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Audioquest GO-4 Speaker Cable Review

Rate this cable:

  • 1. Waste of money (piggy bank panther)

    Votes: 276 97.2%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 3 1.1%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 2 0.7%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 3 1.1%

  • Total voters
    284

Robbo99999

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What a ridiculous product & especially given the oxidation on the connectors!
 

Mnyb

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The "bias box" this gets funny when thinking about it :) it's really smart the unsuspecting byer can then turn this on and off (sighted of course ) and enjoy the bias :facepalm:
 

vert

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$599 minus the cost of a few $ for a good cable = lots a good music indeed (40 CDs, 5 year's worth of streaming service subscription, lifetime Roon subscription, etc.)
 

NYfan2

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The official name fro the Bias box is: Noise-Trapping DBS packs
https://www.audioquest.com/accessories/audio-enhancements/noise-trapping-dbs-packs#!/features

Some texts from the AQ site:
-AudioQuest's patented Dielectric Bias System (DBS) puts all of a cable’s dielectric into a strong, stable electrostatic field which saturates (organizes) the molecules of the insulation ... continuously from the time the cable is terminated.
-Depending on the model of interconnect (analog or digital) or speaker cable, an existing foil “shield” is used as the DBS anode by connecting it to positive (+) of the DBS battery pack. The negative side of a battery is nothing; it’s just an empty reservoir.
-AudioQuest offers two different DBS packs: Black DBS and Carbon DBS. Both feature the inclusion of an RF Trap (developed for AudioQuest’s Niagara Series of power products), ensuring that radio frequency noise will not be induced into the signal conductors from the DBS field elements.

. :facepalm: :facepalm:

Everybody with a little bit sence in his mind cannot take this serious.
 

LiviuTM

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The official name fro the Bias box is: Noise-Trapping DBS packs
https://www.audioquest.com/accessories/audio-enhancements/noise-trapping-dbs-packs#!/features

Some texts from the AQ site:
-AudioQuest's patented Dielectric Bias System (DBS) puts all of a cable’s dielectric into a strong, stable electrostatic field which saturates (organizes) the molecules of the insulation ... continuously from the time the cable is terminated.
-Depending on the model of interconnect (analog or digital) or speaker cable, an existing foil “shield” is used as the DBS anode by connecting it to positive (+) of the DBS battery pack. The negative side of a battery is nothing; it’s just an empty reservoir.
-AudioQuest offers two different DBS packs: Black DBS and Carbon DBS. Both feature the inclusion of an RF Trap (developed for AudioQuest’s Niagara Series of power products), ensuring that radio frequency noise will not be induced into the signal conductors from the DBS field elements.

. :facepalm: :facepalm:

Everybody with a little bit sence in his mind cannot take this serious.
Well, the next logical step is to buy the Harmonic Topological Bait for Noise-Trapping DBS RF Trap™ ❤️
 

Sputnik

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I feel like I've said this before, but is there much utility in measuring several products from outfits that do not use objective methods to design their equipment? I think we've busted the cable myth at this point.

So far we've seen an AQ dac, some power conditioners, some power cables, some interconnects and speaker cables.

I can't be the only one who prefers when ASR celebrates the surprisingly good rather celebrating the humiliation of obviously bad products.
If someone is interested in this cable, they are likely to google it.

Now they can find this review. Before this review, all they would find are subjective reviews, paid 'reviews' and the typical lies about expensive cables.

This review isn't meant for those who already read 10 of them and would never buy it. It is meant for those who might believe the lies and have no idea how shady this cable industry is.
 

RHO

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If someone is interested in this cable, they are likely to google it.

Now they can find this review. Before this review, all they would find are subjective reviews, paid 'reviews' and the typical lies about expensive cables.

This review isn't meant for those who already read 10 of them and would never buy it. It is meant for those who might believe the lies and have no idea how shady this cable industry is.
I am absolutely not convinced this is true.
I think they will google the cable, see a link to this review, ignore it because it doesn't tell them how it sounds and go read reviews that tell them what differences they are supposed to hear when using this cable.
"Because you can't measure music. Only people who listen can tell you how it sounds. And if you don't hear anything, you're either deaf or a bad reviewer."
You will not convince these people with measurements.

I think @amirm his time is better spent making educational video's. Not a bout a specific product, but more general knowledge about how things work. I think this will be more convincing than "bashing their favorite cable brand".
 

Sokel

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I would gladly embrace someone who would say "I bought the X cable because it looks nice" (I'm a sucker for nice looks too) as long as it does what's intended for and doesn't screw things up.

It's the mambo-jumbo secret magic I can't stand.
My wife's LV's for example stand for what they are: bugs.
They don't pretend you can get a magic white rabbit out of it.
 

Sputnik

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I am absolutely not convinced this is true.
I think they will google the cable, see a link to this review, ignore it because it doesn't tell them how it sounds and go read reviews that tell them what differences they are supposed to hear when using this cable.
"Because you can't measure music. Only people who listen can tell you how it sounds. And if you don't hear anything, you're either deaf or a bad reviewer."
You will not convince these people with measurements.

I think @amirm his time is better spent making educational video's. Not a bout a specific product, but more general knowledge about how things work. I think this will be more convincing than "bashing their favorite cable brand".
It's not either or. For those who already consider Audioquest their favourite brand, and are convinced you can't measure cables, this will obviously not change anything.

But do you honestly believe that every person who considers buying a cable is an Audioquest fanboy? Really?

Of course not, every day new people are in doubt wether upgrading cables is worth it. Every day new people get convinced by the Darko's of this world that it is worth it. You're describing a minority, not sure why would you think only those fanboys would google cables...
 

RHO

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Yeah, but that is not what this is though... Amir tests the items people send and want tested. It's clear by the amount of Audioquest products received that owners are curious about the validity of their purchase. Just sayin'. :D


JSmith
I suspect that people sending these in are the once who feel scammed by the manufacturer because they believed what was advertised, but now know better. I suspect they know what the result of the review will be and see it as a little revenge (or warning to other in the best case).
I admit I could be completely wrong about this.
 

Astoneroad

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@617 “I can't be the only one who prefers when ASR celebrates the surprisingly good rather celebrating the humiliation of obviously bad products.”

I feel much the same, far better to attempt to educate rather than humiliate. it Amazes me how entrenched some people become in these situations, I am much more comfortable keeping an open mind, and having science as my dignified guide.
My perspective is that the sellers of snake oil humiliate themselves in the act of creating and hawking such products and outright lies. Likewise, whatever education results, is aimed at those open to it, more likely to be the potential buyers, not the sellers of these products. Amir is simply the messenger of scientific results. Whatever humiliation or education is up to the recipient of that message and outside of the scientific method who's motivation is irrelevant, unless it creates bias. I don't think that Einstein was "humiliating" Newton by blowing gravity out of the water... and if so... too damn bad.
 

RHO

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But do you honestly believe that every person who considers buying a cable is an Audioquest fanboy? Really?
No, not an Audioquest fanboy. But the majority that still believes cable make a difference will disregard these type of reviews. It's not what they are looking for. They are looking for reviews that describe how the cable sounds. They're not looking for reviews with measurements and numbers, but babble about "detail" and "pace" and ... I don't know all the buzzwords.
People interested in why a cable would make a difference get better info from an educational video/text.
 

BDWoody

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Once, in the dark past before I knew ASR, I bought an AudioQuest product, the Black Dragonfly. Ok, it was used and not very expensive and many years ago there weren't that many dongle around, but still, how embarrasing!

I've still got my Dragonfly Red. Always worked fine, and never really thought much about it. It was around when MQA was being introduced and there was a firmware update that allowed it to process the MQA files with the proper pretty light and all. I tried to imagine veils being lifted, but I never got there. Still, it worked fine.
 
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