"Menno" wrote in message
...
I agree with Glenn. Just because we don't know how to measure what we hear
doesn't mean it doesn't exist. But you don't need to see it as a
mysterious
act of God either. There's enough trouble due to religion already. :-)

Well, seems I got you guys going. That's good. I've tried to point out
some
items that could explain the difference in the sound of cables. I don't
pretend that I have the answer though. Some people claim that the
influence
of the effects I listed are inaudible. Maybe that's the case or maybe they
underestimate our hearing. In capacitors, the dielectric makes a
difference.
Some people love paper in oil, others like polypropyleen better. Most
agree
that ceramic is not great for audio. So why should't the dielectric make a
difference in cables? Likely more in interlinks than speaker cables.

Actually, capacitors don't have a sound either. That too is a myth.

If you want to measure audible differences in cables, you probably need to
build something that mimics the interpretation of sounds in our brain.
After
all, the human brain can make a distinction between the sound of cable A
and
cable B. The difference is subtle so you'll have to search for differences
at a
low level. How low should we go? I don't know. For that you'll need to
search through studies on our hearing on what's still audible and what
not.

How about the following; you have a CD and you turn it into an MP3. Can
you
hear the difference and if so, describe the difference? Can you measure
the
difference? I've never tried to measured this so maybe I'm digging my own
grave with this example. :-) Maybe the OP can spent some time on this.

This of course depends on the data rate- 128kbps is audible on much
programme material, 320kbps is inaudible on all programme material.

However, if you measure MP3 using sine waves, you get perfect measurements,
low noise, distortion, wide frequency response, at even low data rates. Use
a gliding tone, and you get all sorts of anomalies. This shows the
importance of understanding the measurements, what they mean, and how to
carry them out.

How about amplifiers. Are there audible differences between amplifiers? If
you agree there are, how does/would a good amplifier measure differenent
from a not so good amplifier. There's probably a number of differences
that
you can measure but what makes one sound more pleasant (for you) than the
other? Less
distortion, more distortion? More even harmonics? That 1 dB more or less
at
the high or low end of the spectrum? A more constant group delay?

There are audible differences between "good" amplifiers, those that measure
low distortion, wide and even frequency response, low noise, low output
impedance and "poor" amplifiers, those that are deficient in one or more of
the above. However, if you take two "good" amplifiers, whose performance
limitations are below the threshold for audibility (0.1% THD, noise -90dB,
+-1dB 20-20kHz, 0.5ohm output impedance, and you will find that they sound
identical whatever technology, valve or SS up to their clipping point.


Unfortunately I don't have the equipment at my disposal to do measurements
on cables, either at home or at work. One idea is to sample the input and
output of the cable while sending white noise or even music through the
cable. Then calculate the correlation between input and output. This is
not
my field of expertise so maybe I'm completely off with this.

I don't use expensive cables. I'm too cheap for that. :-) But at one point
I
found that a certain (RF) coax sounded better than the OFC neoprene cable
that I used at the time. So I changed cable and it didn't cost me much.
The
Siltech was way out of my budget then. Now I could afford it but still
don't
buy it. There's a limit on what I want to spent on a cable. I have more
hobbies, a wife and a life. :-)

Bottom line; more questions than answers. Use your common sense; if you
don't hear the difference between cable A and B. Stick to what you have.
If
you like one better that the other and you think it's worth the money, go
for it.

Menno

If I had the experience of liking one cable more than another, I would want
to find out why. If there isn't a reason, then I would tend to doubt my
experience, as you can't buck the numbers!

S.