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Originally Posted by 69 Sound Since I'm sure most of you have atleast one or two Hosa cables lying around (and who doesn't) What I suggest trying is to change out the cheap molded connectors to something decent like neutrik or switchcraft and then listen again.
I'll bet money you will hear a difference. |
Arguably, if both cables are working, and you level match the output of the 2 cables under test, and then (most importantly) test blind so you are not aware of which is which when you're auditioning them, the likelihood of you collecting that money should go WAY down.
The whole notion of "cable sound" fascinates me, in an almost perverse way. I read lots of testimonies from so-called audiophiles who swear there are dramatic differences between this wire and that...or this connector and that...or this dialectric and that...or this direction of twist and that. "Even my wife could hear the difference!"
And then I read a good bit of the scientific literature, not just on electrical properties (which hopefully everyone reading this forum has a passing familiarity with) but also on cognitive studies, nueropsychology, the process of perception, etc. Your brain is a wicked powerful mojo machine; if it "knows" it's listening to $2,000/foot speaker cables versus Home Depot 14awg lamp cord, it will manufacture a preference that has nothing to do with what you're actually "hearing." So I'm a staunch believer that non-blinded listening tests are potentially (if not always) fraught with error. On the other hand, I've done some informal non-blind listening tests between cable types and it sure as hell SEEMS as if there's an audible difference! And then you start to wonder, "well, crap, I wasn't blind when I tested the U-87 versus the C-800G on Ms. Thing in that vocal session last night and we all heard the difference...was that our brain playing tricks on us too?"
(Short answer: maybe.)
It's enough to make you doubt your every instinct!
So, despite my perverse fascination with "cable sound" and despite the fact that I never miss an opportunity to mention that non-blind non-level matched audio tests aren't reliable, I have *NEVER* participated in a blind level matched audio test for cables. 'Cuz who's got the time? I chose cables based on reliability, period. Good wire by Canare, Mogami, or Belden, good connectors by Switchcraft or Neutrik, badda-boom, badda-bing, end of story. Does one sound better than the other? Who cares?!?!?!
However, if you *do* honestly believe there is an audible difference between cables, a difference that you could easily identify under level matched double-blind conditions, there are some diehards over on rec.audio.high-end who have amassed a pot of some $10,000US that they claim can be yours. You only have to demonstrate this alleged ability. I'd love to see someone walk away with their money, but I don't have a lot of confidence that anyone's gonna do so any time soon.