[Review] mains cable - differences?

P.S.: do you mind if I call the lo-rad sound "synthetic"?

 

A long way back - I guess it must have been about 1972 - I used to get the same effect with my sinclair 2000 10 watt amp - but I used the treble and bass tone controls!!

 

I have heard differences in mains cables albeit only subtle. When i changed amps the plug on the lead was badly crushed so i used an old lead i had had for 15 year or more. Later put a new plug on the new lead and it sounded harsh and bright. Then with the help of Zanash made new and beefier ones which helped with the sound improvement. Jim.

 

...all I know is I had an Alchemist Nexus CD player that sounded rather flat, I bought a cable from KEMP electronics that was the thickness of your finger for about eighty quid, and it really lifted the sound. Equipments come and gone but I always keep that cable.
It also worked its magic on a Pathos amplifier, as someone said fit a good mains cable, I love it personally and I was impressed with the lift in sound. Thay also sell a little wall wart gadget, its a plug in mains filter, I just stick it in the end of an extension socket, that was about 50 quid! - an impressive price point in hifi!

 

I am trying to lower the noise floor on my system in an effort to get some improvement in dynamics and clarity when playing at modest listening levels. I was thinking that by using shielded mains cable I may reduce the RFI around my components and cables which would result in helping to achieve the improvement that I am seeking.

 

A rather practical question: some time ago I bought 15m of German Lapp 110CY 3x2.5 mains cable, unterminated. This cable seems to be immensely popular with DIY-er across the continent despite its ridiculous price (3-4E per meter).

It's still standing on the shelf but I am being more aware that some of my hi-fi is very sensitive to power related issues, notably EAR 864 and AAA5 (I wouldn't even write the ATC actives off the list despite what they say at ATC).

I decided to terminate them but I am curious what quality of connectors should I go for - f.e. in Germany they usually put a 5E schuko (Bals) and Wattgate IEC as the most common cheapo solution. However it seems that a local dealer for Oyaide have very good prices (like 20% of the US figures that are already 20 off European).... and I am tempted to waste money on them, with an excuse that it might sound better and if not - due to the cable quality - I may change the cable and keep the connectors later.
What do you think? Anyone played with Oyaide stuff?

 

Yes ....the various plugs mainly iec in my case are clearly superior to the standard fare from places like rs.

 

Actually, no...

Double blind testing is only used in drug testing and is not used in any other form of scientific inquiry. For double blind testing to be used for testing audio components there would need to be several studies done to validate that such tests can discriminate between components that do sound different.

No such studies exist.

 

the voice of reason ...spot on

why can't we rely on our ears ?

whats the point odf decent hifi if you can't trust your own hearing ?

 

it doesnt matter if it sounds any different or not.

if you perceive it's better then it's better, if you could fool yourself into thinking it was better without the upgrade, then that would be the ultimate upgrade.

 

Sound = perception

There is no difference between sound and perception. Sound is something that results from the brain processing compression waves in the atmosphere that are incident upon the ear. That is, there is no physical phenonemon 'sound' that is independent of the observer. So, if a system sounds better it is because you perceive it to be better, and vice versa.

 

Couldn't agree more. I listen to music with my ears, not an oscilloscope. If a cable or any other component sounds different to me, that's it - it's different. I don't need a materials scientist or an electrical engineer (or a reviewer) to agree with me. Trust yer ears, it's what they're there for.

 

If a tree falls in the forest ...

"There is no difference between sound and perception. Sound is something that results from the brain processing compression waves in the atmosphere that are incident upon the ear. That is, there is no physical phenomenon 'sound' that is independent of the observer."

So an SPL meter doesn't measure sound pressure levels? Uh huh ...

And the compression waves are not sounds because ...?

And hi-fi has (with luck) high fidelity to what?

The grammar of 'sound' may be slippery, but let's not get carried away.

Love,

;¬|

m

 

yeh but a SPL meter doesn't measure what 'you' hear, it only measures what goes out to your ears.

it doesn't convert the energy in the waves into 'sound' in the same way as your ears and brain does, so why should we expect any mechanical/ electrical instrument to be able to tell us how things sound.


maybe all these fab gadgets affect our perception of sound, but don't modify the soundwaves at all.

 

My wife hears things that I can't, she can hear a squeak from the TV which I cannot under any conditions detect and i'm sure i'm not alone. You could give us both all the scientific evidence in the world but you won't convince either one of us that we're wrong! Personally, if you have the money and you can hear a difference then splash out and enjoy.
I think there's a little too much willy-wagging when people talk about cables A (commercial brand) is so much better than B (home made) 'cause it costs more, double blind, scientific mumbo jumbo, blah blah blah....
I actually think cables have replaced the bass/treble knobs that were once common

 

i'd agree with you, they are nothing more than tone controls.

anyone who buys into a hierachy of quality based on branding and price is an idiot, they are all just different, some more suitablefor the majority than others, but thats it.

i mean Odin from Nordost, GMAFB, 17k.

 

there are many cables that are tone controls but there are few that are not. unfortunately most of the manufacturers are aware of this - therefore hefty prices.

chord signature is certainly much less of a tone control - if any - than van den hul first ultimate.

 

And this should be the beginning and the end of it. Nothing more to add. Forget your prejudices and your maths, they only stand in the way. If you don't trust your ears, you're in the wrong hobby!

Jack

 

No - I find double blind tests work fine re the paranormal - especially in our house (600 years old).

Cables make a difference - power, speaker and interconnects - no doubt there. I also fnd increasingly that isolation stuff under kit also makes a VERY big difference.

And lathing CDs - well for goodness sake, HUGE improvement!

 

You been on the "home brew" again?