Audioquest Cables

[Irvrobinson]

You know, without the information I have now, I could see me getting sucked into it. Actually, I did get sucked into it about 15 years ago. I spent a couple hundred dollars on 6 Monster rca cables. One of them was 20' long, but still... expensive mistake. I bought some nice rca's from Blue Jeans cable and hdmi from monoprice. No difference that I can tell.

Don't feel bad. I used to work with two graduate electrical engineers (one with an MSEE from CMU, no less) who both spent a lot on premium cables, and believed that audio cables sounded audibly different.

 

[rojo]

Don't feel bad. I used to work with two graduate electrical engineers (one with an MSEE from CMU, no less) who both spent a lot on premium cables, and believed that audio cables sounded audibly different.

This is the result of the government reducing subsidies to universities. Universities then have to raise tuition to make ends meet. In order for enrollment not to drop and the universities not to lose their income, requirements for admission are lowered and grades are inflated. A college degree is no longer a measure of intelligence, but of tolerance for BS and a willingness to enter indentured servitude to pay back mountainous student loans. And once those loans are paid off, these graduates buy luxury audio cables. See, this is what's wrong with our society.

 

[Irvrobinson]

This is the result of the government reducing subsidies to universities. Universities then have to raise tuition to make ends meet. In order for enrollment not to drop and the universities not to lose their income, requirements for admission are lowered and grades are inflated. A college degree is no longer a measure of intelligence, but of tolerance for BS and a willingness to enter indentured servitude to pay back mountainous student loans. And once those loans are paid off, these graduates buy luxury audio cables. See, this is what's wrong with our society.

Uh... no. Both of these guys are old men like me. They went to college in the seventies.

As someone who at one time had five dependent family members in universities at once, I have a lot of opinions about them, but none of these graduates are buying expensive audio cables.

 

[Mikado463]

Uh... no. Both of these guys are old men like me. They went to college in the seventies.

As someone who at one time had five dependent family members in universities at once, I have a lot of opinions about them, but none of these graduates are buying expensive audio cables.

OK, my college years were spent in the early seventies and I'm still driving a Chevy...........maybe someday I'll buy some overprice wire .........not !

 

[Irvrobinson]

OK, my college years were spent in the early seventies and I'm still driving a Chevy...........maybe someday I'll buy some overprice wire .........not !

A Corvette Z06 with the Z07 performance package?

 

[Mikado463]

A Corvette Z06 with the Z07 performance package?

you're close .......go back fifty years........stinger hood, 427 and a M21 muncie !

 

[Irvrobinson]

you're close .......go back fifty years........stinger hood, 427 and a M21 muncie !

A mid-year? A '67?

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

you're close .......go back fifty years........stinger hood, 427 and a M21 muncie !

Seen it in the "detail cars" thread. She's a beauty.

 

[NINaudio]

There's a car detail thread!? Why can't I find it?!

Edit: Found it.

Nice ride Mikado!

 

[Strum und Drang]

The funny thing about that sort of attitude in a Polk forum is that I wouldn't have guessed that Polk speakers are geared toward that sort of crowd at all. They are mostly what I call 'mid-fi' speakers, basically just competently-built and affordably-priced speakers that are targeting the bestbuy demographic. Their cheap speakers are meh, they middle range speakers are OK, and their high-end stuff is pretty good, but their most expensive speaker is still only $2k, which is not really the kind of speaker these crazy cables are intended for. You would see these components on a $60K Wilson Audio system, not Polk.

So my question is, if that is the attitude of the crowd who frequents the Polk forums, what is going on with them? Do they not realize where they are posting in? There are message boards that deal in exotic, dodgy equipment of that type, so why are they hanging around Polk?

I was a bit surprised at the disdain for mid-fi speakers by many of Polk's long-term forum members. They also dislike Emotiva. Emotiva, Yamaha and Polk are bang for the buck value brands. This rubs the wrong way with some that are seeking ultimate sound. Some at the Polk Forum would seem to be better suited for the Audiogon forum. With Polk speakers, they may like the higher end LSI speakers and the new Signature line is popular. The TSi, TSx, and RTI speakers from the last 15 years are hit or miss and many dislike them.

Many of the audiophiles at the Polk forum do not own Polk speakers. They have speakers such as Ushers, and expensive amps, pre-amps, DACS, etc. Besides the audiophiles, the Polk Forum has a large segment into fixing up, restoring, buying and selling Polk speakers from the 80s and 90s.

I am happy with my Polk RTI speakers, for both music and movies. But I'm in the value market segment and am not after ultimate sound. I actually wanted some 8", two way Klipsch towers but they were too big for my living room. I would have gone deaf. I did internet research on several brands of speakers and then pulled the trigger on Polk RTI speakers and hoped for the best. I watched the new Terminator movie yesterday, Genisys, and was again very pleased with my choice. The RTI A5s rock! They are very easy to drive, are detailed and balanced, have great dynamics and dialogue is crystal clear. They also sound great late at night with the volume turned down.

 

[Mikado463]

There's a car detail thread!? Why can't I find it?!

Edit: Found it.

Nice ride Mikado!

Thank You !

and yes Irv, it's a C2 '67

 

[sterling shoote]

My most recent experience with cables came with a Roxio kit I bought to convert LP's to CD. This kit contained an ADC and RCA cable, as well as editing software. I hooked everything up according to instructions and thereafter noticed my recordings were not as black quite as I expected. I replaced the kit RCA cable with some extra commodity cable I had at hand. The noise vanished. This made me think that some cable is shielded better than others, so, I am on record that cable is somewhat important for a better music listening experience. How much money for better, I don't know. I suppose some instrument which measures noise would reveal the effect of any particular cable used to connect components or components to speakers. BTW, I also noticed better sound when I replaced the Roxio ADC with a Creative Sound Blaster X-FI HD external sound card.

 

[rojo]

My most recent experience with cables came with a Roxio kit I bought to convert LP's to CD. This kit contained an ADC and RCA cable, as well as editing software. I hooked everything up according to instructions and thereafter noticed my recordings were not as black quite as I expected. I replaced the kit RCA cable with some extra commodity cable I had at hand. The noise vanished. This made me think that some cable is shielded better than others, so, I am on record that cable is somewhat important for a better music listening experience. How much money for better, I don't know. I suppose some instrument which measures noise would reveal the effect of any particular cable used to connect components or components to speakers. BTW, I also noticed better sound when I replaced the Roxio ADC with a Creative Sound Blaster X-FI HD external sound card.

Well yeah, the disposable 24AWG or thinner cables that come bundled with cheap Chinese electronics can definitely be improved upon. But there comes a point very early where good enough will get no better for interconnects and speaker wire. That point lies in the Monoprice / BJC range. Anyone who spends over $100 for a single cable is doing it wrong (with the edge case exception of in-wall wiring I guess).

 

[sterling shoote]

Well yeah, the disposable 24AWG or thinner cables that come bundled with cheap Chinese electronics can definitely be improved upon. But there comes a point very early where good enough will get no better for interconnects and speaker wire. That point lies in the Monoprice / BJC range. Anyone who spends over $100 for a single cable is doing it wrong (with the edge case exception of in-wall wiring I guess).

My point is component interconnects and speaker cable it appears can introduce noise. That being fact, all interconnects cannot be said to sound the same. I use, for the most part, the interconnects which were included with the electronics I have purchased without issue, that's to say, I would need to turn up the volume of my system to an unrealistic level to hear any noise.

 

[rojo]

My point is component interconnects and speaker cable it appears can introduce noise. That being fact, all interconnects cannot be said to sound the same. I use, for the most part, the interconnects which were included with the electronics I have purchased without issue, that's to say, I would need to turn up the volume of my system to an unrealistic level to hear any noise.

Your point is understood, but I must make it clear that garbage cables do not support the argument for exotic cables. There is simply no benefit to luxury cables over cheaper cables of adequate build for the load they're expected to carry over distance. Marketing technobabble about dielectrics, skin effect, etc, and fluffy words about open sound, wider soundstage, etc with regards to cables are absolute BS.

 

[Bucknekked]

I have to make a comment, even though it may seem to be miles off course, that the "health" field is almost as filled with snake oil as specialty cables. There is excellent, well researched, referenced and peer reviewed information regarding health conditions. But, right along side all that good stuff, is the snake oil masquerading as "knowing better".

Here is a brief couple of sentences I read in a health article this morning about "parasites". The fix is for the quack-of-the-month club to sell his magic sauce or method to kill the parasites, but the description tells me that Audio isn't the only field filled with snake oil.

QUESTION: How are parasites connected to heavy metals, radiation, and other toxicity?
ANSWER: If you have a health system with a low vibrational field ......, you’re more susceptible to parasites.
Parasites like the environment of heavy metals, chemicals, and radiation. Heavy metals and chemicals have a low vibrational frequency that causes our cells to slow down and lose their vitality.
QUESTION: How do you treat parasites:
ANSWER: My treatment is based on knowledge of the Essenes, a community that lived outside of Jerusalem during biblical times.

I think if you suffer from a body with a low vibrational field, upgrading your tweeters seems like a great idea. Or perhaps some slamming subwoofers to energize that core. More music seems in order.

 

[slipperybidness]

I have to make a comment, even though it may seem to be miles off course, that the "health" field is almost as filled with snake oil as specialty cables. There is excellent, well researched, referenced and peer reviewed information regarding health conditions. But, right along side all that good stuff, is the snake oil masquerading as "knowing better".

Here is a brief couple of sentences I read in a health article this morning about "parasites". The fix is for the quack-of-the-month club to sell his magic sauce or method to kill the parasites, but the description tells me that Audio isn't the only field filled with snake oil.

QUESTION: How are parasites connected to heavy metals, radiation, and other toxicity?
ANSWER: If you have a health system with a low vibrational field ......, you’re more susceptible to parasites.
Parasites like the environment of heavy metals, chemicals, and radiation. Heavy metals and chemicals have a low vibrational frequency that causes our cells to slow down and lose their vitality.
QUESTION: How do you treat parasites:
ANSWER: My treatment is based on knowledge of the Essenes, a community that lived outside of Jerusalem during biblical times.

I think if you suffer from a body with a low vibrational field, upgrading your tweeters seems like a great idea. Or perhaps some slamming subwoofers to energize that core. More music seems in order.

Heavy metals implies elemental metals. Elements do not have a vibrational frequency! Only molecules would have a vibrationaly frequency. Elements could have a rotational frequency.

Hahaha, just some low-hanging fruit for anyone that has a lick of education.

If someone were to tell me this rubbish to my face, they would quickly be introduced to the backside of my hand.............

 

[mtrycrafts]

...
If someone were to tell me this rubbish to my face, they would quickly be introduced to the backside of my hand.............

Would that be more educational than your explanation? LOL
Medicine and audio are not alone. I am so glad.

 

[steve64]

After fifty years in this "hobby", one of the only questions I have is; " Why would anybody in their right mind attempt to alter the tone of a system by using cables?"
The answer is, anybody in this " hobby ", isn't in their RIGHT MIND!!!

 

[Bucknekked]

After fifty years in this "hobby", one of the only questions I have is; " Why would anybody in their right mind attempt to alter the tone of a system by using cables?"
The answer is, anybody in this " hobby ", isn't in their RIGHT MIND!!!

steve64
First time I think I have seen your name in a post: greetings from the Arizona desert. Hope you enjoy the forum.

From a serious and technical side, you are correct: nobody should ever use something like a cable to alter the tone or character of a sound system. 1,000's of words written on the AH supporting that idea.

Just for shits n giggles, I will offer why I think the audiophools that do it may give it a whirl. Its got nothing to do with audio or technology. I think it has everything to do with a show of wealth or a certain ostentatious need to display extravagance in their audio system. If a person needs to impress a friend with how serious an audiophool they are, having some showy and expensive cables in the mix is an easy way to highlight just how "serious" an audiophool you are.

Everyone has amplifiers that look beefy and speakers that may/may not look expensive. Turntables make a point with the neophytes, but what could be more esoteric than a set of cables that cost as much as your visitors car? How do you really show someone that doesn't know much about audio that you really are a top tier audiophool? I think ostentatious cables fit the bill.

Notice I didn't say that you can impress someone who has a genuine knowledge and grasp of the hobby with cables. That won't fly. That's where an audiophool has to switch gears and start a conversation on how much better vinyl is than CD's.............