Could it be that expensive cables have better earth connections than a lot of kettle leads and that is causing a difference in SQ?
Trying to be objective here. Hope nobody minds.
Not really, you have a copper wire going from one end to the other and a 30 second test with nothing more sophisticated than the multimeter in my toolbox will tell anyone that the resistance of that cable is effectively zero. A "better" cable will offer no better or worse a connection to earth or indeed to L and N.Could it be that expensive cables have better earth connections than a lot of kettle leads and that is causing a difference in SQ?
There is a minimum wire size set by approval regulations. Exotic weaves make the earth wire inductance higher than a kettle leadCould it be that expensive cables have better earth connections than a lot of kettle leads and that is causing a difference in SQ?
Having observed this thread for some time I am coming to the conclusion that most people are simply getting entrenched in one camp or the other and to me that is possibly the main issue here each side declaring they are correct and so the others therefore must be wrong.
If some people say they can hear differences in their music who am I or anyone else for that matter to say they cannot? Just because I cant, or that I dont believe it possible for some reason, does not then mean it cant be true.
It seems the main argument against special leads is that there appears to be no measurable or logical reason as to why the sound should change by using one cable or another. Many good theories, many based on good physics, as to why there cannot be a change have been put forward, but just because something is not understood does not mean it cant happen. Ball lightning for example is a known phenomenon yet scientists are still unable to explain exactly why or how it happens but happen it does.
Also we need to take into account that no two people hear in the same way. Frequency range differs from person to person but perhaps more importantly so does frequency sensitivity. Many people can hear when certain harmonics are present or not whilst others cannot some people are so insensitive they are unable to distinguish between a flute and a violin. They are not deaf its just the way their brains and hearing differentiate various sounds differs from other people.
Maybe we all have to accept that the mains possibly carries all sorts of rubbish as well as the 50hz we all wish to use and so perhaps there is a chance some of this does get though to our audio kit, and if so, may for some equipment affect the way the circuits respond. To say it cant is nonsense but equally to say it does is also flawed unless we can prove it by measuring it and thereby lies the real crux of the issue measurability. If we could measure such an effect there would be no doubt on either side but we cant at the moment so each side has their own opinion, but highly biased and based on their own experience and expertise.
The problem is however that if we could measure an effect on the sound then there would be no doubt, but if measurements came to nothing it would still leave doubt because you cannot measure nothing or no effect. So back to square one!!!
I for one find it hard to believe that £1800 is a reasonable price to pay for something which appears to do so little in real terms bang per buck maybe the value term I would wish to use her. However, I dont think the claims of people who have bought such devices can be quite so easily dismissed. Maybe for some there is some expectation of a change and therefore something is perceived, but its unlikely that that is true in every single case.
If indeed there is something more to this whole issue to understand, then no doubt in time someone will bring forth the explanation. If not, then we will continue to speculate and believe what we wish and this thread will run and run!
Nobody falls off a bridge swapping a mains cable.
The worrying part, especially coming from engineers, is the word believe. Imagine a bridge building engineer saying "we believe it's strong enough to cope with high winds".
It cannot be denied that some people are hearing a difference, and the odds are that not all of them are imagining it.
Therefore it is as yet unexplained.
Scientists will never accept that ghosts exist because they cannot be detected with gross material instruments. But many people have experienced their presence.
Why are some so opposed to some hearing the difference, why does it have to be imagined,Why are the odds in favour of it not being imagined? Sight and hearing are so easily fooled by "biases" that the exact opposite is true.
Similarly, amazing advances in neurochemistry research, especially using real-time MRI are suggesting that experiences like déjà vu - for instance - might have an explanation in brain chemistry. Ghosts and near-death experiences can't be far behind...
It cannot be denied that some people are hearing a difference, and the odds are that not all of them are imagining it.
Therefore it is as yet unexplained.
Scientists will never accept that ghosts exist because they cannot be detected with gross material instruments. But many people have experienced their presence.
The odds of differences being imagined every single time are slim indeed, especially when several people have reported hearing differences in blind tests but these reports tend to get swept under the carpet or dismissed as being merely 'anecdotal,' or lies.
Because they areThey are anecdotal by definition, and I don't think anyone is calling them lies - I think most of us acknowledge that the people reporting the differences really believe they are hearing them.
Why are some so opposed to some hearing the difference
Ghosts are usually attributed to the stress of grief, electrical activity in the brain as is the same with the near death experience, these are attributed to either physical or mental stress, audio is the complete opposite, it is, in my experience, a very relaxing, enjoyable experience, not associated with any kind of stress causing my brain to malfunction as with ghosts or near death experience so I think the two cannot be linked in any way.