AudioQuest Wind High-end Cable Review

[solderdude]

That may be so but when this stuff isn't measured or nulled you do not have any objective proof .
Why this thread is 25 pages long (at the time of writing this) is because 'religion' is involved.

 

[voodooless]

Why this thread is 25 pages long (at the time of writing this) is because 'religion' is involved.

Another Terry Pratchett quote applies:

..he was talking in philosophy, but they were listening in gibberish

 

[noiseangel]

Sounds like my X motherinlaw.

Are we related?

 

[teched58]

A lot of us came to ASR to get away from the cable-itis at some of the other forums (one in particular).

Maybe Amir could CREATE AN ASR SUBFORUM WHERE ALL CABLE THREADS MUST RESIDE (taking a page from the practices at that other site).

What's good for the objectivist goose should be good for the subjectivist, EE-ignorant gander!

 

[noiseangel]

It is simple. Electrical signals propagated through electrical conductors behave in accordance with well established physical laws, at least for audio frequencies.

This forum spends too much time accommodating baseless contrarians.

Too much like the feathers vs lead shot poo-pooing of gravity theory.

Here's a scenario for you

Active loudspeakers 4 way. Specific frequency specific cable.

Bass 20 to 120
Midbass 120 to 350
Midrange 350 to 3750
Tweeter 3750 +

All figures pulled out of thin air, maybe, maybe not.
Specific cable for each driver or it does not matter as long as costs $2000/mtr?

If what you are saying is that for a very minute change in a range of frequencies is so specific then name me one manufacturer that recommends one cable above all others for their passive designs that one cable does all? I bet you with a properly implemented active 4 way that no one could tell coat hanger from Siltech Emperor Crown at $40000.

Show me the proof that cable A is better than cable B between 20 to 120hz double blind multiple, repeatable tests. Lets change one cable per driver and one cable only on a 4 way active where the frequencies are divided with total accuracy, multiple times and I can guarantee not a single human on the planet could tell you what cable was changed. I will put my house on it if you will to. This is what you are purporting. That a human can single out a specific frequency range change by cable only. I call BS mate. The only sound you will hear is your removalist taking your crap out and mine moving in my crap, with my 4 way actives.

Break it down to drivers/frequency range minus passive crossover and single cable rubbish WRT to frequency ranges, I think the golden ears are full of crap. Totally correct 25 pages soon to be 50 on a total wankfest. Divide and see and you will lose.

 

[WRWSTD]

Hello everyone.
First off, I have to thank Amir for this wonderful and informative site. The information and measurements are based on actual science and the proper engineering of equipment and accessories, not made up of what I like to call "marketing confusion".
I read this site everyday. I rarely post any comments but this particular review is very interesting to me.
My post today is because I am a firm believer that each of the individual HiFi components (amp, DAC, etc.) "sound" can be predicted and proven with proper instrumentation and measurements.

Now....on to the show.

I recently saw something as I was checking and installing some line level, non directional interconnect cables. (brand name withheld)
I was doing a routine check for continuity using a decent DMM set for low Ohms out 2 decimal places (Fluke 87). After cleaning all cable contacts,
I measured and laid down the first cable, measured the other one and saw a slight difference in value (a couple of hundredths of and Ohm) no big deal. Just because I am a curious guy, I picked up the first one again and measured it. It had near the same reading as the first time. Picked up the second one but remembered which end I originally had attached to the negative meter lead, I flipped it end for end and measured it again. Now it read just about the same as the first cable measurement. (again, these values are a few hundredths of an Ohm) Repeated the above action 10-12 times for consistency. The results were positive.
I marked the end that had the negative meter lead and lowest value just for the sake of doing it. Fine.
I installed them so they both had the markings on the preamp/DAC output side. HiFi sounds as expected. Enjoyed the music. I got curious again and flipped them end for end. Yes the HiFi sounded fine but I had a nagging feeling something subtle had changed. Went away for a bit and listened some more. Fine but still uneasy. So I flipped back the cable, I was comfortable with the sound again. Tired brain? Or some kind of actual sound presentation change. Tried the experiment again on a different day..... You can guess the rest. Try it yourself, what have you got to lose?

Make a long story longer( sorry folks) I measured all kinds of wire and cables around the house and I saw the same kind of meter measurement phenomena.

So what gives? What is the science behind these measurements that I have seen?
I do ask this in all sincerity and am not looking to start any kind of arguments or bad mouthing of any kind. (I know how cable discussions can go ) I just want to know why a wire can measure subtly different in each direction.

Thank You.
Now, with great trepidation, I will await some kind of answer.

 

[SIY]

Hello everyone.
First off, I have to thank Amir for this wonderful and informative site. The information and measurements are based on actual science and the proper engineering of equipment and accessories, not made up of what I like to call "marketing confusion".
I read this site everyday. I rarely post any comments but this particular review is very interesting to me.
My post today is because I am a firm believer that each of the individual HiFi components (amp, DAC, etc.) "sound" can be predicted and proven with proper instrumentation and measurements.

Now....on to the show.

I recently saw something as I was checking and installing some line level, non directional interconnect cables. (brand name withheld)
I was doing a routine check for continuity using a decent DMM set for low Ohms out 2 decimal places (Fluke 87). After cleaning all cable contacts,
I measured and laid down the first cable, measured the other one and saw a slight difference in value (a couple of hundredths of and Ohm) no big deal. Just because I am a curious guy, I picked up the first one again and measured it. It had near the same reading as the first time. Picked up the second one but remembered which end I originally had attached to the negative meter lead, I flipped it end for end and measured it again. Now it read just about the same as the first cable measurement. (again, these values are a few hundredths of an Ohm) Repeated the above action 10-12 times for consistency. The results were positive.
I marked the end that had the negative meter lead and lowest value just for the sake of doing it. Fine.
I installed them so they both had the markings on the preamp/DAC output side. HiFi sounds as expected. Enjoyed the music. I got curious again and flipped them end for end. Yes the HiFi sounded fine but I had a nagging feeling something subtle had changed. Went away for a bit and listened some more. Fine but still uneasy. So I flipped back the cable, I was comfortable with the sound again. Tired brain? Or some kind of actual sound presentation change. Tried the experiment again on a different day..... You can guess the rest. Try it yourself, what have you got to lose?

Make a long story longer( sorry folks) I measured all kinds of wire and cables around the house and I saw the same kind of meter measurement phenomena.

So what gives? What is the science behind these measurements that I have seen?
I do ask this in all sincerity and am not looking to start any kind of arguments or bad mouthing of any kind. (I know how cable discussions can go ) I just want to know why a wire can measure subtly different in each direction.

Thank You.
Now, with great trepidation, I will await some kind of answer.

You're pushing that measurement method well past its point of reliability. For low resistance measurements, you want to use a 4 point (Kelvin) connection for anything meaningful.

 

[mansr]

You're pushing that measurement method well past its point of reliability. For low resistance measurements, you want to use a 4 point (Kelvin) connection for anything meaningful.

Even then, small variations are to be expected simply due to contact resistance changes.

 

[amirm]

Make a long story longer( sorry folks) I measured all kinds of wire and cables around the house and I saw the same kind of meter measurement phenomena.

So what gives? What is the science behind these measurements that I have seen?

If you mean variations in measuring cables, that is normal. You are dealing with such low resistance that many factors come in play. For my testing of speaker cables, I had to come with a very strong spring pressure to assure solid and importantly repeatable results: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/when-12-gauge-wire-is-not-12-gauge.3/

Even then I had to average results.

 

[WRWSTD]

Yes, I did see a small variability in the measurements on the same cable but they all leaned one way or another when the cable ends were flipped.

 

[WRWSTD]

I would not measure just once. I sat there, checked the meter for proper zero, measured the cable, checked meter....on and on for at least ten times each direction

 

[SIY]

Four point. That’s the only way to get a reliable measurement. Repeating an incorrect one will not increase its accuracy.

 

[WRWSTD]

I see. I will set this measurement instrumentation up at some point soon and see what results I get. Thank you all very much.

Just one thing though, Why did it seem to subtly change the sound presentation on my HiFi when the cables were flipped end for end?
Again I ask in a sincere way.

Again, Thank You all for your information.

 

[mansr]

Four point. That’s the only way to get a reliable measurement. Repeating an incorrect one will not increase its accuracy.

And you need something to provide consistent contact pressure. Simply holding the probe leads to the wire being measured won't do.

 

[ahofer]

Why did it seem to subtly change the sound presentation on my HiFi when the cables were flipped end for end?

if you were able to replicate that double-blind, it would be very interesting.

 

[Killingbeans]

So what gives? What is the science behind these measurements that I have seen?

Were you using a standard set of probes on the multimeter? If you expect a lower resistance you'd might subconsciously press a little harder, and presto, the better contact gives a little lower resistance.

Just one thing though, Why did it seem to subtly change the sound presentation on my HiFi when the cables were flipped end for end?

Doubt, expectation or both.

 

[WRWSTD]

I wonder if perhaps we can have some folks try the cable flip experiment on their own HiFi systems and see if I am just full of beans or that there is really something to this.
Just a friendly encouragement.
I will see if I can arrange this experiment with some of my friends on their HiFi systems as well. Gotta have a clean head and no distractions I suppose too.

This truly will be interesting.

 

[mansr]

I'm warming up the meter as we speak.

 

[RayDunzl]

I'm warming up the meter as we speak.

What if you find a Magic Cable?

 

[Emlin]

I wonder if perhaps we can have some folks try the cable flip experiment on their own HiFi systems and see if I am just full of beans or that there is really something to this.
Just a friendly encouragement.
I will see if I can arrange this experiment with some of my friends on their HiFi systems as well. Gotta have a clean head and no distractions I suppose too.

This truly will be interesting.[/QUOTE

It's an AC signal, so directionality would make no difference, even if it existed.