Battle of RCA Cables: Mogami, Amazon, Monoprice

[Killingbeans]

"Sound quality" is not a scientific concept, translate it into "sinad" or whatever else that can be measured and the community could agree on.

Notice the quotation marks. It's a snark aimed at the wording used by the people who make the claims and produce the cables.

But like Lambda has pointed out again and again, if a "crappy" copper RCA cable has zero influence on SINAD, then why should a silver headphone cable have any influence on the output of your headphones whatsoever? Is it really necessary for Amir to spend time on an undefined search for differences when the chance of finding anything is practically nil?

 

[Raindog123]

The atoms and molecules with Ag work totally different under current than with copper so that may translate into…

Some must read on the subject. Try it. Only $30!

 

[mhardy6647]

Some must read on the subject. Try it. Only $30!

View attachment 164759

HAH! I knew it!
Metals... only a theory.
Like climate change... and evolution.

 

[Bacchusoo7]

My recommendations are mine. It means if someone comes to me and ask if they should buy them, what I should say. And that answer is NO because you can get cheap cables that feel and work wonderfully. I explained the full context in the review so no one should be confused as far as what they mean.

Fair enough. It’s your site you can recommend (or not) as you wish. That said, to me, it feels arbitrary and out of keeping with the “science based” theme of the site. That is just my 2 cents (and I recognize that’s probably all it’s worth).

 

[krabapple]

To better audio performance.

On what basis? The audible parameters of cables are not a new frontier of science.

 

[krabapple]

Was talking about using silver cables not only basic carbon-polluted copper.

The woo is strong in this one.

 

[krabapple]

"Sound quality" is not a scientific concept, translate it into "sinad" or whatever else that can be measured and the community could agree on.

a SINAD -- or any measured - difference is not necessarily audible. Magnitude of difference counts.

 

[xaviescacs]

The atoms and molecules with Ag work totally different under current than with copper so that may translate into more transients.

Silver molecules? Which are those molecules? What do you mean by "totally different"?

In my book, each metal has its own crystalline configuration (bravais lattice) with unique number of particles in each atom, which translates into different solutions of the schrödinger equation, giving different conduction bands for each metal. That determines the way a metal conducts electricity. There is no other difference than this between metals in the context of conductivity, all behave the same. Electrons don't care about the name of the metal, what matters is if they can get excited to support energy propagation.

 

[misterdog]

I use Van Damme Starquad/ Neutrik XLR's some 20Metres of the stuff in my set up. It's transparent, end of worry, move to something that will not be..

 

[MK-Dave]

Does anyone know of a reliable source of Mogami Gold cables in the UK.
Cheers
Kev

I use Mogami XLR and know Amazon UK list one Mogami Gold cable.
You could also try and speak with HHB Communications Limited the UK distributor for Mogami. With luck they can put you in touch with a supplier who can help.

 

[cletus3x]

This had to be done. Now it's done.

Well said!

 

[Ralferator]

Quality at a good price. They mainly target pro applications and their stuff is rugged. They have great shielding and you can choose parameters to maximize performance for the application.

Same quality for 10 times more doesn't sound like a good price to me

 

[xaviescacs]

I use Van Damme Starquad/ Neutrik XLR's some 20Metres of the stuff in my set up. It's transparent, end of worry, move to something that will not be..

I always have the impression that star quad is the analogous of snake oil for informed people. In the Thomann store there are no star quad cables. Cordial and Sommer don't have star quads, as far as I know. That makes hard to believe it's necessary in any reasonable environment. Maybe for precise measurements purposes.

 

[audio2design]

Same quality for 10 times more doesn't sound like a good price to me

What's the cost of a failed cable in a pro application? You don't get the same quality for 1/10th the price.

 

[mhardy6647]

cables... since this thread is about cables... I am just going to drop. This. Here.

https://www.facebook.com/bluejeanscable/posts/10159939345593417

... Now, we do recognize that "wire and cable" is not all that high on the lists of most people's gifts for a loved one. "Say it with wire" is a terrible advertising slogan. Even our "You Connect Me" series of Valentine's Day cards was a flop. But if your holiday shopping, or your sneaky purchases-for-self done during your holiday shopping, should include things that need wire and cable products, you know where to find us, and we should have everything in stock as usual.

I found it amusing... YMMV, though, of course.

 

[Walter]

I always have the impression that star quad is the analogous of snake oil for informed people. In the Thomann store there are no star quad cables. Cordial and Sommer don't have star quads, as far as I know. That makes hard to believe it's necessary in any reasonable environment. Maybe for precise measurements purposes.

Star quad is terrific for what it was actually designed for--rejecting interference in mic cable runs in pro applications. For RCA cables, it probably provides little benefit but also does not cost much if any more than other high quality cables like Mogami.

 

[Lambda]

For RCA cables, it probably provides little benefit

No. Coax is better in for rejecting interference if your using unbalanced signals.
for XLR and balanced receiver yes star quad s good and works

 

[xaviescacs]

Star quad is terrific for what it was actually designed for--rejecting interference in mic cable runs in pro applications. For RCA cables, it probably provides little benefit but also does not cost much if any more than other high quality cables like Mogami.

I don't deny it's benefits, of course. I only say that if you have a transformer close to a cable that produces some noise, just put the transformer somewhere else. This thing reduces with squared distance, so a few cm will be enough.

 

[Lambda]

I only say that if you have a transformer close to a cable that produces some noise, just put the transformer somewhere else.

Easy... how could a transformer ever come closes to a cable

Sure this never happens in real live and no one ever has problems with hum and noise?!

Maybe we can start to acknowledge Cable can make a difference in noise rejection and test for this... properly
And maybe we start to acknowledge hum and noise is a real problem for some.

Maybe we should provide them with accurate information and not tell them the "cables make no difference".
Because 1$ store RCA cable might actually make a difference (in noise rejection) compared to the 100€ AudioScamQest cable.

Maybe a good 5-10€ RCA cabel is even better but how can they know?
all they have taken away from "audioscience" is there can be no difference.

Or maybe test them with a high impedance low voltage source like MC phone cartridge and not a dac...
A test with high level low impedance source and and high impedance receiver is the easiest test for the cable and the test has proven once again to be unable to resolve differences.

Why not make a more resolving test high impedance low voltage source? Controlled common mode current/voltage controlled magnetic fields.

 

[Trell]

Easy... how could a transformer ever come closes to a cable

Sure this never happens in real live and no one ever has problems with hum and noise?!

Maybe we can start to acknowledge Cable can make a difference in noise rejection and test for this... properly
And maybe we start to acknowledge hum and noise is a real problem for some.

Maybe we should provide them with accurate information and not tell them the "cables make no difference".
Because 1$ store RCA cable might actually make a difference (in noise rejection) compared to the 100€ AudioScamQest cable.

Maybe a good 5-10€ RCA cabel is even better but how can they know?
all they have taken away from "audioscience" is there can be no difference.

Or maybe test them with a high impedance low voltage source like MC phone cartridge and not a dac...
A test with high level low impedance source and and high impedance receiver is the easiest test for the cable and the test has proven once again to be unable to resolve differences.

Why not make a more resolving test high impedance low voltage source? Controlled common mode current/voltage controlled magnetic fields.

Now, that’s a rat’s nest of cabling.