This audio cable business is getting out of hand...

[GGroch]

.......

• Don't be afraid to ask for help. If you're not sure which cable is right for you, ask a salesperson for help.

Welcome new member or Chat Bot.

I'm not sure this last part is good advice.

 

[DSJR]

The audio cable business is also a victim of its own success. As more and more people become interested in high-end audio, there are more and more companies vying for their business. This has led to a proliferation of cables, many of which are overpriced and offer no real improvement in sound quality.

If you're looking for a new audio cable, it's important to do your research and find one that is well-made and has good reviews. There is no need to spend a fortune on a cable, but you should also avoid buying the cheapest option available.

Here are a few tips for choosing an audio cable:

• Consider the type of cable you need. There are many different types of audio cables available, so it's important to choose one that is compatible with your equipment.
• Read reviews. Before you buy a cable, read reviews from other users to see what they think of the sound quality and build quality.
• Don't be afraid to ask for help. If you're not sure which cable is right for you, ask a salesperson for help.

None of that will wash here I'm afraid.

DON'T ask a salesperson to help - FFS - many these days seem to be on commission and will automatically choose the most expensive one they think they can sell you at the honestly massive profit margins cables routinely have for them. Yet others buy into electronics brands and recommend the wires from symbiotic makers the electronics makers deem fit to use that fits in with their corporate and their perceived status views.

Build quality is a given but sound quality differences shouldn't exist in properly specified cable looms and with properly matching gear with no out-of-band 'nasties' modulating down into audio frequencies.

You don't believe me? Stick around for a while and get the vibe of the reviews and opinions of the most technically qualified first...

Nah,

 

[SIY]

Does a shield provide good immunity even at 50/60Hz?

Yes, for electric fields.

 

[thanrl]

Oh boy, Poe's law is strong with this one.

Sorry for quoting an old post, but this is really funny because it goes both ways. We actually don't know who looks more ridiculous, the coat-hanger folks to the cable-believers, or the cable-lifter folks to the cable-non-believers.

 

[BluesDaddy]

Sorry for quoting an old post, but this is really funny because it goes both ways. We actually don't know who looks more ridiculous, the coat-hanger folks to the cable-believers, or the cable-lifter folks to the cable-non-believers.

Oh yes we do.

 

[ahofer]

Oh yes we do.

Yeah. I think a lot of the “believers” know the truth, deep down.

 

[Justdafactsmaam]

I got tired of using my long RCA cables to interconnect small DACs and Amps so decided to get a short one. Saw one on Amazon (by "World's Best Cables') that used Canare Star-Quad cable and Amphenol connectors for just $22 shipped. My time was worth much more than that to make one so I ordered it. It came promptly. When I opened though, I was shocked to see this massive sign in there:

View attachment 27076

Are you kidding me? Even a low-cost cable using proper material spreads such a myth?

It is one thing to see this on multi-thousand dollar cables but on a $22 one?

Inside there is an instruction sheet and it says that again. To their credit they acknowledge that such burn-in will take out of Amazon's 30 day return window so they provide instructions on how to still get a return.

The danger here is that such practices will spread to the general public, not just high-end audiophiles.

Yes, it is also "directional" although here, it is due to the way they utilize the shield at one end so that bit is fine.

Idiots!!!! Any real audiophile knows it takes 215 hours

 

[egellings]

As to power strips in the US - I noticed a lot of them are including a "Grounded" LED that actually injects a ground fault current on to the 3rd prong... I always look for the ones that don't have this feature - even in non-audio applications.
View attachment 38355

With it off:
View attachment 38356

With it on; meter in AC mA :
View attachment 38357

Schematic: http://www.ajawamnet.com/ajawam2/POWERSTRIP.pdf
View attachment 38358

Is there a current limiting resistor built into that neon lamp? I hope so.