Audioholics endorses another speaker cable

[ta240]

https://www.audioholics.com/gadget-reviews/shielded-audio

The advantage of Litz is that each individual conductor is insulated to help reduce skin effect and thus maintain a more linear AC resistance profile well beyond the audio band (> 20kHz). This is something I will be measuring in the near future.
—Gene DellaSala, President - Audioholics

 

[Music1969]

This is something I will be measuring in the near future.

Best to wait for this (the part i quoted) I guess

 

[Emlin]

And from the first pop-up:

Confused about what AV Gear to Buy or how to set it up?

Need help with choosing the right AV equipment to build the home theater of your dreams? Or do you need set up and calibration advice? Gene DellaSala is offering 1-on-1 consultations starting at $100/hr for our readers (limited appointments available). Gene will help you avoid the snake oil and spend your money where it counts.

 

[krabapple]

Sad.

 

[ta240]

Best to wait for this (the part i quoted) I guess

true but a bit odd to endorse them as not being snake oil and then throw in that sometime in the future their claims will be tested.

And when taken in context with this 2004 article from his site:
https://www.audioholics.com/audio-video-cables/skin-effect-relevance-in-speaker-cables
"Some so called "exotic" Cable Companies enjoy spreading the fallacy that Skin Effect can cause deleterious effects on your audio performance. While Skin Effect is a real world problem in high frequency applications such as RF Power and Transmission, it is negligible at audio frequencies as I will demonstrate in this article based on fundamental engineering and scientific principles. "

 

[oldsysop]

 

[boselover61]

Well... you gotta make money somehow

 

[makinao]

https://www.audioholics.com/gadget-reviews/shielded-audio

The advantage of Litz is that each individual conductor is insulated to help reduce skin effect and thus maintain a more linear AC resistance profile well beyond the audio band (> 20kHz). This is something I will be measuring in the near future.
—Gene DellaSala, President - Audioholics

Endorsement without testing??????????

 

[tr1ple6]

https://www.audioholics.com/gadget-reviews/shielded-audio

The advantage of Litz is that each individual conductor is insulated to help reduce skin effect and thus maintain a more linear AC resistance profile well beyond the audio band (> 20kHz). This is something I will be measuring in the near future.
—Gene DellaSala, President - Audioholics

After reading the entire article, I don't see why this is thread worthy. He is just contrasting the 2 lines of cables and he states that he will measure the litz solid core type cable later.

 

[Scgorg]

Is this really such a big deal? This simply seems like recommending well-built cables for a a premium. They even prefaced the entire thing by linking to all their articles debunking cable myths. I don't think Gene DelleSala made any ridiculous claims either, he simply said that litz should have better ultrasonic performance, and that he would measure it... No claims about audible improvements.

Personally I am a fan of cables, for most sound systems you won't get much sound without 'em

 

[VintageFlanker]

Seriously guys... What's the point?! You're shooting the wrong enemy there.

Gene has always been clear about speakers cables: Once you ger any cheap cable with enough resistance, it will be audibly undistinguishable from another good cable. And he is repeating this over and over for decades now.

What he often says is also this: If a cable is more expensive, it better has good looking and finish and preferably... measure better, even if this does nothing in the audible realm.

That would be the same as going after Amir when he recommends a 1000€ DAC audibly undistinguishable from a 300€ one, but measuring a touch better...

 

[Music1969]

true but a bit odd to endorse them as not being snake oil and then throw in that sometime in the future their claims will be tested.

agree

 

[threni]

"the sheer aesthetic superiority of its elegant parabolic design make the GFX-100 a marketing breakthrough!"

https://milk.com/wall-o-shame/dish.html

 

[DonH56]

Litz wire was big in the 70's and 80's... Guess it's "vintage" now... There's a post on skin effect here on ASR someplace but I do not feel the need to dredge it up again. Believers will believe irrespective of the science.

 

[pozz]

Seriously guys... What's the point?! You're shooting the wrong enemy there.

Gene has always been clear about speakers cables: Once you ger any cheap cable with enough resistance, it will be audibly undistinguishable from another good cable. And he is repeating this over and over for decades now.

What he often says is also this: If a cable is more expensive, it better has good looking and finish and preferably... measure better, even if this does nothing in the audible realm.

That would be the same as going after Amir when he recommends a 1000€ DAC audibly undistinguishable from a 300€ one, but measuring a touch better...

I think it's a little different. It's cables after all, not electronics. Remember Amir's simple test measuring L/C/R of cables claiming to be 12 AWG? https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/when-12-gauge-wire-is-not-12-gauge.3/ Seems like Audioholics operates differently and they are ok with giving an endorsement if other things are in place, but it still feels somewhat off not to at least test the product if an article is going to be officially published about it.

 

[ta240]

After reading the entire article, I don't see why this is thread worthy. He is just contrasting the 2 lines of cables and he states that he will measure the litz solid core type cable later.

Without any testing. From reading the 'article' I guess I should change to litz wire because it helps "maintain a more linear AC resistance profile well beyond the audio band (> 20kHz)" Isn't that the same as someone saying that "class A amps are better because blah, blah, blah. And I'll test that later"

Is this really such a big deal? This simply seems like recommending well-built cables for a a premium.

audioholic's past comments have always been about the claims the companies make, not just the construction of price of the cables. He quotes shielded cables in his article "Our company strives to provide innovative, custom, and affordable audio solutions to enhance the playing and listening experience through high quality, shielded cables. " It is a round about way of saying your system will sound better; sure the look of the cables could be seen to enhance the listening experience but I think most will take that as a claim of improved sound.
"We are happy to report the Shielded Audio website is snake oil free." Yes, they dance very carefully around making crazy claims but over and over they imply that the cables will sound better than cheaper options. From their power cord: "a premium low constant dielectric provides unmatched performance for your system." They obviously don't say we will hear better depth or clarity and while 'unmatched performance' can simply mean it will get the electricity to your amp better than any other cord; to most people it will be taken as better sound.

That would be the same as going after Amir when he recommends a 1000€ DAC audibly undistinguishable from a 300€ one, but measuring a touch better...

Actually, it would be the same as going after Amir for recommending a much more expensive DAC based only on the claims of the manufacture. Gene is endorsing these cables "First Impression: Gotta Have It!" prior to any testing.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Gene is endorsing these cables "First Impression: Gotta Have It!" prior to any testing.

He isn't actually, in fact he didn't write this article at all in the first place... This is a preview (not review) of a product, published by "Tony", with only quotes from Gene in it...

Nonetheless, I agree that the overall article could be somewhat misleading.

 

[Cbdb2]

We all know skin effect is a real (inaudable) thing, that can be measured. What Im waiting for is the way the measurements will be twisted to exagerate the effect, like measuring across the wire instead of the speaker. Seen it many times before. And litz cable can cause instability in some poorly designed (audiophile) amps, which some people think sounds better.

 

[egellings]

I agree with ta240--litz cable for short living room length speaker wire runs works fine, but is totally unnecessary.

 

[Tks]

No different than Amir talking about certain MQA album versions being the ones he prefers, while he understands and has blasted MQA's technical claims to oblivion.

See no issues for a preview of a product here. Well built cable possibly fulfilling it's claims to some measure I have no qualms with. Though if you're audioquest, you're lying about the "well-built" part as well.