Audioquest rca cable design change?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Leviathan024

Leviathan024

Enthusiast
Hello folks,
I am wondering if audioquest changed the design of rca plugs in the last few years? I acquired some used mackenzie rca cables for front LR and also picked up a single cable from my local store for center channel use. The cable ends are very different but I also noticed one box was manufactured in 2015 and the other says 2020. Did I get a knock off set or did the design change?

Thanks
 
jinjuku

jinjuku

Moderator
1. If they were counterfeit, according to AQ and their customers, you should be able to hear the difference.
2. Most likely they had to snag some other barrel termination if they ran out of the other or the one of them is no longer available from a downstream manufacturer.

If they make a connection and you can't determine a SQ difference... :)
 
Leviathan024

Leviathan024

Enthusiast
1. If they were counterfeit, according to AQ and their customers, you should be able to hear the difference.
2. Most likely they had to snag some other barrel termination if they ran out of the other or the one of them is no longer available from a downstream manufacturer.

If they make a connection and you can't determine a SQ difference... :)
I understand the whole "snake oil" stigma around these cables and to be honest I can't tell a difference between them. I am mostly concerned if I have been using a pair of knock offs all this time or if audioquest actually changed the rca ends on this line of cable
 
jinjuku

jinjuku

Moderator
What does it matter. The only thing you can do about it is to purchase new AQ RCA's from a legit disty partner.
 
Leviathan024

Leviathan024

Enthusiast
What does it matter. The only thing you can do about it is to purchase new AQ RCA's from a legit disty partner.
I had these cables for years with all packaging and never had a reason to think they were fraudulent. I bought a new set from an AQ authorized local audio store and noticed the cable ends were different. This could simply be a manufacturing change and I am asking if anyone here has experienced similar changes in manufacturing in the AQ mackenzie rca line
 
jinjuku

jinjuku

Moderator
I had these cables for years with all packaging and never had a reason to think they were fraudulent. I bought a new set from an AQ authorized local audio store and noticed the cable ends were different. This could simply be a manufacturing change and I am asking if anyone here has experienced similar changes in manufacturing in the AQ mackenzie rca line
Call AQ. They have good customer support.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
You are probably not going to find a lot of fraudioquest users around here to begin with. Over the years they may well change design....ask fraudioquest if worried.
 
jinjuku

jinjuku

Moderator
I don't mind AQ if you can get them at a reasonable price. The only cables that have chronic build and reliability issues are the DBS saddled cables.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I don't mind AQ if you can get them at a reasonable price. The only cables that have chronic build and reliability issues are the DBS saddled cables.
Yeah, but why encourage them otoh? Their price is often unreasonable as well....
 
mtrycrafts

mtrycrafts

Seriously, I have no life.
I had these cables for years with all packaging and never had a reason to think they were fraudulent. I bought a new set from an AQ authorized local audio store and noticed the cable ends were different. This could simply be a manufacturing change and I am asking if anyone here has experienced similar changes in manufacturing in the AQ mackenzie rca line
Call them up or email them your pictures and ask them, as mentioned above.
 
mono-bloc

mono-bloc

Full Audioholic
I'LL PASS ON THE CABLE DEBATE, if you don't much mind..
 
Leviathan024

Leviathan024

Enthusiast
I received word back from AQ.

"the Mackenzie with the smaller connector was made in our Chinese factory.
The cable with the larger connector was either made in Irvine/USA or Roosendaal/Netherlands"
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
I received word back from AQ.

"the Mackenzie with the smaller connector was made in our Chinese factory.
The cable with the larger connector was either made in Irvine/USA or Roosendaal/Netherlands"
So part of their modus operandi, is to sell cheap cables high!
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
I sincerely hope you get banned from this site as you do nothing but insult and derail threads but I would expect nothing less from Trudeaus stooge
Unfortunately we waste a ton of time on "Funny wire" on this forum. There is zero need to buy ridiculously expensive wire. Wire is not complex, but simple technology. Wire is is wire, and that is it. People can wax eloquently on bogus science, but it does not change the actual science. All that is required is that the cable is properly fabricated so the plugs don't fall off. I have actually seen high priced cables where that happened and have had to repair and properly terminate them for a friend.

Despite this we get people on here again and again, spouting the bogus nonsensical claims of frankly fraudulent manufacturers and sellers. It gets old.
 
F

fmw

Audioholic Ninja
I sincerely hope you get banned from this site as you do nothing but insult and derail threads but I would expect nothing less from Trudeaus stooge
Insults don't help anything in either direction. While competently designed and manufactured cables do not alter the sounds they carry, there are some that believe they do. We have proven that those beliefs are hearing bias in the listener rather something about the cable itself. I don't remember whether or not we tested an AQ cable but I have no reason to think they are incompetently designed or manufactured. They are certainly overpriced.

There are some incompetently designed and/or manufactured cables. They are designed to cut treble to provide a "warmer" audio experience. I call them incompetent because the treble cut isn't adjustable or defeatable. Those that want a "warmer" sound have better options for achieving it than a cable. Fortunately these cables are rare. The huge majority of cables work as they should. How people react to them, on the other hand, is not consistent.
 
jinjuku

jinjuku

Moderator
OP has his answer. I'll close the thread. People krapped on him IMO. Use the ignore function. I'm rejecting the reports and @mono-bloc he wasn't responding to you but to Trell.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

newsletter

  • RBHsound.com
  • BlueJeansCable.com
  • SVS Sound Subwoofers
  • Experience the Martin Logan Montis
Top