coat hanger vs monster cables.. [Archive] - Audio & Video Forums

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bubbagump
12-16-2008, 02:30 PM
http://consumerist.com/362926/do-coat-hangers-sound-as-good-monster-cables

JSE
12-16-2008, 02:53 PM
How do you straighten out the coathangers? Everytime I have tried the wood snaps?

Ajani
12-16-2008, 02:56 PM
LOL.... Nice experiment... I think this quote from the article, best sums up a lot of the problems with audio


just because something performs better spec-wise doesn't mean it actually sounds better. Specs are one thing, psychoacoustics are another.

Too many times Audiophiles are so concerned with technical specifications that they refuse to really question whether these 'lab differences' are actually audible...

Note: The article does not prove that there are no differences between cheap and expensive cables.... just that if the differences exist, then they're probably not as great some audiophiles claim....

GMichael
12-16-2008, 02:56 PM
How do you straighten out the coathangers? Everytime I have tried the wood snaps?

Two questions:

1) Your wood is not straight?:ihih:
2) You SNAPPED IT!:yikes:

Shaolin
12-16-2008, 04:08 PM
We did the experiment back in 97-98 in San Jose, CA. It works.

hermanv
12-16-2008, 10:38 PM
Nestled in the text provided by the "I don't believe the hype" poster was an interesting note:

"The music was played. Of the 5 blind folded, only 2 guessed correctly which was the monster cable. (I was not one of them)."

So two people could hear a difference (regular cables, not coat hangers), then to say there is no difference contradicts his own point. If one person anywhere on Earth can reliably and repeatably hear a difference, only two explanations can be supported 1. He is psychic or 2. there is an actual difference.

Not to argue the degree of difference but only if any difference exists. many who are aficionados of the cable difference belief state that the insulation is very important. Coat hangers have no insulation, while this isn't terribly practical, the test may contrarily lend support to the cables are different position rather then debunking it.

RoadRunner6
12-17-2008, 06:15 PM
Hermanv, two people didn't hear a difference, they thought they heard a difference...Big Difference! (pun intended)

They "guessed correctly." Emphasis on "guessed."

".....After 5 tests, none could determine which was the Monster 1000 cable or the coat hanger wire......" Emphasis on "none"



Bubbagump, what brand of coat hangers were they using??? :biggrin5:

RR6

hermanv
12-18-2008, 01:00 PM
Regarding the two "guesses", the link simply didn't provide enough information about the number of tries. The test administrator clearly expected a negative result, the choice of language is his.

Humans when presented with partial data will usually select that part of the data that matches their own pre-conceptions. (Me too).

This debate has raged for decades, I do not believe the "mass delusion" argument. Yet I know that under many conditions speaker cables are not even close to the weakest link in a system. Under those conditions, the number of people who hear a difference approaches zero.

Scott W
12-19-2008, 09:04 PM
I'd be curious to hear the results of an experiment like this with some of the really spendy cables.I use 14ga utility wire(both strands copper) then took it a step further by twisting the ends together and running 1 wire to each pos & neg,to my ears this was a very good improvment:2:

hermanv
12-20-2008, 01:30 PM
In my experience, all else being equal, the bigger gauge will sound better. Not everyone agrees, see particularly the MapleShade speaker wire.

blackraven
12-20-2008, 04:12 PM
Heavy gauge speaker wire does make a difference with Magnepans if your using a marginal power amp. 18g zip cord will clip your amp, trust me I've tried it with my first pair of MMG's and a 120 wpc high current JVC AVR.