Do cables make a difference ?

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Garyi....I notice that you have not bothered to make a useful contribution to this " bloody Survey" as you so nicely put it. Have you never heard of market research ? When the government wishes to find out how many people do what ever, they turn to a questionaire called a Census. Therefore to get a feel of, what the for the most part are the silent majority think about the cable issue, how would you go about finding out? Or are you of the opinion cables can't make a difference? and where any large scale survey of peoples observation might crimp your ideas of what you believe in ?

So here are some interim results........

Total respondees 17
Number of people who found cables made no difference 3
of those that found cables made a difference, the most difference was made by speaker cables, the median falling between 30 and 40 %.
followed by IC's, the median being again 30%.
Mains cables are third and have a median of 20%.
lastly digital cables [though only 7 responders used them ] at 10%

Of these 13 had found some cables made there system sound worse.

The idiology of cables a seemed to make no difference though 3 people didn't commit to a yes no answer ! which could speak volumes

Only one person answering had not used after market cables.

4 people use the freebies
9 after market
9 diy/custom

most people felt their systems fell around the 80% point in terms of absolute performance.

The majority of the kit being in the plus £5k region.

Now more intrestingly those that said cables made no difference also thought there gear could not be bettered. Where as the people who found a difference thought there was still more performance to be had or they had a lower opinion of there own gear.

Also of note was that not every cable tried provided an improvment. So I'd say that if as some have stated its all in the mind....I would have anticipated that all cables would have sounded better, otherwise what was the point of the change ?

I hope more people will answer the survey rather than dis it.....

I'm grateful to all who have answered the survey in the spirit intended, as to the others, well they are as welcome "as a toad in a swiming pool" as a film star once said. I appologise for my spelling!
 
Hi Zanash, my (purely subjective) answers below:

zanash said:
I was going to set up a poll ....as this seem a contencious issue. But I can't see how to do it.

My questionaires ......

1.Do cables make a difference ? yes/no Yes


2.Which cables make the most difference? IC's/Mains/speaker
As a percentage what difference does best cable make ?
IC's....................25%
Mains.................10%
Speaker...............15%
Digital..................5%

3.Have cables ever made your system sound worse? yes/noYes

4.Idealogically cables can't make a difference ? yes/no Yesif I understand the question - I think they can?


5.Have you ever tried any after market cables ? Yes /no Yes lots


6.What IC cables do you use? Out of the box/ DIY / After market/ Custom made. DIY
7. If you were to rate your system were would it fall.

High end................................low fi High-ish
8. And an indication of system worth

5000+.......2500+.......1000+......500+....... 5000+
I hope this is of interest.....if anyone has any suggestions feel free to speak.
 
Hallo Notaclue,

When you hear a diference (double blind) then there is a difference even when you cannot explain it. As a consumer I do not need technical evidence to hear (double blind) differences.

Do you consider twisting cables, silver, carbon as manipulation?

Carl
 
1.Do cables make a difference ? yes


2.Which cables make the most difference? IC's/Mains/speaker
As a percentage what difference does best cable make ?
IC's....................15%
Mains.................5%
Speaker...............40%
Digital..................10%

3.Have cables ever made your system sound worse? yes

4.Idealogically cables can't make a difference ? Idealogy is neither here nor there. Only our understanding of the facts.


5.Have you ever tried any after market cables ? Yes


6.What IC cables do you use? : After market

7. If you were to rate your system were would it fall.

High end................................low fi : Mid

8. And an indication of system worth

5000+.......2500+.......1000+......500+....... : 1500
 
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3DSonics said:
Yes, yes. And you're the same bloke who reckons the best place for an LP-12 is on top of a speaker? Yes?

Case rested.
Well it's a good place to start, if you want to demonstrate the effects of isolation on this most excellent turntable.
 
zanash said:
Garyi....I notice that you have not bothered to make a useful contribution to this " bloody Survey" as you so nicely put it.

maybe hes just upset that he can't join in with hearing differences
 
zanash said:
My questionaires ......

1.Do cables make a difference ? YES


2.Which cables make the most difference? IC's/Mains/speaker
As a percentage what difference does best cable make ?
IC's....................30%
Mains.................20%
Speaker...............40%
Digital..................10%

3.Have cables ever made your system sound worse? YES

4.Idealogically cables can't make a difference ? Need to rephrase question


5.Have you ever tried any after market cables ? YES


6.What IC cables do you use? Out of the box YES / After market YES / Custom made YES.

7. If you were to rate your system were would it fall.

High end................X...............low fi

8. And an indication of system worth

5000+
HTH. Greg
 
If you wish to discus things

Paul Ranson
Anex....
The Devil
Carl

please set up your own thread !

Keeping this for the questionaire.
 
greg said:
4.Idealogically cables can't make a difference ? Need to rephrase question

Zanash, in addition I answered 'no' because 'they can', but from the same view the reply could be 'yes' because 'they not can't.
 
zanash said:
If you wish to discus things....please set up your own thread !
zanash, you started the 'discussion' with your interim results post above. You can't expect to discuss the results yourself without people responding.

Secondly, this forum needs another cable thread like a hole in the head.

Michael.
 
1.Do cables make a difference ? yes/no Yes


2.Which cables make the most difference? IC's/Mains/speaker
As a percentage what difference does best cable make ?
IC's....................35%
Mains.................10%
Speaker...............60%
Digital..................no experience

3.Have cables ever made your system sound worse? yes/no Yes

4.Idealogically cables can't make a difference ? yes/no This is the "can bumble bees fly?" question. Theory should be about explaining what does happen. A couple of individuals use ideology as a basis to skip the process of actually finding out for themselves!

In other words: ideologically cables can make a diference.

5.Have you ever tried any after market cables ? Yes /no Yes a few


6.What IC cables do you use? Out of the box/ DIY / After market/ Custom made. custom made and after market.
7. If you were to rate your system were would it fall.

High end.....x...........................low fi
8. And an indication of system worth

5000+.......2500+.......1000+......500+....... 5000+
I hope this is of interest.....if anyone has any suggestions feel free to speak.

5000+ to replace new for old.
 
Look it s my ball and if I want to take it home I can..........

I agree but some of the chaps were taking the Pi*s.

Also, yes badly worded but now stuck with it! not a good idea to move the goalposts mid game....keeping the football analogy.

Paul, look at the responces... I've just checked my notes again. You rated your system as high end ..thats top of the scale, mate!
michaelab, rates his as highend. but joolsburger has his x slap in the middle so that was an error on my part.
 
Speakers sound different.

Amps all sound the same, some are just more powerful than others.

CD players all sound the same.

Cables make no difference.

Stands make no difference.

Mains quality makes no difference.
 
Steven toy.......
what do you mean ? It makes no sense, if you read your previous post !
 
Carl said:
Hallo Notaclue,

When you hear a diference (double blind) then there is a difference even when you cannot explain it. As a consumer I do not need technical evidence to hear (double blind) differences.

Do you consider twisting cables, silver, carbon as manipulation?

Carl

Yes, if you hear a difference double blind then the difference clearly exists.

"Do you consider twisting cables, silver, carbon as manipulation?"

It is not something I have given much thought to. Let's see... I am giving it a little thought now .... I am afraid I really don't know. It is not really a question I would know how to answer.
 
Zanash,

It's all lies I tell you, lies, lies!

Bumblebees don't fly. I've never seen one fly. Because they can't that's why.
 
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