Why!? Please Tell Me Why!

[mansr]

5 minutes ago, Allan F said:

That would require a quantum leap in the tone of the discussion.

A quantum leap is the smallest possible leap, right?

[Allan F]

22 minutes ago, mansr said:

A quantum leap is the smallest possible leap, right?

Quite the contrary in common parlance.

[Ralf11]

depends on your energy level

[Speedskater]

From the 1979 "Dictionary of Electronics"

 

audio

Pertaining to frequencies corresponding to a normally audible sound wave.  Those frequencies range roughly from 15 to 20,000 hertz.

 

audio signal

An electrical signal the frequency of which is within the audio range.

[Ralf11]

no optical in '79 eh?

[Guest]

On 4/16/2018 at 4:23 PM, Nordkapp said:

So this image was posted earlier in another thread. I believe it was from AXPONA 2018. Regardless, can someone please comment on what in the hell the purpose of these "cables" could possibly be. I'm no E.E, but I have plenty of ideas of what one could use them for, other than electrical signals. These damned things just make me sad for our entire hobby.

 

Those cables must sound fantastic!!!

 

 

[Nordkapp]

38 minutes ago, Dynobot said:

Those cables must sound fantastic!!!

 

 

I am going to assume sarcasm here.

[Guest]

38 minutes ago, Nordkapp said:

I am going to assume sarcasm here.

 A Little bit.

[Ralf11]

1 hour ago, Nordkapp said:

I am going to assume sarcasm here.

 

 

fantastic also means bizarre 

[Nordkapp]

12 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

 

 

fantastic also means bizarre 

My wife thinks I'm fantastic. How appropriate. 

[fas42]

Some people have implied that I live in la-la land when describing how convincing sound comes across, , and that I claim that I'm "unique". And I respond that other people do grok the experience, but have used other paths to get there - just came across a review that nicely encapsulates some of the subjective aspects ... note that this is all about the DAC, and how this "they all sound the same!" component needs to be in top form, to get the results, http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?23452-Aries-Cerat-Kassandra-II-Ref-DAC-Wow!/page16.

[Nordkapp]

23 minutes ago, fas42 said:

Some people have implied that I live in la-la land when describing how convincing sound comes across, , and that I claim that I'm "unique". And I respond that other people do grok the experience, but have used other paths to get there - just came across a review that nicely encapsulates some of the subjective aspects ... note that this is all about the DAC, and how this "they all sound the same!" component needs to be in top form, to get the results, http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?23452-Aries-Cerat-Kassandra-II-Ref-DAC-Wow!/page16.

Ha! This guy put this up on Head fi a couple days ago. Makes some lofty claims.......

[fas42]

When replay snaps into shape, it most certainly is very impressive. I can relate easily to his description of the experience - going back to a 'conventional' presentation is a major loss of just about everything ... but, it then gives one an enormous incentive to "get it right" - chalk and cheese is a phrase that comes to mind ... .

[Ralf11]

1 hour ago, fas42 said:

When replay snaps into shape...

 

I used to have an old Garrard record player that did that

[christopher3393]

Here's the definitive response to the OP from Steve Guttenberg posted today   :

 

 

[Nordkapp]

13 minutes ago, christopher3393 said:

Here's the definitive response to the OP from Steve Guttenberg posted today   :

 

 

This is actually a reasonable approach, though I still would not shell out big bucks for cables. However, a quick aside-Steve, if you are reading this-I seriously believe your long hair is interfering with your hearing. Those ears are totally obscured. ?

[christopher3393]

9 minutes ago, Nordkapp said:

This is actually a reasonable approach, though I still would not shell out big bucks for cables. However, a quick aside-Steve, if you are reading this-I seriously believe your long hair is interfering with your hearing. Those ears are totally obscured. ?

 

That's interesting. I found that simply passing cable choice off as entirely based on "belief systems" was rather inadequate.

As to the more general question about snake-oil products in this hobby, I find Paul McGowan's response to be better, but still falls short:

 

 

[Speedskater]

20 hours ago, Ralf11 said:

no optical in '79 eh?

While there were a few optically coupled mic pre-amps back in about 1979,  most optical links are digital and not in the15 to 20,000 Hz range so it doesn't meet the definition.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

And now there are a very few hi-fi optically coupled pre-amps. (they have over-come dome of the 1979 challenges.

[Albrecht]

On 4/26/2018 at 11:23 PM, marce said:

What like getting signals down wires and traces....

no, - like judging the efficacy of something that you know nothing about.....

[Albrecht]

2 hours ago, Nordkapp said:

This is actually a reasonable approach, though I still would not shell out big bucks for cables. However, a quick aside-Steve, if you are reading this-I seriously believe your long hair is interfering with your hearing. Those ears are totally obscured. ?

Hi,

FWIW, - i appreciate that. Something that I've tried to express all along. Namely, - people, (vast majority), buy cables that are at an appropriate efficacy and price for their amps/Speakers: systems.

[mansr]

7 minutes ago, Speedskater said:

most optical links are digital and not in the15 to 20,000 Hz range so it doesn't meet the definition

Are you seriously trying to say that a Toslink cable doesn't carry audio signals?

[Summit]

39 minutes ago, mansr said:

Are you seriously trying to say that a Toslink cable doesn't carry audio signals?

 

A Toslink cable can carry audio signals, but a sound wave is not an audio signal nor are the grooves on an LP or smoke signals.

 

Signal = A detectable physical quantity or impulse (such as a voltage, current, or magnetic field strength) by which messages or information can be transmitted over long distance.

[pkane2001]

1 hour ago, Albrecht said:

no, - like judging the efficacy of something that you know nothing about.....

 

Yes, it's silly to judge the efficacy of engineering designs while having no knowledge or basic understanding of the subject matter.

 

[Albrecht]

1 minute ago, pkane2001 said:

 

Yes, it's silly to judge the efficacy of engineering designs while having no knowledge or basic understanding of the subject matter.

 

Yes, - it's silly to judge engineer designs over the sound of the audio system: after all there's a REASON why we buy audio systems, - to listen to music. Unless: trolls on CA.

[pkane2001]

6 minutes ago, Albrecht said:

Yes, - it's silly to judge engineer designs over the sound of the audio system: after all there's a REASON why we buy audio systems, - to listen to music. Unless: trolls on CA.

 

Yes, those audio systems grow on trees, and audiophiles simply discover the best by trying different ones... Oh, wait! They are designed and engineered by professionals. Maybe we should give them a little credit for knowing what they are doing? Just a bit?