Jump to content

I'm a Believer! (another cable story)


kevinmi

Recommended Posts

I have never given cabling much attention other than making sure they were 99.99% pure copper, maybe with gold plated rca jacks. Well, I ran across an ad for a pair of used interconnects made by a company called Analysis Plus. I knew that this company was located in Flushing,MI, maybe 20 miles from my home, so I thought I'd give them a try out of curiosities sake.

  I installed them on my CD player first, not expecting to hear any difference. I did an A-B comparison between the cables I had been using and the new ones. The difference was not subtle! It was as if I was hearing two different mixes of the same song. I heard harmonies I've never heard before, along with other details that were previously hidden. So next I tried the cables on my turntable. Once again, more detail everywhere.

  I am not here to promote any certain manufacturer, but rather to detail my experiences with this upgrade. I haven't tried other name brand cables, but I am now curious on how much of a difference I would hear. I was so impressed with the results that I ordered two more sets of interconnects, with the plans of replacing all my wiring eventually.

  Has anyone else had this type of revelation?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The other cables are Sonic Wave Impact. Probably came from Parts express or somewhere similar. But that was my whole point-I didn't really think cables mattered that much! I also have a boatload of AR cables and other assorted $20.00 gems.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ah, I remember these people -- I let myself get sucked into buying a pair of their 9n silver cables.

 

"Current bunching", skin effect, and god forbid -- impedance mismatches!

 

They sound different, but not because of their marketing BS. It's a low capacitance interconnect -- and that's audible. Neither good nor bad, just different than what you're used too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, kevinmi said:

But that was my whole point-I didn't really think cables mattered that much!

And that was my point....if you are starting with junk, then anything even modest is probably going to sound better/different.  There comes a point of steeply diminishing return at a level which only you can decide.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not trying to offend, but I'm skeptical to say the least.  ..My recommendation: Put your speakers side-by-side.  Have a friend/family member connect one of the old cables to one channel and a new cable to the other, without telling you which is which.  Then, while playing a MONO recording, have that person switch between the two speakers by using the balance control on the AVR/ Pre-amp.   I bet your ability to hear a difference w/ disappear.  

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, kevinmi said:

I have never given cabling much attention other than making sure they were 99.99% pure copper, maybe with gold plated rca jacks. Well, I ran across an ad for a pair of used interconnects made by a company called Analysis Plus. I knew that this company was located in Flushing,MI, maybe 20 miles from my home, so I thought I'd give them a try out of curiosities sake.

  I installed them on my CD player first, not expecting to hear any difference. I did an A-B comparison between the cables I had been using and the new ones. The difference was not subtle! It was as if I was hearing two different mixes of the same song. I heard harmonies I've never heard before, along with other details that were previously hidden. So next I tried the cables on my turntable. Once again, more detail everywhere.

  I am not here to promote any certain manufacturer, but rather to detail my experiences with this upgrade. I haven't tried other name brand cables, but I am now curious on how much of a difference I would hear. I was so impressed with the results that I ordered two more sets of interconnects, with the plans of replacing all my wiring eventually.

  Has anyone else had this type of revelation?

I'v been using them a very long time.  Sound good to my ears. I think my previous cables were AR Research.   Never A B them, but i thought they did bring something out i wasn't hearing before.  I also use their speaker cable which i didn't notice anything different from the monster cable i was using.   I use the oval 1's in the interconnect.   As long as it sounds better to you, thats all that matters.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Second duplicate post, my fault I think.  I hit "Ctrl-enter" by mistake while trying to make a new paragraph.  I created two dup posts somehow.  When I edit one, the second one changes as well.

 

Here is my answer to the question:

+++

 

3 hours ago, kevinmi said:

I was so impressed with the results that I ordered two more sets of interconnects, with the plans of replacing all my wiring eventually.

  Has anyone else had this type of revelation?

By "interconnects" I presume you mean cables with RCA connects.

 

By "revelation" my answer is "yes," I totally agree better cables can be heard audibly.

 

 @Deang made a comment further upstream ^^^ that the difference we are hearing might be because of impedance differences.  I had never thought of that, he might be right but I don't know anyway to check that.  All I know is I guarantee you I could hear a difference between two sets of RCA cables I used to own.

 

I had a top end Nakamichi cassette tape deck BITD which came with a 1-meter Nakamichi cable, RCA on both ends.  I lost it for a while and used a cheap Walmart RCA branded cable instead, both cables had Red/White RCA ends and looked about the same thickness and quality, except the Nak had the brand name on the cable.  The sound was dull everywhere, not clear.  After I found the Nak cable and replaced the RCA cable the clarity returned.

 

I don't know if $200 boutique cables make things better, but I am sure of two things.  First,  the average person CAN hear a difference in cables, and second, a cheap cable can make your system sound bad.

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Surly, as with any electrical circuitthe effects of change in the circuit Will affect it. Is this a positive or perceive improvement. It's been said it's just different. This difference is obviously what op experienced. As an affordable improvement to his listening experience is a good thing. Did the change add something to his room.these are also conditions that needs to be consider. Please don't get me wrong the same way capacitors alter the sound, cables can and do make a difference. As do better amplification, and many compliant within the environment we listen in. 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, ODS123 said:

  ..My recommendation: Put your speakers side-by-side.  ... bet your ability to hear a difference w/ disappear.  

 

Great idea! I just thought of a variation which might be as useful.

If the amp has two channels, connect one speaker to Channel A and the other to Channel B, same side, left vs. right. Do the mono thing, and merely turn on B and turn off A to compare.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, wvu80 said:

Deans made a comment further upstream ^^^ that the difference we are hearing might be because of impedance differences.

 

No, I was quoting from one of their white  papers, where they say round and flat cables are inferior because they cause “current bunching” and “impedance mismatches”. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

4 minutes ago, Deang said:

 

No, I was quoting from one of their white  papers, where they say round and flat cables are inferior because they cause “current bunching” and “impedance mismatches”. 

Thank you for the clarification.  I went back and re-read your post.  I skimmed it too fast and didn't fully understand what you were saying.

+++

 

I know disagreements about cables are common with most of us audio people.  All I have is my anecdotal story from my memory of 20 years ago, certainly not good enough evidence to convict anyone in court.  B)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, Deang said:

Ah, I remember these people -- I let myself get sucked into buying a pair of their 9n silver cables.

 

"Current bunching", skin effect, and god forbid -- impedance mismatches!

 

They sound different, but not because of their marketing BS. It's a low capacitance interconnect -- and that's audible. Neither good nor bad, just different than what you're used too.

Exactly right.  System's matching and your ears are the keys.  Cables as with anything else, are going to be your preference as long as they don't send your amp into oscillation.  I'm not sure a good or bad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...