Do you consider yourself an audiophile?

[UnderOpenSky]

I still use two strand electrical cable for speakers. I think I saw it suggested on these boards ages ago. So long in fact that the first lot went super stiff so I bought new stuff when we moved. It's cheap as chips and a decent thickness. I've not done blind tests with the very thin stuff I could probably buy on ebay even cheaper.

But as I get older I'm not even sure I could hear the difference between 192kbs and 320, let alone flac, although I've not played an MP3 for years.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

You’ve said ways in which the design and components of the cable can restrict the quality of the sound that comes out of the other end.

No. You obviously misunderstand. If a cable is not constructed correctly it may not make the connection correctly, maybe crackle as it does. It make also make a noise as it moves. This is not the same as effecting the tone or sound quality. It's a working solid quality lead or one that isn't working correctly. Think of the crackle as the sound between switching on or off. Think of the buzzing sound just as you plug in a guitar. If the cable is working correctly and the connection is solid the sound passing through will always be the same.

Think about a guitar lead. A £10 will work but probably break if you thrash it about for a few weeks. Might crackle when you wave it about. For £30 can get a really robust cable. It won't sound different, but it won't break as quickly. Beyond that not much is going make it stronger, and as the sound can't actually change it's doubtful you can justify paying more (maybe it just looks amazing, and has lama tweed covering it).

That’s kinda the whole argument!

If you are arguing the supposed superior quality of the cables components change the sound then you are wrong.

Chord Company are one of the biggest cable manufacturers in the UK. I’m guessing you’re not consumer audio industry then.

Pro audio. . . But ive obviously got stuff at home. I'm also a consumer. I've never heard of them, but if they make £500 usb cables I suspect they are peddling snake oil

You can measure an analogue cable and see the differences in performance. It’s been done a million times.

I have a multimeter. A lead either works or it doesn't. If you are talking about insulation. A basic decent working lead will cover all your bases. Spending more on silly claims of superior components or gimmicks won't make a difference and will NOT affect the tone.

Pretty sure Chord offer money back guarantee, so punters try it themselves.

A money back guarantee for what? If it works or not or if it does magic or not?

They seem to still be in business. I’ve done a lot of this sort of testing too over the last couple of decades.

That just proves people buy their stuff. I'd have to look them up. Like I said, I've never heard of them.

Anyway I don’t want it to derail the fun thread,

The thread is for laughing at bullshit audiophile claims. This is all part of it I guess.

So happy to agree to disagree - we clearly both aren’t about to change our minds.

It's not about agreeing or disagreeing. It's just not true, or you don't understand.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

If you had handed any of those responses in for any of your degree assignments then you would have failed.

Ive already got my degree thanks. I don't feel the need to write a full dissertation for idiots on why correctly working analogue audio leads don't effect tone.

no its not
no its not

They really don't

 

[pbsmooth]

Wow you seem nice.

 

[teuchter]

So you think companies like Chord Company are just a scam?

Here's some of the stuff they would like us to believe:

The lessons we’ve learned over the past few years have been both glorious and somewhat sobering. Glorious because the Tuned ARAY and the Super ARAY conductor designs can transform the sound from turntables, CD players and streaming devices into music that sounds real, believable and emotionally involving. Sobering because the Tuned ARAY and Super ARAY conductor designs explicitly show just how much more conventional cables designs can blunt the potential performance of pretty much any audio system.

Contact your nearest ChordMusic retailer and borrow one to try at home.

SignatureX Tuned ARAY RCA cable uses separately shielded silver-plated oxygen-free copper conductors with Tuned ARAY conductor geometry, XLPE insulation and dual high density braid shielding which is effective to very high frequencies.

RCA/XLR/DIN connectors feature ChorAlloy™ plated contact areas.

The latest SignatureX RCA cable is fitted with PTFE plug surrounds. While not as strikingly beautiful as the previous marbled acrylic versions they produce a markedly better performance.

The SignatureX Tuned ARAY RCA is available in 1m lengths with custom lengths available to order.

You get a little bag by the looks of it, for carrying your RCA interconnect cables around... as you do.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Chord Company are one of the biggest cable manufacturers in the UK. I’m guessing you’re not consumer audio industry

OK I googled them

Chord Company Cables For Hi-Fi and Home Cinema Systems, UK | Oxford Audio

Since 1984 The Chord Company has been designing and producing cables for hi-fi and home cinema systems and it understands that cables are much more than an accessory, they’re a necessity for a great sounding system. A good quality cable can transform your experience and bring even more enjoyment...

www.oxfordaudio.co.uk

Do you mean these guys?

If so, yes. These are 100% solid gold snake oil selling bullshitters.

https://www.futureshop.co.uk/brands-category/chord-company/all-chord-company

This is madness. Exactly what this thread is about.
You are sooooo on topic.

 

[teuchter]

 

[pbsmooth]

OK I googled them

Chord Company Cables For Hi-Fi and Home Cinema Systems, UK | Oxford Audio

Since 1984 The Chord Company has been designing and producing cables for hi-fi and home cinema systems and it understands that cables are much more than an accessory, they’re a necessity for a great sounding system. A good quality cable can transform your experience and bring even more enjoyment...

www.oxfordaudio.co.uk

Do you mean these guys?

If so, yes. These are 100% solid gold snake oil selling bullshitters.

https://www.futureshop.co.uk/brands-category/chord-company/all-chord-company

This is madness. Exactly what this thread is about.
You are sooooo on topic.

I love that you’d never heard of the brand, had obviously never heard any of their products, and now you’re certain you know they don’t have any effect despite never having heard them. One man on the internet vs a 30 year old company and the entire audio industry! Good luck

 

[danski]

I love that you’d never heard of the brand, had obviously never heard any of their products, and now you’re certain you know they don’t have any effect despite never having heard them. One man on the internet vs a 30 year old company and the entire audio industry! Good luck

Why don’t audio pros use this stuff? It’s just for rich consumers that want to believe.

Professionals in the audio industry will buy any product that will give them an edge, sonically. None of them buy into this shit because they have to produce results that are objectively good.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I love that you’d never heard of the brand, had obviously never heard any of their products,

I don't need to.

and now you’re certain you know they don’t have any effect despite never having heard them.

Science

One man on the internet vs a 30 year old company and the entire audio industry! Good luck

It's not the entire audio industry, it's this one bullshit snakeoil selling aspect of it.

Honestly, you can tell by taking one look at that page and you know.
Seen all this bullshit before. Its what the thread is about. Read the rest of it , it's been done over and over again.

Look at it this way. If Paul McCartney uses a £30 guitar lead into his amp head, a £30 speaker cable into the cab, a £150 sm57 mic with a £30 xlr into the desk . . . . Why does the signal path suddenly need £3000 cables from your home hi-fi to your speakers?

 

[Crispy]

You should see the wires on the inside of the speakers and amps

 

[teuchter]

I love that you’d never heard of the brand, had obviously never heard any of their products, and now you’re certain you know they don’t have any effect despite never having heard them. One man on the internet vs a 30 year old company and the entire audio industry! Good luck

These things do have an effect for many people - it's just that the effect disappears in blind tests. That's why they put so much effort into the appearance of the cables.

 

[8ball]

they do have a USB cable that seem to go for £1000+

edit: just saw a used one for £575 on ebay

Any tips on how to get into this business?

 

[Crispy]

The cheapest RCA cable they make is £50, rising to £400.
Absolutely fucking bananas.

Don't spend £5 on RCA cables, sure. They'll probably be so weedy that a few repeated bends will snap the handful of very thin strands, or the wire will be barely "soldered" to the connector. Spend £10 instead, and get a cable that will last you a lifetime.

If you have a particularly long run of cable (like double digit metres), maybe spend a little more to make sure you're not losing too much signal to plain old resistance. But that might just be a gut feeling on my part. I spent £15 on a 10m cable to run to my subwoofer in the other corner of the lounge and it felt like an extra £5 well spent.

 

[teuchter]

The cheapest RCA cable they make is £50, rising to £400.
Absolutely fucking bananas.

You can spend £1000 if you want. That's for the first meter and then it's £500 for each additional. The burn-in service is free though!

https://www.futureshop.co.uk/chord-signature-tuned-aray-2-rca-to-2-rca-audio-cable

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

Why don’t audio pros use this stuff? It’s just for rich consumers that want to believe.

Professionals in the audio industry will buy any product that will give them an edge, sonically. None of them buy into this shit because they have to produce results that are objectively good.

can't use the bolded word in audiofoolness

You should see the wires on the inside of the speakers and amps

don't remind me

Any tips on how to get into this business?

if I knew I would have bought this website a decade or so ago to turn into an ad-fab merry go round,
callousness?
rippingpeopleofness?
taking advantage of gullibillity?
plain old this is a neo liberal capitalist set up; grab the money where you can ---ness

I have to admit I use the DFA regularly at work and it works wonders

 

[8ball]

callousness?
rippingpeopleofness?
taking advantage of gullibillity?
plain old this is a neo liberal capitalist set up; grab the money where you can ---ness

I think I could demonstrate aptitudes in all of these in an interview environment.

I guess a boutique shop on eBay might be a good place to start. I rather fancy specialising in kettle leads.

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

I think I could demonstrate aptitudes in all of these in an interview environment.

I guess a boutique shop on eBay might be a good place to start. I rather fancy specialising in kettle leads.

kettle leads are a bit passé it's all about IEC leads these days

 

[8ball]

kettle leads are a bit passé it's all about IEC leads these days

Yeah, they also look like they’d work better with a tiny pyramid glued to them.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

So you think companies like Chord Company are just a scam?

Yes.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

You can measure an analogue cable and see the differences in performance. It’s been done a million times. As have blind tests.

Let’s see results - and more importantly, details of the testing setup - for these “blind” tests then.

Because you’re right, tests have been done. And when done properly they show the same result every single time.

 

[existentialist]

Well, it's nice to see the thread taking off again.

 

[Elpenor]

I am not really interested in the technology but I must say I appreciate the contrast between unironic posts made in earnest and the rest of the thread

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

Let’s see results - and more importantly, details of the testing setup - for these “blind” tests then.

Because you’re right, tests have been done. And when done properly they show the same result every single time.

wire coat hanger a clear winner there

 

[pbsmooth]

Let’s see results - and more importantly, details of the testing setup - for these “blind” tests then.

Because you’re right, tests have been done. And when done properly they show the same result every single time.

well, not really worth it when people have made up their minds but this is first google hit.
the guy has clearly made up his mind before he starts. he then measures an audible difference by their definition but then discounts it as being only audible "if you know what to listen for". well, most people with a serious hi-fi would know what to listen for...

Cable myths: reviving the coathanger test

Today, in our speaker cable blind test we're going to try to prove one way or another whether or not high-end speaker cables make a difference for your equipment.

www.soundguys.com

they then seem to have had a poll inviting readers to listen to the audio samples online through their computers using whatever gear they might have and vote on difference? seems so ridiculous a waste of time to rather defeat his experiment.

 

[pogofish]

Its all between the ears really. A few pints and a spliff makes a dansette sound wonderful, no?

No..! A Dansette makes you want a few spliffs so you can begin to appreciate the music, not how shit it is.

And yes, I had a Dansette once. It was dead cheap and did the job whilst I saved-up for something better.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

most people with a serious hi-fi would know what to listen for...

 

[teuchter]

Quite a good summary of wires here

Speaker Wire

It seems that the only way you can produce an audible difference is by using a wire that's significantly thinner than it should be.

 

[pbsmooth]

Quite a good summary of wires here

Speaker Wire

It seems that the only way you can produce an audible difference is by using a wire that's significantly thinner than it should be.

“ One wire can truly appear to sound different than the other but for the wrong reasons.”

That’s a good one.

I wonder whether he’s ever listened to any of them or just run them through his machine? Amps can measure incredibly similarly but sound different.
But I appreciate his attention to detail to prove his opinion.

 

[chemn]

I've made up my mind based on previous experiences... Including a degree in acoustics... but if you can present some valid evidence indicating that different cables have a noticeable effect on sound quality, I will happily change my mind.