The Great Cable and Interconnect Swindle: An Etiology

[prufrock]

I have read this thread and am really left scratching my head.

 

The solution is simple - very simple. When buying cables, or indeed any piece of audio equipment, do a simple blind test to see if you can hear the difference. I took my USB DAC over to an acquaintances place along with a generic USB cable and an up market one I use. The difference was easy to spot - the up-market one sounded smoother and more analogue like. Another acquaintance thought it was all hoopla and did a blind test and passed it easily - the difference was real and it exists. The maker of the up market cable used in both cases claims he develops them by double blind listening tests. I personally believe him, and hear the difference easily, but if you don't it is an easy and fun thing to check - simply do a blind test and post about it.

 

If you think a high end Hi Fi store is selling snake oil simply go down there and see if the staff selling the stuff can pass a blind test. If not expose them.

 

Thanks

Bill

 

Bill

The trouble with just blind (rather than double blind) is that it is so open to things going wrong. Factors that you wouldn't even suspect can come into play. Small seemingly insignificant cues than throw the whole thing. You need very well thought out experimental design to eliminate these. Double blind protocol is an absolute must. Science, especially biology, is littered with the ruins of those who failed to realise this.

You say the manufacturer of the upmarket USB did double blind testing. Does he publish detailed description of his protocol and results?

It is beyond the resources of most individuals to do the above type of testing. It should be a requirement that anyone selling this stuff submit it to an independent agency to test, and those tests be made public. This should be done before it is released for sale. This is not happening atm, and is basically the cause of this whole fiasco.

[prufrock]

as I am tired of the whole beer fiasco and I cannot tell which beer tastes better to me...

 

I have noticed bit of a thing with beer lately. Its sort of become ultra gentrified. Bit like that dirty inner city block you could have got cheap and is now worth a heap. Not quite up there with wine yet of course.

[prufrock]

Speaking of wine, this article covers the usual Frederic Brochet experiments at the University of Bordeaux 2001. However is also includes other interesting stuff as well.

People will believe almost anything, no matter how ridiculous. Audiophiles are a pretty bright bunch but venerable nonetheless.

[prufrock]

Sorry, the link.

 

Health - David McRaney - 'You Are Not So Smart': Why We Can't Tell Good Wine From Bad - The Atlantic

[prufrock]

 

There was a time I did a lot of blind wine tasting. The same issues could be leveled at the person pouring the wine who usually knows full well what it is. Yet anyone that has attended such knows from the often shocked faces of those doing it no such bias existed. Yet in audio a certain subculture harps on it all the time - it makes you wonder - it really does.

 

 

Thanks

Bill

 

I didn't understand what you were saying here, sorry. If you feel inclined to elaborate I would appreciate it.