How good are these.....?

[derekwwww]

Are these cheap banana plugs on ebay any good:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...741466379&rd=1

or would I be better of paying more for good ones?

And also is this RCA cable any better then a 'normal' rca cable:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...741457425&rd=1


Thanks

[Beckman]

You will here no improvement in sound quality by using more expensive interconnects/cables/connectors if that is what you are asking.

[musicoverall]

You will here no improvement in sound quality by using more expensive interconnects/cables/connectors if that is what you are asking.

I've heard plenty of improvement in sound quality by using them! I've also heard detriments depending on the application. Which cables have you listened to in order to make such a statement?

To the original poster - I cannot respond because I have not used the products you cited.

[Lord_Magnepan]

Good cables make a lot of improvment. But you must have a decent system to really tell the difference. For good starter cables check out the Wireworld, Kimber and small Cardas cables.

Good luck

[shokhead]

Except for the right gauge speaker wire which will make a difference, i've used good to overpriced cables and heard zero difference but my dog heard alot. She has great hearing. Maybe a 1000W amp,i've never used one.

[Lord_Magnepan]

Seems like your system just doesnt reveal much. I am not saying the differencers are huge, but as a last step it makes some fine differences.

Cheers

[shokhead]

Seems like your system just doesnt reveal much. I am not saying the differencers are huge, but as a last step it makes some fine differences.

Cheers

Could be my modest system but in general,your ears can only hear so much. I'm most likly a bad judge as my hearing is shot from headphones full blast listening to the beatles over and over and over. Car speakers 12" from the back of my head. Concerts of LZ,DP and ELP,very loud. I keep my treble at zero and my bass heavy. Thats my hearing. LOL

[Lord_Magnepan]

LOL.....more power to you !!!

There is a difference in cables, but if you dont run real High End equipment (revealing) than you are pretty much fine with good standard cable. And if you dont hear the difference, dont buy it.

People made speaker cable from CAT5 that sound better than 500$ kimber cable

[E-Stat]

Are these cheap banana plugs on ebay any good...or would I be better of paying more for good ones?

...And also is this RCA cable any better then a 'normal' rca cable:

My experience is that cables can most certainly make an audilble difference, but ---

One must put any recommendation into perspective. What is the related system? What kind of music do you listen to? How acute is your listening skill? Do small audible differences matter to you? Naturally, the differences will be more apparent on higher resolution systems listening to better recordings, usually of an acoustic nature. For the vast majority of systems, however, those cables you listed should be fine. Or those found conveniently at a local Radio Shack.

rw

[shokhead]

My experience is that cables can most certainly make an audilble difference, but ---

One must put any recommendation into perspective. What is the related system? What kind of music do you listen to? How acute is your listening skill? Do small audible differences matter to you? Naturally, the differences will be more apparent on higher resolution systems listening to better recordings, usually of an acoustic nature. For the vast majority of systems, however, those cables you listed should be fine. Or those found conveniently at a local Radio Shack.

rw

Explain how acute your listening skill.

[E-Stat]

Explain how acute your listening skill.

Listening acuity, like any other skill, takes practice. I can hear far more subtle differences today than when I started this hobby thirty plus years ago. It also helps having a system that is capable of rendering such differences. Both my skill and system resolution have improved over time.

rw

[Tony_Montana]

I can hear far more subtle differences today than when I started this hobby thirty plus years ago.

That is funny since we lose our hearing capability as we grow older. Remember that only children have the best hearing, and it is downhill (among other things ) from there as far as hearing capability is concern.

[shokhead]

I thought you sit there and listen and hear what you hear and dont hear what you dont hear. LOL Man,i'm messed up. I know.i know,i hear that. During my hearing test,i cant tell if its the sound in the headphones i'm hearing or the ringing in my ears i have 24/7. Thats why i keep my treble at zero.

[E-Stat]

That is funny since we lose our hearing capability as we grow older. Remember that only children have the best hearing, and it is downhill (among other things ) from there as far as hearing capability is concern.

Hearing and musical discernment are two completely different things. Or do you believe that a typical 10 year old "hears" exactly what a seasoned musician does?

rw

[E-Stat]

I thought you sit there and listen and hear what you hear and dont hear what you dont hear. LOL Man,i'm messed up.

Well I guess that's how Britney Spears approaches singing.

rw

[Beckman]

Which cables have you listened to in order to make such a statement?

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.

[markw]

Hearing and musical discernment are two completely different things. Or do you believe that a typical 10 year old "hears" exactly what a seasoned musician does?

rw

No. The 10 year old probably hears more. Now, wether they "key in" on the same sounds as a seasoned musician is another story.

[E-Stat]

No. The 10 year old probably hears more. Now, wether they "key in" on the same sounds as a seasoned musician is another story.

That, too!

a·cu·i·ty (-ky-t)
n. Sharpness, clearness, and distinctness of perception or vision.

rw

[FLZapped]

Listening acuity, like any other skill, takes practice. I can hear far more subtle differences today than when I started this hobby thirty plus years ago. It also helps having a system that is capable of rendering such differences. Both my skill and system resolution have improved over time.

rw

Really? How do you know, been tested and graded?

-Bruce

[jneutron]

Listening acuity, like any other skill, takes practice. I can hear far more subtle differences today than when I started this hobby thirty plus years ago. It also helps having a system that is capable of rendering such differences. Both my skill and system resolution have improved over time.

rw

What a load of crap....:-)


Hi E-stat..Happy new year...you too, FLZ...

Hmmmm: check this out...some num-nuts over at AH spoutin junk....(me)...happy reading.

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums...38929post38929

Cheers, John

[musicoverall]

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.

Even if I could explain the science behind cables, what good would it do? But, again, I ask - what cables have you used and listened to in order to come to the conclusion that people only think they hear differences? With what components?

[E-Stat]

Really? How do you know, been tested and graded?

-Bruce

Welcome back. Knew you couldn't stay away for a while. Howza' radio business?

One of Woodman's favorite themes is the value of experience. Perhaps he can 'splain it to you!

rw

[E-Stat]

Hmmmm: check this out...some num-nuts over at AH spoutin junk....(me)...happy reading.

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums...38929post38929

Happy new year to you. Keep workin' the research side. One of these days you'll be able to explain what we're hearing.

rw

[Resident Loser]

...only you probably wouldn't like the answer...

jimHJJ(...I mean the collective "you"...nothing personal...)

[jneutron]

...only you probably wouldn't like the answer...
jimHJJ(...I mean the collective "you"...nothing personal...)

I do not take your answer personally...do not take mine that way either....

Happy New year.


Now, to business...first, I assume you read the link and will respond thusly...if not, perhaps you should..

Lateralization exists..to deny such is illogical.

The extend of one's ability to discern direction is simple, and easily characterized. To measure and analyze it is trivial..I expect the distribution to be gaussian in nature, and I personally can localize to about a foot width at ten feet. I make the assertion that with training, that can be improved..We are discussing 10 uSec left to right delay times.

The reproduction of a virtual source within the space between two transducers is easily shown...all of us have done so.

Mathematically, it is also a trivial exercise to show how the virtual image is shifted by delaying one channel with respect to another.

Since you did not address any of this, you either are ignoring it (at your peril), did not read it, or do not understand it...I will explain further if needed.

The only issue that is left? How can a simple wire cause these delays??? And, how can the inductance of a speaker wire cause DIFFERENT interchannel delays, which is what is required to alter imaging virtual source.

I submit: There are no audio power amplifiers in existence that can handle temporal accuracy with low impedance loads to the 1 to 10 uSec level for random, multifrequency signals.

I submit: Nobody has attempted to measure current slew error in an amplifier driving a low impedance reactive load, with accuracy approaching 1 uSec within the frequency range of 500 hz to about 12 Khz, the region for which lateralization data exists.. And, furthermore, most of the people on this planet do not understand what it takes to do it correctly. (I do not suffer from that condition).

I submit: Audio reproduction technology (low impedance high current stuff) as you understand it, does not even come close to reality when it comes to lateralization....your understanding (which is exactly what I was taught 30 years ago) is almost three orders of magnitude slower than what is required for lateralization at the 25 milliradian level.

I submit: The statement "it can be explained, only you wouldn't like the answer" is, not unlike the type of response I expect from that "moderator" guy on the other forum. It is a response that I will not accept quietly anymore(as you may have noticed).

Either engage the technical issue, or get off the bowl...your response doesn't float my boat, is in no way technical, and serves no technical purpose.

As I told Dan B...the year is 2005, and I have decided to be just a tad more, shall we say, assertive. I will not allow the science to be held hostage to personal grudges. No more.

Again, take no offense, as none is meant..

Cheers, John