A reasonable first assumption with the exception of the shielding (possibly). I've seen some shielding that is pretty flexible and lightweight. Whilst I can see such an effect would be theoretically possible I'm not sure that the magnitude of transferred energy would be that great. Based on the kit I've cracked open that has IEC connectors they seem to be bolted to the case and connected to circuit boards by fly leads. Of course the circuit boards themselves are also bolted to the case as well. The real nub would be can sufficient mechanical energy get through. Frequency could be an issue if nearing a mechanically resonant point for the component in question. When all is said and done you're still in crap shoot territory for a specific mains cable helping improve a specific piece of kit if the effect is significant enough to be noticeable.
Power Cables. Are they overhyped? Part III
- Thread starter Mike42
- Start date
A reasonable first assumption with the exception of the shielding (possibly). I've seen some shielding that is pretty flexible and lightweight. Whilst I can see such an effect would be theoretically possible I'm not sure that the magnitude of transferred energy would be that great. Based on the kit I've cracked open that has IEC connectors they seem to be bolted to the case and connected to circuit boards by fly leads. Of course the circuit boards themselves are also bolted to the case as well. The real nub would be can sufficient mechanical energy get through. Frequency could be an issue if nearing a mechanically resonant point for the component in question. When all is said and done you're still in crap shoot territory for a specific mains cable helping improve a specific piece of kit if the effect is significant enough to be noticeable.
Wrt first point probably not, but equally it wouldn't make them a non-viable approach either.
My view on a domestic hifi is that it is there solely to provide the listeners with an enjoyable ( feel free to insert other words which generally imply having a good time) experience through the medium of replaying recorded musical performance. As such all the measurements we have traditionally used (frequency response etc.) are actually only secondary measures. They are used as proxies/approximations because we could not (possibly still cannot) easily, and unobtrusively, measure the brain functions of the listeners to directly establish what is an improvement (for them but not necessarily for others).
A simple thump test would be inadequate as frequency may be significant.
G
Guest432
Guest
Low freq travels much further than high freqs so if a thump is not heard a high freq vibration won't be either.
Purité Audio
Trade: Purite Audio
Yet you can establish listeners preferences in unsighted comparisons, see for example the rests performed by Olive/Toole at Harman.
Keith
If the kit is microphonic the thump will be seen in the output.
Is it bold?
its obvious that if equipment performance is changed by the most subtle effect a mains cable could have then it is deficient.The vintage kit is a total red herring that neil brought up due to a lack of any other cogent argument.
As you say a mains cable isnt an rf filter. If the amplifier design needs an rf filter why wouldnt you, or more pertinently the designer, fit one?
And those tests are correlated to technical performance parameters.
Is it bold?
The vintage kit is a total red herring that neil brought up due to a lack of any other cogent argument.
As you say a mains cable isnt an rf filter. If the amplifier design needs an rf filter why would you, or more pertinently the designer, fit one?
Ah, I see you are one of those individuals that is incapable of admitting they made an error. Best to ignore you from now on as lack of intellectual honesty when discussing these matters makes them totally pointless.
Yes but they cannot establish a norm and thereby rule out factors such as mood etc. They are a useful scientific tool but not the panacea you seem to believe them to be.
P.S. In all domestic environments I have ever lived in they are also totally impractical from the perspective of doing an experiment that has any shred of scientific credibility.
Provided the thump contains the resonant frequency (or something very close to it) for the various components I'd agree.
I have no understanding of what error you are referring to. I think it was you that misinterpreted what was said. Others understood just fine.
Jim Audiomisc
pfm Member
Impulse functions tend to inject a fair range of frequencies. This is why bells tend to be hit with something.
Also bear in mind that a crisp thump may well deliver a much bigger injection of vibration to an object than what comes via the air.
An impact stimulous will contain a wide range of frequencies. It is used all the time in vibration testing to determine the natural frequencies of structures
Do a search on " vibration bump test"
Lee T
pfm Member
I have found hifi speaker stands effect sound far more than mains cables.
Try a pair of wooden stands over a resonant pair of metal stands, it's quite easy to hear the difference in sound from the speakers.
This is a good read on the subject.
Speakers with the correct technical properties will sound better in a domestic environment just as they do in a more controlled environment such as that used by Tool for the research. So your assertion there is not correct.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0240520092/?tag=pinkfishmedia-20
Lee T
pfm Member
I'm pretty sure that anyone reading such a thread is up to date with any issue here,
What sometimes gets ignored is the strong bias not to hear an improvement, the op in particular, his posts on the subject have become almost evangelical against hearing a difference with such a cable, it works both ways with any piece of equipment, unless done blind, then it's another story.
Speakers were always a particular favourite test for me, it is the one piece of the hifi set up that is visible to a large degree & come in all shapes & sizes yet gets little mention regarding bias.
Listening in the dark (or simply covering your eyes) is quite interesting where speakers are concerned, colour, shape & price bias have a strong effect on what is heard.
Are mains cable over hyped? sometimes, are mains cable posters who insist on measuring to the nth degree over hyped? only those who forgot to take their med's.
Do better mains cable make a difference?
Yes they do sometimes, no they don't sometimes, and when they do some people can't hear it, and when they don't some people can.
Do better mains cable make a difference to design deficient/ faulty amps'?
It would seem so.
Mr ED
Do better mains cable make a difference?
Yes they do sometimes, no they don't sometimes, and when they do some people can't hear it, and when they don't some people can.
Do better mains cable make a difference to design deficient/ faulty amps'?
It would seem so.
Mr ED
Lee T
pfm Member
Why do you believe this, is it from reading from posts here or actual tests carried out.
If it to be true, then there seems to be a lot of faulty amps making sweet music out there.
I personally feel it's a nice cop out clause as I see no evidence for this position, just the usual anecdotal stuff.
Has anyone posting this opinion carried out tests to prove this theory, as it is only a theory.