Yes, Virginia, Cables Do Make a Difference

stretchl
stretchl Posts: 1,334
edited September 2013 in Speakers
One of my MITexp2 cables is at the factory for repair so I have a couple of lengths of Radio Shack special cable hooked up to my speakers.

DAMN! I thought there might possibly be a subtle difference in sound quality, but I'm stunned. These cables are tinny, flat, with virtually no base and downright painful for me to listen to with my Tinnitus.

I had no idea...
“Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'”
- Isaac Asimov
Hi-Fi
Apple Lossless --> Squeezebox Touch --> Joule Electra LA-100 Mark iii --> Odyssey Khartargo Mono Plus --> LSiM-705's
Cabling by Groneberg
Visuals
https://media.illinois.edu/journalism/ledford-charles-stretch
bit.ly/stretchonphotojournalism
http://Vimeo.com/channels/stretchphoto
Post edited by stretchl on
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,002
    edited September 2013
    That's one way of testing, once your acclimated to the sound of new cables, take them out and put the old ones back in. The differences become more readily apparent than when you first tried the new cables.

    Congrats anyway on your discovery.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited September 2013
    I have thought that it would be an interesting experiment to go with all stock power cords, cheapo power strip, Radio Shack ICs, and zip cord speaker wire just to hear the difference. If it wasn't such a PITA to do that it might be fun.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Msabot1
    Msabot1 Posts: 2,098
    edited September 2013
    There is no substitute for a clean signal path!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • teekay0007
    teekay0007 Posts: 2,289
    edited September 2013
    stretchl wrote: »
    One of my MITexp2 cables is at the factory for repair...

    I bet that Rat Shack cable will never need to be sent in for repair. :razz:
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • stretchl
    stretchl Posts: 1,334
    edited September 2013
    teekay0007 wrote: »
    I bet that Rat Shack cable will never need to be sent in for repair. :razz:
    LOL. It's actually a stress point right where the banana plug connects to the cable at the amp. I wonder if I could've just cut the banana plug and left the bare wire as a connection point? Didn't think of that til just now...
    “Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'”
    - Isaac Asimov
    Hi-Fi
    Apple Lossless --> Squeezebox Touch --> Joule Electra LA-100 Mark iii --> Odyssey Khartargo Mono Plus --> LSiM-705's
    Cabling by Groneberg
    Visuals
    https://media.illinois.edu/journalism/ledford-charles-stretch
    bit.ly/stretchonphotojournalism
    http://Vimeo.com/channels/stretchphoto
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,086
    edited September 2013
    teekay0007 wrote: »
    I bet that Rat Shack cable will never need to be sent in for repair. :razz:
    Can't find the popcorn. Anybody have some?
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited September 2013
    teekay0007 wrote: »
    I bet that Rat Shack cable will never need to be sent in for repair. :razz:

    Correct. It goes into the trash.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter