Battle of RCA Cables: Mogami, Amazon, Monoprice

[voodooless]

Lead is heavy metal and doesn't fume.

Eh… no! Things that melt usually also vaporize. Lead does this already at 482 C. This is higher than the usual solder temperature, though. So yes, usually you should be safe.

 

[Ropeburn]

Eh… no! Things that melt usually also vaporize. Lead does this already at 482 C. This is higher than the usual solder temperature, though. So yes, usually you should be safe.

I have yet to see a soldering station for fine electronic purposes going above 450°. It's almost as if they always knew what they're doing...

 

[Labjr]

I'm not saying it's a good idea but Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak said he built entire computers while holding solder with his mouth. I still use leaded solder. Don't think I'll ever use lead-free because it's awful to work with.

 

[Ropeburn]

I'm not saying it's a good idea but Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak said he built entire computers while holding solder with his mouth. I still use leaded solder. Don't think I'll ever use lead-free because it's awful to work with.

It's getting increasingly harder to find, because officially banned (with exceptions). European electronics dealers here are more and more just not selling it to private persons, because of lead being classified as dangerous material and requiring the dealer to be able to "instruct properly" by law. Meh.

Also, prices of solder in general have been exploding the last years, it's ridiculous. Rolls of half a pound (250g) used to be standard and available for pennies or at least a pack of cigarettes. Now it's like Wagyu beef prices 100-200€ the kg, leaded and leadfree alike, with 70g being a "big" roll. About 10 times the old price of decades. Insane!

 

[DVinylfan]

A comparison thread of three electrically identical cables leads towards the only useful direction available: is Lead (Pb) harmful to those who work closely with it and heat?

 

[Ropeburn]

A comparison thread of three electrically identical cables leads towards the only useful direction available: is Lead (Pb) harmful to those who work closely with it and heat?

 

[DVinylfan]

View attachment 544061View attachment 544062

I hope this is evidence enough to prove to any newcomer to never ever come here to post about the 'sound quality' differences between cables

 

[DVinylfan]

Sound doesn't have a quality. It's either heard (audible) or it isn't. Sound has no quality; the quality of sound is to be heard

 

[Ropeburn]

I hope this is evidence enough to prove to any newcomer to never ever come here to post about the 'sound quality' differences between cables

Of course I have no way to determine if and how lifelong mild exposure to lead affected me cognitively. Though something tells me, whatever effect it had or not, it can't be worse than the usual audiophool illusions about cables.

 

[Ropeburn]

Ciao di nuovo, non preoccuparti, i test comparativi sono stati condotti sia in doppio cieco che con ascolto diretto. In ogni caso, i risultati sono sempre stati quelli pubblicati e CHIARAMENTE AUDIBILI, con tutto il rispetto per gli scettici.
Il word clock (Esoteric Grandioso G1) è stato acquistato insieme all'Esoteric Grandioso K1, un affare trovato usato a Hong Kong - non l'ho ancora confrontato con altri DAC/amplificatori per cuffie o altri DAC, forse lo farò in futuro.
Per favore, ditemi chi offriva (o offre ancora) un milione di dollari a chiunque fosse in grado di distinguere i cavi in un test alla cieca. Mi presenterei subito! E scommetterei la stessa cifra!
Ripeto, gli Acoustic Revive XLR-1.0TripleC-FM XLR-1.0PA II (PCOCC): sono eccezionali! In entrambe le versioni RCA-XLR. Ma la cosa più sorprendente è che anche il modello più economico Acoustic Revive LINE1.0X è FANTASTICO, a volte quasi indistinguibile (ma leggete la nota successiva) – potete assemblarlo da soli, prezzo di € 29,90 sfuso al metro, prezzo ancora inferiore per matassa - per i connettori ho preso i connettori a vite XLR in rame tellurio EIZZ come gli Acoustic Revive (un po' cari € 90, 4 pezzi ma NON saldati), per i connettori RCA in fibra di carbonio e rodio, anche questi a vite (circa € 30, 4 pezzi). Le guaine in carbonio sfuse costano quanto i cavi sfusi. Troppo. Le ho prese su balconyperformance.com a molto meno per il diametro di 5/8 mm. Ho confrontato quelli autocostruiti con quelli originali. Ora, ed è importante, se il vostro ambiente non è influenzato da interferenze RFI ed EMI, come lo è il nostro, la differenza è davvero minima, a volte quasi impercettibile. Se tali interferenze sono presenti, allora il modello di punta Acoustic Revive XLR-1.0PA II TripleC (PCOCC in rame) ha senso ed è essenziale (visto che ha triplo isolamento, tubi in rame, rivestimento in seta, ecc.). Allego alcune foto per dimostrare che parlo per esperienza diretta e non per sentito dire. PS dopo il test comparativo, tutti gli altri cavi (Silent Wire NF-Referenz RCA - Mexcel 7N-DA6100 RCA – Mexcel 7N-DA6000 RCA – Mexcel 7N-DA2100 RCA – Acrolink 7N-D5000 XLR - Silent Wire NF-38 RCA e anche NF-38 mk2 – Silent Wire NF-32 RCA e XLR ecc.) non hanno più senso da tenere e sono stati messi in vendita o sono già stati venduti. Per chi fosse ancora scettico, consiglio di acquistare l'Acoustic Revive LINE1.0X, più economico, a un sesto del prezzo dell'Acoustic Revive XLR-1.0TripleC-FM XLR-1.0PA II (PCOCC), oppure di assemblarlo da soli (a un ventesimo del prezzo - vedi ultima immagine). Non volevo polemizzare, ma offrire qualche consiglio per risparmiare.

You may not know, but this forum doesn't have a convenient translate function. So would you please write in English, mille grazie

 

[Devnull]

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree. For cables, I think there are other parameters to consider that measuring instruments currently can't detect (not for power cables, which I consider irrelevant). .....

Exactly what specific physical or electrical characteristics of cables can't be measured?

What impact does this unknown unmeasurable characteristic have on the signal?

I really want to know what I wasn't doing correctly when I was designing, modeling, specifying and testing cables and interconnects for a good portion of my engineering career.

 

[Ropeburn]

Exactly what specific physical or electrical characteristics of cables can't be measured?

What impact does this unknown unmeasurable characteristic have on the signal?

I really want to know what I wasn't doing correctly when I was designing, modeling, specifying and testing cables and interconnects for a good portion of my engineering career.

Luftwaffe directional radio Sergeant Doge (me) would like to know as well. In the face of hollow conductor RF transmission and its difficulties, audio (NF) signals in a short copper cable seem utterly trivial. Unless of course I've been missing something crucial all these years. Honestly I like to be surprised, but it's yet to happen.

 

[Labjr]

It's getting increasingly harder to find, because officially banned (with exceptions). European electronics dealers here are more and more just not selling it to private persons, because of lead being classified as dangerous material and requiring the dealer to be able to "instruct properly" by law. Meh.

Also, prices of solder in general have been exploding the last years, it's ridiculous. Rolls of half a pound (250g) used to be standard and available for pennies or at least a pack of cigarettes. Now it's like Wagyu beef prices 100-200€ the kg, leaded and leadfree alike, with 70g being a "big" roll. About 10 times the old price of decades. Insane!

Solder is getting expensive here too. Used to be $10/pound at Radio Shack. If they ban lead solder in USA, I'll buy more than a lifetime supply.

 

[defec1]

Solder is getting expensive here too. Used to be $10/pound at Radio Shack. If they ban lead solder in USA, I'll buy more than a lifetime supply.

man, it seems like everything is getting expensive....

 

[kemmler3D]

Exactly what specific physical or electrical characteristics of cables can't be measured?

What impact does this unknown unmeasurable characteristic have on the signal?

I really want to know what I wasn't doing correctly when I was designing, modeling, specifying and testing cables and interconnects for a good portion of my engineering career.

We know these characteristics are there because we can hear them, and we know they're unknown to science because they don't show up in your silly little "waveforms". Duh.

/S

 

[ahofer]

On Hans Beekhuyzen's channel they're discussing the audible differences betwen FLAC and WAV files. One person says uncompressed FLAC sounds better than WAV. What the heck is that?

You’d have thought you need to be an interesting speaker, or funny, or engaging, to sell that kind of unscientific garbage, but Beekhuyzen disproves that theory.

 

[ahofer]

Hello again, don't worry, the comparison tests were conducted both blindly and with direct listening. In each case, the results were always as published and CLEARLY AUDIBLE, with all due respect to the skeptics.
The word clock (Esoteric Grandioso G1) was purchased alongside the Esoteric Grandioso K1, a bargain I found used in Hong Kong—I haven't compared it to other DAC/headphone amps or other DACs yet, but maybe I will in the future.
Please tell me who was (or still is) offering a million dollars to anyone who could distinguish cables in a blind test. I'd show up right away! And I'd bet the same amount!
Again, the Acoustic Revive XLR-1.0TripleC-FM XLR-1.0PA II (PCOCC): they're exceptional! In both RCA-XLR versions. But the most surprising thing is that even the cheapest Acoustic Revive LINE1.0X model is FANTASTIC, sometimes almost indistinguishable (but read the next note) – you can assemble it yourself, price €29.90 loose per meter, even lower price per skein – for the connectors I used EIZZ tellurium copper XLR screw connectors like the Acoustic Revive ones (a bit expensive €90, 4 pieces but NOT soldered), for the RCA connectors I used carbon fiber and rhodium, also screw type (about €30, 4 pieces). Loose carbon jackets cost as much as loose cables. Too much. I got them on balconyperformance.com for much less for the 5/8 mm diameter. I compared the homemade ones with the original ones. Now, and this is important, if your environment is not affected by RFI and EMI interference, as is ours, the difference is really minimal, sometimes almost imperceptible. If such interference is present, then the flagship model Acoustic Revive XLR-1.0PA II TripleC (PCOCC copper) makes sense and is essential (since it has triple insulation, copper tubing, silk jacket, etc.). I'm attaching some photos to demonstrate that I'm speaking from direct experience and not hearsay. PS: After the comparison test, all other cables (Silent Wire NF-Referenz RCA - Mexcel 7N-DA6100 RCA - Mexcel 7N-DA6000 RCA - Mexcel 7N-DA2100 RCA - Acrolink 7N-D5000 XLR - Silent Wire NF-38 RCA and also NF-38 mk2 - Silent Wire NF-32 RCA and XLR, etc.) no longer make sense and have been put up for sale or have already been sold. For those still skeptical, I recommend purchasing the cheaper Acoustic Revive LINE1.0X, which costs one-sixth the price of the Acoustic Revive XLR-1.0TripleC-FM XLR-1.0PA II (PCOCC), or assembling it yourself (for one-twentieth the price—see last image). I didn't mean to argue, but to offer some tips for saving money.

Don’t bother, it’s more unsubstantiated* assertions about cables

*lots of bad pictures of cables is not evidence.

https://www.****************/2026/03/blind-tests-reveal-only-one-upgrade-matters/

 

[Franco]

Hello again, don't worry, the comparison tests were conducted both in double-blind and direct listening. However you look at it, the results have always been as published and CLEARLY AUDIBLE, with all due respect to skeptics.
The word clock (Esoteric Grandioso G1) was purchased together with the Esoteric Grandioso K1, a used bargain from Hong Kong - I haven't yet compared it with other DAC/headphone amplifiers or other DACs, perhaps in the future.
Please tell me who was (or still is) offering a million dollars to anyone who could distinguish cables in a blind test. I'd show up right away! I'd bet the same amount myself!
I repeat, the Acoustic Revive XLR-1.0TripleC-FM XLR-1.0PA II (PCOCC): They're exceptional! In both RCA–XLR versions. But the most surprising thing is that even the cheapest Acoustic Revive LINE1.0X model is FANTASTIC, sometimes almost indistinguishable (but read note later) – you can self-assemble it, price of € 29.90 loose per meter, even lower price per skein - for the connectors I took EIZZ Tellurium copper XLR screw connectors like Acoustic Revive (a bit expensive € 90, 4 pcs but NOT soldered), for the RCA carbon fiber and rhodium connectors, also these screw (about € 30, 4 pcs). The loose carbon sheaths cost as much as the loose cables. Too much. I got them on balconiperformance.com for much less for 5/8 mm diam. I compared the self-built ones with the original ones. Now, and this is important, if your environment is not affected by RFI and EMI interference, as is ours, the difference is truly minimal, sometimes almost inaudible. If such interference is present, then the flagship model Acoustic Revive XLR-1.0PA II TripleC (PCOCC copper) makes sense and is essential (given that it has triple insulation, copper tubing, silk lining, etc.). I attach some photos to demonstrate that I speak from direct experience and not hearsay. P.S. after the comparison test, all the other cables (Silent Wire NF-Referenz RCA - Mexcel 7N-DA6100 RCA – Mexcel 7N-DA6000 RCA – Mexcel 7N-DA2100 RCA – Acrolink 7N-D5000 XLR - Silent Wire NF-38 RCA and also NF-38 mk2 – Silent Wire NF-32 RCA and XLR etc.) no longer make sense to keep and have been put up for sale or already sold. For those still skeptical, try buying the cheaper Acoustic Revive LINE1.0X at 1/6 the price of the Acoustic Revive XLR-1.0TripleC-FM XLR-1.0PA II (PCOCC) or try assembling it yourself (at 1/20 the price - sse last image). I didn't mean to argue, but to offer some cost-saving tips.

 

[August West]

James Randi was the guy. He was a top magician. Nobody won the money. And he has since passed on. Sorry, no million dollar payday.

 

[RandomEar]

Hello again, don't worry, the comparison tests were conducted both in double-blind and direct listening.

You're using a lot of words and endless lists of equipment to somehow substantiate your claims. However, the actually relevant information is totally missing: How exactly did you test? Which conditions where controlled and how? What were the results (as in: numbers, statistics, hard facts)?

If you want your claims to be taken seriously, you need to provide the relevant information and stop listing irrelevant stuff to blow up your posts and make them seemingly more convincing (it does the opposite).