Cable Pathways Between Audio Components Can Affect Perceived Sound Quality

[The Computer Audiophile]

Anyone read this paper about cables making a difference?

 

https://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=21109

 

"This work shows that two system configurations differing only by the interconnect pathway are audibly discernable, even by average listeners with no special experience in music or audio. To the author’s knowledge, this may represent the smallest change in an audio system proven to be discernable through IRB approved blind listening tests."

[The Computer Audiophile]

3 minutes ago, idiot_savant said:

A quick skim through the paper would imply ( and I’m no analog guy ) that in one of the cables, the screen was not correctly connected, turning the cable into a radio antenna - the fact that a *passive* component is enormously more noisy than another one is telling here, and it hardly feeds into the “no-measurable differences” narrative. 
 

 

 

your friendly neighbourhood idiot 

 

I see you used the word IMPLY. Any way to prove one way or the other by looking at the cables he used? He lists them.

[The Computer Audiophile]

51 minutes ago, Archimago said:

Yup.

 

DAC = Berkeley Alpha DAC Series 2.

 

A lot of work to do what amounts to basically a test of balanced XLR vs. single-ended RCA output from the DAC.  I'm not even sure how much of this has to do with the cables themselves which are also of different lengths! Notice the balanced cable is only 0.5m long while they hampered the RCA performance with a much longer 2m cable! 

 

Is this seriously new knowledge, or a slow day at the lab? 

 

The part about the "phonemic-restoration" in musicians is interesting though.

I wish the author would jump in here to explain his rationale. 
 

I’m no scientist but I would’ve probably done a more apples to apples type thing. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Just now, Archimago said:

 

Yup, I'm sure you have Chris.

 

I'm also wondering why Figure 5 has frequency in MHz. I think it would simply be interesting to see 20Hz-20kHz audio frequency of what kind of grunge and hum the RCA is picking up in their test setup being sent to the amp.

 

Weird that AES would publish this unless we're missing something profound here... Would have been more interesting and of significance if he found differences in digital cables going to the DAC in a blind test 😄.

I still have an open mind about it but more questions the more I read. 
 

I found it very interesting he used Spectral amplification. Spectral “requires” using MIT cables and has ultra wide bandwidth. Great stuff, but perhaps not idea for such a test?

 

Would you say he really tested for a difference between a single ended route and balanced route, rather than a difference in cables per say?

[The Computer Audiophile]

12 minutes ago, fas42 said:

... And all the excuses start spilling out ... when there's an agenda, never let a single thing past, just in case it could do some damage to one's magnificent edifice of thinking, 😉.

I’m looking for more info to support or disprove what I thought the paper was designed to prove. 
 

Can you help?

[The Computer Audiophile]

I just invited Professor Kunchur to chime in here if he has time. I hope he can. It would be really nice. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

@fas42 You can no longer post in this specific thread. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

5 minutes ago, kumakuma said:

@The Computer Audiophile

 

I thought you booted Frank from this thread on Thursday.

And, he’s gone… from this thread.