{"id":74722,"date":"2020-06-02T20:39:22","date_gmt":"2020-06-03T01:39:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/finleyaudio.com\/?p=74722"},"modified":"2020-08-07T13:01:11","modified_gmt":"2020-08-07T18:01:11","slug":"interview-with-myself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/finleyaudio.com\/?p=74722","title":{"rendered":"Interview with a curmudgeon"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color=&#8221;color-319228&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243;][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>I call \u2018BS\u2019 on all this crap about cables making a difference in how an audio system actually sounds.\u00a0 Really, I mean who do these cable companies think they are fooling?<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Cables are nothing more than audio jewelry.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>All this mumbo jumbo about skin effect, capacitance filtering, dielectric absorption, time alignment, single grain copper wire extrusion, and all other sorts of scientifically unproven and unvalidated bull is absurd.\u00a0 How this stuff makes an audio system sound \u2018better\u2019 is pure and unadulterated hyperbole.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Impedance matching between components and resistance of speaker wire are obvious electrical engineering principles that are easily demonstrated both objectively by mathematics and subjectively by listening.\u00a0 But, can someone please tell me, where is there any scientific correlation between cable measurements and how they directly influence what we hear?<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Always lots of promises, but never any proof.\u00a0 Or if there is proof, as in so called unbiased \u2018measurements\u2019, the tests are conceived and performed in a manner so as to produce a result that can be claimed to support an otherwise speculative assertion.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>A good mechanical connection is all that is required.\u00a0 Period.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Nothing but snake oil salesmanship and tactics used to confuse or even worse, intentionally mislead consumers.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]Recent events have afforded me some extra time to dwell on things.\u00a0 Over the course of my wanderings, I have heard countless statements like the ones above. Some are, or were, my own (yes, I reserve the right to change my mind from time to time).\u00a0 Some are from very nice folks I have met in my travels over the years.\u00a0 And of course, others were found on the infamous internet.\u00a0 As a designer and partner at an audio cable company, these statements are ubiquitous as hearing \u201cJazz at The Pawnshop\u201d at an audio show, and about as likely to be resolved as calculating the value of <strong>\u03c0<\/strong> (Pi) to the last digit.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;74726&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][vc_column_text]So first, please allow me to set forth what I see as basic, universally accepted principles.<\/p>\n<p>Everyone has their own belief system.\u00a0 A belief is the acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists.\u00a0 Each of us decides for ourselves what we want to believe, regardless of whether it\u2019s subjectively or objectively based.\u00a0 Likely we will change beliefs over the course of our life.\u00a0 And over that time some will insist that the statements they accept and believe are factually backed by empirical evidence.\u00a0 But even the most basic of scientific laws is still at its essence nothing more than a statement which a community of scholars have elected to accept as true based upon observations, peer review and statistics, which themselves are not free of bias or error.\u00a0 Plus, we can never prove a negative.\u00a0 We cannot prove the statement that there are no pink elephants.\u00a0 The best we can do is say there is no valid evidence that one has ever been seen.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color=&#8221;color-prif&#8221; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;74727&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]So then, how can anyone prove a belief?\u00a0 Well, you can\u2019t.\u00a0 Beliefs are totally faith based.<\/p>\n<p>Our beliefs are shaped in significant part by our own personal experiences and environments.\u00a0 While many of us share common beliefs, each individual\u2019s belief structure is as unique as that person.\u00a0 I am reminded of \u2018The Blind Men &amp; the Elephant\u2019 parable where six blind men each examine an elephant.\u00a0 And all six of them come to vastly different conclusions of just what the exact same elephant must be.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color=&#8221;color-319228&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][vc_empty_space empty_h=&#8221;2&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h4>So, with that said, along with going certifiably loony from being cooped up alone in the house for over 8 weeks, I have decided to interview myself.<\/h4>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h5><em>Well, Billy, thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview with me.<\/em><\/h5>\n<p><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>Yeah, first thing is\u2026.. you need to back off a little.\u00a0 This stick I have is exactly six feet long and I can still poke you with it.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h5><em>Ouch!\u00a0 Whoa, OK.\u00a0 Sorry about that.\u00a0 I\u2019m moving back.\u00a0 If it\u2019s any consolation, my mask is an N95.<\/em><\/h5>\n<p><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>Thanks, that\u2019s better.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h5><em>Anyway, so Billy, do you truly believe cables can make a difference in how an audio system sounds?<\/em><\/h5>\n<p><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>Yes, I do.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;74728&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color=&#8221;color-prif&#8221; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;74729&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h5><em>Did you always believe this?<\/em><\/h5>\n<p><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>No.\u00a0 In fact I was more than a little pissed off when I was compelled to change my mind.\u00a0 It happened at an earlier and financially lean time during my involvement in the hobby when the last thing I wanted to do was spend money on of all things, more frick&#8217;n cables![\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h5><em>Why didn\u2019t you believe it at first?<\/em><\/h5>\n<p><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>Speaking of firsts, how about you put these nitrile gloves on before we go any further?<\/p>\n<p>Now what was your question? \u00a0Oh, yeah. \u00a0There were many reasons why I did not believe.\u00a0 When I was a young engineer, I had never seen or heard any evidence where the type of wire had any audible effect on a circuit. \u00a0For example, aluminum wire obviously could not handle as much current as the equivalent gauge of copper before it melted. \u00a0This happens because as resistivity goes up so does the amount of heat it generates.\u00a0 The resistivity of copper is around 17 n\u03a9\u00b7m while for aluminum it\u2019s about 26 n\u03a9\u00b7m. \u00a0\u00a0And the melting point of aluminum is near 1100 degrees F vs. for copper at about 2000 degrees F. \u00a0But within a certain load range, both materials will perform identically within the same circuit. \u00a0The electrons will flow and the device will follow a predicted behavior. \u00a0I did not need to be a rocket scientist to figure this out.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243;][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_column_text]I believed anyone who said they could hear a difference did so because of bias. They felt compelled to hear a difference in order to justify spending their money on expensive cables. This is what\u2019s known as expectation bias. \u00a0Or, someone wanted you to believe it in order to sell something you did not need. \u00a0And some go so far as to state that if a person thinks they hear a difference, whether one exists or not, what harm has been done? \u00a0I think they call that pseudoacoustics. \u00a0The person is experiencing more satisfaction from their system as a result; therefore, the money spent is justified. \u00a0Really? \u00a0Surely you have seen those pet rocks or little bowls with water that are supposed to enhance your experience when properly placed in your listening space. \u00a0Finally, there is one of my all-time favorites of putting a photo of your system in a Ziploc bag and place it in your freezer! \u00a0Really? \u00a0Does the flavor of the ice cream that it\u2019s next to make a difference too?<\/p>\n<p>From my perspective at that time, the elephant looked exactly as I expected it to.\u00a0 And I was not about to be somebody\u2019s fool when it came to cables.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;74730&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color=&#8221;color-prif&#8221; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243;][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h5><em>Then what changed your mind, Billy?<\/em><\/h5>\n<p><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>More years ago, than I care to count, I was at a local get-together with some other audiophiles I had recently met through the AudiogoN forum. \u00a0Most of us brought CD players to put into the host\u2019s home system to compare them by playing the same tracks from a CD. \u00a0There was no denying they all sounded different. \u00a0It all seemed harmless enough. \u00a0But then somebody said they wanted us to hear an RCA interconnect they recently purchased. \u00a0I kept my thoughts to myself. \u00a0But in my mind, I rolled my eyes and said to myself, \u201cOh boy, here we go\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Up until this time, I had never purposefully tried to compare two different RCA\u2019s back to back. \u00a0But I had purchased and installed what I felt were \u2018better\u2019 RCA cables based on build quality. \u00a0Why? \u00a0Well because the \u2018engineer\u2019 in me said there was no harm in getting cables that obviously had better build quality, had conductor wire with a larger cross-sectional area, and were more robust and durable with better connections. \u00a0All these differences improve mechanical reliability and assured I would be less likely to have issues because of too high of a resistance, insulation breaking down, or connections degrading and failing over time. \u00a0Up until this point I had never even compared or replaced an OEM power cord. \u00a0NEMA and IEC specs all said my OEM cables were capable of handing the current and voltages just fine. \u00a0I felt confident there was nothing to be gained by spending more than $50 on a set of interconnects or $120 on speaker cables.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color=&#8221;color-prif&#8221; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;74731&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_column_text]That day was a paradigm shift in my belief system. \u00a0Just like post Covid-19, the world would never be the same.\u00a0 And the elephant took on an entirely new appearance.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h5><em>What bothers you most what people say about audio cables?<\/em><\/h5>\n<p><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>I am far too old and thick-skinned to be bothered by anything people say. \u00a0But what does sadden me are the naysayers who have never made an honest effort at really listening to different cables. \u00a0Some preach on high about listener bias, complain of faulty and deceptive test methods whether double-blind or otherwise, provide anecdotal stories of how cables don\u2019t make any difference, and spout the physics of electromagnetism. \u00a0All as if access to a textbook or Wikipedia makes their statement indisputable. \u00a0Look, if you want to describe the elephant, then please, at least try touching the entire creature before coming to any conclusions.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;74732&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color=&#8221;color-prif&#8221; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_empty_space empty_h=&#8221;3&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;74733&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h5><em>Why do you give restrained credence to published measurements of cables?<\/em><\/h5>\n<p><em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>There is joke about accountants I heard ages ago, yet the older I get the more unpretentious it has become. \u00a0It goes like this:<\/p>\n<p>Business owner Sally: I really like my new accountant.<\/p>\n<p>Business owner Ed: Oh really, why?<\/p>\n<p>Sally: Because when I asked him how much one plus one equals, he answered, \u201cIt depends, what would you like it to equal?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Here is another way to look at this question. \u00a0Many high precision industries employ very stringent, Six Sigma quality systems which are designed to hold manufacturing capability to 3.4 rejects per every one million products produced. \u00a0These very same quality processes allow for a built-in error in their measurement systems of 30%! \u00a0This is because no two identical instruments will measure exactly the same every time. \u00a0And there are variables inherent in every measurement system such as temperature, humidity, pressure, variations in how operators are taking the measurement, multiple test fixtures, etc. \u00a0So, all the variables are statistically calculated and the total resultant error in the process is determined to assure the variability is still within the overall required tolerance for the given measurement.\u00a0 Just think of it as headroom or a safety factor in what was otherwise assumed to be an accurate measurement process.<\/p>\n<p>And here is an epiphany for you. \u00a0If we make cable \u201cA\u201d and it measures with a lower impedance, inductance, and\/or lower resistance than cable \u201cB\u201d, it does not guarantee cable \u201cA\u201d will always sound better.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h5><em>Can you provide measurements on your cables?<\/em><\/h5>\n<p><em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>We can. \u00a0But they would be our measurements. \u00a0So, their validity is challenged by the fact that our test methods and equipment may be quite different than how someone else measures the same characteristic. \u00a0There is no true benchmark for comparison. \u00a0However, we are in the process of having an independent source design the tests and perform measurements on our products. \u00a0When completed, we will publish the unabridged report.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;74734&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;74735&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h5><em>Is there a reliable correlation between measurements and how a cable will sound?<\/em><\/h5>\n<p><em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>If there is, I wish someone would share this information with me. \u00a0For example, loop back inductance for speaker cables is relatively easy to measure, but the correlation with sonics is not fully established. \u00a0It\u2019s thought that the lower the loop back inductance per for a cable, the clearer the top end and the cleaner, more defined the transient reproduction will be. \u00a0But despite our best efforts, we have not been able to find concrete evidence of how or which measurements reliably predict the sonics of a cable. \u00a0And since you are looking at me while I make this statement, please take note that my nose has not grown the slightest bit. \u00a0But I think I am losing my sense of smell? \u00a0Does my head feel warm to you? \u00a0Wait, never mind, just stay back there.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h5><em>Can you predict how various designs and combinations of materials will sound?<\/em><\/h5>\n<p><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>To some extent, yes. \u00a0In general, silver tends to free up clarity and detail in the higher frequency. \u00a0Copper is generally effective in the lower spectrum. \u00a0Mitigating noise with shielding can be effective at revealing nuances like resolution of low-level detail, overtones, subtle variations in staging, and textures that make music feel more realistically rendered. \u00a0Images become more solid, three dimensional, and present. \u00a0So yes, there are some generalizations about materials and measurements that we typically use to help us understand what we are hearing in a cable, but they are just that. \u00a0Generalizations.\u00a0 And let\u2019s not forget what Mark Twain is often credited for saying, \u201cAll generalizations are false, including this one\u201d.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;74736&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;74737&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h5><em>So, Billy, do you know exactly why different designs and combinations of materials sound different?<\/em><\/h5>\n<p><em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>If I did, I would be a very wealthy man with the title of Nobel Laureate. \u00a0Finding a correlation between measurements and what the human ear hears would be like discovering the Rosetta Stone. \u00a0And stop calling me Billy. \u00a0I know who I am.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color=&#8221;color-prif&#8221; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h5><em>OK, this is all starting to sound like the same bogus runaround we hear all the time about audio cables.<\/em><\/h5>\n<p><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>Look, all kidding aside, I am the first one to admit I cannot explain all the possible sonic effects associated with different electrical principles. \u00a0And here is where the real technical mumbo jumbo starts. \u00a0Most examples you hear about are likely an oversimplification of the different interactions that may or may not affect the types of electrical signals we are dealing with in audio. \u00a0For example, energy is not just energy. \u00a0There is thermal energy, radiant energy, electrical energy, motion energy, sound energy, elastic energy electromagnetic energy, and so on. \u00a0Each has its own fundamental characteristics.\u00a0 And then there is capacitive reactance, which is neither capacitance nor reactance, but rather the resistance due to capacitance which is impedance in AC circuit. \u00a0And then there\u2019s stuff at the CERN super collider that I would not have the slightest inclination of understanding, but could spout off as though I did.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color=&#8221;color-prif&#8221; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243;][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_column_text]We don\u2019t pretend to have a secret sauce, magic fairy dust, or a mystical key that unlocks secrets of the physical universe. \u00a0We started out as newbies making cables for ourselves in a garage over six years ago. \u00a0Since that time, we have put in many, many long and tedious hours of our own time and hard work. \u00a0We have taken electrical and mechanical engineering principles and applied them to certain conductors, listened closely, developed and fabricated more variations based on our understanding of how the physics works, and then listened again. As an example, we have found that noise is a primary culprit of distortion. \u00a0And our designs are focused on mitigating as much noise as possible. \u00a0Some of the solutions we incorporate are similar to what communication and military industries use when noise reduction is a primary design requirement. \u00a0So, was it just trial and error or blind luck that we stumble on designs that work well? \u00a0No. \u00a0Did we just plagiarize what was already out there? \u00a0Not at all. \u00a0We have made our design decisions based on fundamental research (prepared our minds) and applied it properly using industry-standard best practices in both R&amp;D and engineering. \u00a0We have a saying about luck. \u201cCHANCE FAVORS THE PREPARED MIND\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes it will happen that we develop a design and find improvements in the sonics. \u00a0Yet there is no measurement that we can make which explains why. \u00a0But we keep trying to find a way to measure it. \u00a0And we never go off saying we just came up with the latest and greatest solution to cable design and give it some goofy name and a bogus explanation as to why we believe it works. \u00a0It\u2019s not a balancing act of half-truths. \u00a0It\u2019s a balanced approach between designing, measuring and listening.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_empty_space empty_h=&#8221;1&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;74738&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;74739&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;75&#8243; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h5><em>OK, just for arguments sake, let\u2019s say cables make a difference.\u00a0 My ears are old.\u00a0 I can\u2019t hear as well as I used to.\u00a0 If there is a difference it would be so slight, I would never be able to hear it.<\/em><\/h5>\n<p><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>Please don\u2019t be fooled by this myth.\u00a0 Yes, for old farts like us, our ability to hear typically degrades, especially in the higher frequencies.\u00a0 We may develop deficiencies over many parts of the normal 20 to 2k range in our life time.\u00a0 But for most of us, we will still retain the ability to discern the quality and nuance of what we can still hear.\u00a0 Now stop whining.\u00a0 I can\u2019t tolerate whiners![\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h5><em>So then, does all this mean it\u2019s OK to believe in those little pet rocks, and keep a photo of your system in the freezer?<\/em><\/h5>\n<p><em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>Pet rocks? \u00a0Hey, I fully admit to being a bit odd and a curmudgeon, but I am not stupid!<\/p>\n<p>I do, however, keep that picture in my freezer, you know, just in case.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;74740&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h5><em>Well, Billy, thank you so much for your time.\u00a0 This has been a truly enlightening experience for me<\/em>.<\/h5>\n<p><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>Your most welcome, Billy.\u00a0 Now just remember not to touch anything on your way out.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space empty_h=&#8221;3&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color=&#8221;color-319228&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243;][vc_column][vc_column_text] I call \u2018BS\u2019 on all this crap about cables making a difference [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":74808,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1,129],"tags":[127],"class_list":["post-74722","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","category-journal","tag-journal"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - 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