Do you consider yourself an audiophile?

[stuff_it]

I worked in a pub with the worst piped music ever for six months once. The music itself wasn't that bad, but the relentless in-your-head sound quality nearly drove me insane. On the other hand, i've recently got a fairly cheap and shitty new stereo which makes listening to music a pleasure again after listening on my computer for a long time. So I think I can tell the difference thank you.

Clue, it wasn't the speaker cables that was the problem.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I suspect it might be a lot like wine. It's not really worth spending loads of money you can't afford for everyday drinking and a lot of people can't tell the difference at first between a £7 bottle of wine and a £30 bottle. But some people can, and in the case of wine at least, £3 bottles almost invariably taste grim. And, like wine, what you get in pubs and clubs is often pretty shoddy.

The cables from your stereo to your speakers will NOT make a difference as long as they are not faulty. They actually can't make a difference that is detected by humans and nobody has even managed to detect any difference with scientific kit.

Sure you can piss into a bottle of wine just like you can bash the back of your stereo with a hammer.
Even if you don't care if a bottle of wine is £5 or £30 it is science fact that different types of wine (whatever the cost) are different and this can be easily proven in many ways. Different types of undamaged, shielded speaker cable do not make a difference to the sound coming out of your speakers.

 

[blueplume]

The cables from your stereo to your speakers will NOT make a difference as long as they are not faulty. They actually can't make a difference that is detected by humans and nobody has even managed to detect any difference with scientific kit.

yes, the cables are the last top elements for a perfect sound, when you've already got top louders, ampli...

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

yes, the cables are the last top elements for a perfect sound, when you've already got top louders, ampli...

No, the cables don't make a difference at all. They make NO difference.

There is zero difference in sound quality between an undamaged insulated speaker cable that costs you 50p and some insulated cable that costs any other number. It may be more durable or insulated to a higher degree but it won't change the sound coming out of your speakers one jot.

They cables these people sell aren't even balanced, so in theory you can get (also pointlessly in this case) superior 'interconnects' (leads) that still only cost a couple of quid.

 

[blueplume]

No, the cables don't make a difference at all. They make NO difference.

There is zero difference in sound quality between an undamaged insulated speaker cable that costs you 50p and some insulated cable that costs any other number. It may be more durable or insulated to a higher degree but it won't change the sound coming out of your speakers one jot.

They cables these people sell aren't even balanced, so in theory you can get (also pointlessly in this case) superior 'interconnects' (leads) that still only cost a couple of quid.

my ears aren't that kind of expert but i'm not sure you're right, i will have a look at some hi fi magazines

 

[Belushi]

my ears aren't that kind of expert but i'm not sure you're right, i will have a look at some hi fi magazines

You really are better off listening to the numerous sound engineers and musicians on here telling you its a scam.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

my ears aren't that kind of expert but i'm not sure you're right, i will have a look at some hi fi magazines

Don't.

I have a degree in music technology, and have set up several audio production suites for broadcast and worked in some top notch recording and mastering studios. Working in audio production, technical support, broadcast audio dubbing, and television production I have only once in 17 years come across the use of these cables and that was when I went to a certain Hi-Fi magazines headquarters in west London. They had a listening room and at the time I went down they were testing some sort of crazy expensive cable. I said "that can't possibly make a difference" and they quite candidly said "no, but we can't say that out right because we wouldn't have a magazine, there would be no sponsors and we would alienate or eliminate our core market" Rather than lying they would get someone freelance (maybe like you or another believer) to right the truly bullshit reviews.

 

[ViolentPanda]

I can tell the difference, but I am not a true audiophile because if it sounds bad, I couldn't even begin to tell you whhat to do to make it sound better. The only thing I know is that someone once told me that if you've got two inputs (?) say you're playing a computer through a stereo, have the volume on the first one (the computer) turned up to maximum, and adjust the volume using the second one (the stereo). I don't know if this is true though.

I suspect it might be a lot like wine. It's not really worth spending loads of money you can't afford for everyday drinking and a lot of people can't tell the difference at first between a £7 bottle of wine and a £30 bottle. But some people can, and in the case of wine at least, £3 bottles almost invariably taste grim. And, like wine, what you get in pubs and clubs is often pretty shoddy.

So what you're saying is that along with an educated palatte for wine, you have educated ears that can perceive nuances the more coarse and plebian types can't?

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

So what you're saying is that along with an educated palatte for wine, you have educated ears that can perceive nuances the more coarse and plebian types can't?

More so than that, nuances that can't be measured because they don't exist which are high level science wrong.

 

[ViolentPanda]

More so than that, nuances that can't be measured because they don't exist which are high level science wrong.

Yup.

 

[gentlegreen]

I think I once managed to make signal cables have an effect.

I had this chaotic set up where the source was relatively high impedance and the screened cables were small diameter and overly-long and I think I had a bit of treble roll-off - and I strongly suspect some cables must be cynically designed that way.

My best quality signal chain now consists of a CD player that apparently can deliver 2 volts into 10 ohms, I think my volume control is 5K - it might be 47K, and that feeds a valve amp with a sensitivity of 100mV into 1M ohm. The cables are short, but I no longer struggle to squeeze large diameter coax into phono plugs.

 

[Corax]

You people make me sick. Leave those poor audios alone you perverts.

 

[19sixtysix]

Oh my, if only I had not vowed to never use facepalms etc.
Jhn man, get a grip.

I will use facepalms to any audio spudloonery.

To repeat wire is wire for audio. There is no frequency element thats at is high enough for radio frequency techniques to be considered over they short distances involved in connecting up an over priced hifi. This is the reason every studio I have worked on, fixed or installed is connected up via telephone cables whether single or multicore, screened or not, balanced or unbalanced. Speakers are connected by any cable capable of carrying a decent current. 13A mains is the good value.

 

[blueplume]

You really are better off listening to the numerous sound engineers and musicians on here telling you its a scam.

maybe!

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

yes, the cables are the last top elements for a perfect sound, when you've already got top louders, ampli...

No.

Just no.

 

[blueplume]

Don't.

I have a degree in music technology, and have set up several audio production suites for broadcast and worked in some top notch recording and mastering studios. Working in audio production, technical support, broadcast audio dubbing, and television production I have only once in 17 years come across the use of these cables and that was when I went to a certain Hi-Fi magazines headquarters in west London. They had a listening room and at the time I went down they were testing some sort of crazy expensive cable. I said "that can't possibly make a difference" and they quite candidly said "no, but we can't say that out right because we wouldn't have a magazine, there would be no sponsors and we would alienate or eliminate our core market" Rather than lying they would get someone freelance (maybe like you or another believer) to right the truly bullshit reviews.

sound has something magical, every detail is important.and the conditions in a studio may be diferent from the environment of a purist audiophile with his own stuff... But you're probably right

 

[blueplume]

No.

Just no.

O-Kay!!!!!!

 

[stuff_it]

sound has something magical, every detail is important.and the conditions in a studio may be diferent from the environment of a purist audiophile with his own stuff... But you're probably right

Well for one thing a professional studio won't have one of those 'black body' thingies....

 

[19sixtysix]

Well for one thing a professional studio won't have one of those 'black body' thingies....

Unless some rich client making his album demands it then he'll get get it charged at double whatever spud loonery price it is.

 

[Boycey]

Unless some rich client making his album demands it then he'll get get it charged at double whatever spud loonery price it is.

no. they'll just pretend to have one and over charge anyway.

sound has something magical, every detail is important.

your perception of sound is where the magic is and only there is every detail important, more details than your tiny little mind understands.

 

[fractionMan]

my ears aren't that kind of expert but i'm not sure you're right, i will have a look at some hi fi magazines

sound has something magical, every detail is important.and the conditions in a studio may be diferent from the environment of a purist audiophile with his own stuff... But you're probably right

You've discovered the SECRET INGREDIENT, MAGICK!. They cost so much because sorcerers are expensive, don't let anyone tell you otherwise!!!

 

[Boycey]

i wish i could find the AES youtube lecture on psychoacoustics and how powerful suggestion is wrt to hearing and perception.

 

[paolo]

In the meantime this thread needs another shipment of the gullible.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

sound has something magical, every detail is important.and the conditions in a studio may be diferent from the environment of a purist audiophile with his own stuff... But you're probably right

No no no sound isn't magic, it is science, and yes I am right.
There is a lot of expensive audio craziness that goes on in studios to get the sound just right, but it is all based on science, actually makes a difference, and is expensive for an actual reason (not just because suckers will pay for it).

 

[stuff_it]

In the meantime this thread needs another shipment of the gullible.

Someone who could be bothered could post the link to the thread up on audiophile websites....

 

[8115]

So, if cables aren't it, excluding magic, what is good for getting good sound? Or is it something that only sound engineers learn, while slaying a lamb and being sworn to unending secrecy?

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

So, if cables aren't it, excluding magic, what is good for getting good sound? Or is it something that only sound engineers learn, while slaying a lamb and being sworn to unending secrecy?

Good equipment. Good acoustic environment. It's not rocket science, but it is science. It might not always be cheap but you are at least getting what you pay for.

 

[8115]

Last question I promise. Is it true that when you buy a new stereo you should play varied music through it for twenty (can't remember the exact number) hours to make it better?

 

[8115]

It doesn't sound true, now I write it down

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

It doesn't sound true, now I write it down

I wonder why?
Don't forget to keep your CDs in the fridge while you are at it.