Cables and Snake Oil

[neocon]

My dad says he's got a new power lead for his CD player and that it sounds richer when using it.

It's kind of upsetting me because I'm pretty sure this is impossible. He spends large sums of money on all this stuff.

There's no way he can hear the difference is there?

 

[EastCoastHandle]

Are you referencing basic power cables?

 

[JasonM]

My dad says he's got a new power lead for his CD player and that it sounds richer when using it.

It's kind of upsetting me because I'm pretty sure this is impossible. He spends large sums of money on all this stuff.

It's probably true, power cables can make a difference especially at the very high end.

 

[Rroff]

I'd say unlikely rather than impossible - unless you are starting with a very poor quality cable to begin with it isn't likely any difference would be noticeable.

 

[JasonM]

This is a video on this subject, and I believe what they are saying.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QuToO9JUfw

 

[neocon]

This is a video on this subject, and I believe what they are saying.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QuToO9JUfw

He's actually got a PS Audio CD player, which given the cost, you'd think it would come with a good power cable? Well my dad didn't think so and bought a Russ Andrews powerkord. It's his money I guess..

 

[JasonM]

He's actually got a PS Audio CD player, which given the cost, you'd think it would come with a good power cable?

PS Audio actually explained this in a separate video.

They don't include a better cable as it would drive the price up of the CD player.

 

[Guest2]

Get him to do a simple blind test of the expensive one and a standard one x3.
If he guessed correct 3 times then he probably right.
I don’t believe it makes much difference personally, unless the old cable is all mangled up with the shielding missing.

 

[Armageus]

Well my dad didn't think so and bought a Russ Andrews powerkord. It's his money I guess..

just lol

 

[R3X]

Swap the cable when your pops is making a cuppa with a £1 pound shop one and announce the change over 1 week afterwards over WhatsApp

 

[The_Arbiter]

People talk about "burn in" on solid components in the audio world too, it's quite odd.

I'm not an electrician, but surely you're limited to the "quality" of incoming mains to your house anyway. Just like broadband and even water.

 

[neocon]

Swap the cable when your pops is making a cuppa with a £1 pound shop one and announce the change over 1 week afterwards over WhatsApp

You know, it's not a bad idea. I think it will upset him though, which I don't want to do.

 

[neocon]

People talk about "burn in" on solid components in the audio world too, it's quite odd.

I'm not an electrician, but surely you're limited to the "quality" of incoming mains to your house anyway. Just like broadband and even water.

He goes on about this too. He was burning in the new amplifier recently.

 

[EsaT]

Swap the cable when your pops is making a cuppa with a £1 pound shop one and announce the change over 1 week afterwards over WhatsApp

Definitely this.

I think it will upset him though, which I don't want to do.

Audiofoolery deserves to be exposed.

 

[Rroff]

People talk about "burn in" on solid components in the audio world too, it's quite odd.

I'm not an electrician, but surely you're limited to the "quality" of incoming mains to your house anyway. Just like broadband and even water.

Some electronics components do seem to have some kind of burn in period though it isn't automatically a thing and whether it is an improvement or not another matter - I have a box of OPA1612 op amps and I can tell right away which ones I've used for any length of time before versus new ones without even checking.

 

[CuriousTomCat]

Surely he has standard cheap electrical wiring to all his household power sockets though. The quality of the power can only be as good as whatever cable the electrician used in his property.

How far can you go for high end audio then? A dedicated power socket with a high end power cable to the fusebox? A high end fuse in the fuse box? Then there's the cable connecting the house to the grid. Non of it is high end. I dont understand.

 

[Minstadave]

Surely he has standard cheap electrical wiring to all his household power sockets though. The quality of the power can only be as good as whatever cable the electician used in his property.

This! It's utter twaddle to think that last metre of power cable makes the blindest bit of difference.

Just seen the price of some of that Russ Andrews gear, ouch!

 

[Marsman]

Definitely this.

Audiofoolery deserves to be exposed.

You can expose it, but that won't make it go away. It's like a religion to some people.

If the man in the sky with the white beard could be proven not to exist, that would not stop people continuing their religion, just as you'd still get audiophiles continuing to believe in the improvement ever more expensive cables bring to their audio system, if someone could prove it's just placebo.

Heck, look at the flat earth brigade. Plenty of evidence of a spherical earth, but they aren't having any of it

Prove all you like, but none of that matters to those who believe.

 

[The_Arbiter]

Some electronics components do seem to have some kind of burn in period though it isn't automatically a thing and whether it is an improvement or not another matter - I have a box of OPA1612 op amps and I can tell right away which ones I've used for any length of time before versus new ones without even checking.

Dunno what that is you've got, but i imagine tube amps likely change a bit through heat and wear. Never had a tube amp sadly, but do like the ones i've heard.

 

[seanyc5]

I think like most that expensive cables are a joke. As long as you aren't using the cheapest possible stuff.

With regards to burn in on new amps/speakers etc. That is more you getting used to the change in the sound, not the unit changing in my opinion.