Better Sound OR Less Damage To The Sound
Quote:
Originally Posted by Beckman
Please explain to me the physics behind hi-end cables/interconnects. All it has to do is transmit a 20 to 20kHz signal a few feet. CAT5 cables have to transmit signals on the order of Megahertz hundreds of feet and CAT5 cable onlt costs .08
per foot. Explain to me how one can improve the sound quality by upgrading cables/interconnects when the signal is not distorted or attenuated an audible amount (0.4 dB at 20kHz for 12 AWG zip cord) when using cheap 12 AWG zip cord or radioshack interconnects.
High end audio cables/interconnects are a GIMMICK.
There is NO science behind hi-end cables/interconnects or PROOF that there is an audible difference.
People just "think" they can hear a difference.
Hi-end cables are a placebo.
It doesn't take a special cable/interconnect to transmit audio signals.
I buy good cables, not excessively expensive, anywhere from $100 to $150 per 1.0 meter set. First I buy them for the quality of construction. My experience in selling some fairly expensive electronic products is that cheap cables (poor connections) can sink the ship.
I would be careful in describing "better sound" as a result of "better cables". Cables add nothing to the sound or the quality of sound. What they do is take away from the sound and the idea of better quality cables is to do less damage, not to add something better but to take less away from the signal, allow less interference from EMI and RF etc.
I can hear a difference between some cables, not all cables and not all to the same degree. Some differences are subtle, some are not, some don't exist. I thiink the benefits of a good cable are more noticeable in video output than audio.
Do I have any scientific facts to back up the claim of hearing differences? No I don't. I just have years of experience in practical applications both in hobby interest in audio and visual systems for home electronics and in business where I can see the practical benefits of well constructed cables systems not improving things, but DOING LESS DAMAGE, TAKING LESS AWAY.