpy old Pioneer DV-45A out of my system and dropped the Oppo in, I heard an immediate difference. The soundstage was incredibly large, and the highs far smoother. Then that subtle thing happened later on, when I noticed that the grating highs I had shunned in the Pioneer were nowhere present in the Oppo--I wasn't getting my "digital headache" (from clenching my teeth) as I did with the Pioneer after about an hour.
There is no right or wrong in high-end audio--it is strongly a matter of what we like to hear and expect out of our systems.
GP Hill
Super Member
Well, I’ve had around a month with my new speaker cables and for sure they’re not going back. It’s hard to compare them to my old cables but the sq seems smoother, Fuller, and even more detailed. Later on I may do a back to back with the BJC ones but right now I think I will just listen to the music.
I'm about to dip my toes into the "better cables" cesspool. Starting with interconnects, because mine are truly beyond crappy. I've read elsewhere that speaker wire may make a bigger difference (?) but my interconnects are worse than my speaker cables so starting with those. I'm hoping using shielded interconnects may help with a system hum I have going on. Not banking on it, but it can't hurt.
It's a slippery slope my friend. Enjoy the ride!
Might I suggest Morrow cables. Private, small company and all hand made. I started down that slope a few years ago. IMHO......those that say cables don’t make a difference must have a hearing problem. Enjoy the ride.
@Hawkeye83 I would suggest also picking up pre-loved cables. I got some real nice cables off of Barter Town, and Ebay for a substantial savings versus buying new. There is no way in hell I would have paid retail for the Kimber speaker cables and ICs. If you put any stock into cable burn in, that's already been taken care of as an added bonus.
Imho you will likely hear a difference between stranded and solid conductors. Its somewhat system dependent and personal if the difference is perceived as an improvement or not. In my system the solid conductors work best. Seem to have a bit longer decay time on symbols and higher frequency instruments, making them sound closer to live. Also just imho., the difference from 99.99 cu and 99.99999 with similar construction was never noticeable to me. Thats just my experience. Hope your experience with solid is an improvement in your system. I suspect it will be. Enjoy.
z-adamson
Addicted Member
z-adamson
Addicted Member
Believes cables make a difference...
Cables seemed to make a difference...
I think they made a difference and I noticed it when I wasn't listening for it....
I can't tell if they made a difference, but it sounds good....
Notice how this ^^^^^ is always how the cable camp describes how much the cables helped.
z-adamson
Addicted Member
One has to wonder WHY you can't simply stand if front of the system, give it a listen and conclude on the spot if things changed with the new interconnects.
If differences are only noticed as you describe, then.......
I'll put it to you this way...PSYCHOACOUSTICS....If you think it should sound better, you will convince yourself it does, only when you are not specifically listening for it as you say.
z-adamson
Addicted Member
Why is it "likely" that the difference will be heard? And why is it "in your honest opinion" that it will "likely" be heard?
If the difference is there it WILL be heard....nothing likely about it and it won't be an opinion.
pete_mac
Super Member
Sorry, but you really should take greater notice of some of the posts earlier in this thread (including those from Moderators) along with the forum rules for this section of AudioKarma.
So I take it you’re in the no difference camp. That’s OK. I always suggest using coat hangers twisted together for speaker wires for those in the no difference camp. My real litmus test was when my wife asked me what I did because it sounded better. For me there is a difference. For others not so. To each his own.
