Interconnect Surprise

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Title copied from Wigwam to show them how a cable thread should be run.

One of the THE most controversial subjects on hi-fi forums, but it can be discussed with civility and reality.

So cables is it fairy dust / scam or is there reality?

My POV - yes there is is scam, bad cable that sells on name and bullshit marketing at silly over price, so the nayers are right about them. Yes there are many multi strand copper cables and basic pro market cables that sound little different to each other, and are usually well priced, so the nayers are right about them. There are loony cables that mess with LCR like Litz and Goetze that no one with a good amp should have anything to do with, they either kill the amp or kill the music, so not sure who is right between the sayers and the nayers on this one. Where the sayers are right is there are cables that can be proved to be better and more musical by listening, NVA is one of them and Collins efforts is another, and I am sure there are others I have no experience of.

So let us have a sensible discussion without blocked minds and blind beliefs.

Obviously anyone using NVA cable would see my point, but I would be happy to find any NVA user or seller-on who wasn't sure about it, I would like to tie that in with the system used, as a cable is only as good as the system it is used in.

[David Brook]

The entire subject has had far too much waffle and bullshit typed over the years, its a bit of wire, if you want to spend £1000 on it and can afford it go ahead, if you can't/don't want to even if you can afford it then don't and just make do with a cheap wire but don't take the piss out of people who do spend £1000+ as its their money and they can spend it how they want.

I have used i/c's from over 30+ vendors over the years (myself and a member of AOS would buy 2 metres of the latest wire they championed, wire it up and listen to it that went on for about a year) that was interesting as IMO most sounded shite but that's only me what do I know about cables!!!

The Spotify (sorry Spotfire) cable is OK but not outstanding, I re-wired it the other day with some different connectors its much better now, Brians' cable was OK but most of the others were piss poor. Of course my system will sound different and react to cables in different ways to others, its only opinion after all.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

You miss the point it is how the subject is treated that is the point and the inability of the bloody useless Wigwam mods to have any control over it. What is the point of a mod if he cannot facilitate discussion but only bin threads and ban people, that is all those eeeediots at Wigwam are capable of, as we see over and over again, for some reason they seem proud of it.

[Lindsayt]

I've come across some people that have spent more on cables and supports than on their amplifier or speakers. Whilst it is their money. When they have mediocre sounding speakers they do open themselves up to eye-brow raising.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

I agree and very valid point so why can't they discuss it at Wigwam (or it seems most other forums) without conflict. Their main problem is they don't understand the problem or seem to not wish to deal with it, it is easier to simply ban people (mostly the victims) and close threads.

[Welder]

I’m generally skeptical.
I’ve tried various interconnects and speaker cables and made many more of my own over the years.
With my Exposure amps and my speakers shotgun style cables sound better to my ears than any other configuration I’ve tried. There are I understand technical reasons why this configuration is more suitable for these amps than others.

Interconnects I make myself. I’m using a multi strand where the strands have different diameters and shapes. I’ve built all sorts and I’ve tried swapping and double blind testing and even other peoples opinions.
I always go back the the interconnects mentioned above.

Maybe I’ve just got used to a particular sound and even slight differences get noticed over extended listening. I don’t believe any measurements currently available could explain my preference.
In the end I like what sounds good to me. If others think it sounds shite then they can go and listen to their own systems.

I believe that the Linux operating systems I use sound better than any others I’ve tried. Some people will say I’m deluded. Doesn’t matter really. I’m happy with it.

In the end it’s a pointless debate provided the cable choices don’t induce instability in the system.

[karatestu]

It all boils down to what kind of person you are. Most people who go on hifi forums are willy wavers who like to be seen as right or a guru of some sort. LOOK AT ME. I am fed up with it. Just go your own way, ignore all internet opinion. Your own experience is all that counts. Stop being so anal about everything, its only a sound system after all.

NVA cables are damn fine though but i cant be arsed to say any more about it.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Not most, just most of the heavy poster, I think it is true of all forums about anything boys-toys. This is why good forum admin and mods is the most important thing. When the mods are a major part of the problem and even overt willy wavers themselves then we get what is now Wigwam.

Tony J is a classic willy waver. Others especially the old forum ones are just stuck up their own arses.

[Classicrock]

I've come across some people that have spent more on cables and supports than on their amplifier or speakers. Whilst it is their money. When they have mediocre sounding speakers they do open themselves up to eye-brow raising.

Russ Andrews and his sales booklets have a large part of the blame for this. Featuring people with budget systems using very expensive cables. Of course RA sells cables not hi-fi (he did briefly) so that is more important to him. I suppose these systems sound better to the owners with expensive cables no matter how crap they are. At those prices improving the actual equipment would almost certainly be of more benefit. RA was the first time I saw this obsession with cables to this extreme level. Before it was a matter of getting interconnect that sounded better than that supplied with equipment or improving on bell wire for speakers.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Absolute Sounds and the Wimbledon Womble started it with over priced slurping in imported USA main product. Everyone thought he wouldn't sell any at twice the USA price, but he did which showed what fools we were and others like RA joined in. Now it is the standard way, very few non rip off companies exist anymore, all sold to the Chinese. Rega are one of the only ones left but even they join in the slurp with some products.