RCA cables make no difference, that's what they say

[napoleonblownafet]

Sorry if I'm a bit late to the party, but @pma , your tests show conclusively that a quasi-balanced (RCA to XLR) is quieter and I would totally expect that. In your winning cable, the screen - I assume - is only connected at one end. There will be two cores in it - one being connected to the screen at one end of the cable, the other not. I've seen these sold as directional cables, for not a lot of money, I should add. I've used to cables in this way to wire turntables becase, as @KSTR points out above, removing the voltage drop from the screen makes it behave more like a Faraday cage. I see the 50Hz hum on your trace drops like stone with this cable - and so it should. Very conclusive and proof that RCAs of this type can give excellent noise suppression!! Good work

 

[Pdxwayne]

When connect my sabaj a10h preout via RCA (the only option) to my amp, I could hear speakers hum from 10 ft away. I wonder using RCA to xlr cable would help....

 

[napoleonblownafet]

@Pdxwayne - try it. These are reasonably inexpensive: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B089NN2CRP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Lambda]

@Pdxwayne - try it. These are reasonably inexpensive: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B089NN2CRP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I would not call this inexpensive and star quad for unbalanced is stupid.
Coax is objectively better for unbalanced. if you want the extra Shield that is connected to one side uses triax.

I wonder using RCA to xlr cable would help....

Depends on the amps Input and its common mode rejection and if you use the right cable/schematic.

If so. Yes it can make a huge difference

 

[napoleonblownafet]

@Lamda - depends if you want to make the cables yourself or buy them readymade. Do you have a link to the product you're describing?

 

[telemike]

What about"air","blackness", "congestion", "imaging", "punch","slam", etc that you hear in marketing and subjective reviews?

 

[napoleonblownafet]

@telemike - you forgot "timing"

 

[telemike]

@Pdxwayne - try it. These are reasonably inexpensive: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B089NN2CRP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've used this brand and they are the most I will spend for a quality cable

 

[telemike]

@telemike - you forgot "timing"

that's what "etc" is for

 

[KSTR]

When connect my sabaj a10h preout via RCA (the only option) to my amp, I could hear speakers hum from 10 ft away. I wonder using RCA to xlr cable would help....

Use short Neutrik MA2MPMM adapter to XLR cable, or an equivalent combo or cable. It is paramount that the long path is the balanced one. Simple coaxial cables with an XLR male connector at one end do NOT solve the problem.

 

[Pogre]

Please anyone, do not tell me that RCA cables cannot make a sound difference as a general statement.

I don't think most would dispute there are measurable differences. Whether they're actually audible is the question.

I'd be interested to see how you would fare hearing any differences in a dbt..?

 

[chad2]

Well, I guess just everybody's agree on: different cables don't measure the same.

Sounding different is another story. Based on your measurements, I don't see how there may be any matter in the acoustic realm.

-100dB THD+N at 50Hz could not be audible by anybody on Earth.

I think it's a little weird that a forum based on judging audio equipment, by measurements, Is now disregarding measurements. most of the measurements in amirm's tests are within the inaudible range especially if music was playing at the same time and everyone jumps on board and bashes audio equipment for these inaudible frequencies that are being measured. But now when feed your own poison you don't want to drink it??? You can't bash amplifiers, preamps, speakers, and Dac's by one standard and not follow that same standard for cables. With out wire you don't have sound and if the wire is made/designed incorrectly you can get audible hiss from any tier one system. You can't have one without the other. All components of an audio system should be subjected to the same tests.

Good job PMA

 

[chad2]

I don't think most would dispute there are measurable differences. Whether they're actually audible is the question.

I'd be interested to see how you would fare hearing any differences in a dbt..?

If this is true then why do we judge amplifiers by measurements? And on top of that why does this forum consider an amplifier good or bad by measurements if it's impossible to hear a difference?

 

[Purité Audio]

Because I for one would always buy a well engineered product eveen if it is not audibly better/different.
Keith

 

[chad2]

Because I for one would always buy a well engineered product eveen if it is not audibly better/different.
Keith

I agree and I also do this, but why does this train of thought change when talking about cables?

 

[Purité Audio]

It doesn’t just buy a fit for purpose cable, I would advise ‘pro’ manufacturers I use Mogami because I like the name.
Keith

 

[sq225917]

I like little custom cables with heat shrink labels on em. They all sound the same

 

[Pogre]

If this is true then why do we judge amplifiers by measurements? And on top of that why does this forum consider an amplifier good or bad by measurements if it's impossible to hear a difference?

If what is true? I didn't make a positive claim either way! It may or may not be audible, I don't know because I haven't done an dbt! All I'm saying is it would be interesting to perform one and see if the results correlate with the measurements. If it's audible then they should be easy to differentiate, no? Are you confident you could differentiate between them accurately in a controlled listening test? I'm not confident I could.

 

[chad2]

If what is true? I didn't make a positive claim either way! It may or may not be audible, I don't know because I haven't done an dbt! All I'm saying is it would be interesting to perform one and see if the results correlate with the measurements. If it's audible then they should be easy to differentiate, no? Are you confident you could differentiate between them accurately in a controlled listening test? I'm not confident I could.

Lol my argument has nothing to do with whether it's audible, actually quite the contrary. My argument is if we are going to use one method to judge an amplifier and accept the result enough to judge that amplifier, we need to use the same method to judge all audio equipment and accept the result as a method of judging it's quality of design.

 

[Pogre]

Lol my argument has nothing to do with whether it's audible, actually quite the contrary. My argument is if we are going to use one method to judge an amplifier and accept the result enough to judge that amplifier, we need to use the same method to judge all audio equipment and accept the result as a method of judging it's quality of design.

Sure. If you're going for top of the line, sota performance (and many of us do) then detailed measurements are hands down the best metric. You mentioned "hear a difference" tho, and I'm wondering if it's true that anyone can. I'm just sayin', there is a method to test for it...