View Single Post
Old 12th Oct 2017, 10:48 pm   #105
Radio Wrangler
Moderator
 
Radio Wrangler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,800
Default Re: Audiophoolery. 'Cable Break In' - I never knew that!

I someone comes up to me and says "I like the xxxxx phono cables and use them everywhere because they are well made, won't fall apart, have a nice finish, won't corrode, and are made from materials I feel are special", well I'll probably agree with them. Said cables could possibly start their car (or tow it) and be somewhat overkill, but that's not a problem in itself. I'd get worried if he was living off only baked beans in order to pay for them.

If someone comes up to me and says "I use xxxxxx phono cables because I can hear a difference. It's small, but it's there." Then I'll wonder if there is a real difference. Maybe it's illusory and he hasn't tested in a way which neutralises wishful thinking. Maybe it's real and I've missed something interesting. I don't worry whether or not he's been exploited, he's happy, just so long as he isn't having to live off only baked beans in order to pay for them.

If someone comes up to me and says "I use xxxxxx phono cables because I can hear a difference. It's awesome, I've listened to all my records and heard lots of things I never knew were there." This exceeds what I'm prepared to believe without very careful checking. The only way for this to be real is if whatever he compared them to were surprisingly bad. I strongly suspect he's been led up a garden path. My feelings are like those I felt on learning that a 98 year old neighbour gave her bank details to a nice cold-caller.

If someone comes up to me and says "I use xxxxxx phono cables....etc, etc because they use single-strand silver and that not only prevents sonic smearing caused by strands touching, it also avoids factorisation distortion - after all, 'There is no number more prime than one' " Then the gloves come off. This guy is infected with serious pseudoscience and total bull. He's not a victim, he's a carrier!

David
__________________
Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done
Radio Wrangler is online now   Reply With Quote