The audiophile’s dilemma: strangers can’t identify $340 cables

  • Thread starter Thread starter mauidan
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In your link, the author states, "What do you call an ABX test that skips that last bit in bold and let's a subject say "I dunno" when presented with X? Useless."

Not really. If the person says, "I dunno" that means they can't tell the difference and if your force an answer, that means they have to guess.
 
I'll throw the bomb. I'm good at that. Thrash me as you will but I will say this:

Fancy "audiophile grade" Ethernet cables is a C R O C K ! ! ! ! !

Unless you are crossing two exotic RJ45 connected HiFi devices directly that are not Ethernet protocol based but rather use a vendor specific proprietary protocol, there is absolutely no benefit in using exotic Ethernet patch leads from your SOURCE.
Directional Ethernet? :roflmao: Anybody that works in ICT will know that this is a consumer directed con. Ask anyone at Google whether they would use an Ethernet patch lead with an arrow on it in their data centre!

What I would recommend, is a quality data centre rated cable like a CATEGORY 6A shielded twisted pair patch lead for your HiFi device, eg Molex. The benefit of SHIELDED is mainly to isolate your equipment from polluting EM noise and injection, because for bloody sake, Ethernet is error correcting. Worst case scenario when using a lower rated unshielded patch lead eg. CAT5e is that you could get increased crosstalk causing the rating to drop, a packet error and re-submission. Generally speaking, you already likely have a pretty dodgy network for that to happen!!!

I am astounded that people are buying these cables to patch into a noisy switch to get to their NAS which is probably a cheap-arse noisy, consumer grade device. Yes, the likelihood of packet collisions and re-sends does increase if you do not use a switch. Indeed, there is no benefit in having your NAS even in the same room as your media device. NAS devices are typically noisy and use dirty switch-mode power supplies, so best to put them in your network cupboard away from your sensitive HiFi gear.

So in short, when it comes to ETHERNET, if the cable meets the CATEGORY RATING, THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS. If you do hear a difference, it is not the data transmission outcome but rather an EM effect of the cable and its positioning on your tethered and/or next to your surrounding (sensitive) equipment. So just use a $20 CAT6A STP patch lead which is rated to 10GB by its specification. In any event, your official Category rating will be determined by the rest of your upstream Local Area Network infrastructure. So if your RJ45 wall jack, the cable in your wall, your patch panel or even the quality of your termination twists at each point do not meet the CAT6A specification, your Category level will be lower.

Spend your money elsewhere eg. more RAID storage and secondary backup to protect your digital media investment.
 
I think these two responses from Bromo pretty much said it all:

Not only did they not run an actual ABX test, the number of subjects (6) wouldn't give statistically significant results.

But these guys know all of that - they know how to run a proper ABX test. They also know how much data they need for something that's statistically significant. (And I am sure from their comments if they thought they needed help they'd have an army of people there to help them).

But ... I suspect they came to similar conclusions to the author of this blog post, and ended up "throwing the test" -- funny how they put in a crummy soundcard instead of the better one in the Macbook pro (though, frankly both of those wouldn't be as revealing as an actual dedicated device), and they played on the subjects sense of insecurity by allowing a "I don't know" result (or allowed a hand selected few a way out).

These guys are publicity hounds, with all the hype if they came to conclusions that their readership wouldn't agree with. Well I have seen how they treat interlopers who don't tow the line with them. Imagine an evidence based apostasy would do the Ars and the Randi crew?

They don't have the luxury of validating anything, without losing their core group. They will not and cannot be objective, and clearly can throw a test.


Read more at Ars Technica And The Million Dollar Cock-up | AudioStream

_________________________________________

The measurement was incomplete.

They confirmed that the cable conformed to the Cat-6a standard (yay! And nobody should be in doubt). And despite their badying about the term "marginal" they don't really talk about how the "control" cable they used in their abortive not-ABX test got blown out of the water.

The BlueJeans cable (hello! where did this come from?) was brought in and didn't perform as well as the AQ Vodka, actually if you look at the data. BlueJeans was honest, but Ars kind of did a sleight of hand and changed their comparison to the Bluejeans cable, and not the cable used in the test. Abracadabra!

But, and this is important, they didn't test for RF immunity and emissions. That would directly test the Audioquest claims about their shielding, especially the dissipative shielding. I will also mention that the Randi cable and the BlueJeans ones are unshielded. There are basic controlled standards that could be adapted to evaluate the effectiveness of the shielding, and given peopel an idea of the impact of routing the cable near sensitive electronics. But ... they didn't bother. (Not for nothing it would cost about $2-5k to do the test. But if you are saying you want to debunk something, you actually are then under the burden of actually verifying or disproving actual claims).

So, yes, they changed the test, introduced a new cable, and did a little shell game so they wouldn't be forced to admit tha the AQ cable blew the pants off of the "cheapo no-name Ethernet cable" that they were claiming was just fine.

In case you weren't watching or missed the bit of sleight of hand.


Read more at Ars Technica And The Million Dollar Cock-up | AudioStream


That's of course if you even subscribe to ABX testing which is in itself a cock up. (as my ex-mentor from Wales also said.)
 
Here is my take, if people or should I say audiophiles are so sure there is a difference run your own test with 10 or so non or audio types and prove it, BUT! there are those out there in audio land that will speak up and say your test are flawed, your equipment is sub par, or, or or.
 
I don't understand why you would need 'strangers' to confirm the correct sequence of 1's and 0's made it across a meter long stretch of cable.
 
You guys do know I have the Diamond Ethernet cables right?

A good quality Cat7 sounds better IMHO.
 
As many know the I2S connection on the MSB stuff uses ethernet. Vince told be it makes no difference what kind of cable is used. Do you think he has an interest in his stuff sounding good? I have never been a big believer in over engineered digital cables except for shielding in hostile environments. I am a big believer in analog and power though because I can hear the difference and the science makes sense to me.
 
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