What annoys me today in marketing and media that too often today then talking on hi-fi, science is replaced by bizarre belief structures and marketing fluff, leading to a decades-long stagnation of the audiophile domain. Science makes progress, pseudo-science doesn’t. Hi-fi world is filled by pseudoscience, dogma and fruitloopery to the extent that it resembles a fundamentalist religion. Loudspeaker performance hasn’t tangibly improved in forty years and vast sums are spent addressing the wrong problems.
Business for Engineers: Marketers Lie article points tout that marketing tells lies — falsehoods — things that serve to convey a false impression. Marketing’s purpose is to determining how the product will be branded, positioned, and sold. It seems that there too many snake oil rubbish products marketed in the name of hifi. It is irritating to watch the stupid people in the world be fooled.
In EEVblog #29 – Audiophile Audiophoolery video David L. Jones (from EEVBlog) cuts loose on the Golden Ear Audiophiles and all their Audiophoolery snake oil rubbish. The information presented in Dave’s unique non-scripted overly enthusiastic style! He’s an enthusiastic chap, but couldn’t agree more with many of the opinions he expressed: Directional cables, thousand dollar IEC power cables, and all that rubbish. Monster Cable gets mostered. Note what he says right at the end: “If you pay ridiculous money for these cable you will hear a difference, but don’t expect your friends to”. If you want to believe, you will.
My points on hifi-nonsense:
One of the tenets of audiophile systems is that they are assembled from components, allegedly so that the user can “choose” the best combination. This is pretty largely a myth. The main advantage of component systems is that the dealer can sell ridiculously expensive cables, hand-knitted by Peruvian virgins and soaked in snake oil, to connect it all up. Say goodbye to the noughties: Yesterday’s hi-fi biz is BUSTED, bro article asks are the days of floorstanders and separates numbered? If traditional two-channel audio does have a future, then it could be as the preserve of high resolution audio. Sony has taken the industry lead in High-Res Audio.
HIFI Cable Humbug and Snake oil etc. blog posting rightly points out that there is too much emphasis placed on spending huge sums of money on HIFI cables. Most of what is written about this subject is complete tripe. HIFI magazines promote myths about the benefits of all sorts of equipment. I am as amazed as the writer that that so called audiophiles and HIFI journalists can be fooled into thinking that very expensive speaker cables etc. improve performance. I generally agree – most of this expensive interconnect cable stuff is just plain overpriced.
I can agree that in analogue interconnect cables there are few cases where better cables can really result in cleaner sound, but usually getting any noticeable difference needs that the one you compare with was very bad yo start with (clearly too thin speaker wires with resistance, interconnect that picks interference etc..) or the equipment in the systems are so that they are overly-sensitive to cable characteristics (generally bad equipment designs can make for example cable capacitance affect 100 times or more than it should). Definitely too much snake oil. Good solid engineering is all that is required (like keep LCR low, Teflon or other good insulation, shielding if required, proper gauge for application and the distance traveled). Geometry is a factor but not in the same sense these yahoos preach and deceive.
In digital interconnect cables story is different than on those analogue interconnect cables. Generally in digital interconnect cables the communication either works, does not work or sometimes work unreliably. The digital cable either gets the bits to the other end or not, it does not magically alter the sound that goes through the cable. You need to have active electronics like digital signal processor to change the tone of the audio signal traveling on the digital cable, cable will just not do that.
But this digital interconnect cables characteristics has not stopped hifi marketers to make very expensive cable products that are marketed with unbelievable claims. Ethernet has come to audio world, so there are hifi Ethernet cables. How about 500 dollar Ethernet cable? That’s ridiculous. And it’s only 1.5 meters. Then how about $10,000 audiophile ethernet cable? Bias your dielectrics with the Dielectric-Bias ethernet cable from AudioQuest: “When insulation is unbiased, it slows down parts of the signal differently, a big problem for very time-sensitive multi-octave audio.” I see this as complete marketing crap speak. It seems that they’re made for gullible idiots. No professional would EVER waste money on those cables. Audioquest even produces iPhone sync cables in similar price ranges.
HIFI Cable insulators/supports (expensive blocks that keep cables few centimeters off the floor) are a product category I don’t get. They typically claim to offer incredible performance as well as appealing appearance. Conventional cable isolation theory holds that optimal cable performance can be achieved by elevating cables from the floor in an attempt to control vibrations and manage static fields. Typical cable elevators are made from electrically insulating materials such as wood, glass, plastic or ceramics. Most of these products claim superior performance based upon the materials or methods of elevation. I don’t get those claims.
Along with green magic markers on CDs and audio bricks is another item called the wire conditioner. The claim is that unused wires do not sound the same as wires that have been used for a period of time. I don’t get this product category. And I don’t believe claims in the line like “Natural Quartz crystals along with proprietary materials cause a molecular restructuring of the media, which reduces stress, and significantly improves its mechanical, acoustic, electric, and optical characteristics.” All sounds like just pure marketing with no real benefits.
CD no evil, hear no evil. But the key thing about the CD was that it represented an obvious leap from earlier recording media that simply weren’t good enough for delivery of post-produced material to the consumer to one that was. Once you have made that leap, there is no requirement to go further. The 16 bits of CD were effectively extended to 18 bits by the development of noise shaping, which allows over 100dB signal to noise ratio. That falls a bit short of the 140dB maximum range of human hearing, but that has never been a real goal. If you improve the digital media, the sound quality limiting problem became the transducers; the headphones and the speakers.
We need to talk about SPEAKERS: Soz, ‘audiophiles’, only IT will break the sound barrier article says that today’s loudspeakers are nowhere near as good as they could be, due in no small measure to the presence of “traditional” audiophile products. that today’s loudspeakers are nowhere near as good as they could be, due in no small measure to the presence of “traditional” audiophile products. I can agree with this. Loudspeaker performance hasn’t tangibly improved in forty years and vast sums are spent addressing the wrong problems.
We need to talk about SPEAKERS: Soz, ‘audiophiles’, only IT will break the sound barrier article makes good points on design, DSPs and the debunking of traditional hi-fi. Science makes progress, pseudo-science doesn’t. Legacy loudspeakers are omni-directional at low frequencies, but as frequency rises, the radiation becomes more directional until at the highest frequencies the sound only emerges directly forwards. Thus to enjoy the full frequency range, the listener has to sit in the so-called sweet spot. As a result legacy loudspeakers with sweet spots need extensive room treatment to soak up the deficient off-axis sound. New tools that can change speaker system designs in the future are omni-directional speakers and DSP-based room correction. It’s a scenario ripe for “disruption”.
Computers have become an integrated part of many audio setups. Back in the day integrated audio solutions in PCs had trouble earning respect. Ode To Sound Blaster: Are Discrete Audio Cards Still Worth the Investment? posting tells that it’s been 25 years since the first Sound Blaster card was introduced (a pretty remarkable feat considering the diminished reliance on discrete audio in PCs) and many enthusiasts still consider a sound card an essential piece to the PC building puzzle. It seems that in general onboard sound is finally “Good Enough”, and has been “Good Enough” for a long time now. For most users it is hard to justify the high price of special sound card on PC anymore. There are still some PCs with bad sound hardware on motherboard and buttload of cheap USB adapters with very poor performance. However, what if you want the best sound possible, the lowest noise possible, and don’t really game or use the various audio enhancements? You just want a plain-vanilla sound card, but with the highest quality audio (products typically made for music makers). You can find some really good USB solutions that will blow on-board audio out of the water for about $100 or so.
Although solid-state technology overwhelmingly dominates today’s world of electronics, vacuum tubes are holding out in two small but vibrant areas. Some people like the sound of tubes. The Cool Sound of Tubes article says that a commercially viable number of people find that they prefer the sound produced by tubed equipment in three areas: musical-instrument (MI) amplifiers (mainly guitar amps), some processing devices used in recording studios, and a small but growing percentage of high-fidelity equipment at the high end of the audiophile market. Keep those filaments lit, Design your own Vacuum Tube Audio Equipment article claims that vacuum tubes do sound better than transistors (before you hate in the comments check out this scholarly article on the topic). The difficulty is cost; tube gear is very expensive because it uses lots of copper, iron, often point-to-point wired by hand, and requires a heavy metal chassis to support all of these parts. With this high cost and relative simplicity of circuitry (compared to modern electronics) comes good justification for building your own gear. Maybe this is one of the last frontiers of do-it-yourself that is actually worth doing.
1,946 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Air Guit ‘R’ Us would’ve been a perfect store name.
It’s hard to steal from there. They all have air tags on them.
I wonder if Stairway to Heaven is banned in that store.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Reel-to-reel is turning from a forgotten format to the crown jewel of high-end audio setups.
Here’s why: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/07/reel-to-reel-new-audiophile-flex/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Dave Frankel Apparently there are two kinds of audiophiles. 1. Those who like colored audio (headroom, saturation, magnetic band, distortion, tube amplification, etc.). They call this a warm sound. Well, it’s distortion; you can call it warm, tempered, smoky… and 2. Audiophiles who like a direct, purely analytical sound without the artifacts that limited the sound characteristics of old analog devices.
Tomi Engdahl says:
15 iconic headphones that basically invented the way we listen to music today: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/03/most-iconic-headphones-changed-game/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/07/overused-audiophile-test-albums-need-retire/?fbclid=IwY2xjawLdhTFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHvueVYCkNtdGk_vFhd4csN-Mt0t6o9VyFpJCyWY-AzdMMBpWfPLX8d0Tb7Dd_aem_1X6Kk07nsW3moOkBwYQSPg
Tomi Engdahl says:
The ‘Analog Warmth’ of Vinyl Has Been Mostly Digital Since the ’80s, Says Sound Engineer
This has implications for considering vinyl records for high fidelity.
New records, and almost all records made since about 1980, have been digitised, so the content is no different from that carried on CD.
All-analogue content is carried on polyvinyl discs that must be at least 40+ years old.
Vinyl discs are sub-par and inferior now, and cannot deliver true hi-fi due to manufacturing quality faults, and plastic wear and tear, and damage.
https://hifiauditions.wordpress.com/2025/02/06/the-analog-warmth-of-vinyl-has-been-mostly-digital-since-the-80s-says-sound-engineer/#respond
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://sonicstate.com/news/2025/01/07/does-vinyl-really-have-a-warm-sound-/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearing_range
Tomi Engdahl says:
AC-polariteetti – onks sillä väliä? : r/audiophile
https://share.google/MnhYND9a4RS7SjkKS
Ostin tossa just Primaren (Class D) integroidun vahvarin, ja sen mukana tuli “polariteetin testaaja” -kynä. Tämän vehkeen mukaan mun pistorasian AC-polariteetti on väärinpäin (oon EU:ssa, eli ilmeisesti tää on ihan tyypillistä ja silti turvallista).
Ohjeissa sanotaan, että tää vaikuttaa äänenlaatuun, joten lopulta varmaan vaihdan polariteetin sulaketaulussa, mut… mitä mieltä ootte – onks tällä oikeesti mitään vaikutusta?
Koska AC on vaihtovirtaa, niin pakko myöntää, että vähän epäilen, mut sit taas miks ne mainitsis tän manuaalissa, jos sillä ei ois mitään väliä?
Mieluiten vastauksia ihmisiltä, jotka tietää sähköstä, eikä vaan subjektiivisia mielipiteitä kiitos
Joissakin äänentoistolaitteissa voi olla muuntajia, jotka on kierretty siten, että tulevan virran maadoitettu puoli on ulkopuolella, kun taas “kuuma” puoli on sisällä. Tämä mahdollistaa pienen määrän suojausta sähkölinjan kohinalta. Jos et kuule mitään huminaa, suosittelen, ettet ole huolissasi siitä.
Mun vanhan halvan kitaravahvistimen kanssa sillä oli väliä, mun piti laittaa pistoke väärinpäin, että pääsin eroon huminasta. Mutta jos sun vahvistimessa on kytkentätilan virtalähde, sillä ei pitäisi olla mitään väliä
Useimmissa maissa vaihtovirrassa toinen puoli on kytketty “maahan”. Tätä kutsutaan myös “nollaksi”. Toinen puoli vaihtelee maksimijännitteen positiivisen ja maksimijännitteen negatiivisen välillä.
Myös useimmissa maissa pistorasiat ovat 3-napaisia, jotta pistoke voidaan asettaa vain yhdellä tavalla, ei kummalla tahansa tavalla kuten 2-napaisissa pistokkeissa. Koska 3-napaiset pistokkeet voidaan asettaa vain yhdellä tavalla, on yksi nasta, joka on aina “nolla” ja yksi nasta, joka on aina “aktiivinen”.
Jos laitevalmistaja päättää, että sinulla on aina oltava tietty nasta kytkettynä “nollaan”, koska hän on suunnitellut laitteensa siten, hän antaa sinulle testerin, jolla voit tarkistaa, onko valittu nasta todella “aktiivinen” vai ei. Yksi syy tähän on laittaa päälle/pois-kytkin “aktiiviseen” johtoon eikä “nollajohtoon”, jotta kytkemätön johto ja kaikki siihen kytketty on “nollapotentiaalissa” (maadoitettu) eikä “aktiivisessa” potentiaalissa.
Huomaa, että useimmissa maissa määritellään, mikä nasta 3-napaisessa pistokkeessa ja pistorasiassa on tarkoitettu “nollaksi” ja mikä “aktiiviseksi”. Maat, jotka yleensä käyttävät 2-napaisia pistokkeita, jotka voidaan asettaa kummalla tahansa tavalla, ovat tai voivat olla löysempiä/rennompia siinä, miten pistorasiat on kytketty.
Äänen kannalta jotkut ihmiset huomaavat eron normaalin ja käänteisen napaisuuden välillä musiikissa, mutta sitä ei ole lopullisesti todistettu.
https://www.audiocheck.net/blindtests_abspolarity.php
Sähköisesti se tekee eron myös sulakkeellisten laitteiden, kuten useimpien vahvistimien, kohdalla.
Sulake on usein sijoitettu heti virtaliittimen jälkeen kuumalle linjalle. Sillä tavalla, jos jokin menee pieleen ja sulake palaa, jännitteitä ei ole missään vahvistimen piireissä.
Jos pistorasian napaisuus on käänteinen, sulake palaa silti, mutta positiivinen jännite on edelleen kytkettynä piiriin.
LlewGyffes
•
10 kk sitten
Se voi vaikuttaa muuntajien kanssa. On kuultava ero, kun EI-muuntaja kytkettiin “väärinpäin”, ja meidän piti testata se kerran, kun saimme erän, jossa molemmissa johdoissa oli samanväriset johdot.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Miksi sillä ei oo väliä, miten päin tökkään johdon pistorasiaan? : r/askscience https://share.google/pQaDAwSBG6Dy37fqY
Eli niinku otsikossa sanotaan, mietin, miksi tapa, jolla tökkään johdon seinään, ei vaikuta laitteeseen. Mulla oli sellainen käsitys, että elektronit kulkevat toisesta reiästä sisään ja toisesta ulos.
Vaihtovirralla, kuten seinäpistorasiasta tulevalla, elektronit itse asiassa vuorottelevat virtaamista molempiin suuntiin. Syy siihen, että pistokkeissa (ainakin Yhdysvalloissa) käytetään epäsymmetristä polarisoitua mallia (jossa toinen reikä on suurempi kuin toinen, joten polarisoitu pistoke voidaan asettaa vain yhdellä tavalla), on se, että vain toinen reikä on itse asiassa “jänniteellinen” ja vuorottelee +120 V ja -120 V välillä. Toinen on “nollajohto”, joka pidetään nollajännitteessä tai hyvin lähellä sitä (muista, että tämä johto kuljettaa virtaa: jos kytketty laite kuluttaa virtaa, virta kulkee kuumasta johdosta laitteen läpi ja takaisin nollajohtoa pitkin). Laitteelle, joka käyttää vaihtovirtaa suoraan, ei (tyypillisesti) ole mitään merkitystä sillä, kumpaan suuntaan virta todellisuudessa kulkee missäkin vaiheessa.
Monille laitteille, jotka on suunniteltu toimimaan vaihtovirralla, ei ole merkitystä sillä, kumpi johto on jännitteellinen ja kumpi nolla. Turvallisuussyistä on kuitenkin yleensä parempi määritellä toinen nollaksi ja toinen jännitteelliseksi. Esimerkiksi leivänpaahdin voidaan suunnitella siten, että kytkin toimii vain yhdessä paikassa. Laite toimii samalla tavalla, jos se katkaisee joko nollajohdon tai jännitteellisen johdon (koska virta tarvitsee täydellisen polun kulkeakseen), mutta jos se katkaisee vain nollajohdon, leivänpaahtimen kelat ovat jännitteellisiä ja yli 100 voltin jännitteessä. Ja jos joku pistää esimerkiksi veitsen sisään ja koskettaa noita keloja (täydentäen piirin maadoituksella), se voi loukata tai tappaa hänet.
No, tietokoneiden ja muiden tasavirtaa vaativien laitteiden kohdalla sillä on ehdottomasti merkitystä, mutta ne toimivat tyypillisesti virtalähteellä, joka muuntaa jännitteen oikein riippumatta siitä, kumpi johto on jännitteellinen vai ei.
Tykkään ajatella sähköä kuin köyttä, joka kulkee hihnapyörän ympäri. Hihnapyörä on kiinnitetty koneeseen, jonka haluat saada toimimaan. Jos käytät tasavirtaa, se on kuin vetäisit jatkuvasti köyden toisesta päästä, jolloin koko köysi lopulta kulkee hihnapyörän ohi yhteen suuntaan. Vaihtovirta on kuin vetäisit vuorotellen köyden kummastakin päästä, jolloin hihnapyörä vain värähtelee edestakaisin. Se tarkoittaa, että sinun ei koskaan tarvitse vetää koko köyden pituutta silmukan ympäri, mutta se vaatii myös jonkin verran nerokasta suunnittelua, jotta hihnapyörä tekee saman työn. Koska köysi vaihtaa suuntaa usein, ei ole väliä, kumpi puoli on vasemmalla tai oikealla, mekanismisi toimii (täytyy suunnitella niin), silti samalla tavalla. Tasavirralla on tärkeää saada suunta oikein, muuten koneesi yrittää käydä taaksepäin. Mekaanisen insinöörin näkökulma sähköön.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Audio Myths Workshop
https://youtu.be/BYTlN6wjcvQ?si=YpvbfPZHCENjG8xC
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tape can sound amazing. Think about the drawbacks. CDs and SACDs are superior no matter what the dopes think about bringing back vinyl, cassettes, or whatever…
Tomi Engdahl says:
There’s a reason why CD’s are still the main physical format 38 years on. There was no reason to better it.
are they
https://www.businessinsider.com/vinyl-sales-surpass-cds-first-time-since-1987-record-resurgence-2023-3
Simon Sturle Penšek CDs sold twice as many units as vinyl sales that year. Vinyl only got more revenue because of being price several times more per album. Always good for a laugh when the vinyl fetishists make fools of themselves posting that article thinking they have a point.
Simon Sturle Penšek that merely reflects the combined facts that modern vinyl is ludicrously expensive and streaming is taking over from physical media so CD sales have collapsed. Vinyl is still just a manbun thing.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Veteran Audio Dealer Says Elitism and Lazy Marketing Are Killing the Audiophile Hobby From the Inside
https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/07/elitism-lazy-marketing-killing-audiophile-hobby/?fbclid=IwY2xjawLmtDVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHi2Ep6swdGz9c7WAWI1SOEkeD_EmtebsHCAphPplVWIcDkWfjMCn1kaUA7RD_aem_UWodlrWx11FIxIEAWbn3eQ
Out-of-touch branding, rising prices, and recycled customers are turning a once-passionate industry into a dead zone.
High-end audio isn’t fading because people stopped loving music. It’s fading because too many brands are stuck in the past.
The fact is, used gear is growing, audio shows aren’t pulling in buyers, and big brands are now chasing younger listeners. But many high-end companies keep doing the same old things that aren’t really working anymore.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Bullshit and Audiophool myths simply don’t cut it like they used.
Tomi Engdahl says:
These songs will test your amp’s performance across every frequency, texture, and detail, whether you’re using speakers or headphones
Full story: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/07/songs-instantly-reveal-amp-actually-good/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Your solid-state amp could use a warm, glowing companion.
Here’s why: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/02/every-audiophile-needs-one-tube-amp/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Difference between analog and vintage?
An Anal log is also called a shit. Vintage is a wine thing.
So its snare versus cote du rhone then
Tomi Engdahl says:
Here are 30 best songs that will instantly reveal if your amp is actually any good: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/07/songs-instantly-reveal-amp-actually-good/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Here are the 15 headphones everyone raves about but actually kinda suck, according to audiophiles: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/07/most-overrated-headphones-according-audiophiles/
Tomi Engdahl says:
“We found, quite amazingly, that the more expensive it was to buy, the better it sounded,” he shared.
Full story: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/02/cable-founder-physics-expensive-cables-audio-quality/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://gearspace.com/board/music-computers/1298283-solved-usb-ground-loop-noise.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hometheaterreview.com/the-audiophile-cable-controversy-snake-oil-or-subtle-science/#google_vignette
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hometheaterreview.com/the-audiophile-cable-controversy-snake-oil-or-subtle-science/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The thread called out bad gear, bad memories, and the real reason people still defend it: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/07/audiophile-calls-out-vintage-gear-fans/
Tomi Engdahl says:
6 reasons why I’m breaking up with vinyl and going back to CDs: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/01/breaking-vinyl-going-back-cds/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Focus on the “could be”
Full story: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/01/cd-player-could-turning-music-lossy/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Here are the 15 headphone brands audiophiles trust the most in 2025, based on our recent surveys: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/07/headphone-brands-audiophiles-trust-most/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/07/soak-vinyl-record-alcohol-sounds-better/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The real priorities in sound quality are finally clear, at least according to this survey.
Full story: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/07/important-part-audio-chain-audiophiles-say/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Someone actually tested this, and it seems true: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/07/science-ear-pad-burn-changes-headphones-sound/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Driver burn-in may be a myth, but ear pad burn-in is real, at least according to this new lab test.
When people talk about how headphones sound, they usually focus on the drivers, the tuning, or the source gear. But there’s another part that plays a huge role and rarely gets the attention it deserves: the ear pads.
Over time, these pads soak up sweat, compress, and change shape, and those changes can affect how your music sounds.
https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/07/science-ear-pad-burn-changes-headphones-sound/?fbclid=IwY2xjawLvSh1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHrWgK9LhTRWWaJKi4pRKM2Bq0jORbtJED7MLqln8QnJRIespZzXYNd-AW29w_aem_6Yl_e2BiMUDXiCG2aXQTDw
Tomi Engdahl says:
Chasing “the sound the artist intended” is a losing game no one can actually win, according to experts.
Full story: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/07/speaker-designer-hi-fi-accuracy-myth/
Tomi Engdahl says:
People talk a lot about accuracy in audio. But the truth is, there’s no single “correct” version of how music should sound. From the moment a song is recorded to the moment you hit play, it passes through a chain of choices, limitations, and interpretations. Even your own brain gets in the way.
Dr. Floyd Toole, who worked with Jones at Canada’s National Research Council, uses a term for this: the circle of confusion.
It refers to a loop where music is recorded, mixed, and mastered on one type of system, then played back on completely different systems by listeners. There’s no fixed reference point.
What sounds “correct” in the studio might sound totally different in someone’s living room or car.
Even in professional settings, not every studio uses the same equipment or speaker setup.
Sure, there are some standards for things like loudness monitoring or listening tests, like ITU-R BS.1116 or IEC 60268-13. But they’re not studio calibration guidelines, and they’re not widely adopted across all production environments. That means we’re all guessing what the music is “supposed” to sound like.
Microphones and mixing choices already add color
The idea of “accuracy” falls apart before a single note even reaches a speaker.
By the time the track is finished, it’s already been sculpted to sound a certain way on a certain system. The listener might be hearing it on something totally different, in a different room, at a different volume. It’s no surprise it doesn’t translate exactly.
https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/07/speaker-designer-hi-fi-accuracy-myth/?fbclid=IwY2xjawLykZBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHqszYx_LYvrcZI-DMUuOMaT7iXoPWQ4tfJ8QIhgscnQV_cgtwr5GiRQqXoNh_aem_gwTkDQKw-T4-hOVyDDSEJg
Tomi Engdahl says:
Here are more reasons why (sometimes) wireless headphones are actually the better choice: https://www.headphonesty.com/2024/04/wireless-headphones-better-than-wired/
Tomi Engdahl says:
New vinyl pressings are getting worse as labels cut corners to meet demand, according to industry insiders: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/07/new-vinyl-pressings-getting-worse/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Do you agree with Dave, or is vinyl still worth the fuss?
As vinyl keeps making a comeback, more buyers are running into the same frustrating problems: warped records, off-center pressings, and visible scratches. Buyers are returning expensive albums for the same reasons they once avoided used ones, such as scratches, warps, and surface noise.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Vinyl is a format with just barely enough audio quality to sound good. That people flock to it indicates higher audio quality doesn’t really matter. The charm of vinyl wins. But people forgot about the negatives!
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Entire Vinyl Industry Hangs by a Thread as the Last Lacquer Supplier Faces Collapse | Headphonesty https://share.google/7s2RLHrZlAvSUnr4x
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/02/cable-founder-physics-expensive-cables-audio-quality/?fbclid=IwY2xjawL0HOVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHhh0lW8kv2ExyMQfUhIPHlLeFUHtYnAEWrZT02x9xdWQ-CSTdde7l5DbPk9Y_aem_z-yaj9cy9st2BzsIQBYiRQ
The Physics Behind High-End Audio Cables
Nalty’s central argument rests on his assertion that “all audio cables obey the laws of physics,” which is also the title of a book he authored on the subject. For most listeners, basic cable principles seem sufficient. But, Nalty believes this view misses important factors that affect sound quality.
“People used to quote Ohm’s Law and say that if a cable behaved by Ohm’s Law, then every cable was the same,” said Nalty.
“But it ignores the many laws of physics that affect the performance of cables.”
When confronted about “snake oil” accusations, Nalty pushed back. His company’s approach, he claims, comes from scientific testing, not clever marketing.
“Over the years, we have been improving cables, getting good reviews, and it’s been getting better and better all the time. Then we realized that every time we introduced a new feature of engineering that improved the sound of our cables, we could understand it by understanding the laws of physics,” he explained.
Nalty has also published a book titled “All Audio Cable Obey the Laws of Physics,” which details his experiences and experiments.
This insight changed their entire development process. They stopped making improvements randomly. Instead, they began systematically studying physical phenomena that might affect how cables perform.
“If the laws of physics we know about are telling us how to improve cables, what other laws of physics are there that influence the performance of cables that we need to work on?” he said.
This question led them to discover several physical principles they needed to address. One example of this involves environmental interference.
“We live in an age of computers, and the computers generate a lot of high-frequency noise, which enters the audio cables and modulates the signal and creates distortion,” Nalty explained.
He believes these effects are measurable rather than psychological. And, addressing them creates audible improvements in sound quality.
Mechanical vibration control
High-frequency interference reduction
Perceived listening experience
The audio signal reportedly stays more faithful to the original when physical movements within the cable are reduced. Research at the company suggests that controlling these vibrations helps deliver cleaner sound free from distortion caused by physical movement.
Something unexpected was also discovered during the testing of ferrite rings on their cables
“We placed a large ferrite ring over a cable, and the bass frequencies were tighter and clearer, even though ferrites are only supposed to be reducing the frequencies above audibility,” he said.
This finding came as a surprise since ferrite components typically filter out high-frequency noise rather than improve bass response. Nevertheless, he claims the result can be clearly heard.
Perhaps most controversially, Nalty asserted a direct relationship between material cost and audio performance. This, in turn, could justify the price of these high-end cables.
“We found, quite amazingly, that the more expensive it was to buy, say, a length of wire to make a cable, the better it sounded,” Nalty stated.
“It’s almost like a law of physics itself. Why this is, I don’t know.”
Experiments with platinum and other precious metals from the Platinum Group convinced his company that these materials deliver superior sound.
“The very best sounds I’ve heard come from the metals in the precious metal ranges,” he said, mentioning platinum, palladium, rhodium, and iridium specifically.
The sound improvements may seem “subtle” according to Nalty, but he insists they’re “very important if you want to enjoy your music.”
From a consumer perspective, these claims invite questions about value and diminishing returns.
However, the company has also acknowledged that practical considerations have led them to find more accessible solutions for audiophiles who aren’t prepared to pay platinum prices.
The Science and Skepticism Behind His Claims
Graham Nalty insists that Black Rhodium cables follow scientific principles, but independent verification remains scarce.
Despite years of debate, no widely accepted lab tests or double-blind studies have conclusively proven that premium cables provide audible improvements over well-made standard ones.
In fact, listeners frequently struggle to tell the difference between high-end and budget cables when visual cues are removed.
Nalty believes metals like platinum, palladium, and rhodium improve sound quality. But, he also admits he cannot explain why.
Engineers, on the other hand, argue that conductivity differences between these premium metals and traditional copper or silver are simply too small to meaningfully impact audio performance.
Sure, premium materials may enhance durability or reduce oxidation. But, their role in actually changing what you hear remains a topic of heated debate.
It’s not just about Black Rhodium, though.
Brands like Nordost and AudioQuest promote similar theories about cable design. But, as is with this case, independent testing to support these claims remains limited.
And, without more concrete measurable data, this conversation continues in audio forums and listening rooms worldwide.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Don’t trust anyone who says Chi-Fi isn’t worth it.
Here’s why: https://www.headphonesty.com/2024/07/chifi-killing-mainstream-brands/
Tomi Engdahl says:
If EQ can make cheap headphones sound high-end, what’s the point of paying for expensive ones?
Here’s our take on this: https://www.headphonesty.com/2024/10/eq-cheap-headphones-high-end-rivals/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.sciencefocus.com/science/how-fast-does-electricity-flow
Drift velocity, the average speed at which electrons travel in a conductor when subjected to an electric field, is about 1mm per second. It’s the electromagnetic wave rippling through the electrons that propagates at close to the speed of light.
Tomi Engdahl says:
I love how the “audiophiles” still think a music format with constant needle noise affected by dust particles is the best.
Noel Joseph. I have a keen interest and would probably be in the category. Many audiophiles actually trust science. I accept that vinyl is worse. It cannot reproduce close to cd quality. If hi res is better is questionable as very few can hear any difference. I sometimes play a vinyl still.
It is ridiculous to assume that old technology is better. But that is the problem of hifi. A lot of half truths and people vehemently arguing for things that cannot be true. The lack of transparency in hifi makes people argue that an Oldsmobile from 72 is better than a Bmw from 2025.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Drift velocity, the average speed at which electrons travel in a conductor when subjected to an electric field, is about 1mm per second. It’s the electromagnetic wave rippling through the electrons that can propagates at close to the speed of light, but on most often used cables the speed is around 2/3 of the speed of light.