Stereophile cable review

[DonR]

I adjust those by way of my beer flow rate.

Ahh... thus "home brew" interconnects.

 

[fpitas]

Metal music might be just the thing for you, then, should you use that wire.

I think you need solid wire then. The strands upset the integration of the harmonic structure.

 

[egellings]

Ahh... thus "home brew" interconnects.

Exactly.

 

[irontortoise]

Homeopathy--the air guitar of medicine.

Hey now! For those of us with no musical talent, air guitar is fun and the only way I can live my Rock God fantasy! Homeopathy on the other hand has less than zero value.

 

[Peluvius]

I was in a HiFi store once (more than once actually) but on this occasion I got to talking to another customer about speaker wire. He asked me what I used for this particular application and I said 10 or 12 gauge. The HiFi sales guy who had clearly been listening in chimed in and helpfully said they don't sell that brand but pointed to the cable section. People believe what they want, which is fine I just have a problem with people knowingly fooling others...what a crappy way to make a living.

 

[DMill]

I was in a HiFi store once (more than once actually) but on this occasion I got to talking to another customer about speaker wire. He asked me what I used for this particular application and I said 10 or 12 gauge. The HiFi sales guy who had clearly been listening in chimed in and helpfully said they don't sell that brand but pointed to the cable section. People believe what they want, which is fine I just have a problem with people knowingly fooling others...what a crappy way to make a living.

Always a good idea to deal with brick and mortar stores that got rid of a commission based sales team. It doesnt solve the cable upsell problem, but it helps it a little. I have even met a few owners that have confided that beyond good connectors and flexible cable there wasn’t a reason for boutique cables, but they carried them for customers that demanded them. In Most cases, I don‘t think people get people get sold on a $4k cable. You’re either a believer or you aren’t. I’m not even sure it’s the dealers responsibility to educate people. Buyer beware I guess.

 

[Peluvius]

Always a good idea to deal with brick and mortar stores that got rid of a commission based sales team. It doesnt solve the cable upsell problem, but it helps it a little. I have even met a few owners that have confided that beyond good connectors and flexible cable there wasn’t a reason for boutique cables, but they carried them for customers that demanded them. In Most cases, I don‘t think people get people get sold on a $4k cable. You’re either a believer or you aren’t. I’m not even sure it’s the dealers responsibility to educate people. Buyer beware I guess.

If a Customer came in and demanded a $$$ cable by name then I could tolerate that (just), we are all grown ups after all however I suspect that in almost every case the Customer has asked for advice (or maybe read an "advertorial" review) and been shown to the magic electron tubing section. The only reason the practice has not been made illegal is that is a relatively low volume transaction I guess. Caveat Emptor always buts also Veritas...

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I use Belden wire, but it makes all my music sound industrial.

Come on, now. There's only one album that sounds good on Belden wire but, fortunately, it is a great one!

 

[DavidMcRoy]

What a serious magazine. It's obviously all about making money, not truth.

It's about entertainment.

 

[DavidMcRoy]

Cable are like religions, they offer ready-made answers to non-existent problems

I'm going to paraphrase this (to apply to more than just cables) and frame it.

 

[DMill]

If a Customer came in and demanded a $$$ cable by name then I could tolerate that (just), we are all grown ups after all however I suspect that in almost every case the Customer has asked for advice (or maybe read an "advertorial" review) and been shown to the magic electron tubing section. The only reason the practice has not been made illegal is that is a relatively low volume transaction I guess. Caveat Emptor always buts also Veritas...

If you are a dealer. It seems I would like shopping with you.

 

[egellings]

I agree; it's easy to economically get an analog signal down a 3-foot length of RCA terminated cable. Making a big deal out of that elevates it to religious status. Just Beee-leeeve! You too will hear the difference! And as for that cheap suit jacket one may be wearing; you too can look nifty for (roll the R!) twenty-two fifty!

 

[Vacceo]

I am tempted to sell cables advertised as "stolen from the fastest high speed railroads; fastest and most precise response you'll ever experience!"

 

[mhardy6647]

I am tempted to sell cables advertised as "stolen from the fastest high speed railroads; fastest and most precise response you'll ever experience!"

Just make sure you specify they're from good railroads, not Amurrican railroads!

 

[Vacceo]

Just make sure you specify they're from good railroads, not Amurrican railroads!

No worries! I can steal from the Spanish one less than a quarter mile from where I live!

 

[Palladium]

But you can't say cables doesn't matter until you heard audio powered from a local gold-plated substation transformer.

I’m surprised no one has mentioned that a $20k DAC requires a $4k cable to bring out its inner bloom.

I bet $10 that DAC itself has a crappy solder job and internally uses dirt cheap bulk-ordered made in China cables.

 

[Dial]

Surprise, surprise, no measurements...

Normal, it's pure entertainment. But they could. In fact, they are excellent. Like any $1 cable. Now I wonder why hifinews still publishes those of the cartridges (which are catastrophic).

 

[egellings]

I'm surprised at how good phono systems, with all their inherent distortions, can still manage to sound good.

 

[composer]

What the damn heck is
"the interconnectedness of harmonic forms"?

 

[composer]

Surprise, surprise, no measurements...

Measurements are misleadings, you must trust your ears (but also their buzzwords)