Hi,
Paul Ranson said:
We get lost in semantic vortices. If the claim from the cable guys is that cable differences are down to FR changes then there really isn't any argument, and sensitivity to FR can be assessed in ways that do not involve cables.
As of this point in time I have seen formally demonstrated by measurements the following effects in cables:
1) Frequency Response alterations (obvious this one) from the RLC parameters and dielectric absorbtion variations, potential audibility may be safely concluded as alterantions of the FR may exceed the 0.1db audibility treshold usually assumed.
2) Changes in the amount of RFI/EMI the cable picks up in an electrically noisy envoironment. It should be widely known that many amplifiers are suceptible to noise above the audio bandwidth, resulting in intermodulation and spectral contamination of complex signals. Audibility for RFI has been illustrated as well.
3) Small but possibly significant amounts of spectral contamination and other nonlinear distortion have been illustrated in SOME types of conductors and with some types of signals. No audibility has been reliably illustrated, more research is needed, commonly the EE community is turning it's collective noses at that one and claims "experimental error", usually without attempting to replicate the experiments first.
4) Alteration of RLC (and G) parameters with signal (in speaker cables - due to magneto striction) or mecanical resonance (interconnects) has been illustrated, more reasearch is needed to reliably exclude these as source of audible differences.
Paul Ranson said:
If it's that some magic happens that doesn't affect the signal but does affect the sound then we have supernature and Randi awaits.
Well, even Magick, practiced inaccordance to the systems of such orders as the Golden Dawn or the A:.A:. is actually not as such supernatural or "magic" in Randi's definition, it merely postulates additional natural laws to those currently understood, which allow certain actions to have consequences that our current level of understanding suggests should not happen.
Paul Ranson said:
Perhaps a better example would be cable directionality, where we many claim the sound will change but clearly the measurements cannot.
Again, cable directionality has several underlying reasons, usually it is down to an assymetry in the construction which causes for example levels of RFI pickup in conjunction with the equipment attached to vary, depending on which end is connected where.
The problem is that the ones supposedly educated in the subject (that is most Audio & Electronic Engineers) seem to have an instinctive reaction that causes them to simply reject the thesis "cables can make a difference", without any reference to what is actually happening.
I remember talking with the EE Designer of some australian redwood fronted audio gear at a show and he disparaged the UK distributor for having used "fancy mains cables" and "fancy distribution socket boards". When I challenged him on the why he trotted the same self boring old argumnet of the miles of cheap & nasty wire in distribution system and the cheap house wiring out, thus doubly missing the point and illustrating his complete unwillingness to actually THINK about the topic.
His first fault was of course to bring in the "cheap wire in the wall" - "expensive cable at the Amp" argument, which is obviously irelevant in any kind of logic, to the question "does it make a difference".
His much graver error was however one that a degreed EE NEVER EVER should make, namely to completely ignore the basic networks involved. Practically all "high performance" audio gear is safety earthed. All gear is subject to parasitic currents, both at normal mains frequencies and all the way to RF "leaking" from the mains into the chassis and being effectively "evened out" in the earth connection (in safety insulated gear the fault currents instead equalise through the interconnect cables!!!).
That means usually any current loops relevant to the audio gear end at the distribution socket board, if not at the worst case at the point in the house where PEn and Neutral are tied together. So, the main argument of "how can 1m mains cable can make a difference with all these miles of cables" shows a complete inaptitude to understand most basic AC network analysis.
As we may safely assume that any EE had to sit and pass EE101 the reason would seem not so much an actual lack of the required knowledge to understand the subject than an an active unwillingness to do so in this case (again, check my comments on moral affordability in the cencored away thread on "HiFi & Philosophy - I though it was highly relevant to "The gear" but modertaion seems arbitrary and pro objectivist these days).
So, as long as those who should know better actively refuse to try to make sense out of what's on the table the result is that those who wish to make a commercial profit of significant degree will advertise whatever claims they like, KNOWING their claims will not be seriously challenged, as the only people who could do so simply rubbish and ignore the whole subject and thus make sure they in turn are ignored by those wo nevertheless hear differences.
Hence instead of helping to educate and protect the consumer the general "anti cable" stance of the A/EE comminity at large is the key enabler for Cable companies to keep trading the way they do!
I rather wish someone would make decent quality and reasonable cost commercial cables (ones that actually work for the purpose at hand as they should!), so I do not have to make my own for our customers and instead can recommend to them with confidence in the product and in them getting good value for money "go and buy brand X". I'd be even tempted to recommend Nordost for all but their extreme pricing and in certain ares counterintelligent engineering.
Well, so much more on the "Same old cable argument again...".
Ciao T