Speaker cable blind test music

LOG IN. Can somebody point to a scientific double blinded cable test? Edit Delete. Gee, this is a real head-scratcher! I too am curious about this!

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Content:

• How I Became a Cable Believer
• The Best Speaker Cable
• Double blind ABX speaker cable tests
• Why “Double Blind” Testing Can’t Work For Audio
• The most expensive speaker cable in the world?
• Audiophile
• Do blind tests really prove small differences don't exist?
• Catalogue of blind tests

WATCH RELATED VIDEO: The Audiophiliac welcomes cable deniers, high-end doubters, blind test advocates

How I Became a Cable Believer

It is a question as old as stereos: how much do the cables in your system affect the sound? Are the cheap ones you have limiting the overall quality?

Were the expensive ones you shelled out for really worth it? The main problems with assessing cables are psychological. Specifically, placebo effect and comparative listening play havoc with our judgments. Though the brain scanning technology exists, just about no one has studied the impact of making blind comparisons on how we perceive sound because medical research is rightfully prioritized.

So how does one reliably assess a cable? The answer lies in measurable physical specifications of cables, but even here there are traps to avoid. When it comes to conducting electricity—which is what cables do when they form a path for fast-moving electrons—there are some basic physical phenomena to consider. Capacitance is the ability of a conductor to store an electrical charge. While a cable may do this, it is highly unlikely for even a low-quality cable to store a charge that will impact a stereo system.

It would be hard to find a cable with an inappropriate capacitance rating. Affect on sound: Little if any. Inductance is the tendency of an electrical conductor to oppose a change in the electrical current going through it, thus creating electromagnetic fields.

Though inductance provides a number of essential forces within stereo components, even basic cables in a relatively normal stereo system do not generate inductance worth considering because, unless you are making cables very very wrong, the materials used are appropriate for the application. Resistance also called impedance is the tendency of a component in an electrical system to resist the flow of electrical current.

Affect on sound: Some! Cables can produce enough resistance to hinder the performance of a stereo system. When choosing speakers cables, be sure to use equal lengths for both the left and right channels so that resistance is matched. For cables carrying your audio signals prior to amplification i. In some special instances such as very long runs , you may need to reach for alternative solutions such as 3-conductor balanced cables, which are relatively uncommon in stereo systems , but typically these are not important considerations.

Digital cables have very specific resistance ratings and should be marked as such. Cheat Sheet: Analog Interconnects. Electricity is noisy, especially in cities where thousands of newfangled electronic devices are drawing on old public power systems. Radio frequencies can add noise to an electrical system. Also, electrical components themselves produce electromagnetic fields, especially power amps, computer monitors, and televisions. Speaker cables are not shielded.

Interconnects between components, however, should be shielded. Shields are either made from a copper mesh, a solid metal wrap copper or aluminum , or a conductive polymer. These shields are wrapped around the conductors and then wrapped in the outer material of the cable rubber or another polymer, sometimes braided nylon fabric.

Shields are typically grounded at both ends though sometimes just one end is grounded in the case of ground loops — usually not a problem is modern homes with 3-prong outlets. Metal mesh and conductive polymers are preferred in recording studios because they can be physically handled for years without breaking. Full metal shields are excellent, but best for permanent installations in which the cable will stay put and the shield will not get physically worked.

For home stereo use, a solid metal shield is a solid choice. Make sure the cable is well built. The critical points for any cable are the solder joints between the wires and the connectors at the ends. The type of solder used is hard to determine, but silver solder is preferred as it is very conductive. A good solder joint is clean, shiny, and has ample solder.

Get good connectors. Proprietary connectors drive up prices, but their benefits are negligible compared to standard 3rd-party options. Consider gold for exposed parts Gold is not a bad idea for exposed parts of connectors because, unlike copper, gold does not corrode and it is a good conductor.

Especially important for those living in high-humidity areas. So now you know the basics, but what do the actual experts, with years of practical experience say? My threshold is to ask whether the interconnect is built well enough, rather than obsessing over the metals and so on.

But shielding does matter. You have to be in an incredibly high-performance situation to warrant spending much on cables. Yeah, cables matter. Today's Best Deals. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. This Boot Blends Style and Performance.

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The Best Speaker Cable

We gathered up a 5 of our audio buddies. We took my "old" Martin Logan SL-3 not a bad speaker for accurate noise making and hooked them up with Monster speaker cables [ed. We also rigged up 14 gauge, oxygen free Belden stranded copper wire with a simple PVC jacket. Both were 2 meters long. They were connected to an ABX switch box allowing blind fold testing.

Double blind ABX speaker cable tests

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Why “Double Blind” Testing Can’t Work For Audio

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The most expensive speaker cable in the world?

An audiophile is a person who is enthusiastic about high-fidelity sound reproduction. It is widely agreed that reaching this goal is very difficult and that even the best-regarded recording and playback systems rarely, if ever, achieve it. Audiophile values may be applied at all stages of music reproduction: the initial audio recording , the production process, and the playback, which is usually in a home setting. In general, the values of an audiophile are seen to be antithetical to the growing popularity of more convenient but lower quality music, especially lossy digital file types like MP3 , lower definition streaming services, and inexpensive headphones. The term high-end audio refers to playback equipment used by audiophiles, which may be bought at specialist shops and websites.

Audiophile

Forum Rules. Remember Me? What's New? View Poll Results: Does a stereo sound better with gold speaker cable? Voters You may not vote on this poll. Yes, a lot better.

Do blind tests really prove small differences don't exist?

User Name Stay logged in? Room A: a complete ''boutique'' sound system: multiway speakers, amplifiers, source, HD source, etc Basically, you install the sound system in room A, then an ''audiocopy'' is prepared and tested in room B. Blindly, participants will have to identify which is which.

Catalogue of blind tests

RELATED VIDEO: GR Research speaker cable vs $80 speaker wire (a/b test sound clip)

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Our research shows there really is no best speaker cable. I base this on extensive research on available cables and actual listening tests. The offers excellent value, solid construction, and, perhaps most importantly and surprisingly , better sound quality. But keep in mind that this is the least important piece of gear in your entire home theater setup and the impact it makes is negligible. This well-made, affordable speaker wire, in a gauge that's suited to a wide range of speaker binding posts, will satisfy casual and critical listeners alike.

I did not participate in the test came late to it but enjoyed reading the results. IMO, the hostility to these tests from the audio review community is based on a perceived threat to their credibility and livelihood. And I would say that their fears are justified.