Steve, Cable Gurus - Analysis Plus Question

[briansmith]

I have a question concerning Analysis Plus cables. They claim that their speaker cables are the only cable to pass a perfect "waveform". They provide "proof" at the bottom of this page: http://www.analysis-plus.com/Pages/report981.htm

I once read an article in Stereophile where a customer at a tradeshow hooked his cables up a waveform generator. The signal was not close to the original signal. Analysis Plus cables were then tested and they passed a perfect waveform.

Will this be audible in the real world? Since most cables can not duplicate a waveform signal how important is this fact?

I realize the end result is most likely not audible but I am curious to what effect this test has in the real world. If a waveform signal duplicates an audio signal it seems like it would be important that a cable pass the signal unchanged.

Thanks in advance for your help!

-Brian

 

[gene]

Their literature is a load of crapola.

I suggest reading this excellent article Rod Elliot authored that covers this very topic.

Cable Impedance

No cable will pass a high frequency squarewave properly unless it is terminated with the correct impedance at both ends, and the 'proof' that is offered at the end of the article neglects to show the frequency they used.

Since music cannot produce perfect square waves at any frequency, there
is nothing to be gained by using a 100kHz square wave to test a cable
(or an amplifier or anything else). Regardless, it has no relevance at audio frequencies.

 

[Audioholics]

Here's how this works:

1) Set up a test. Make it something that isn't necessarily passed by your competitors... any test will do, but the more impressive-looking the better.
2) The relevancy of the test to real-world conditions is immaterial (ie. does it matter? No.)
3) Design to pass the test you created so that you have a neat demo for your product and can market that your product does something no one else's does.

This happens all the time in the industry. The key is finding out which tests matter and which are just silly things that manufacturers build to in order to have impressive marketing.

"All Channels Driven" is a great example. We're so against it because an amplifier can pass the test with flying colors and perform horrendously in the real world on a variety of levels. Add to this varied and unrealistic testing conditions (using a variac, testing the amplifier well into distortion, etc) and you start to get the point.

 

[gene]

What is even funnier is any cable can pass this test if you terminate it to its characteristic impedance