Amplifier for Focal Kanta Nº2

[Platypus20]

This Video and the presentation are 100% what I am trying to say, please in a spare moment, watch it, I personally do respect that Guys a lot:

I’m so confused now, I was about to ask for help to run the double blind test of speaker wires, between my Benchmark AHB2s (using speak-on connectors to bananas) 10 foot lengths, testing between the $2/ft 12ga speaker wire from Amazon vs the $2/ft 12ga extension cord wire from Home Depot. After seeing that video (or parts of it), the test is on hold. Not sure what to do now.

 

[amirm]

I’m so confused now, I was about to ask for help to run the double blind test of speaker wires, between my Benchmark AHB2s (using speak-on connectors to bananas) 10 foot lengths, testing between the $2/ft 12ga speaker wire from Amazon vs the $2/ft 12ga extension cord wire from Home Depot. After seeing that video (or parts of it), the test is on hold. Not sure what to do now.

There is absolutely nothing in that video that should give you pause about purchasing generic speaker cable. He readily says there is no objective proof of audibility. That he says a generic, cheap interconnect sounds awful is proof enough that what he says is false: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ton-rca-cable-review-ultra-cheap-cable.33473/

Here is a video version if you prefer that:

That said, don't just buy any generic cable. There are some really bad ones that are likely copper coated aluminum wires. Or not the gauge that they claim they are. I did a study of a number of them years ago: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/when-12-gauge-wire-is-not-12-gauge.3/

Stay with a vendor that uses a branded cable such as Belden, Canare, etc. And yes, I even measured a coat hanger.

 

[Platypus20]

Amirm

my post was a bad attempt at humor - sorry

But thank you for your post, I found it very interesting reading

 

[Platypus20]

I was thinking today about Amirm’s post, I grew up in the drawn copper wire capitol of the eastern US. When I was in elementary school, with a 25 mile radius of my home, were about 20-25 different copper wire manufacturing operations, most are still in operation and are now owned by one company. Most of the kids I went to school with, ended working in the mills. They made everything from wire as thick as a human hair up to high voltage transmission wire. The local joke was people might not know who the POTUS was, but were well aware of the price of copper on the commodity markets. If the price was low everyone was working OT, if the price was high, it was layoff time.

 

[Deleted member 48437]

There is absolutely nothing in that video that should give you pause about purchasing generic speaker cable. He readily says there is no objective proof of audibility. That he says a generic, cheap interconnect sounds awful is proof enough that what he says is false: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ton-rca-cable-review-ultra-cheap-cable.33473/

Here is a video version if you prefer that:

That said, don't just buy any generic cable. There are some really bad ones that are likely copper coated aluminum wires. Or not the gauge that they claim they are. I did a study of a number of them years ago: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/when-12-gauge-wire-is-not-12-gauge.3/

Stay with a vendor that uses a branded cable such as Belden, Canare, etc. And yes, I even measured a coat hanger.

How would you set up a double blind? The person who is hooking up the speakers would not be able to know which pair he is hooking up?

 

[GXAlan]

How would you set up a double blind? The person who is hooking up the speakers would not be able to know which pair he is hooking up?

In this case, the person making the switch cannot interact with the listener. So imagine if the listener does not know what he or she is listening to, but afterwards, the person making the switch says “did you like A or B?” And in doing so they have a “tell” when referring to one or the other. Or maybe after doing the switch, they are looking more intently as the listener when testing the “fancier” wire, etc. All unintentional but a risk.

So the solution is to make sure there is no interaction during this portion. The switch time and start time should be preset so the switcher isn’t faster or more enthusiastic about one, etc.

 

[Deleted member 21219]

How would you set up a double blind? The person who is hooking up the speakers would not be able to know which pair he is hooking up?

@GXAlan ^^^ is correct, and here is an article with a little more detail:

Discerning Differences: How To Conduct Proper & Useful Listening Tests - ProSoundWeb

There are two ways to assess the quality of audio devices: measuring and listening.

www.prosoundweb.com

Our esteemed host has a video that gives good details:

Audio Blind Testing - You Are Doing It Wrong! (Video)

Just uploaded a video on the basics of performing controlled tests in audio. It was motivated by saving myself text in having to write all of this down when telling someone who to do these tests right. And as a counter to a few online personalities to keep saying they do "blind" tests yet when...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Jim