I use Kimber Cable from Russ Andrews. All my mains, interconnects and speaker cables as well as mains conditioners. They make a difference. Get them on a free trial. If you don't think they make a difference, don't buy them. At the end of the day it's your system and don't forget it's all about listening to music
Exactly, don´t trust hifi mags everthing sounds great and is worth every penny. Arrange blind listen test, then you get the evidence. It is not just to plug in a new expensive cable because you would be biased to think that a more expensive cable sounds better. Do a blind test with an expensive cable and a cheaper one (within reason), it you cannot pick the expensive one you know for sure.
@bostromberg4704 All reviews online should be done blind imo, without knowing the price, without seeing the product even. The sound quality part of the review should be note taking blind. After the sound evaluation the equipment should be presented and the price revealed to the reviewer, the reviewer then reacts to the price and makes their comment about value etc. Knowing the price beforehand introduces too much bias into the review, even if it's subconscious its happening. Even seeing the product or knowing the brand name introduces too much bias.
Same. I've got the 300 power cable on the phono pre. Kimber kable hero on rca. And also kimber ground. I noticed a difference from the qed. So I changed after a home demo.
My speaker cables are Chord Clearway from Rega Atheos amplifier to Ruark Accolade speakers, for interconnects I mainly use Atlas Element intergea which ive had for years and also Chord C-Line interconnects on some sources,Im happy with them
Great video Phil. I changed to some Linn K400 a while ago and was amazed how much difference it made. I'd been using some K20 and before that some Naim NAC A5 and the difference had been quite minor but that K400 made such an improvement.
Nice video, I changed my speaker cables awhile back and there was a noticeable difference and improvement I never spent nothing like the cost of them cables, but it would be interesting one day to listen to a system with them in.
Well, some of the people Phil talks about have definitely appeared. It’s the same in a certain FB group for a speaker manufacturer. Coincidentally, they’re speakers I’ve regretted buying.
I have compared Cardas 101 (AWG 14) vs. PearlAcoustics speaker cable (AWG 4-5: = MONSTER cables), put one on A other on B circuit of amp, so could very quickly switch between the cables, and did not hear anything with the Sibelius speakers (rather revealing). And all bare wire, so no possible problem with plugs. So with such a major difference in cable, and no difference, I am highly skeptical of cables, based on experience. So yes, I have tried, but have not found any difference. I may try once more with phono cable (for Naia rig), but only if I get an easy return policy, and I have a null hypothesis of no difference.
I think there're two main problems with cable perception. First being reviewers saying they "believe" cables make a difference, like it's some faith based improvements. The other is a translation issue. Saying cables "improve" is a bit of a misnomer. It's more that cables allow the sound to come thru and to come thru while stopping outside interference.
The problem is everyone makes claims about being able to hear a "difference" But NOBODY demonstrates that they actually can. Talk is cheap! If you can't SHOW it You don't KNOW it.
Thats what the power supply in your amplifier,pre amp,DAC and every other component is designed to do,if your component power supply isn't designed properly you will hear it straight away,it either works or it doesn't, there's no sort of works,sort of doesn't.
@@johnbravo7542 Your analogy is flawed. engineers design the components within a budget and with certain specifications. They can only control their box they're building, and (have to) make assumptions about the rest of the components (which includes cables, even if perhaps to a lesser degree). The perfect cable doesn't exist (the perfect cable would be teleporting the output of the amplifier to the input of the speakers, without any kind of travel through any kind of medium). Cables are known to exhibit both a filter and and antenna effect. So there is plenty of room to improve or at least differentiate based on compromises made to adjust for those "parameters"
@@crazyprayingmantis5596 Can you not hear a difference in cables? Im so confused by this. When I A/B cables at my house, the difference is HUGE. Everyone can hear it. One friend who was a non believer said "shit, i thought the difference would be subtle" because the difference is so striking and obvious.
Cables do make a difference, but the question comes down to how much you want to spend. More expensive isn't always better either. My view is spend about 20% of the component cost on cables and have done with it. So if your components cost 5K, spend about 1K on the cable loom.
What cables would you recommend for a Rega Planar 8, with apheta 3 cartridge, rega atheos amp and Fyne 502SP speakers. I also have the aria 3 phono mc phono stage. Thanks
The Rega cable on the Rega Planar 8 is just fine. As you're using a Phono Preamp, then the cable from the Phono Preamp to the amplifier isn't that important, I'd say max , for example, a Chord Shawline, anything more is probably pointless.
I'm using a Rega Planar 10 with the Apheta 3, Aura, and an Aethos. I am using the Rega Connect 3 interconnect and the Rega Duet speaker cable. I tried the Shunyata Gamma cables that I was using in a separate system, but to me the Rega cables sounded better so I kept them in. It could be a system synergy thing.
@@randydirilo interesting that interconnect and speaker cables make a difference. I guess rega will test there own products with their own cables so there is maybe something in that. I do get suspicious with cable quality (one of the snake oil areas of audio I think) I mean £3000 amp, £1300 cartridge, £1300 turntable and I have ex demo speakers (Fyne 502SP) which retail at £5000 I mean what Cable equates to that standard of equipment? I may try the rega cable and see how it sounds. Thanks
Horses for courses. Even though I'm an avid 2 channel stereo music lover, I also love the occasional movie, too, and due to lack of space, I have to optimise my setup for multi-channel listening also. However, when it came listening to my newly discovered multi-channel setup, I immediately became aware of how the room sounded different. Didn't know what it was at first, but coming from an audio black background, there was no way I was prepared to put up with it! Even after auditioning 3 separate AVR's, the same electrical ambient sound of the room was still present! That told me the extremely faint background signal noise I had been experiencing (poor description) had nothing to do with the actual units. Therefore, my attention changed to the cables. And even then It was only on the third occasion after living with two previous sets of cables that I ended up finally purchasing shielded cables and that is when the noise floor within my small room finally came down to satisfactory levels. Cables often act as antennas for attracting RF, and the longer the cable, the better the antenna! Probably explains why when I used to disconnect my heights and surrounds within 10 minutes, the faint background signal noise (RF/EMI) within my small room used to almost practically disappear/dissipate The more cables I shield, the quieter my room becomes, and the better the shielding, the more the cables are likely to disappear. In fact, the last group of cables I changed were from my HDMI's and lo and behold the room became slightly quieter yet again. If one has the same sensitivities and is looking to address this matter, but is also hoping to notice (hear) the incremental differences, I would suggest starting with analogue cables before moving on to digital and power cables (no good getting rid of the quietest when one hasn't addressed the noisiest) Trying to achieve a totally silent room sadly has turned into obsession for me. However, the results speak for themselves. There are times when sitting in the MLP and pressing pause (or mute), I'm unable to differentiate whether the systems on or whether the systems actually switched off. Of course, audiophile equipment helps, but in reality, for one to experience an exceptionally quiet room with a multi-channel setup, shielded cables are where it's at. When friends or guests came over, I used to show them how loud the system goes. Nowadays, I prefer to press pause and show them how quiet it goes. None of them gets it, of course
There is a lot of cabling in multi channel systems and long runs of it too, so I can see how properly screened cables can offer big improvements and cheaper than constructing a Faraday Cage around your listening room (Though with the price of the Atlas cables Phil is pushing, the saving could be marginal!)
Can someone explain what is the point of a super thick power cable is, if the house wiring is standard with thin cables and even when you open an amplifier worth tens of thousands of euros or dollars, there are just ordinary thin cables inside? Same with speakers. Otherwise, I can't find it, but maybe there's a video on YT where they would cut such a thick expensive cable? I'm really curious what's inside and how much of the cheap shiny casing is there...
Yes. The point is that its yet another way to exploit audiophiles with more money than sense who are obsessively chasing "Improvements" rather than enjoying their probably already fantastic system.
I went through a route of Chord cables and interconnects, to Telluruim TQ then to Entreq. Each of these were better sounding than the previous ones. Get a home demo and have a listen!
I remember back in the 80s of going from bell wire to multistrand OFC copper stuff, then experimenting with solid core mains and shielded cables, then chunky naim parallel cables..and then things went crazy with hybrid, silver coated copper, then pure silver then back to thinner woven multi sheilded cables etc etc...and truth is they all changed the final sound sigbature and presentation to some degree....sometimes positive sometime not! However while I stopped at mogami and belden studio level cables - which seemed to be a great balanced and budget friendly compromise....other friends went the whole hog buying high end silver cables which sounded amazing... but at a cost! But I think angry and dismissive people are often those who cant afford to spend a lot ....or hate the idea they have to buy additional expensive bit of wire .... which their minds of struggle to appreciate or justify!
@crazyprayingmantis5596 or... Just listen to different options and choose what makes you happy! As that is the same process when choosing all hifi components!
@crazyprayingmantis5596 Personally I am always happy to experiment, evaluate and try things for myself ...and then choose and buy based on my ears preferences and budget friend...and not just based on claimed third party measurements! But hey... if you don't believe and are happy to buy on measurement, or happy with bell wire then good for you friend!
Dali demos use cables made of the same wire used internally. So if your cables are better than in the speaker, the sound will absolutely NOT improve. (it's like fitting a better shower-head (to a non-power shower). Flow will only improve if the water supply does)
That's just continuous use, which doesn't really count for much. If I wire my speakers with 8" of barbwire to bass and 12" to the tweeter, would using anything other than barbwire for speaker connects be a waste of money? That's effectively what's being said. You only have to ask yourself the simple question: what is going to have the greatest effect on sound quality? 8" & 12" of cable inside speakers - or 5 - 10 metres used as speaker connects.
Hi everyone, can anyone tell me why there's a large community of "audiophiles" that swear that speaker cables make no difference? I have an entry level "high-end" system, and when I A/B cheap Monster cable with Audioquest Rocket 33"s the difference in sound quality is HUGE. When I have friends over, everyone can hear a difference. I also had a respected producer over who swore that cables were snake oil, I changed the cables 6 times (sometimes not changing them at all) and he picked them correctly 6 out of 6 times and is now telling others about the importance of well constructed cables. I just don't understand how some of these reviewers on UA-cam cant hear this. Am I missing something?
8:35 Of course it would annoy a shop owner if people didn't go for the stuff with highest profit margin. Phil is so genuine in most things, so I believe sneaking in 'snake oil' takes away from the channel..
I agree. Independents like Phil need to peddle high mark up gear to survive. When I was a hifi salesman many years ago, I worked for an independent dealer but I always gave customers the the best advice for them rather than pushing the gear with the biggest margins.
Indeed they do. Some sound worse than Amazon Basics, but if you want to spend your money on silly cables, rather than on music, please feel free. Naivety isn't a crime.
Hi Phil - I have been slowly improving my cables since about 25 years ago. I now make them myself with special geometry. They are extremely open at the top end while providing very powerful dry bass with no bloat, great imaging and detail resolution. One of the biggest surprises was the improved dynamics with some tracks actually shocking me with their sudden impact. IMHO they sound much better than my Russ Andrews Kimber "Crystal 24" 12TC which preceded them. (Currently around £1600 for 4,5m pair?) Mine have very low inductance, very low capacitance and very, very low resistance (2 Ohm/km !) Mid is also fuller than I usually hear on other systems. I run them on approx. 17cm electromagnetically neutral cable lifts, as this provides subtle improvements in speed (of transients and eg. drum hits) as well as even more freedom in the extreme highs (eg, cymbals, "air"). I'm soon upgrading the connectors to solid copper with gold or rhodium plating since I think I can eke out another improvement there. And I may be bi-wiring sometime but am delaying this step. Bottom line - materials (and especially their absence! ) is very important, as well as number, gauge, purity of conductors and their geometry. Mine are partially comparable in concept with Inakustik Air series, for example, where air is the best dielectric (barring a vacuum, which I'm sure you know nature abhors!). Conventional cables use materials which are less than ideal dielectrics (thus storing energy) and in geometries which also cause energy to be stored (admittedly very short term - but what is the rise time of a 10 kHz signal? Perhaps around 33 microseconds - maybe more, maybe less) you get reduced fidelity, reduced dynamics, reduced perceived frequency balance, reduced sharpness of the imaging and reduced detail. Preservation of rise time and phase is essential to good imaging. Our brains rely on that information to give good sound location ability - in the past, it was essential for our survival as a species. If you have good rise-times and phase fidelity, you also get good detail - almost as a by-product. Fun fact - did you know that "Mavros" means "Black" in Greek? I love the channel - don't worry, some of us LOVE cables! 🙂 All the best, Rob in Switzerland
It would take a very sophisticated device to be able to actually measure the differences between different cables etc, and that technology does not exist yet. Currently the most sophisticated devices we have for measuring differences in sound quality are our ears, and that's what we use.
Bellwire! Bellwire! Luxury! Shear luxury! I used to DREAM of using bellwire! When I were young'un we ad ta make do with spaghetti coated in tomato and basil source, to increase efficiency. I ad 200 mtr lengths connecting Dad's Waltham music centre int garden shed up to me Solavox PR25 Hi-Fi speakers (Cone tweeters y'know... Oh yes...) int back bedroom. It sounded Bloody Marvellous! And you try and tell kids that today... And they won't believe yer.
Personally I found Udon noodles coated with extra virgin olive oil to give the best imaging, though you need to use a reef knot to join them together to get the required length without undue loss of signal.
Fair enough, if profits are low. Just as long as we're completely clear that there will be NO clear sonic improvements. No one can tell the difference between a £5 and a £5000 cable if they are not told which is which. People are angry because they have been taken in by this bullshit.
If one doesn't hear the difference with speaker cables there's usually two reasons: Hearing is shit or the Hi-Fi chain is shit.. that's it.....once you actually hear the difference you're sold, like big time, can't unhear...and don't get me wrong: Sometimes I'd rather prefer not to be able to hear a difference, would probably have saved me thousands of Euros over the years...
Demonstrate that you can hear the difference, if it's easy to hear a difference it shouldn't be hard to Demonstrate. I've challenged everyone audiophile UA-camr to do this for the past decade and so far not a single soul has taken up the challenge. Why do you think that is?
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I use Kimber Cable from Russ Andrews. All my mains, interconnects and speaker cables as well as mains conditioners. They make a difference. Get them on a free trial. If you don't think they make a difference, don't buy them. At the end of the day it's your system and don't forget it's all about listening to music
Lots of people claim they make a difference, nobody SHOWS that they make a difference.
Talk is cheap
If you can't show it, you don't know it
Exactly, don´t trust hifi mags everthing sounds great and is worth every penny. Arrange blind listen test, then you get the evidence. It is not just to plug in a new expensive cable because you would be biased to think that a more expensive cable sounds better. Do a blind test with an expensive cable and a cheaper one (within reason), it you cannot pick the expensive one you know for sure.
@bostromberg4704
All reviews online should be done blind imo, without knowing the price, without seeing the product even.
The sound quality part of the review should be note taking blind.
After the sound evaluation the equipment should be presented and the price revealed to the reviewer, the reviewer then reacts to the price and makes their comment about value etc.
Knowing the price beforehand introduces too much bias into the review, even if it's subconscious its happening.
Even seeing the product or knowing the brand name introduces too much bias.
Same. I've got the 300 power cable on the phono pre. Kimber kable hero on rca. And also kimber ground. I noticed a difference from the qed. So I changed after a home demo.
My speaker cables are Chord Clearway from Rega Atheos amplifier to Ruark Accolade speakers, for interconnects I mainly use Atlas Element intergea which ive had for years and also Chord C-Line interconnects on some sources,Im happy with them
I love your videos,because I love to study people and see what makes them tick,you always provide a laugh.
The facility to borrow high end hi Fi cables like Cheshire Audio does is essential before committing to purchasing them. 🎶
Another excellent video, thanks. And that's about as close as Phil ever gets to being really cross!
Great video Phil. I changed to some Linn K400 a while ago and was amazed how much difference it made. I'd been using some K20 and before that some Naim NAC A5 and the difference had been quite minor but that K400 made such an improvement.
Nice video, I changed my speaker cables awhile back and there was a noticeable difference and improvement I never spent nothing like the cost of them cables, but it would be interesting one day to listen to a system with them in.
Ah yes QED 79 strand my first proper speaker cable.
Well, some of the people Phil talks about have definitely appeared.
It’s the same in a certain FB group for a speaker manufacturer. Coincidentally, they’re speakers I’ve regretted buying.
I have compared Cardas 101 (AWG 14) vs. PearlAcoustics speaker cable (AWG 4-5: = MONSTER cables), put one on A other on B circuit of amp, so could very quickly switch between the cables, and did not hear anything with the Sibelius speakers (rather revealing). And all bare wire, so no possible problem with plugs. So with such a major difference in cable, and no difference, I am highly skeptical of cables, based on experience. So yes, I have tried, but have not found any difference. I may try once more with phono cable (for Naia rig), but only if I get an easy return policy, and I have a null hypothesis of no difference.
Any updates on the new Rega Brio integrated amplifier you mentioned in an previous video due out in Late October/2024
I think there're two main problems with cable perception. First being reviewers saying they "believe" cables make a difference, like it's some faith based improvements.
The other is a translation issue. Saying cables "improve" is a bit of a misnomer. It's more that cables allow the sound to come thru and to come thru while stopping outside interference.
The problem is everyone makes claims about being able to hear a "difference"
But NOBODY demonstrates that they actually can.
Talk is cheap!
If you can't SHOW it
You don't KNOW it.
@@crazyprayingmantis5596 okay
Thats what the power supply in your amplifier,pre amp,DAC and every other component is designed to do,if your component power supply isn't designed properly you will hear it straight away,it either works or it doesn't, there's no sort of works,sort of doesn't.
@@johnbravo7542 Your analogy is flawed. engineers design the components within a budget and with certain specifications. They can only control their box they're building, and (have to) make assumptions about the rest of the components (which includes cables, even if perhaps to a lesser degree).
The perfect cable doesn't exist (the perfect cable would be teleporting the output of the amplifier to the input of the speakers, without any kind of travel through any kind of medium). Cables are known to exhibit both a filter and and antenna effect. So there is plenty of room to improve or at least differentiate based on compromises made to adjust for those "parameters"
@@crazyprayingmantis5596 Can you not hear a difference in cables? Im so confused by this. When I A/B cables at my house, the difference is HUGE. Everyone can hear it. One friend who was a non believer said "shit, i thought the difference would be subtle" because the difference is so striking and obvious.
Cables do make a difference, but the question comes down to how much you want to spend. More expensive isn't always better either. My view is spend about 20% of the component cost on cables and have done with it. So if your components cost 5K, spend about 1K on the cable loom.
What cables would you recommend for a Rega Planar 8, with apheta 3 cartridge, rega atheos amp and Fyne 502SP speakers. I also have the aria 3 phono mc phono stage. Thanks
Phil doesn't read the comments...email him
The Rega cable on the Rega Planar 8 is just fine. As you're using a Phono Preamp, then the cable from the Phono Preamp to the amplifier isn't that important, I'd say max , for example, a Chord Shawline, anything more is probably pointless.
I'm using a Rega Planar 10 with the Apheta 3, Aura, and an Aethos. I am using the Rega Connect 3 interconnect and the Rega Duet speaker cable. I tried the Shunyata Gamma cables that I was using in a separate system, but to me the Rega cables sounded better so I kept them in. It could be a system synergy thing.
@@randydirilo interesting that interconnect and speaker cables make a difference. I guess rega will test there own products with their own cables so there is maybe something in that. I do get suspicious with cable quality (one of the snake oil areas of audio I think) I mean £3000 amp, £1300 cartridge, £1300 turntable and I have ex demo speakers (Fyne 502SP) which retail at £5000 I mean what Cable equates to that standard of equipment? I may try the rega cable and see how it sounds. Thanks
Horses for courses.
Even though I'm an avid 2 channel stereo music lover, I also love the occasional movie, too, and due to lack of space, I have to optimise my setup for multi-channel listening also. However, when it came listening to my newly discovered multi-channel setup, I immediately became aware of how the room sounded different. Didn't know what it was at first, but coming from an audio black background, there was no way I was prepared to put up with it!
Even after auditioning 3 separate AVR's, the same electrical ambient sound of the room was still present! That told me the extremely faint background signal noise I had been experiencing (poor description) had nothing to do with the actual units. Therefore, my attention changed to the cables. And even then It was only on the third occasion after living with two previous sets of cables that I ended up finally purchasing shielded cables and that is when the noise floor within my small room finally came down to satisfactory levels.
Cables often act as antennas for attracting RF, and the longer the cable, the better the antenna! Probably explains why when I used to disconnect my heights and surrounds within 10 minutes, the faint background signal noise (RF/EMI) within my small room used to almost practically disappear/dissipate
The more cables I shield, the quieter my room becomes, and the better the shielding, the more the cables are likely to disappear. In fact, the last group of cables I changed were from my HDMI's and lo and behold the room became slightly quieter yet again.
If one has the same sensitivities and is looking to address this matter, but is also hoping to notice (hear) the incremental differences, I would suggest starting with analogue cables before moving on to digital and power cables (no good getting rid of the quietest when one hasn't addressed the noisiest)
Trying to achieve a totally silent room sadly has turned into obsession for me. However, the results speak for themselves. There are times when sitting in the MLP and pressing pause (or mute), I'm unable to differentiate whether the systems on or whether the systems actually switched off. Of course, audiophile equipment helps, but in reality, for one to experience an exceptionally quiet room with a multi-channel setup, shielded cables are where it's at.
When friends or guests came over, I used to show them how loud the system goes. Nowadays, I prefer to press pause and show them how quiet it goes.
None of them gets it, of course
There is a lot of cabling in multi channel systems and long runs of it too, so I can see how properly screened cables can offer big improvements and cheaper than constructing a Faraday Cage around your listening room (Though with the price of the Atlas cables Phil is pushing, the saving could be marginal!)
Can someone explain what is the point of a super thick power cable is, if the house wiring is standard with thin cables and even when you open an amplifier worth tens of thousands of euros or dollars, there are just ordinary thin cables inside? Same with speakers. Otherwise, I can't find it, but maybe there's a video on YT where they would cut such a thick expensive cable? I'm really curious what's inside and how much of the cheap shiny casing is there...
Yes. The point is that its yet another way to exploit audiophiles with more money than sense who are obsessively chasing "Improvements" rather than enjoying their probably already fantastic system.
I went through a route of Chord cables and interconnects, to Telluruim TQ then to Entreq.
Each of these were better sounding than the previous ones.
Get a home demo and have a listen!
Interesting to know which cables you went with . & the system ,
Cheers enjoy .
I remember back in the 80s of going from bell wire to multistrand OFC copper stuff, then experimenting with solid core mains and shielded cables, then chunky naim parallel cables..and then things went crazy with hybrid, silver coated copper, then pure silver then back to thinner woven multi sheilded cables etc etc...and truth is they all changed the final sound sigbature and presentation to some degree....sometimes positive sometime not!
However while I stopped at mogami and belden studio level cables - which seemed to be a great balanced and budget friendly compromise....other friends went the whole hog buying high end silver cables which sounded amazing... but at a cost!
But I think angry and dismissive people are often those who cant afford to spend a lot ....or hate the idea they have to buy additional expensive bit of wire .... which their minds of struggle to appreciate or justify!
All it takes is empirical data, double blind listening tests to SHOW all the skeptics.
We're still waiting
@crazyprayingmantis5596 or... Just listen to different options and choose what makes you happy! As that is the same process when choosing all hifi components!
@@humanitech
People like to make claims about what they can do, but NEVER demonstrate that they can do it.
@crazyprayingmantis5596 Personally I am always happy to experiment, evaluate and try things for myself ...and then choose and buy based on my ears preferences and budget friend...and not just based on claimed third party measurements! But hey... if you don't believe and are happy to buy on measurement, or happy with bell wire then good for you friend!
@@humanitech
I never said anything about measurements, I don't know why you're mentioning it.
Maybe do a setup video of a Rega arm on a Nottingham Horizon. Including VTA
thought of getting martin speakers in
Dali demos use cables made of the same wire used internally. So if your cables are better than in the speaker, the sound will absolutely NOT improve.
(it's like fitting a better shower-head (to a non-power shower). Flow will only improve if the water supply does)
absolute tosh
That's just continuous use, which doesn't really count for much. If I wire my speakers with 8" of barbwire to bass and 12" to the tweeter, would using anything other than barbwire for speaker connects be a waste of money? That's effectively what's being said. You only have to ask yourself the simple question: what is going to have the greatest effect on sound quality? 8" & 12" of cable inside speakers - or 5 - 10 metres used as speaker connects.
@@naimusic362 Agree 100%
Spot on I would say. I was a bit of a doubter but hooked up some Atlas Hyper 3.5 this summer, and money well spent I reckon.
Hi everyone, can anyone tell me why there's a large community of "audiophiles" that swear that speaker cables make no difference? I have an entry level "high-end" system, and when I A/B cheap Monster cable with Audioquest Rocket 33"s the difference in sound quality is HUGE. When I have friends over, everyone can hear a difference. I also had a respected producer over who swore that cables were snake oil, I changed the cables 6 times (sometimes not changing them at all) and he picked them correctly 6 out of 6 times and is now telling others about the importance of well constructed cables. I just don't understand how some of these reviewers on UA-cam cant hear this. Am I missing something?
Lol. He is such an audio fool!
😮 flipping heck! Oh I’m so old.
8:35 Of course it would annoy a shop owner if people didn't go for the stuff with highest profit margin. Phil is so genuine in most things, so I believe sneaking in 'snake oil' takes away from the channel..
I agree. Independents like Phil need to peddle high mark up gear to survive. When I was a hifi salesman many years ago, I worked for an independent dealer but I always gave customers the the best advice for them rather than pushing the gear with the biggest margins.
Anybody compared this to Tellurium Q Silver Diamond ? Hows it compared ?
All cables do sound different.
Indeed they do. Some sound worse than Amazon Basics, but if you want to spend your money on silly cables, rather than on music, please feel free. Naivety isn't a crime.
Prove it
Anti vibration is one of the biggest ways cables can be made better
Hi Phil - I have been slowly improving my cables since about 25 years ago. I now make them myself with special geometry. They are extremely open at the top end while providing very powerful dry bass with no bloat, great imaging and detail resolution. One of the biggest surprises was the improved dynamics with some tracks actually shocking me with their sudden impact. IMHO they sound much better than my Russ Andrews Kimber "Crystal 24" 12TC which preceded them. (Currently around £1600 for 4,5m pair?) Mine have very low inductance, very low capacitance and very, very low resistance (2 Ohm/km !) Mid is also fuller than I usually hear on other systems. I run them on approx. 17cm electromagnetically neutral cable lifts, as this provides subtle improvements in speed (of transients and eg. drum hits) as well as even more freedom in the extreme highs (eg, cymbals, "air"). I'm soon upgrading the connectors to solid copper with gold or rhodium plating since I think I can eke out another improvement there. And I may be bi-wiring sometime but am delaying this step.
Bottom line - materials (and especially their absence! ) is very important, as well as number, gauge, purity of conductors and their geometry. Mine are partially comparable in concept with Inakustik Air series, for example, where air is the best dielectric (barring a vacuum, which I'm sure you know nature abhors!). Conventional cables use materials which are less than ideal dielectrics (thus storing energy) and in geometries which also cause energy to be stored (admittedly very short term - but what is the rise time of a 10 kHz signal? Perhaps around 33 microseconds - maybe more, maybe less) you get reduced fidelity, reduced dynamics, reduced perceived frequency balance, reduced sharpness of the imaging and reduced detail. Preservation of rise time and phase is essential to good imaging. Our brains rely on that information to give good sound location ability - in the past, it was essential for our survival as a species. If you have good rise-times and phase fidelity, you also get good detail - almost as a by-product.
Fun fact - did you know that "Mavros" means "Black" in Greek?
I love the channel - don't worry, some of us LOVE cables! 🙂
All the best, Rob in Switzerland
It would take a very sophisticated device to be able to actually measure the differences between different cables etc, and that technology does not exist yet. Currently the most sophisticated devices we have for measuring differences in sound quality are our ears, and that's what we use.
Psycho acoustics
Bellwire! Bellwire! Luxury! Shear luxury! I used to DREAM of using bellwire! When I were young'un we ad ta make do with spaghetti coated in tomato and basil source, to increase efficiency. I ad 200 mtr lengths connecting Dad's Waltham music centre int garden shed up to me Solavox PR25 Hi-Fi speakers (Cone tweeters y'know... Oh yes...) int back bedroom. It sounded Bloody Marvellous!
And you try and tell kids that today... And they won't believe yer.
Personally I found Udon noodles coated with extra virgin olive oil to give the best imaging, though you need to use a reef knot to join them together to get the required length without undue loss of signal.
hifi?!?! Luxury! I ad no such thing I lived in a big hole int middle o' the road
Brilliant
Fair enough, if profits are low.
Just as long as we're completely clear that there will be NO clear sonic improvements.
No one can tell the difference between a £5 and a £5000 cable if they are not told which is which.
People are angry because they have been taken in by this bullshit.
There is a lot of that going on in the tweaking industry.
If one doesn't hear the difference with speaker cables there's usually two reasons: Hearing is shit or the Hi-Fi chain is shit.. that's it.....once you actually hear the difference you're sold, like big time, can't unhear...and don't get me wrong: Sometimes I'd rather prefer not to be able to hear a difference, would probably have saved me thousands of Euros over the years...
Speaker cables need to have low resistance, which means thick stranded copper.
Demonstrate that you can hear the difference, if it's easy to hear a difference it shouldn't be hard to Demonstrate.
I've challenged everyone audiophile UA-camr to do this for the past decade and so far not a single soul has taken up the challenge.
Why do you think that is?