Is audioquest misleading and scientificly false?

2»

Comments

  • Cpyder
    Cpyder Posts: 514
    edited November 2010
    myke wrote: »
    I have read a lot of peoples post about audioquest that say in the past and now currently audioquest misleads and factually misrepresents what their wires/cables can do? These are elec eng's whp are writing these things too, any one agree or disagree? what are your thoughts? I actually have their HDMI cables from forrest and they seem fine, probably better than my AR's acutually.

    Read their paper on cable theory:

    http://www.audioquest.com/pdfs/aq_cable_theory.pdf

    Does it seem honest? Does the paper flow in a logical manner? I don't want to read through 27 pages but what I did read about skin effect and resistance seemed to make sense. Although the question is: Do the topics they refer to have audible effects on the sound you hear?

    The key word is "you".

    In my opinion, they stretch the facts a bit, but that doesn't mean they don't make a good cable. Like others have stated, you need to try it out for yourself. Good luck.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,649
    edited November 2010
    I find all cables sound the same in my FIRESUIT speaking of which it's getting hot in here better find the more liquid refreshment ...off to the garage where i have enough beer(octoberfest) for everyone but john k..... John want a Schlutz or PBR they taste the same so i've heard never tried either.:smile:
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bikezappa
    bikezappa Posts: 2,463
    edited November 2010
    Cpyder wrote: »
    Read their paper on cable theory:

    http://www.audioquest.com/pdfs/aq_cable_theory.pdf

    Does it seem honest? Does the paper flow in a logical manner? I don't want to read through 27 pages but what I did read about skin effect and resistance seemed to make sense.

    What is amazing is that you have 27 pages and not one electric equation.

    Good luck also.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • polkfarmboy
    polkfarmboy Posts: 5,703
    edited November 2010
    I think that when we have analog cables like ic's its very important to buy a quality pair and the literature from audioquest is correct and not false

    When it comes to hdmi cables though everthing is total F'n sh...
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,723
    edited November 2010
    bikezappa wrote: »
    what is amazing is that you have 27 pages and not one electric equation.

    2+2 = 4
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bikezappa
    bikezappa Posts: 2,463
    edited November 2010
    F1nut wrote: »
    2+2 = 4

    That is correct but it would not convince me to buy anything except maybe apples or oranges but not both.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited November 2010
    I don't know but working in a telco digital world T3 and above... I feel there's cables which preforms better then others, the bandwidth, the slew rate, the capacitance, the inductance in a given cable. Being in a digital world to us humans it works or it doesn't, but to equipment the less it needs to "Fix" of the signal the better. And it's this I feel there is better HDMI cable out there, then the garden variety kind.

    Speakers
    Carver Amazing Fronts
    CS400i Center
    RT800i's Rears
    Sub Paradigm Servo 15

    Electronics
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 pre-amp
    Parasound Halo A23
    Pioneer 84TXSi AVR
    Pioneer 79Avi DVD
    Sony CX400 CD changer
    Panasonic 42-PX60U Plasma
    WMC Win7 32bit HD DVR


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • vc69
    vc69 Posts: 2,500
    edited November 2010
    IBTL!

    We have all of the usual suspects. Let the games BE:tongue:GIN!
    -Kevin
    HT: Philips 52PFL7432D 52" LCD 1080p / Onkyo TX-SR 606 / Oppo BDP-83 SE / Comcast cable. (all HDMI)B&W 801 - Front, Polk CS350 LS - Center, Polk LS90 - Rear
    2 Channel:
    Oppo BDP-83 SE
    Squeezebox Touch
    Muscial Fidelity M1 DAC
    VTL 2.5
    McIntosh 2205 (refurbed)
    B&W 801's
    Transparent IC's
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,456
    edited November 2010
    vc69 wrote: »
    IBTL!

    We have all of the usual suspects. Let the games BE:tongue:GIN!

    Time out.... John K is still strangely absent from the lineup.:wink::rolleyes:
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • myke
    myke Posts: 138
    edited November 2010
    nguyen,
    well they do claim a lot, maybe not supernatural powers or the force but pretty close and for that price I really don't want to have to buy just to try......thats the whole point of the question.........:confused::confused:


    keiko - Good suggestion!
    Bonus Room:
    Pioneer Elite VSX-32
    RTi A7's / CSi A6
    DSW PRO 600 sub
    Emotiva XPA-5 & Interconnects
    Sony Surrounds (rears) - replacing soon
    Samsung BD-C5500
    Panamax M5300, Xbox360, ...& more coming
    Living Room:
    Samsung 58" PLasma
    Monoprice in-ceiling speakers
    old sony receiver (replacing soon)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited November 2010
    The don't....simple.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Cpyder
    Cpyder Posts: 514
    edited November 2010
    bikezappa wrote: »
    What is amazing is that you have 27 pages and not one electric equation.

    lol. Very true.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • halo71
    halo71 Posts: 4,604
    edited November 2010
    Damn the cable questions. WHO is she??? :cool:

    Keiko wrote: »
    Just getting a piece of PIE!

    84130c6149.jpg

    Carry on.... :wink:
    --Gary--
    Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • thsmith
    thsmith Posts: 6,082
    edited November 2010
    myke wrote: »
    I have read a lot of peoples post about audioquest that say in the past and now currently audioquest misleads and factually misrepresents what their wires/cables can do? These are elec eng's whp are writing these things too, any one agree or disagree? what are your thoughts? I actually have their HDMI cables from forrest and they seem fine, probably better than my AR's acutually.

    Myke, As you tell there has been a lot of debate about cables and hopefully you are here to truely learn and not a troll.

    I had Monoprice 14g cables and went to AQ Type 4s and liked them enough for me to be a believer.

    IMO there are a lot of factors that will determine if cables will help you or not, such as how revealing your system is.

    I now have all MIT Shotgun S3 IC and speaker cables.

    I had to gget a 2m IC since I replaced my amp and had to locate it outside of my rack.

    I let a guy at work borrow the 1M I took out to give it a try.
    He was shocked and wants to buy my cable and replace all his cables.
    He had no expectation and free to try.

    I have no experience with AQ ICs but the T4 speaker cables convinced me.

    So, what you are seeing here is give them a try or see if someone local will let you try theres.

    YMMV
    Speakers: SDA-1C (most all the goodies)
    Preamp: Joule Electra LA-150 MKII SE
    Amp: Wright WPA 50-50 EAT KT88s
    Analog: Marantz TT-15S1 MBS Glider SL| Wright WPP100C Amperex BB 6er5 and 7316 & WPM-100 SUT
    Digital: Mac mini 2.3GHz dual-core i5 8g RAM 1.5 TB HDD Music Server Amarra (memory play) - USB - W4S DAC 2
    Cables: Mits S3 IC and Spk cables| PS Audio PCs
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,723
    edited November 2010
    bikezappa wrote: »
    That is correct but it would not convince me to buy anything except maybe apples or oranges but not both.

    Nor should any electric equation.

    Walked right into that one, didn't you!?!
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ecod123
    ecod123 Posts: 379
    edited November 2010
    So the show is tonight instead of last night! :wink:

    John, time to stop the late night DIY soldering and crank out some popcorn with butter and all.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,456
    edited November 2010
    ecod123 wrote: »
    So the show is tonight instead of last night! :wink:

    John, time to stop the late night DIY soldering and crank out some popcorn with butter and all.

    Lol.... I am having apple pie ala-Keiko tonight! Thanks, but I will need to pass on the popcorn.:biggrin:
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ecod123
    ecod123 Posts: 379
    edited November 2010
    nooshinjohn wrote: »
    Lol.... I am having apple pie ala-Keiko tonight! Thanks, but I will need to pass on the popcorn.:biggrin:

    LOL! How could I forget . . . Keiko, apple pie for me too, with generous amount of whip-cream.:wink:
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • headrott
    headrott Posts: 5,496
    edited November 2010
    bikezappa wrote: »
    That is correct but it would not convince me to buy anything except maybe apples or oranges but not both.

    That may be true, but numbers generated by an electronic equation don't (necessarily) tell me what I am hearing in a set of cables. What you hear should determine what you should buy.

    Greg


    Edit: OOOps, I just noticed Jesse beat me to it.
    Relayer-Big-O-Poster.jpg
    Taken from a recent Audioholics reply regarding "Club Polk" and Polk speakers:
    "I'm yet to hear a Polk speaker that merits more than a sentence and 60 seconds discussion." :\
    My response is: If you need 60 seconds to respond in one sentence, you probably should't be evaluating Polk speakers.....

    "Green leaves reveal the heart spoken Khatru"- Jon Anderson

    "Have A Little Faith! And Everything You'll Face, Will Jump From Out Right On Into Place! Yeah! Take A Little Time! And Everything You'll Find, Will Move From Gloom Right On Into Shine!"- Arthur Lee
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • mdaudioguy
    mdaudioguy Posts: 5,165
    edited November 2010
    headrott wrote: »
    That may be true, but numbers generated by an electronic equation don't (necessarily) tell me what I am hearing in a set of cables. What you hear should determine what you should buy.
    That's the problem, though. It's darn near impossible to "try before you buy" in a Best Buy scenario. You have to get them home and try them in your own system to know, so an initial leap of faith is required. And, if your only experience is a slight upgrade in cables/wires (Monster, anyone?), and your gear is moderate to low end, you're not going to buy into it, because you more than likely WON'T hear a difference.

    P.S. If this was only about HDMI, never mind. Go buy monoprice and you'll be fine. :wink:
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ecod123
    ecod123 Posts: 379
    edited November 2010
    xcapri79 wrote: »
    The intended audience would likely consider that a PI MODEL is best represented by a photo of a **** star instead of being a mathematical representation of a cable.:wink:

    Good one there!:wink:
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • inspiredsports
    inspiredsports Posts: 5,501
    edited November 2010
    Cables are like popcorn; buy 'em and try 'em. I like Orrville Redenbacher.
    VTL ST50 w/mods / RCA6L6GC / TlfnknECC801S
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 w/mods
    TT Conrad Johnson Sonographe SG3 Oak / Sumiko LMT / Grado Woodbody Platinum / Sumiko PIB2 / The Clamp
    Musical Fidelity A1 CDPro/ Bada DD-22 Tube CDP / Conrad Johnson SD-22 CDP
    Tuners w/mods Kenwood KT5020 / Fisher KM60
    MF x-DAC V8, HAInfo NG27
    Herbies Ti-9 / Vibrapods / MIT Shotgun AC1 IEC's / MIT Shotgun 2 IC's / MIT Shotgun 2 Speaker Cables
    PS Audio Cryo / PowerPort Premium Outlets / Exact Power EP15A Conditioner
    Walnut SDA 2B TL /Oak SDA SRS II TL (Sonicaps/Mills/Cardas/Custom SDA ICs / Dynamat Extreme / Larry's Rings/ FSB-2 Spikes
    NAD SS rigs w/mods
    GIK panels
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Beta
    Beta Posts: 267
    edited November 2010
    This is simply a recent personal experience (like yesterday). Nothing more.

    I just had a new HT installed. I purchased what is supposed to be the best HDMI cable that Monoprice sells. 22 gauge cable with a think jacket. I asked my electrician to check it before he ran through my wall and into my garage where my HT gear is placed.

    I hooked the Monoprice HDMI cable up to my TV and AVR. No signal. Nada. Dead.

    I have since discovered my electrician failed to check the cable before he ran it through the wall. Who knows, maybe my electrician or painter were too rough on the cable. Nonetheless, I have lost confidence in Monoprice.

    For me, a few extra dollars for an HDMI cable from a source with better quality control is worth the peace of mind of potentially not having a problem down the road.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Earthy
    Earthy Posts: 488
    edited November 2010
    inspiredsports wrote: »
    Cables are like popcorn

    Ya, but when was the last time you had a cable sheath stuck in your teeth. :biggrin:
    Polk Audio SDA SRS 2.3TL
    Parasound Halo A21
    Parasound Halo P3

    Home theater
    Polk LSiM 707, 706c, 703, 705
    Polk Blackstone TL3 for height
    SVS PB12-ISD Sub
    Denon AVR-X6400h
    Parasound Halo A51
    LG OLED65B7A
    Sony UBPX800
    Logitech Harmony Elite
    PC LSiM 703
    Spare LSIM 702 and 706c

    Home Theater #2
    Polk Audio LS70, CS350LS, LSF/X, S4
    Onkyo TX-NR808



    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter