Cables and the Peter Principle

MylesBAstor

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
11,238
81
1,725
New York City
Have you actually researched this? Where's the proof? Where's the list of designers and creds? Or is this just another sweeping, flat earth generalization? I can tell you right now that cable manufacturer Paul Kaplan who 's a member of WB is an MSEE and teaches.
 
Last edited:

zztop7

Member Sponsor
Dec 12, 2012
750
3
0
Edmonds, WA
TEN dollars per individual connection [$20. per side].

Cost approximately TEN dollars per individual connection [$20. per side] = I use the ones that I build.

I hear the difference between some speaker cables.

That is why I have very expensive boxes full of cables in storage.

No, I do not manufacture.

zz.
 
I need some "audiophile approved" Ethernet cable to connect my converters! ;)

Bruce, hold on , I will put a cable in my freezer for a few days then once that cryo test:rolleyes: is performed I'll hook that cable up to a pair of laptops with 'Packetcheck' loaded and make a test, once that test passed I'll sell you that NOW special Audiophile approved and tested cable with test results for $100 ;)
 

Speedskater

Well-Known Member
Sep 30, 2010
941
15
368
Cleveland Ohio
Have you actually researched this? Where's the proof? Where's the list of designers and creds? Or is this just another sweeping, flat earth generalization? I can tell you right now that cable manufacturer Paul Kaplan who 's a member of WB is an MSEE and teaches.

It would be hard to tell that he has a MSEE from his underwhelming, non-informative cable web-page. It just may have less technical information that any other cable page.
 

Groucho

New Member
Aug 18, 2012
680
3
0
UK
I can tell you right now that cable manufacturer Paul Kaplan who 's a member of WB is an MSEE and teaches.

Great! Could he point me to some academic literature on audibility of cables? I'm very keen to learn.
 

MylesBAstor

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
11,238
81
1,725
New York City
Great! Could he point me to some academic literature on audibility of cables? I'm very keen to learn.

Well it's interesting that you keep insisting on academic refs and any experiments we've seen totally ignore anything we know about testing and perception, biology, physiology, appropriate controls, etc.

TO BEGIN WITH, SHOW ME ONE STUDY WHERE THEY'VE DONE THE APPROPRIATE INTERNAL CONTROL (S). NO NOT JUST ON SOME EXPERIMENT, BUT WITHIN THE ACTUAL TRIAL QUOTED! You can't because it doesn't exist.

But this has all been said before and it's just beating a dead horse because engineers know it all 'cause it says so in some textbook.
 

Groucho

New Member
Aug 18, 2012
680
3
0
UK
Not sure what your post means. Is it saying that every claim that is ever made regarding 'magic' (for want of a better word) remains valid until someone proves otherwise?

What I was referring to earlier was that if academic qualifications are being invoked as evidence of something (someone has an MSEE, apparently) then the least we should be able to do is to read the relevant subject matter that their degree covers. If there's none - and it seems to be none when it comes to the audible effects of cables - then what is being suggested is that if someone has a degree in astronomy but makes their living from astrology, that provides some sort of academic/scientific vindication of astrology.
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,807
4,700
2,790
Portugal
First off, I can make two cables that sound different. But the closer I make their measured characteristics the same, damn quick you are not going to hear a difference. And, no, it dont matter about all these weeny teeny tehcnical differences that are put forth, as you mention above, when it comes down to it!

Tom,

Apologies, I have missed your answer in due time. Unfortunately you skipped the important point - what were exactly the measured characteristics - and enter in the usual easy speech about the golden ears, preferences and the dark side.

I find curious, that except Ethan, Don and perhaps someone I am forgetting, most other people who say loving the objective cause do not like to use %, Hz, V, ohm or dB in their answers or posts.
 

MylesBAstor

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
11,238
81
1,725
New York City
Not sure what your post means. Is it saying that every claim that is ever made regarding 'magic' (for want of a better word) remains valid until someone proves otherwise?

What I was referring to earlier was that if academic qualifications are being invoked as evidence of something (someone has an MSEE, apparently) then the least we should be able to do is to read the relevant subject matter that their degree covers. If there's none - and it seems to be none when it comes to the audible effects of cables - then what is being suggested is that if someone has a degree in astronomy but makes their living from astrology, that provides some sort of academic/scientific vindication of astrology.

So let's see is this a business or academics?

And let's see, having all this stuff on his website is going to help him sell.....nothing! Makes zero, zip sense.

Do you really think his customers are more concerned with how it sounds in their system or the measurements. Perhaps you've purchased the gear for your audio system based on measurement but rest assured you're in the minority.
 

Groucho

New Member
Aug 18, 2012
680
3
0
UK
I wasn't the one who played the academic qualifications card in the first place. I'm just saying that the supposed audibility of cables (like astrology) is a formal science-free zone, so academic qualifications mean nothing at all.
 

mep

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
9,481
17
0
I wasn't the one who played the academic qualifications card in the first place. I'm just saying that the supposed audibility of cables (like astrology) is a formal science-free zone, so academic qualifications mean nothing at all.

Why don't you ask Spectral if they think there is any engineering and science involved with the MIT/Spectral cables they require to be used with their electronics.
 

MylesBAstor

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
11,238
81
1,725
New York City
I wasn't the one who played the academic qualifications card in the first place. I'm just saying that the supposed audibility of cables (like astrology) is a formal science-free zone, so academic qualifications mean nothing at all.

Yes you did. How soon you forget!

Electronic engineering involves studying the literature and obtaining qualifications. In the world of audio cables, we have unqualified people telling qualified people that they are ignorant about a certain aspect of electronics. But here's the amazing thing: there is no literature that the apparently-ignorant engineer can turn to in order to fix his deficient knowledge. There is no text book that can tell him how to make a cable sound "rhythmical". There is no university that can teach him the theory. Because there is no theory! It is actually impossible for a keen and enthusiastic person to become qualified or proficient in audio cable design!
 

Groucho

New Member
Aug 18, 2012
680
3
0
UK
Yes you did. How soon you forget!
The only "academic qualifications card" that I played was a negative one, suggesting that formal science has nothing to say on the matter, which puts the keen student of audio engineering in a bit of a bind. He is being told by people that he is ignorant of something quite profound. "Night and day" differences are being reported when the engineering suggests there should be virtually no audible difference. If it is true, it puts all the student's training into question. The only remedy must be to question his tutors about it, and if he gets no response there, to show them the available literature so they can go over it together. But.... there is no literature! Why? It could be a conspiracy amongst wicked scientists to suppress findings they can't explain. Maybe there's a whole heap of papers in a sealed file next to the Roswell stuff, but thank goodness for the outsiders, the mavericks, the nonconformists who defy the authorities at great personal risk to g?i?v?e? sell their discoveries to the world.

Or something like that. :)

You must admit, it's a bit odd. If I want to learn how to design an amplifier or build a speaker, there are infinite amounts of literature out there that I can learn from, without even having to pay anyone. Scientific papers galore, web sites, online books. People only too keen to impart their wisdom and help me to do it. But if, to finish off my self-built system, I decide I'd like a choice of my own home made cables to cover the range*: 'cool', 'warm', 'fast', 'languid', 'stark', 'coherent', I find there's nothing at all that feels 'authoritative' on how to do it. All I can do is to pay some of the aforementioned noble pioneers a token few thousand dollars (to cover heatshrink and polyester braiding costs) for their cables. It's very strange.

(all adjectives taken from http://www.stereophile.com/cables/audience_au24e_cables/index.html)
 

MylesBAstor

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
11,238
81
1,725
New York City
Nice try.
 

Groucho

New Member
Aug 18, 2012
680
3
0
UK

Groucho

New Member
Aug 18, 2012
680
3
0
UK
In terms of science, is there a fundamental difference between audible cable characteristics and astrology? Neither has any formal science behind it - as shown by complete lack of published papers.
 

Phelonious Ponk

New Member
Jun 30, 2010
8,677
23
0
In terms of science, is there a fundamental difference between audible cable characteristics and astrology? Neither has any formal science behind it - as shown by complete lack of published papers.

True enough, but to return to the original premise of the thread, it's not the lack of science that is keeping you from hearing these night and day differences, it is the lack of transparency in your system that cannot reveal these profound improvements.

Tim
 

Groucho

New Member
Aug 18, 2012
680
3
0
UK

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing