Ars Technica is taking a really expensive Ethernet cable to Vegas

[jinjuku]

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/07/ars-prepares-to-put-audiophile-ethernet-cables-to-the-test-in-las-vegas/

They are participating in the James Randi Foundation event there and will video tape people sitting in a blind experiment.

It will be a $350 cable vs a $5 cable I believe.

 

[tyhjaarpa]

Would like to see the real results when it is done as they should be all the same! Sending 1's and 0's over copper wire changes thins so much.

 

[jinjuku]

If I know Ars, and I think I do, the testing and the write up should be without reproach.

The only complaint by the subjetivist is that the crowd is one of skeptics. But on the flip side if this was done at a show like Axpona you couldn't get them to participate.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

part 2) http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/07/gallery-we-tear-apart-a-340-audiophile-ethernet-cable-and-look-inside/

 

[jinjuku]

I loved the masking tape used in a $350 cable...

 

[Alexandre]

I loved the masking tape used in a $350 cable...

Let's be fair here, the rest of the cable appears to be nicely built even though I agree that the masking tape was a tad odd. I am looking forward to the results of the test.

And already audiostream.com 's coverage is impartial and unbiased! http://www.audiostream.com/content/cable-porn-ars-technica-destroys-340-cable-purpose
http://www.audiostream.com/content/trouble-audio-tests
http://www.audiostream.com/content/smackdown-amazing-randi-ars-technica-take-ethernet-cables

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

And already audiostream.com 's coverage is impartial and unbiased! http://www.audiostream.com/content/cable-porn-ars-technica-destroys-340-cable-purpose

You forgot to put quotes around words "impartial" and "unbiased"

Let me quote just one line from his article:

I also wrote about AudioQuest's more expensive Ethernet cables and reporting hearing a sonic improvement.

If this is not the classic case of placebo and self-delusion - I don't know what is.

Thanks, but I'll stick to Ars Technica and Audioholics.

 

[Alexandre]

You forgot to put quotes around words "impartial" and "unbiased"

Haha, true, I guess my opinion on the topic was clear... to me. I should have put some more quotes or smileys in there.

Actually, the whole audiostream, stereophile, sound&vision group publications were part of my "early" audio reading. I put quotes on that one because I only recently got back into reading about audio. Anyhow, I enjoyed the reading for a while but they seem to be so allergic to measures, testing that they really got on my nerves, all of them except maybe the editor for innerfidelity who seems to be happier with testing and measuring. In any case, I enjoy the opinions expressed on audioholics a lot more!

Cheers!

 

[jinjuku]

So ArsTechnica posted the James Randi test of the Vodka Ethernet cable.

There are some major issues with their testing setup.

First off using laptop headphone out.

Second the Ethernet NIC configuration was of such a variety that once unplugged Windows would sometimes not re-establish a connection.

No audiophile that I can tell in the testing pool.

I'm working with Gene and Ethan Winer of RealTraps and hoping we can do more technically sound testing at AXPONA.