Hello Albert. Good to see you posting here.
I found it interesting when you did not answer the questions I personally responded to you at audio Circle. Once again, you are asking a similar question, which needs no answer, if you are a knowledgable thinking man. First, as you are well aware, MasterBuilt has made no claims that they can't directly prove.
May I bring this to your attention since Steve was responding on my behalf?
"In ad
dition, we utilize comparison-based listening tests against other top-quality brands of cables. Based on our years of research, highly accurate measurements and A/B/X blind testing, we’re confident MasterBuilt Audio Cables have less distortion and coloration than any other competing cable, at any price!"
Less distortion and coloration than any cable? Can they have tested every cable on the market???
And how about that blind testing? Do you think they can demonstrate that?
Second, as Mike LaVine has pointed out, this group of audiophiles does not buy expensive products based on specs or ads, they buy what apeals to them on many levels. Sound, beauty, aesthtics, and utility are far more important than which Japanese receiver toutes the lowest distortion. When you have spent almost 40 years buying and selling very high quality stereo components, you'll come to understand what our members are trhing to teach you. No hard feelings here, friend, only my love of great sound (along with the truth) motivates my response.
I
I don't know any of your typical customers that would care about ABX testing yet there is a claim of that. And also measurement accuracy. To the extent they open that door, you don't think in an audio discussion forum we can ask those questions?
There are more questions still:
"b) Dielectric absorption of the high frequency component of the music signal by the insulation material creates a non-linear response. Since most elements have “free radical” electrons in their atomic makeup, the musical signal will be affected when the electrons collide with the dielectric’s “free radical” electrons. This distortion creates a “fog” over the music that masks realism. MB’s solution is to use dielectric materials that do not alter the electrical signal. Our proprietary formulation consists of vacuum-formed Teflon, which is as close to perfection as possible in reducing dielectric distortion. Our Teflon coating is applied with a proprietary method that does not result in free radical Teflon electrons placed in the signal path."
Are we to believe that all other cables create such fog? As you know there is no music that is produced using MB cables. Are we to assume all of our music has such fog embedded in it?
Other than a handful of members here, all the rest use different brands of cables. Are they listening through such fog?
If free radicals in the insulation are the cause (putting aside the fact that there are processes for making wire insulation that does not involve such), how about this in the FAQ:
"Do MasterBuilt Audio cables have a break-in period? If so, why?
The fact is that all high fidelity components, including cables, sound better after a few weeks or even months of use. In the case of cables, MasterBuilt’s design engineers have been aware of this phenomena for years and can even measure the effects of break-in. When a cable is “raw” (has not been used), the molecules in the conductor path have not been aligned by the flow of electrons from the music signal. After several weeks or even months, a pathway in the conductor is created by the constant flow of electrons. Just as important is the interaction of the insulation’s free radical electrons with the outer layer of the conductor material. These free radicals are “pushed out of the way” by the music’s voltage and current."
A few comments here:
1. I thought in the Technology section they say their insulation has done away with Free Radicals. But here they say Free Radicals are in play as far as cable burn-in?
2. They talk about measuring effects of burn-in. This is remarkable as I have never seen such measurements. Showing this data would be groundbreaking. How confident are you that they have such data? Have you seen it?
3. The notion of creating a pathway that stays that way with use violates Entropy which as you know is one of the most fundamental aspects of universe. Run your hand through bathtub. As you do you create a path but once you take our hand out, the pathway does not stay there. If you chemically changed the nature of the atoms/molecules, sure but that is not what is said.
I can go on but I am confident that you would not want to wear their hat and vouch for any of this.
I am happy to donate $1,000 to a charitable cause if they can demonstrate any of this to be true.
On sound quality, I am happy to go anywhere on my own expense to see if anyone by just hearing the cables, i.e. using their ears and only ears, they can distinguish this cable from any other. Again, the same $1,000 donation on top of that stands. This should show you how confident I am that what they say is not correct or based on any verifiable facts.
Again, thanks for being here and posting.
Respectfully,
