[Arny Krueger]

"JBorg, Jr" wrote in message

" This issue boils down to whether specially
manufactured, and often more expensive cables, for
connecting audio components to each other and speakers to
amplifier outputs, are better than mass produced, more
standard component connectors and regular speaker wire or
electrical wire ("zip cord"). "

This would depend on the criteria you use to establish what is better.

For example, MCM Electronics is selling-out Monster Cable DVI cables. Since
they are being sold for bottom prices and can reasonbly be expected to be no
worse than average, I recommended that a customer purchase a number of them.
When we received them, we found that they differed from other commodity
cables primarily in the application of a plastic braid sheath over the usual
cable insulation. This was obviously an attempt to have a stronger
appearance of being "high end". My customer, being ignorant of the ways of
audio's high end was concerned that the loose plastic sheath was indicative
of poor construction quality. They seem perform no better or worse than any
other DVI cable I've used in that application.

" My opinion is if you use reasonably good component
connectors and keep the connections free of corrosion,
you will not hear the difference between them and the
more expensive connectors. [...]

This is an established fact.

Without regards to cost, how did you determine that the
reader reading what you just stated won't not hear the
difference between your mass produced zipcord and the
more expensive connectors ?

News flash Borg - one compares apples and apples, and not apples and
oranges. Therefore your comparison of zipcord (which is cable) and "more
expensive connectors" (which is cable termination) is invalid.

***
[...] In other words, special expensive cables don't hurt
anything, but they are a waste of your money. I use mass
consumer grade RCA phono plug connectors for my components and 12 gauge
"zip" cord for my speakers. If you have money to burn, then there
is nothing "wrong" with using them, especially if it
makes you feel better about your system. It's your
money. " [...] ***

Exactly. If you're shallow enough that you think that adding a plastic braid
mesh over a DVI cable that functions no different from a commodity cable
adds perceived value, then you you might get to be the Monster product
manager who had to sell the massive unsold production run of Monster DVI
cables to MCM Electronics for pennies on the dollar.

Your section, at least I thought , was about CABLES and
more specifically, about sonic improvements and about
aftermarket cables & wires.

Wire of a certain configuration and weight of copper per foot is pretty much
what it is. At audio frequencies, there is considerable technical latitude
related to construction details. As long as there is end-to-end continuity
and an abscece of shorting between conductors with different functions, the
wire will work about as good as anything. A few rare counter- examples
exist, but few of them can be found in anybody's listening room.



and also because you can't hear any differences.

Why is this?

Absence of illusory perceptions.

Is this your propose idea for Rao as "RAO User Guide" ?

Looks pretty sane to me, as opposed to say your typical "Jborg" post, which
is usually flipped-out and hysterical, bordering on insanity.