Audiophiles beware, the other senses are more connected than you think.

[3db]

But cables do tune a system. So if you buy a cable that makes your system sound bright you should just live with it? I would find a cable that makes my system sound balanced. Which I call tuning the system. I also find purchasing a new cable if the sound is bright than buying dark sounding amp just to use the much less expensive IC.

Cables don't tune a system nearly as much as does seating position within the room and the room's acoustics. Most people in gross error try to go to tune using cables and interconnects then to fix the seating position and the room's acoustics. Cables/interconnects are sooo far down the affects list yet so many people in error put so much weight on them. I find this strangely amusing.

[Hyfi]

Cables don't tune a system nearly as much as does seating position within the room and the room's acoustics. Most people in gross error try to go to tune using cables and interconnects then to fix the seating position and the room's acoustics. Cables/interconnects are sooo far down the affects list yet so many people in error put so much weight on them. I find this strangely amusing.

Some people have done all they can do to their rooms and the way seating is setup. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a dedicated listening room where they can set all that up optimally so what is left? Tweaks and Cables.

[3db]

Some people have done all they can do to their rooms and the way seating is setup. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a dedicated listening room where they can set all that up optimally so what is left? Tweaks and Cables.

My point is that the effects of interconnects and cables on sound are so low compared to everything else that one will not get results they are looking for by cables and interconnects. The analogy I draw is one trying to make an oar out of log using 220 grit sandpaper. Its just not going to happen.

[Hyfi]

My point is that the effects of interconnects and cables on sound are so low compared to everything else that one will not get results they are looking for by cables and interconnects. The analogy I draw is one trying to make an oar out of log using 220 grit sandpaper. Its just not going to happen.

Worked fine for me in one application and seems to work for the many I associate with on several other sites. I am not sure what your gear is, or what cables you have rolled, but my gear resolves some cable differences and so does the systems of others in this thread. If I have a known bright system, and I put a know bassy cable in place and I like the sound it gives me, all the theory goes out the window.

[3db]

Worked fine for me in one application and seems to work for the many I associate with on several other sites. I am not sure what your gear is, or what cables you have rolled, but my gear resolves some cable differences and so does the systems of others in this thread. If I have a known bright system, and I put a know bassy cable in place and I like the sound it gives me, all the theory goes out the window.

I can't throw theory aside as its theory that built audio in the first place. I'm also not going down the "your equipment isnt revolving enough to be able to tell differences in cables/interconnects" when I know full well that my room as of yet is not acoustically perfect. I'd rather throw my money on things such as acoustic treatments that will fix the issues based on theory than fixes based on subjective results that can be replicated by theory.

[Hyfi]

I can't throw theory aside as its theory that built audio in the first place. I'm also not going down the "your equipment isnt revolving enough to be able to tell differences in cables/interconnects" when I know full well that my room as of yet is not acoustically perfect. I'd rather throw my money on things such as acoustic treatments that will fix the issues based on theory than fixes based on subjective results that can be replicated by theory.

That is perfectly understood, but I again pose the question as to what do you do if you have exhausted efforts on the former? I cannot put a bunch of absorbers on my living room walls, I don't have a dedicated room I can arrange and treat as desired so I have to work with what I am left with. If a $50 pair of ICs does the trick for me, who is anyone to say it's wrong?

I would love to have a dedicated room built just for sound, but it ain't gonna happen for me unless god forbid I end up a widower at an early age. If you have that room, great, I hope you can tweak it with thousands of dollars of Bass Traps and Panels instead of a cheap pair of ICs.

[3db]

If you have that room, great, I hope you can tweak it with thousands of dollars of Bass Traps and Panels instead of a cheap pair of ICs.

I already have the cheap interconnects

[Hyfi]

So if cables are out of the question as tone controls, are Tone Controls OK to engage?
If yes, what do I do with units that do not have tone controls in the signal the path?

[3db]

So if cables are out of the question as tone controls, are Tone Controls OK to engage?
If yes, what do I do with units that do not have tone controls in the signal the path?

If tone controls make the sound more appealing to you, by all means go and do that. Audiophile purists poo-poo the idea but who cares what they think. As long as it makes things more palatable for you in your listening environment, then go for it.

[Mr Peabody]

My point is that the effects of interconnects and cables on sound are so low compared to everything else that one will not get results they are looking for by cables and interconnects. The analogy I draw is one trying to make an oar out of log using 220 grit sandpaper. Its just not going to happen.

Your analogy isn't correct, more like whether you have a Civic or Porsche you can choose to drive on donuts or expensive Michelan, both the donut or Michelan will get the vehicle down the road but one will do a much better job while the other has limitations. Most audiophiles I know with reasonable quality gear who have actually compared cables agree there are not only differences in sound but improvements to be had. And, you do have to compare, there are so many cable companies popping up out of the woodwork these days.

[Mr Peabody]

I've treated my room with curtains & tapestry which help. I have a friend who has spent a lot of money of room treatments and to me his room is too dead sounding, I like the 50/50 approach, not too dead or live. But, even treating a room is subjective unless you have a spectrum analyser and the knowledge to find the correct treatment for the problem that may be found.

I'm not saying any one else's approach is wrong but for me the cables should be an overall improvement in the sound, better resolution, detail etc. I've not purchased any cables with a "fix" to my system in mind. Nay sayers there will always be but these cable companies are able to voice cables, that's why it's possible to use them to tailor your system to sound a bit warmer or extended etc. I like cables who have a rep for being neutral but that's even a moving target as who knows what "neutral" should really be. Audio is like the 60's man, if it feels good, or in the case of audio, sounds good, DO IT

[blackraven]

Mr P, I prefer a live room. I like the music hall effect.

Concerning tone controls, I prefer to have them. After playing around with the tone controls on a Mac preamp a few months ago, I am convinced that they would be great to have. For bright music, just turn the treble down a bit and bump up the bass and things sound much better.

[Smokey]

I like cables who have a rep for being neutral but that's even a moving target as who knows what "neutral" should really be.

For those who "listen" to cables might not know what "neutral" cables should be or sound like, but there alot of professionals in audio world that their cables should be neutral or transparent.

Poeple like musicians, studio engineers or record producers (or those who seek "true to source" sound) seek a neutral cables so they can tune or calibrate their equipments. And I let you guess how those poeple choose their cables

[Mr Peabody]

Sir T said, "The cables I chose sounded as neutral, uncolored, and transparent as a live voice going through a microphone, through the straight wire busses of my mixing" etc.

I think we'd all be interested in knowing which cables a hotdogger like yourself uses.

You are surprisingly off base on this topic by a long shot.

[3db]

Your analogy isn't correct, more like whether you have a Civic or Porsche you can choose to drive on donuts or expensive Michelan, both the donut or Michelan will get the vehicle down the road but one will do a much better job while the other has limitations. Most audiophiles I know with reasonable quality gear who have actually compared cables agree there are not only differences in sound but improvements to be had. And, you do have to compare, there are so many cable companies popping up out of the woodwork these days.

If these findings were based in an uncontrolled environment with knowledge of which cables/interconnects were being used, then too much bias from the other senses would have interfered with the listening and skewed the results. Anyone claiming that cables/interconnects has more influence on sound than speakers, room acoustics, and the listening position with respect to room/speakers doesn't should take some time to read Dr Floyd Tool's work in audio and the human perception of hearing and the influence of the other senses on hearing.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Some people have done all they can do to their rooms and the way seating is setup. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a dedicated listening room where they can set all that up optimally so what is left? Tweaks and Cables.

How can anyone possibly hear any differences between anything in a non-optimized room? They can't, hence my skepticism on this topic coming from these sources.

Sometimes all you can do is not always good enough.