Musing following some cable posts...

Discussion in 'Hi-Fi and General Audio' started by zanash, Jul 5, 2007.

  1. zanash

    Wickfut

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    I can hear the differences in cables.

    My opinion on the subject is this.

    Your hifi can be balanced within a range. If your hifi is teetering on being to bright or too muddy but still within your brains happy range then your brain can adjust to compensate for the sound,.

    As some cables alter the balance slightly and if your system is already quite bright or quite dull then adding a bright or dull cable tips the balance too far to what your brain classes as comfy and it lets you know with listening fatigue and headaches.

    I believe that most systems being quite balanced dont have the problem so a bit of extra brightness or dullness doesnt make much difference and so you cant really hear it. But get it totally wrong and the difference can be night and day.

    My system has a really hot treble and a big powerful bass. If I add nordost speaker cable it takes the treble over the edge and loses the bass. The system sounds quite bad and not listenable to for a long period. Throw in a nice large thick copper cable and the hifi remains quite balanced and great sounding.
     
    Wickfut, Jul 5, 2007
    #21
  2. zanash

    Paul Ranson

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    I use the free cables that came in the boxes, plus some long interconnects I made from the cheapest thinnest single core coax I could find by the reel at Maplin for the Sky box/DVD player

    Paul
     
    Paul Ranson, Jul 5, 2007
    #22
  3. zanash

    sideshowbob Trisha

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    I've used freebies whenever I'd been given them, but not many hifi companies include them nowadays, they've probably worked out some people will pay ridiculously over the odds for them, after all.

    -- Ian
     
    sideshowbob, Jul 5, 2007
    #23
  4. zanash

    sq225917 Exposer of Foo

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    reading that ABX report is interesting,in that all it really shows is that there was only one guy who could accurately hear the differences and the rest of them were just full of shit.

    and i think that's probably representative of audio guys on the whole, we'dall like to think we hear differences, but most of us probably don't.
     
    sq225917, Jul 5, 2007
    #24
  5. zanash

    mr cat Member of the month

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    apart from my technics hifi system that I bought in the late 80's - no other compnanent I've bought has come with any cables except hardwired power cables...which I still use!
     
    mr cat, Jul 5, 2007
    #25
  6. zanash

    Effem Cable manufacturer

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    The last 3 brand new components I have bought all came with a freebie power lead in the box. With a Schuko plug on :D
     
    Effem, Jul 5, 2007
    #26
  7. zanash

    Tenson Moderator

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    I use cables made with ‘Musiflex’ mainly. The reason is that I like to keep the cables only as long as they need to be to avoid clutter - so I make them myself. I am happy to use a freebee one otherwise.
     
    Tenson, Jul 5, 2007
    #27
  8. zanash

    ADPully

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    I have an opinion In contrast with many here. - I have a medium end system built up over quite a few years. I think I have used my ears to buy it. I only spend money when I think I need to. Currently Vinyl player, Phono stage, preamp, power amp and speakers totted up to £1830 (mostly second hand). The system cables and mains filter cost me £985 (also generally second hand). Rediculous maybe but the result for me is passable happiness. IMHO Cables are the make and break of any system. I am very comfortable with the concept that 1/3 of my system cost is on cables. In fact I have an idea that 50/50 would make for even better value.
     
    ADPully, Jul 6, 2007
    #28
  9. zanash

    silverback

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    on all these sorts of threads, I rather enjoy the concept that all men are unequal when it comes to their ears. I wonder if we are brought up to trust our own opinions or to trust others. Sometimes it seems to me that those who demand 'proof' (as if such a thing were ever concrete) are just those whose parents and education led them to mistrust their own views, and those who proclaim for 'I hear, so it is true' are just those who were brought up to be confident in their own abilities.
    Of course either view might be right, or nonsense:(
     
    silverback, Jul 6, 2007
    #29
  10. zanash

    sideshowbob Trisha

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    I've you'd spent £950 or so of that £985 on better speakers, and £35 on cables, I'm prepared to bet extremely good money you'd end up with far better sound, but hey, that's just me.

    -- Ian
     
    sideshowbob, Jul 6, 2007
    #30
  11. zanash

    bottleneck talks a load of rubbish

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    ...and me! ;)
     
    bottleneck, Jul 6, 2007
    #31
  12. zanash

    Jimbo

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    QUOTE=zanash;208493]the poor cat sneezed as I took the pic ....its internal eye lids closed ..I just thought it amusing to put the red eyes in ...unfortunately people take it that I'm as spikey as the teeth when in fact I'm just an old ***** cat ![/QUOTE]
    That is Pete in real life when there's a full moon.:D
     
    Jimbo, Jul 6, 2007
    #32
  13. zanash

    Andy registered grazer

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    Yeah he be the devil himself :D

    Watcha Pete keep up the good work mate.
     
    Andy, Jul 6, 2007
    #33
  14. zanash

    RobHolt Moderator

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    I use the cheap n nasty crappy cables supplied with my Naim kit and funnily enough they sound fine.

    When I don't run Naim I make my own cables using cheap pro cable such as the Musiflex mentioned by Simon (80p mtr) or if I'm feeling really extravagant I use Klotz guitar cable (a whopping £1 mtr) - the stuff used by those splendid folk at Rega.
     
    RobHolt, Jul 7, 2007
    #34
  15. zanash

    ADPully

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    Sideshow - Thanks for your comments - I note that your aviator has cloth over the ears.
     
    ADPully, Jul 7, 2007
    #35
  16. zanash

    banpe2006

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    its amazing how many people use those crappy free cables....I wonder just how many people REALLY use them??? Come on! Cant help feeling theres a bit of bullshit flying around.....Ive used them, to wipe my arse with....best place for them is down the shitter ;) (IMO of course) you always have to end with that to be polite dont you...
     
    banpe2006, Jul 7, 2007
    #36
  17. zanash

    sideshowbob Trisha

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    Aviator is good, although you mean avatar. It's Sun Ra, one of the finest musicians who ever lived. Aviator is quite appropriate, he was born on Saturn, or so he claimed.

    My hearing is excellent, btw.

    -- Ian
     
    sideshowbob, Jul 7, 2007
    #37
  18. zanash

    TonyL Club Krautrock Plinque

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    You dare to doubt him? I suspect he couldn’t have been born anywhere else!

    Tony.
     
    TonyL, Jul 8, 2007
    #38
  19. zanash

    bottleneck talks a load of rubbish

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    I hope I never meet an aviator with cloth over his eyes...
     
    bottleneck, Jul 8, 2007
    #39
  20. zanash

    sideshowbob Trisha

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    Well, I know some pedants claim he was actually born in Alabama, but obviously I don't believe them :)

    -- Ian
     
    sideshowbob, Jul 8, 2007
    #40
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