What you guys aren't considering is that one of the impurities in lesser copper, the cheap stuff with only a few 9s, is arsenic. Now as it happens, arsenic is the most musically inaccurate element. That's bad news for people trying to get away with normal twisted pair, or worse yet, zip cord. The arsenic, although only present in tiny amounts, "poisons" the soundstage, just like it would poison you. Only people with the best systems, and of course, discerning ears will hear what I'm talking about. This information isn't common knowledge, since I only discovered it while working on a top secret military project, so keep it under your hats. I'm sure I can trust your discretion.
If by "livelier" you mean the tizzy treble of low-end commodity systems. Your ears get used to it, just like you build up a tolerance to arsenic, and for many of the same reasons. Why take a chance with your music, or especially your hearing?
Anything made by Nordost is going to be 99% BS and cost you an arm and a leg.
"Nordost says the Odin cable improves noise floor and resolution, increases transparency, dynamic range and freedom from grain, gives more believable sound staging, more natural life and musical dynamics, and a large range of tonal colours"
Golly it sure does a lot 🙄
This was posted by Jason "I always hear a difference" Serinus on the Stereophile website waaaayyyyyyy back in 2009 about the upcoming RMAF
"The three seminars by Nordost's Roy Gregory (former editor of HiFi+) and Vertex AQ's Steve Elford sound especially intriguing. Gregory explained by e-mail that they will present a new form of measurement that promises to remove the stigma of "voodoo science" from cables and other audio products: "The content has serious, far-reaching consequences for both audio measurement techniques (their effectiveness—or current lack thereof) and our understanding of systems as a whole and priorities within them." Separately, Nordost will demonstrate its new Nordost System Tuning and Set-Up disc and the Quantum Distribution System"
Now we all know just how "important" that "new form of measurement" panned out now don't we? I mean it's alllllllllll over the internet and a buzzword in every audiophile's listening room! 😀 Yeah just more BS talk from Nordost.
As Showson posted in reply on the HA forum:
"I think it is hilarious that the subjectivists are constantly trying to find new objective standards for their subjective judgements.
It is as if deep down they realise they are wrong, and know their claims aren't supported by evidence"
AndyO in the same thread:
"Science by press release. It's what creationists and pseudoscientists do. Most people don't bother to look beyond the hyperbole. After all, if it's from "the press", it must be true!"
In reality this is all pretty sad, and in a way it is a warning, these are rational people, the consumers and the vendors. The vendors have a phoney product to sell, the consumers are buying it. This can only end with a fight as broad as the product. Sure glad it is only hifi.
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So the big question is...... Why do people want to believe that an improvement can be made with something that requires a small expediture of effort in an instant as opposed to the certain gain of something that requires more effort. And there it is.
As a species, we are lazy and are always looking for a unfair advantage. Then we have the portion who wants something for nothing. It is who we are by biology. Only by civilization do we learn to try and do better. A few don't seem to want to participate.
It does make me wonder. Someone with enough money to buy $20K cables, if they are that stupid, how did they get all that money?
That is about the same as Ronaldo and Bale get at Real Madrid but spanish salaries are quoted after tax!
That certainly covers the cynical and conspiratorial perspective forming the meat of this thread, if missing the requisite end-of-civilization vibe. I'm not clear how the given example of $20K cables counts as 'for nothing' though.
I'ld like to suggest another possibility. Someone with $20K for cables probably spends a great deal of time working. That's certainly my direct observation of high level corporate executives for example, they live work and age fast. Between work and family they probably don't have leisure months and years to develop DIY skills. Once their main system components are settled accessory swapping may be the only available and expedient way perceived to attempt improvements without sacrificing other things they consider far more important.
Be fair. One of the most frequent contributors to this thread apparently has the leisure time to scour the audio press daily for omens of western civilization's end yet hasn't found enough to submit anything technical. Everyone has their priorities.
I'll level with you guys that I have no specific idea how a $20K cable might be better than a 1K cable. There IS room for marketing and puffing, but I find that the people buying them are usually highly intelligent successful people who, for some personal need, want the best high fidelity sound quality they can put together. This includes a number of doctors, in my experience, including an eye surgeon who heads a whole group of offices located in several cities. This guy invests in the BEST that he can find in the world, and the sound quality of his system reflects this. He does it all by ear. That is the sort of customer who will buy exotic cables.
Doctors??? Really? Doctors are held as the pinnacle of discerning perspective???
I managed over 70 doctors for years and would run as fast as possible in the opposite direction if I had to rely on ANY sort of intelligent judgement skills from most of THAT group! Just look at the current state of healthcare in this country
Ability to spend exorbitant sums of $$$$$$ on a whim w/o a hint of concern for quality and bang for buck... okay, that might apply in spades. Same holds true for corporate execs, many musicians, etc... most look only to impress as in dropping names, etc.
"I'ld like to suggest another possibility. Someone with $20K for cables probably spends a great deal of time working. That's certainly my direct observation of high level corporate executives for example, they live work and age fast. Between work and family they probably don't have leisure months and years to develop DIY skills. Once their main system components are settled accessory swapping may be the only available and expedient way perceived to attempt improvements without sacrificing other things they consider far more important."
strawman
I managed over 70 doctors for years and would run as fast as possible in the opposite direction if I had to rely on ANY sort of intelligent judgement skills from most of THAT group! Just look at the current state of healthcare in this country
Ability to spend exorbitant sums of $$$$$$ on a whim w/o a hint of concern for quality and bang for buck... okay, that might apply in spades. Same holds true for corporate execs, many musicians, etc... most look only to impress as in dropping names, etc.
"I'ld like to suggest another possibility. Someone with $20K for cables probably spends a great deal of time working. That's certainly my direct observation of high level corporate executives for example, they live work and age fast. Between work and family they probably don't have leisure months and years to develop DIY skills. Once their main system components are settled accessory swapping may be the only available and expedient way perceived to attempt improvements without sacrificing other things they consider far more important."
strawman
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