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

[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]

Subjective results are irrefutable to only that listener claiming the results. However, these same results are also non admissible as concrete evidence to the rest of the world because the tests are most likely conducted under sighted conditions. These subjective tests are also flawed based because the tests aren't configured for instantaneous swapping on cables thus relying on audible memory which Dr Floyd Toole prooved to be inaccurate at best and is required to remember the subtle nuances that different cables are purported to produce. I'm sorry buts its all snake oil and the audiophiles are slathering this oil on like sun screen.

[Smokey]

These subjective tests are also flawed based because the tests aren't configured for instantaneous swapping on cables thus relying on audible memory which Dr Floyd Toole prooved to be inaccurate at best and is required to remember the subtle nuances that different cables are purported to produce.

I'm not familiar with Dr Floyd's writings, but I agree. For valid results that everybody can agree on, the memory factor have to be taken out of equation.

With memory factor out, then it doesn't matter if test (instantaneous swapping) is sighted or unsighted. The results will be the same

[JohnMichael]

I made an important discovery this morning. My stereo is much more musical and enjoyable with cables than it is without. It seems cables in a system makes it more communicative. I did not need to DBT this since it was so readily apparent.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

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.

Sorry, not a hotdogger. I hate hot dogs.

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

Right, and you are on base. The claims you make have yet to be proven, and your subjective experience just doesn't cut it as proof. Sorry......

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

If what Sir T says is true he wouldn't even need speakers, just a bank of test equipment. Who needs to hear to be an AUDIO engineer, we just measure. The bottomline no matter what they say they still use their ears at some point for subjective listening. And subjective listening is just as effective in a studio as in a living room as on the beach tunig an acoustic guitar.

Mr. Peabody, either you cannot read, or you have not been reading what I post. I said pretty clearly that I listen first, and then correlate what I hear to what I measure. There is no point in measuring if you don't listen to WHAT you measure. Much like there is no point in just listening subjectively without measurements to correlate what you hear.

Any claim that listening in a living room contaminated with high ambient noise levels and poor acoustics is as good as listening in a studio with tightly controlled acoustics and NO audible ambient noise has obviously never been in a quality studio in their life.
Pretty hard to make that claim with no reference whatsoever.

[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.