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1.7m not any other length will do.

Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2018 8:58 pm
by keepitsimplestupid
I don't buy many bits of hifi press but I do buy every copy of HIFI+, mostly because I have every issue since it started and I'm a bit of a completivist and also because I like the photography.

Anyway, in the current issue is an advert by Black Rhodium boldly stating that 1.7m is the best sounding length for mains cables. They also claim to have tested 15 different lengths.

Imagine how pissed they'll be if another brand comes along and find out that one of the lengths that they didn't test sounds even better. Who knows, maybe 1.713000002m is the best sounding length. I mean FFS, what do i do if my nearest socket is 1.8m away, do I have to put up with lacklustre sound forever?

Surely the optimum length for any mains cable is 'long enough to reach' ?

The mind boggles.

Re: 1.7m not any other length will do.

Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2018 9:06 pm
by Dr Bunsen Honeydew
Par for the company I am afraid. But it would have been much more interesting explanation if those Synergistic Research arses had come up with this. In reality what it means is they are fed up with making them different lengths, so add some bullshit to save themselves work.

Re: 1.7m not any other length will do.

Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2018 9:25 am
by keepitsimplestupid
I juts love the idea that one size fits all, no matter what.

Re: 1.7m not any other length will do.

Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2018 9:35 am
by Dr Bunsen Honeydew
Do you really think it matters what length the cable is. Is there an optimum length from wall socket to CU, or an optimum length for from there back to the generator. It is ludicrous bullshit.

Re: 1.7m not any other length will do.

Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2018 9:47 am
by Stemcor1990
Please correct me if I am wrong but is this mains cable length thing a load of nonsense ?

I can see a marketing ploy here £xx for a 1m length, £xxx for a 1.5m length and £xxxx for the supreme £1.7m length. No need to sell lengths longer than 1.7m as they are obviously inferior. Means you can get a higher return for a reel of cable. Brilliant !!!!

Re: 1.7m not any other length will do.

Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2018 9:56 am
by Classicrock
Why buy 1m when you can spend more with them and buy 1.7m so it sounds right? :lol: :lol: :lol:

Re: 1.7m not any other length will do.

Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2018 9:58 am
by karatestu
Of course it is a load of nonsense.

You should just use the right amount to reach from the equipment to whatever it is plugged in to. Excessive amounts just add to the cable rats nest (look away Jammy) and may present more opportunity for affecting signal and dc power cables if near by.

Maybe the reel of cable they use divides exactly by 1.7M :grin:

Re: 1.7m not any other length will do.

Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2018 11:52 am
by _D_S_J_R_
Back in the day, Black Rhodium used to offer massive dealer margins if the range was comprehensively stocked (and I mean massive, several points more than Chord Co I recall, which had got into most Sevenoaks branches). Cue the other chains stocking up like mad because of the profit they could claw back after discounting the main items... I don't believe a word from these people and it's just a fear tactic to get people thinking about something irrelevant in the wide scheme of things - a bit like magic stones and so on...

Re: 1.7m not any other length will do.

Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2018 11:56 am
by Dr Bunsen Honeydew
We should make a list of all the companies trying to damage our industry credibility and the pockets of our hobby members. Trouble is it would be well over half the companies in the market - it is a serious pisstake going on.

Re: 1.7m not any other length will do.

Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2018 11:58 am
by savvypaul
Maybe they worked out that most people bought either 1m or 1.5m. Squeeze a little extra out of each customer on the notion that there is an ideal length...