Comparing my three XLR cables from DAC to amp

[FrantzM]

You posted at the wrong forum.... ASR is the worst forum to talk about cables.

You should post in other forums if you want to have any meaningful discussion about cables.

How meaningful would these discussions be?

 

[Jimbob54]

How meaningful would these discussions be?

Something of an uncontrolled circle jerk I fear.

 

[voodooless]

Something of an uncontrolled circle jerk I fear.

To hypothetically quote Ryan George: Uncontrolled circle jerks are tight

 

[puppet]

Unless one of the cable sets has pins 2 and 3 swapped.

 

[JayGilb]

2 weeks later I put my RCA cables back in, the sound was the same as the Balanced cables

You need to spend at least $2000 for confirmation bias to last more than 2 weeks.

 

[Madjalapeno]

I replaced some RCA cables and noticed a clear and startling difference, my dogs started barking and even my wife came running from the kitchen.

Turns out one of them wasn't secured and it blew the fuse in my amp.

 

[BDWoody]

You posted at the wrong forum.... ASR is the worst forum to talk about cables.

Right...at least the way they are typically talked about.

You should post in other forums if you want to have any meaningful discussion about cables.

Meaningful discussion meaning...sharing a bunch of stories with almost no correlation to reality. Discussions based on reality are welcome here.

Not starting any cable debate/discusison...

No, just shitting on the forum.

 

[audio2design]

Sound is like trouble. If you go looking for it you will find it. You are looking for a difference so you are finding it. No more, no less. We have all fooled ourselves.

 

[DVDdoug]

I majored in Physics, and I am an engineer.

Do you have a multimeter to check them?

Maybe one of the cables has a defect... One of the signal connections could be open or shorted to ground. Or the balanced signal connections could be criss-crossed flipping the polarity ("phase"). If one channel is inverted relative to the other it will kill the bass and create a "spacey" stereo effect.

 

[andersee]

Do you have a multimeter to check them?

Maybe one of the cables has a defect... One of the signal connections could be open or shorted to ground. Or the balanced signal connections could be criss-crossed flipping the polarity ("phase"). If one channel is inverted relative to the other it will kill the bass and create a "spacey" stereo effect.

Yes, I do.
All connections (including outer body) were good.

But, I appreciate your comment.

 

[andersee]

Please make 3 recordings (from the output of the amp) of the exact same song, same circumstances with only the cables as difference.
Record in 24/96 minimum quality.
Make the recordings available for download.
This way we can all hear and analyze what you are hearing.

Hi solderdude,
This was my first-in-life recording using computer, -.- but I tried to keep up with your requirement.
- Exactly same song, same setting except the three XLR cables. Regular level of volume (~11hour level).
- Luckily, I had a 3.5mm-2-RCA cable. I used Audacity at 96kHz, 24-bit, WAV.
Now, as ASR does not accept WAV, what is the best way to share the recording (considering your convenience and my info security)?

 

[Blumlein 88]

Hi solderdude,
This was my first-in-life recording using computer, -.- but I tried to keep up with your requirement.
- Exactly same song, same setting except the three XLR cables. Regular level of volume (~11hour level).
- Luckily, I had a 3.5mm-2-RCA cable. I used Audacity at 96kHz, 24-bit, WAV.
Now, as ASR does not accept WAV, what is the best way to share the recording (considering your convenience and my info security)?

If they are small enough, you can first convert to FLAC and then Zip them, and they can be attached. If it is a whole track it is probably too large however.

You also could use a free file transfer service like https://www.filemail.com/
They encrypt it for your privacy. Upload the files and use "send as a link". Then you can provide the link for someone to download it. It is free and will accept quite large files.

 

[solderdude]

What audio interface and settings were used ?

 

[andersee]

If they are small enough, you can first convert to FLAC and then Zip them, and they can be attached. If it is a whole track it is probably too large however.

You also could use a free file transfer service like https://www.filemail.com/
They encrypt it for your privacy. Upload the files and use "send as a link". Then you can provide the link for someone to download it. It is free and will accept quite large files.

Only ~25MB x 3 = 75MB.
Do I need to convert to FLAC?

 

[andersee]

What audio interface and settings were used ?

play: MS Groove Music, Windows audio set to 44.1KHz.
record: Audacity at 96kHz, 24-bit, WAV (as stated above).

 

[Blumlein 88]

Only ~25MB x 3 = 75MB.
Do I need to convert to FLAC?

I forget the max attachement size. Try it as a zip and see if it goes. If not convert to FLAC which will reduce the size by about 50%. Zipping it will decrease the size somewhat itself. So try just zipping it first.

 

[Blumlein 88]

play: MS Groove Music, Windows audio set to 44.1KHz.
record: Audacity at 96kHz, 24-bit, WAV (as stated above).

Did you record it with the sound card built into your computer? I think that is what solderdude is asking or did you use an external recording interface.

 

[solderdude]

Just select a short part where you feel the differences are the most profound.
FLAC them and either post links to websites that host larger files or zip it (see Blumlein)
When copyrighted music is used the excerpts must be short and clearly for research intended.

What audio interface was used ? With that I mean which physical device was used for the recording (USB sound card) and connected how ?

 

[Speedskater]

Three possible reasons for listening differences:
1] cable wiring error or defective cable.
2] overlooked, uncontrolled variable.
3] poor listening test protocol.

 

[andersee]

Just select a short part where you feel the differences are the most profound.
FLAC them and either post links to websites that host larger files or zip it (see Blumlein)
When copyrighted music is used the excerpts must be short and clearly for research intended.

What audio interface was used ? With that I mean which physical device was used for the recording (USB sound card) and connected how ?

Thanks a lot, Blumlein and solderdude.
I reduced to ~15 sec in FLAC format.

I used the sound card in my desktop (RealTek) using 3.5mm-to-RCA cable by blue jean. Hope this answers your question.