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.
2,164 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
When considering the **RLC parameters (Resistance, Inductance, and Capacitance)** for **speaker cables**, these properties directly affect the **signal integrity**, **power transfer**, and **overall performance** of the audio system, especially as they relate to the **transmission of power** from the amplifier to the speakers. Since speaker cables carry higher **voltage** and **current** compared to interconnect cables, the **RLC values** must be optimized for **minimal loss** and **minimal distortion** across the **full frequency range**.
Here’s an in-depth look at the **most important RLC parameters for speaker cables** and how they impact performance:
—
### 1. **Resistance (R)**
* **What it is**: Resistance is the opposition to the flow of electric current. It depends on the **material**, **thickness**, and **length** of the cable.
* **Effect on Speaker Cable Performance**:
* **Power Loss**: Resistance in the cable leads to **power loss** (voltage drop) between the amplifier and the speaker. The higher the resistance, the more power is lost as heat, which reduces the **efficiency** of the system.
* **Volume and Dynamics**: Higher resistance can cause **lower output** and **reduced dynamics**, as the signal’s voltage is reduced. In practical terms, this means you could hear a **less detailed** or **less impactful** sound.
* **Frequency Response**: Resistance can affect the **bass response**, especially if the speaker impedance is low (e.g., 4 ohms). The increased loss in the cable may result in **weaker bass** and a **flattened overall frequency response**.
* **Best Practices**:
* Use cables with **low resistance** (e.g., **Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC)**, **Silver**, or high-quality copper alloys) to ensure that most of the power from the amplifier reaches the speaker.
* Keep the **length of the cable** as short as possible, especially if you’re using lower-impedance speakers.
* **Thicker cables** (lower gauge, e.g., **12 AWG** or **10 AWG**) generally have lower resistance and are better for **longer runs**.
### 2. **Inductance (L)**
* **What it is**: Inductance is the ability of a conductor to resist changes in current. It’s influenced by the **geometry** of the cable, such as how the conductors are laid out, the cable’s **thickness**, and how the cables are **twisted or braided**.
* **Effect on Speaker Cable Performance**:
* **Phase Shifts**: High inductance can lead to **phase shifts** in the signal, which can affect the timing of the sound, especially in the **high frequencies** (treble). This means that the **accuracy** of fast transients (like cymbals or snare hits) may be affected.
* **High-Frequency Loss**: Inductance impedes **high-frequency signals** more than low-frequency signals. Over long cable lengths, this can cause the **treble** to lose clarity and **detail**.
* **Frequency Response**: Excessive inductance can cause a **high-frequency roll-off** or a **loss of transient detail**. This is especially important in **high-fidelity systems**, where maintaining the integrity of the entire frequency spectrum is crucial.
* **Best Practices**:
* **Twisted pair designs** or **bi-wire configurations** (where the cable is divided into separate conductors for each speaker terminal) can reduce inductance by minimizing the loop area.
* Choose cables with **low inductance** (in the range of **0.1–0.4 µH/ft**) to preserve high-frequency clarity and avoid phase shifts.
### 3. **Capacitance (C)**
* **What it is**: Capacitance refers to the ability of the cable to store electrical charge between the conductors. This is influenced by the **distance** between the conductors and the **dielectric material** surrounding them.
* **Effect on Speaker Cable Performance**:
* **Signal Loss**: Higher capacitance can cause a loss of signal at **high frequencies** (especially above 20 kHz). This can result in a **muffled** or **dull sound**, especially in the **treble region**.
* **Frequency Response**: Excessive capacitance in the cable can **reduce high-frequency response**, cause **distortion** in fast transients, and affect **overall detail** in the sound.
* **Interference with Amplifier Stability**: While this is more common in certain amplifier designs (e.g., tube amps or high-gain solid-state amps), excessive capacitance could lead to **oscillations** or instability in the amplifier, which could affect **audio performance**.
* **Best Practices**:
* Use cables with **low capacitance** (typically around **10–30 pF/ft**) to preserve high-frequency accuracy and avoid signal degradation.
* **Dielectric materials** like **Teflon** or **Polyethylene** have lower capacitance compared to materials like **PVC**.
—
### Key RLC Parameters for Speaker Cables:
| **Parameter** | **Impact on Performance** | **Optimal Range/Values** |
| ————— | ———————————————————————————— | ————————————————————- |
| **Resistance** | Power loss, dynamic range reduction, weaker bass, and lower volume | **< 0.1 ohm** for short cables, **< 0.5 ohm** for longer runs |
| **Inductance** | High-frequency roll-off, phase shifts, loss of transient detail, muddiness in treble | **0.1–0.4 µH/ft** (for typical lengths) |
| **Capacitance** | Loss of high-frequency detail, dull sound, potential amplifier instability | **< 30 pF/ft** (for typical lengths) |
—
### How to Minimize RLC Effects:
1. **Keep Cable Length Short**: The longer the cable, the more resistance, inductance, and capacitance are added, negatively affecting performance. Keeping the cable run as short as possible helps minimize all three factors.
2. **Choose Larger Gauge Cables**: Thicker cables (lower gauge numbers, e.g., **12 AWG**, **10 AWG**) will reduce **resistance**. They also tend to have lower **inductance** and better overall performance, especially over longer distances.
3. **Use High-Quality Materials**:
* **Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC)** is often used for lower resistance.
* **Silver-plated copper** may offer slightly better conductivity but is typically more expensive.
* **High-quality insulation materials** like **Teflon** or **Polyethylene** minimize capacitance, ensuring better signal integrity.
4. **Twist or Braid the Wires**: Twisting or braiding the conductors can help reduce **inductance** and **external noise** by minimizing the loop area. Some cables also feature **balanced designs** to cancel out interference.
5. **Avoid Parallel Runs Near Power Cables**: Running speaker cables parallel to power cables can introduce **electromagnetic interference (EMI)** that can affect **signal integrity**. This interference could increase inductance and introduce noise.
—
### Real-World Impact on Sound:
* **Low RLC Speaker Cables**: Cables with **low resistance**, **low inductance**, and **low capacitance** allow the amplifier to deliver the most accurate, clean, and **dynamic sound**. This preserves the integrity of the full **frequency spectrum**, especially the **bass** and **treble** regions, and ensures **clarity** in transient details.
* **High RLC Speaker Cables**: Cables with high resistance and inductance will lead to **losses in power**, reduced **dynamics**, and compromised **high-frequency response**. This could result in **less precise imaging**, **muddy bass**, and a **veiled** or **dull sound**. Over long distances, the effect becomes more noticeable.
—
### Conclusion:
For **speaker cables**, minimizing **resistance, inductance, and capacitance** is essential to achieve optimal performance. Cables with **low resistance** preserve the power from the amplifier, while **low inductance** and **low capacitance** help maintain the integrity of the high frequencies, transient detail, and overall clarity. When selecting speaker cables, prioritizing low RLC values will provide the best **dynamic range**, **frequency response**, and overall **sound quality**.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://audiovideo.fi/opas/akustiikan-perusteet-osa1-akustiikkamateriaalit-ja-rakenteet/
https://audiovideo.fi/opas/akustiikan-perusteet-osa-2-miten-akustoin-musiikille-ja-elokuville/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://audiovideo.fi/opas/kaiutinrakennusohje-takuumurea-lehtipihvi-v2-0-littea-subwoofer%ef%bf%bc/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Aidasin eksoottiset äänirasiat
Aidasilla on kokemusta äänirasioiden korjaamisesta ja valmistuksesta 1990-luvun lopulta lähtien.
Mammutin syöksyhammas, amerikanpuhvelin tai tiibetinjakin sarvi, itämeren meripihka, Tru-stone- ja Durawood-komposiitti, panzerholz-puu, musta afrikkalainen eebenpuu, brasilian purpleheart-puu … Vähintäint kaikkia näitä materiaaleja liettualainen Aidas Svazas käyttää äänirasioittensa runkomateriaalina luomaan erilaisia ääniprofiileja.
https://www.hifimaailma.fi/artikkeli/aidasin-eksoottiset-aanirasiat-6.108.176219.6a0e469395
Tomi Engdahl says:
The best audio connector depends on the specific application, but generally, XLR connectors are considered the best for professional audio due to their balanced signal transmission and noise reduction capabilities, especially over longer distances. For home audio, banana plugs are often preferred for speaker wire connections due to their ease of use and secure fit.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
For Professional Audio (Studios, Live Sound):
XLR connectors: These are the workhorses of professional audio, used for microphones, speakers, and other equipment. They carry balanced audio signals, which means they use two conductors to transmit the same signal, and any noise picked up along the way is effectively cancelled out by the receiving device, leading to cleaner sound.
For Home Audio (Speakers):
Banana plugs:
These are a popular choice for connecting speaker wire to amplifiers and speakers because they are easy to use, provide a secure connection, and maintain good signal quality.
RCA connectors:
While widely used and cost-effective, RCA connectors are unbalanced, making them more susceptible to noise and interference, especially over longer cable runs.
Other Considerations:
TRS (Tip, Ring, Sleeve) connectors:
These are commonly used for balanced stereo or mono signals, often found on headphones and some audio interfaces.
HDMI:
While primarily a video connection, HDMI can also carry high-quality audio, making it a convenient option for connecting devices like TVs and soundbars.
Coaxial and Optical connectors:
These are digital audio connections that can offer good sound quality, but coaxial is generally preferred for higher fidelity.
In summary, the “best” audio connector depends on your specific needs. For professional applications, XLR is the top choice, while banana plugs are a great option for home speaker setups.
Tomi Engdahl says:
XLR – The beefy, professional-grade cable used for mics and high-end audio gear. Balanced connection, meaning less noise—perfect for your podcast that nobody listens to.
TRS (1/4″ and 1/8″) – Tip-Ring-Sleeve connectors. The 1/4″ is the big boy for instruments and pro audio, while the 1/8″ is what your crappy headphones use. TRS can be balanced or stereo—if you don’t know the difference, just stick to plugging it in and hoping it works.
TS (1/4″ and 1/8″) – Like TRS, but with only two parts: Tip and Sleeve. Unbalanced, mono connection. Used for instruments and unbalanced signals, because you love noise in your audio, right?
RCA – Those red, white (sometimes yellow) connectors. Standard for consumer audio and video. These are unbalanced, so they’ll pick up more interference than a conspiracy theorist on Facebook.
Optical (TOSLINK) – Digital audio through light. Fancy, right? Used for high-quality, noise-free connections in home theaters and some pro setups. If your device has it, you probably overpaid for it.
Coaxial (S/PDIF) – Digital audio over a single RCA cable. It’s like Optical, but through a regular wire. Great for digital connections if you’re too lazy to deal with light.
MIDI – For controlling musical instruments and gear. Not for audio, you dolt. Just data, like which note to play and how badly you’ll mess up the timing.
USB – Universal as hell. Used for everything from mics to MIDI controllers. It’s not exactly an audio cable, but since you’re too dense to know the difference, I’ll let it slide.
Ethernet (Cat5/Cat6) – Used in some modern audio networks. If you see this, you’re probably dealing with something way above your pay grade.
Tomi Engdahl says:
If you know that your cable has continuity (no opens) and no shorts, then you might still be scratching your head about noise issues. Line noise can have many sources:
1) ground loops, there are a ton of ways to have ground loops, here are few that come to mind: multiple and inconsistent ground sources, outlets not grounded properly, faulty ground connection inside your equipment…
2) proximity issues, placing a cable too close to a power field especially if the power is unbalanced and the audio cable does not have very good shielding will make things worse.
3) cable integrity, compare a good shielded cable with a poor one, this should convince you to test and compare cables when you are purchasing replacements.
4) utility line noise: Sometimes it’s not your equipment or your cables. If you have an O’scope take a look at the AC coming out of the wall at the gig. If you see huge spikes moving through the AC it may be from that guy welding next door, or some other source in the neighborhood, or even the fluorescent lights at the gig or a bad ballast, or light dimmers that use SCR’s. You might consider a line filter/power conditioner to clean this up.
Tomi Engdahl says:
How to Make & Repair Audio Cables : How to Test Audio Cables
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98e4JdPvMbE
Behringer CT100 Review and Demo (The Best Way to Test Your MIDI and Audio Cables?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXoRgucdOXQ
Tomi Engdahl says:
was not talking about sound quality. RCA risks contact of ground and signal, and does not necessarily guarantee that ground is connected first. It is just not a well conceived connector. From this point of view both DIN and XLR are better conceived, and if the ground is properly connected (to chassis, as per AES rules) in all components, then also buzz, hum, and other noise issues either vanish or are easier to troubleshoot.
Tomi Engdahl says:
There’s actually an unexpected advantage aging audiophiles have over younger listeners.
Full story: https://www.headphonesty.com/2024/12/aging-not-disqualify-audiophile/
Tomi Engdahl says:
It looks like a Audiophile sales and marketing bible?
.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EmNjQVXM9/
The reviews are in and critics and audiophiles alike are raving about our new book,
““I’m right and your system isn’t resolving enough” -How to defend your audiophile purchases from the attacks of poor people””
Available now in gorgeous hardcover and ebook formats, you’ll learn how to definitively defend why your truth is louder than measured reality. With topics spanning from cable lifters to the most exotic power cords, you’ll be armed for battle against the audio proletariate like never before.
——————-
“A tour de force of rationalization. At last, a text that empowers the discerning audiophile to reject science and embrace the truth of their wallet. Essential reading.”
— Absolute Soundness Quarterly
“This book has redefined the way I argue with my brother-in-law. He says I wasted $3,000 on power cords — I say he wasted his life on measurements. Five stars.”
— The Golden Ear Review
“No other book so elegantly explains why the subtle glow of vacuum tubes matters more than room treatment. HarmonicArtistry Labs has given us scripture.”
— Audiophile Sanctum Journal
“With biting wit and absolute conviction, this book finally answers the age-old question: If a skeptic can’t hear the difference, do they even deserve music?”
— Listening Beyond Listening Magazine
“I read this book on a Kindle. It sounded better than vinyl.”
— Digital Fidelity Digest
Tomi Engdahl says:
All of this is subjective. It all comes down to your room acoustics, system, speakers, mastering, and most important, your ears. One persons garbage is another’s treasure.
Back in the 80s there were (2) chip solutions for CDs, I recall (1) was from Sony and most Japanese brand used this. The other (1) was from Philips used by Philips, Marantz, NEC, Kyocera. To most audiophiles the Philips solution was sonically superior, the high frequencies were smoother not as bright as the Sony solution…
The high end Sony CD players were actually more accurate, which was proven by objective measurements.
if you are talking about DACs there was also Burr/Brown
Burr Brown in Tucson was famous for its DACS.
It was bought by Texas Instruments.
A researcher built custom tests that exposed flaws in modern CD players and unexpected strengths in older ones.
Full story: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/08/test-vintage-cd-players-outperform-modern-models/
Tomi Engdahl says:
10 signs you’re more of an audiophile than a music lover: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/03/signs-audiophile-than-music-lover/?utm_source=fb&utm_campaign=link_in_comment
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.stereophile.com/content/audioquest-introduces-brave-heart-speaker-cable-zero-tech
The cable uses upgraded polypropylene insulation to reduce distributed capacitance distortion and increase bandwidth for noise dissipation. Carbon-loaded PVC, graphene, and 4% silver shield drain wires are included as part of a multilayer RF-noise dissipation strategy.
Like other AudioQuest designs, Brave Heart employs solid, direction-controlled conductors, cold-welded terminations, and the company’s 72v Dielectric-Bias System to minimize timing and dielectric noise. AudioQuest states that Brave Heart includes no RF-conductive metals in its dressings, breakouts, or barrels, and utilizes ZERO-Tech—previously featured in its higher-tier lines—to eliminate impedance mismatch between cable, source, and load.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.angela-gilbert.com/about-me
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://community.naimaudio.com/t/why-naim-use-din-connectors/63
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.reddit.com/r/audiophile/comments/xeddj/pvcfree_speaker_wire_other_cables/
Tomi Engdahl says:
What ya doing in this group?
We in the Pro-Audio world have been mocking audiophiles for decades, it’s fun because they’re typically on the deep-end of the Duning-Kreuger effect when it comes to technical knowledge. Watching people try to justify their sunken costs is entertaining, especially when they’re super over-confident in the snake-oil they’ve paid for.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Been done, showed squat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyWt3kANA3Q
Tomi Engdahl says:
Are we talking line-level signal cables or low-impedance speaker wires? Or both?
Sure, you want decent quality when it comes to shielding, connectors, and so on, but no reason to go nuts.
Years ago there was a blind test between some high-end Monster speaker cables and coat hanger wire (seriously!). Audiophiles couldn’t tell the difference.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Here are the results: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/08/audio-cables-affect-sound-audiophiles-survey/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The untold story behind how Steely Dan became the audiophile gold standard: https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/05/untold-story-steely-dan-audiophile-gold-standard/?utm_source=fb&utm_campaign=link_in_comment
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ken Braziel I’m here to gasp at the useless stuff people apparently pay a lot of money for. I know enough about electronics, acoustics, etc. to understand what makes a difference, and I don’t think it’s stupid to care about audio equipment and sound quality. Sure, Sidney Bechet sounds good even when he’s recorded with 1920s technology, but most music I don’t enjoy with bad audio, and sometimes that even makes more difference than the musicianship, especially for some electronic music where there really isn’t any clear line between the instrument and the audio equipment.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nordost
marketing
Myth: All audio cables sound the same.
Wrong! Materials, shielding, geometry, and design all impact sound quality. In high-end systems, even small differences in clarity and dynamics are easy to hear. Not all cables are created equal.
Tomi Engdahl says:
There’s nothing a few glasses of single malt can’t solve in the cable world
If small differences are noticeable – why no one cares about cheap PCB solder and wiring inside? Component legs?
Giedrius Jakimonis because cables don’t actually change the sound of your system, their job is to ensure an accurate transmission of the signal as possible
Giedrius Jakimonis they do. High end components improved that. Not mid end
Zeto Le Neve , SSL, Neumann , etc etc
These are gear that your records are recorded on, if not cheaper.
They don’t mind PCB/super mega cables… etc … one exception could be Neumann U67 cable which costs close to 400€ – but that’s a mic level device and noise is a factor.
Discussion at https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C3XZ9gbC3/
Tomi Engdahl says:
“All audio cables sound the same” Wrong! The more expensive and the more profits they bring, the better they sound….
Tomi Engdahl says:
Fact; all cables with good materials, good shielding, good geometry and good design sound the same but cost a ridiculously varying amount without any justification or physics to support the cost.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Placebo effect is a thing few people realize affects their hearing. If you work in audio, you either learn to know it, or keep making silly things, and focusing on what doesn’t matter. If the cable is of decent quality, then after that, it really does not matter, at least in terms of what is audible. I suggest you ABX test things you think have an effect. I considered buying higher quality cables, but the ABX simply did not reveal a difference I could reliably spot.
One could argue that if you were to add up all the little reductions in quality, from each step, recording engineers cable to preamp. Cable to converter. Or to outboard gear. Then the consumer from Dac to amp, amp to speaker. All cables add up. Cool. Show me in audio examples, valid tests. Til then, I’ll keep my money for other factors. As long as it measures well enough, the cable is good.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Just test two cables (one cheap, one expensive) with the same complex signal, and do a null-test. They should be identical on both ends. If they are not, check what differs and how significant that is on the quality of the signal. Should be pretty simple actually, do cable makes not do these kind of tests?
Tomi Engdahl says:
Attila Novák
Of course not, because that would immediately expose the nonsense.
It’s worse than nonsense really, it’s just total ignorance, fraud and pseudo-science.
Attila Novák because it is religion, not science…
Tomi Engdahl says:
The levels of ignorance on all posts about cables always staggers me. Mostly from the tone deaf or the arrogant. I’d suggest that you all take the trouble to find out exactly how electricity travels along a wire, might make you a little wiser.
Mark Venn been there, done that, no audible differences aside from wire gauge and shielding. The arrogance tends to come from the cable believers, not the science believers.
Mark Venn and the effects of currents travelling through 1 meter of cable are noticeable by human ears, right?
Well, they must sell to someone those 20€ cables for 3270€, so I guess people who are not “tone deaf” in the end feed some worker, and that’s a good thing.
Markus von Orrlich Noticeable to my ears yes, but i fully appreciate most ppl won’t notice the difference. I tend to dislike most cables with silver in them, usually makes the sound slightly bright for my ears. I do not for one minute suggest anyone should spend £3270 on any cable, that’s just foolish. Make up your own using good quality cable (like mogami) and some good quality plugs. That’s all you need.
Mark Venn classic BS, silver just *looks* brighter than copper.
The only way to hear the change in sound is to reduce or increase distortion in your system. Different cables can do this by the effect of their capacitance on the output of your preamp or some signal source. Not every output loaded with capacitance is subject to an increase or decrease in distortion, some are completely immune and you will not hear any changes in the sound provided that the connector makes good contact on both sides.
What you need to remember is your brain is fooled.
Your talking about cable that costs thousands extracting more information and musicality than a cable that costs less than lunch.
From a recording made from lots of individual recordings made with hundreds of feet of $1 per meter wire routed through patch bays with $2 XLR sockets, into a desk where some guy distorts, compresses, alters, then shapes the sound and individual performances into a cohesive whole that sounds like a band on a soundstage.
From a pair of vibrating cones in wood pulp cabinets internally wired with bell wire.
It’s a mental illness.
It’s real and it’s spectacular.
Snake oil. Provided screening is appropriate, and CSA suitable (for speakers) it really doesn’t matter. I KNOW that, for short lengths, BBC spec microphone cable is <£3/m.
Andrew Chesters This. Not only for short lengths- at line level you can go for many 10’s of metres on standard pair + screen cable without any issues.
If it is good enough for the people making the recording it is good enough for those listening.
I turned up for a demo of a possible new pre-amp and a pair of power amps late last year with my MacBook pro, balanced output soundcard and a pair of 5M XLR cables made from Canford FST cable and Neutrik XLR connectors as pictured here as my source and lets just say after some initial skepticism from the staff jaws were hitting the floor once i got going. The pro quality soundcard is around £250, the cables cost about 70p per metre for the cable and around £5 a pair of connectors. I solder them myself.
Chris Griffith if it’s good enough for the people making the recording it is good enough for those listening.. How many crappy recordings have you heard?
Mike Littrell flip that round. How many great recordings have you heard?
Having worked in different parts of the broadcast, recording and live events industry for decades i can categorically tell you that cable systems are taken seriously, but good quality pair + screen or in some cases Starquad with Neutrik , cannon or Switchcraft connectors cover the vast majority of single circuit connections.
If you have a bad recording there are a myriad of reasons why it may be classified as such ( although even this is subjective, technically bad recordings – the Killers Mr Brightside is a common example – are often the result of artistic decisions) but not using “audiophile “ type cables is not amongst them.
If you wish to spend your hard earned money on expensive cables then please do so, and if they bring you pleasure then even better. And if that means that you get to enjoy your best recordings even more then better still. But the chances are extremely high that those recordings were still made using the perfectly adequate professional grade cable systems.
If the equipment is perfect, good cabels will do the trick. Magic cables alter flaws or change timbre… and for real…a cable that does change the signal….aint good, just different!
Cables shall not add sound or reduce sound , the shall be impossible the hear . No filter thanks but ok if you have a weak link in your system you might be able to adjust it a little bit. But buy cables with a reasonable cost in comparison to the rest of the system . Dont exadurate .
R, C, L = the only things that matter
They make a huge difference …for Nordost financial balance.
To the cable naysayers, you are very very wrong. Cables can make an extraordinary difference in a resolving system set up properly. Key words, resolving system, set up properly.
But let me extend an olive branch, price does not equal performance. There are many predatory cable companies that prey on ignorance to make a profit. I do not support them.
All these neigh sayers are the typical unintelligent, no money, no brains kind of people who will never have the chance to experience proper expensive high end cables. Most people who do enjoy high end cables have brains, have and tested, spend there hard earned cash on luxury cables because cables in most cases make a huge difference in sound.
William Ashley Spender Turner
You would be laughed out of the room if you tried to tell a group of electrical engineers or AES members the benefits of an audio interconnect or speaker wire that costs four to five figures, they would be in hysterics.
It is beyond nonsense, it is an insult to one's intelligence and anyone making such claims of superior performance needs to educate themselves and also grow up.
William Ashley Spender Turner they saw you coming with your arrogance and ignorance.
Many of the people who disagree with you are actually trained scientists and engineers, and many actually build electronics and know what they're actually talking about.
Waste your money if you like – but please don't try to convince anyone it's a sign of your superior intellect.
William Ashley Spender Turner
The only difference is the impact on your wallet after which you have to pretend it's "night and day" difference among the two… Otherwise you'd have to admit you've been dupped, and we already know, based on your "superior intelligence", that you're not going to do that…
William Ashley Spender Turner If you think you're the only one with a decent system that tried "boutique" cables, you're wrong. Been there, done that, decades ago… and just to be clear, I don't give a flying crap how you decide to spend your money, as long as you don't spread your half baked opinions to other half informed morons that "hear a night and day difference" instead of admitting that they've been fooled…
People with zero $ and/or tin ears never hear cable differences.Most will never realize that inorder to hear a difference their system needs good QUIET high current power delivery and not just upgraded signal cable.Certanly not just one cable in the system upgraded either. I use Shunyata Research Power cables and their Hydra power conditioners along with AudioQuest interconnects and speaker cables on ALL components and I would never return to cheap stock cables again .There is no comparison at all .My system breaths like real live instruments playing an actual concert now with zero compression and no distortion whatsoever even at hundreds of watts output.Trying to push Music through stock cables at high volume is like trying to push an Elephant through a keyhole.A ton of information is LOST , the sound will get harsh and edgy and dynamics are horribly squashed.Ps.Its just as important to use the same brand and model of cables on your signal/Speaker cables to achieve audible improvements.Same goes for power cables and conditioners.You can't improve a great record but you CAN extract more information out of it then you ever dreamed possible.Nordost makes some of the best cables IN THE WORLD and they've won just about every award in the Audio industry.Also made in USA.
Also gravity. It slows down the electrons, so they move slower than the speed of light, thereby affecting sound quality. Unless you have extremely low.quality cables with faulty shielding, the claimed improvement in sound quality will be highly subjective and can only be measured in lab setting.
says someone selling expensive cables. I did a blind test with 3 different cables , one expensive , one average priced and one made up using a key ring and paper clip as part of the conductor all inserted into a high end system , no one could tell the difference
If you can hear a difference in cables – then your preamp is bad at driving parasitics. Spend your money on a decent preamp and keep away from the cable snake oil salesmen.
Sure they aren't all the same. The problem is insane pricing for marginally small differences.
Off course they can:
https://youtu.be/UuCxluG61NE?si=FXI3OAfPS8NXssrA
Quality materials, shielding and connectivity do make a difference in audio connections but up to a certain but reasonable point. Beyond that you're paying through the nose for little or almost no improvement and entering into realms of perception, rather than a noticable and measurable improvement, where that you perceived is more influenced by the ridiculous price tag! Junk is still junk no matter how many zeroes you add to its price tag.
Did you know? James Randi once offered $1,000,000 to anyone who could prove, in a double-blind test, that expensive audio cables sound different from standard ones. Nobody ever claimed the prize.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Fact: all audiophile marketing is bullshit.
Audiophiles can’t tell between an expensive cable or a copper coathanger.
https://youtu.be/GTwwvY8Is1o?si=8cVRKQ3cOomHJu1C
Dan Dizm Robbins I took part of a double blind test in the 90’s. I could only hear a difference between the cheapest rca cable and the rest. The cheapest one was the cable YouTubed to get with cheap audio gear like Aiwa. Expensive audio cable is all marketing.
A home made silicone flexible 12-AWG earth cable with fork connectors for around $9.99 will improve your turntable sound far better than any high end offering.
I only run my systems with grass-fed organic farm-raised copper. Anything less than that doesn’t have the warmth that I’m looking for
Still waiting on those scientific test results rather than “feelings”. How are they coming on?
Mark Brumby If I was charging an obscene amount of money for cables and making outlandish claims about them I’d be prepared to back them up with some actual evidence rather than just “they sound better to me”. Crap like this is bought by idiots with too much money so they can brag to other idiots about how much money they’ve spent. Might as well have a who can piss the highest contest or just compare dick size.
Not much difference in £10 too £1000 on what the human ear can hear so waste off money
Leonard Burleigh not much? More like no difference at all unless defective or a totally incompetent design
Yes, they do. You sell snakeoil, of course you are going to say that your products matter. To this day there has been zero evidence that your cables matter.
https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/08/audio-cables-affect-sound-audiophiles-survey/
You can certainly convince yourself that you hear a difference… and you can certainly also convince yourself that you can’t … i don’t know where I stand … have a few “ good quality cables “ … but if someone added some thing cheaper overnight.. without telling me .. don’t know if I would notice
I might just think it would be one of those “bad power days “
This is simply about the new revenue model of MANUFACTURERS and DISTRIBUTORS, nothing more.
And if you believe this bullshit, go for it; it’s your money, after all.
Ok, nordost cables is now on my scam list.
Yes, junk cables can be bad. But any known reputable brand should do fine
It actually is a total snake oil myth. Cables simply transmit current and audio signals. There’s no need to spend more than $50 on a single cable. Don’t believe their bullshit!
Just overpriced snakeoil. As long as cables are made properly with good gold plated connectors they sound exactly the same.
Discussion at https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C3XZ9gbC3/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://nordost.com/blog/debunking-cable-myths/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwMWLmpjbGNrAxYuXmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEea9iQaelAljcAP8o5SRlzZnEESMeWY_lxzftUS9G-TFnOmKgy4nxeN_nKeog_aem_Ya54Y-MN19LiJc8TkrCZLw
Tomi Engdahl says:
Myth 3: The more expensive the cable is, the better it will sound in your system.
Price doesn’t always equal performance. What matters more is system synergy. The right cable for your setup depends on your components, room acoustics, and personal taste. In some cases, a mid-level cable that complements your system’s tonal balance can outperform a flagship cable that doesn’t match your gear or that uses technologies that limit your components in other ways or compress sound. This is especially true if you try to mix and match cables within one system that combat or cancel each other out with competing technologies or design philosophies.
https://nordost.com/blog/debunking-cable-myths/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwMWLrdjbGNrAxYuXmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEea9iQaelAljcAP8o5SRlzZnEESMeWY_lxzftUS9G-TFnOmKgy4nxeN_nKeog_aem_Ya54Y-MN19LiJc8TkrCZLw
Tomi Engdahl says:
If someone prefers the sound of vinyl, then so be it. Just don’t tell me that vinyl is more accurate and is of higher resolution.
Tomi Engdahl says:
I love how they rephrase “harmonic distortion” as “captures harmonics”
Tomi Engdahl says:
I don’t think these guys have it right!
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16uRWH6k2R/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16k4j1TMrW/
Transparent cable
Just a photo from a Swedish company selling cables from Transparent and the translation.
Sometimes the talk goes. Today I heard that “Transparent cables are worthless if you don’t have a certificate of authenticity!” Customer got worried, called and asked.
Here’s how it is:
I have been selling Transparent Audio in Sweden since 2001. Without a certificate of authenticity. Such animals simply do not exist.
What is available is if you own a pair of Reference or higher that are all calibrated to other equipment. Then you get a certificate. What equipment is compatible with the particular pair of cables, who is the owner and where they were purchased.
These cables have free recalibration if the owner changes equipment. You have to pay the shipping to USA but the calibration itself is free. infinite number of times.
When such a pair is sold used, it is important that the next owner knows:
1) What are they calibrated for? (it can sound very strange sometimes in case of a mis-match)
2) Where were they purchased? (if they are purchased outside Sweden, no recalibration is required)
If this certificate is missing, the value will naturally decrease. However, you can be reinstated in the system by paying a sum, usually when there is a need for recalibration.
The above only applies to the higher levels. A pair of References costs well over 100 thousand today and then it is natural to have the certificates in order.
But the cables in the largest number that are available in the country today are of the simpler models, from The Wave, Music Wave, PLUS, Super and Ultra. They have never been sold with any certificate of any kind. Transparent Cable is also one of the brands that has been affected the least by pirated copies over the years. If you are unsure, you can always give us a call. The same importer for 25 years provides good know-how!
On hificonsult.se there is a section “CABLES”. There is more info there! Welcome!
HI FI CONSULT
Etd. 1972
Tomi Engdahl says:
We never see documentation in the form of measurements for these claims.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Warmer means less highs. Too much warm is boring. Digital is transparent. Every problem or dislike you may have is from mastering rather than format.
Tomi Engdahl says:
You people claim to hate compression but vinyl needs to be equalized and compressed to keep the needle in the groove. Tape adds its natural compresion. And both have terrible dynamic range. Distorsion and high floor noise.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Very easy to explain – distortion and frequency response. The way analogue recordings are made cannot avoid distortion – it is impossible to avoid. Frequency response is limited due to the mechanical systems used.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Most vinyl is press from discs made with digital master even old classic were made that way. Newer releases are definitely made with digital masters.
Alex Lex they are , but mostly 48khz 24 bit wav or flac
John Kear doesn’t matter. Golden ears can’t hear and indentify which vinyl is pressed from digital master or from master tapes. They can’t identify a tape original going tru a series of ADC and DAC from the original proving that digital can capture all the detail and “sound” of tape.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tomi Engdahl there are competing design philosophies for audiophile cables? Now that idea is palpably laughable
- there’s one underlying philosophy for all of them.
Tomi Engdahl says:
You people claim to hate compression but vinyl needs to be equalized and compressed to keep the needle in the groove. Tape adds its natural compresion. And both have terrible dynamic range. Distorsion and high floor noise.
Alex Lex The solution was called RIAA my friend.
Michel Plante that is what I meant when I said to be equalized. As for compression it can’t sound to loud or it will jump rhe groove it can’t be to low vol or it will be drown in the floor noise which is high. So it need to be compressed for the inherit low dynamic range.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.headphonesty.com/2024/08/confessions-audiophile-wife/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/intere.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.headphonesty.com/2025/08/audio-cables-affect-sound-audiophiles-survey/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Each soldered connection is a unique, hand-crafted metal sculpture, made from a proprietary blend of fine silver and rare-Earth materials, resulting in minimal Ohmic losses and the highest fidelity.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Alex Lex sometimes people conflate dynamic compression (a process all mastered recordings go through) and bit-rate compression; so when folk say they hate compression it may not be the demon the listener thinks off.
The downside and upside of digital recording and playback tech, is that it gave recording/ mixing/ mastering engineers more options – one of which was the ‘brickwall’ compression that was near standardised in the early 2000′s. I think that is the listening experience many don’t like.
Thankfully we’ve moved away from that a bit now but it is a shame that every ‘audiophile’ discussion doesn’t begin with a glossary-of-terms to let everyone understand what the other is actually referencing