Upgrade AudioQuest Level-X DBS Packs For Older Sky ICs And Everest Speaker Cables

[mmuetst]

What must we Think about this:

Upgrade AudioQuest Level-X DBS Packs For Older Sky ICs And Everest Speaker Cables

Introduction I wondered if the latest AudioQuest Level-X DBS packs would improve the performance of my older AudioQuest Sky Gen2 (2008) and Sky Gen3 (2011) XLR interconnects.

forum.polkaudio.com

Was this measurement carried out correctly?

 

[Grotti]

When I look at the "Associated equipment" I see a bunch of insanely overpriced (and partially proven useless) gear.... doesn't make me want to spend time on the rest of the article, sorry. No offense, your question is valid though....

 

[mmuetst]

No one else thinks anything about this?

 

[kemmler3D]

I'm not sure what to think about these measurements... they are testing with a 60hz signal that is only about 50dB above noise, so that's a little concerning to begin with.

They also show a 2nd distortion harmonic at ~26dB (around FIVE PERCENT distortion, easily audible) below the fundamental as their baseline. Sorry, what?

This is just supposed to be the raw output of their DAC. What are they using for a DAC, a potato? So then the distortion goes away with one of the cables. Does that show me that a cable somehow massively reduces distortion? I think more likely it shows their system is royally screwed up somehow, and they accidentally fixed it in the process of messing with these cables.

Also, they're reporting DC values at the same level as noise. IMO this shows they might not really know what they're doing. The fact that their system apparently has 5% distortion when operating normally, and they apparently consider this normal, is telling.

 

[Mnyb]

I thrown my audioquest cables in the cable recycling bin and never looked back . Had some of those , advice don’t spend any time thinking about any audioquest product ever , modified or stock.

 

[mmuetst]

That was my impression too, they just do something with that measurement but don't show what scale they are on when it comes to dB's. Is it -130 dB?
higher or lower? But I believe that in this way ignorant people can be convinced of the great effect of these cables. For your information, I think Audioquest is a terrible brand and I would never buy these types of cables from myself.
I own a simple speaker cable from this brand for my OLS speakers. I bought that once because the OLS speakers only have banana connections on the back. It is a bi-wire cable, (I always say it is a buy-wire cable )
great cable that cost little.
And only bought it because I found it practical to connect the banana connections to my amplifier this way.

 

[Speedskater]

That's just another "DarqueKnight" off-the-wall review. He's a data processing prof that somehow got put in the Electrical Engineering dept. So he has access to good test equipment and he thinks that he understands electronics. He had been doing these reviews since 2007 and always finds difference where none are expected.

 

[JeffS7444]

What must we Think about this:

Upgrade AudioQuest Level-X DBS Packs For Older Sky ICs And Everest Speaker Cables

Introduction I wondered if the latest AudioQuest Level-X DBS packs would improve the performance of my older AudioQuest Sky Gen2 (2008) and Sky Gen3 (2011) XLR interconnects.

forum.polkaudio.com

Was this measurement carried out correctly?

It smells kinda funky.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Not worth detailing the problems with this. I'll just call it what it is, which is BS. This measurement of the DBS system is BS.

Having measured such things he is on purpose leaving out all the details that you want to know if there is anything to this. He should record something with a good ADC and compare the two in Deltawave. Since very cheap XLR's leave nothing other than thermal noise when I've done this, the DBS system couldn't improve anything unless the system without DBS is like one of the worst ever made. Just a load of horse crap. Look at his list of gear, he swallows it by the bucketful.

 

[DMill]

The last time I was in a high end end audio store (about 6 months ago) the owner was having the cable discussion with a customer. My heart sank a little. He explained a lot of people like the AQ ones, they have really solid connections, but there is a camp of people who don’t think cables matter much. I guess I give him a little credit for at least acknowledging the correct camp. But only a little. It’s a bit like 1000 years ago someone saying, well there is a camp of people who think the earth is round.

 

[Blumlein 88]

When you can buy Mogami or Canare XLRs with Neutrik or Amphenol connectors what more could you want? If any cable had better performance than these you'll never know because those are already so far below any other factor it would not matter.