I Challenge GR-Research To Blind Test His Own Audiophile Speaker Cables On Camera.

[@Jayiyagi]

*Hey guys. Thank you for stopping by. If the video was helpful or entertaining to you, please consider clicking the like button on the video* *NOTE 1 (RE: BLIND AB Protocals): as with any cable video or blind tests, people like to comment with how they "think" the test should have been conducted. Please keep note that this test was done with limited resources, time and flaws and therefore is not a perfect blind test. I still think it was better than nothing and entertaining/fun, you may think otherwise and that is fine. Some are asking for my credentials, which is fair. I won't put my entire resume here but I currently work as a researcher (scientist) managing 3 different teams in the field of neuroscience and cognition but that isn't to persuade you into thinking that the blind test I did with Danny is perfect because it is not. I did what I can with time, resources and my own funding available to do it. It's just a matter of people pointing out the obvious flaws (which sure, that is fine) but if some are going to go far as to "tell me how do it right and how I should have done it" - well then, I naturally challenge them to do it themselves and show that it can be done with limited resources and time. Show me how it's done! If I can learn from it, I will. Far as I know, I don't see much blind AB attempts or discussions on youtube* *NOTE 2 (RE: CABLES USED): Some are commenting that I should have used a similar gauge cable while some are commenting that I should have tested Danny with the Aliexpress cable. I will explain why I did neither of those things. Firstly, there was limited time and resource and so while these tests would have been interesting, I went for the broader topic of "does a generic cable sound different from an audiophile cable and can the manufactures of those cables tell the difference from a "stock cable" or 16awg zip cord which is the most common. If I was testing the same gauge cable as the GR-Research cable, then I'd have to find an 8AWG cable which is not as common and this would also mean that we are totally ignoring and skipping the fact that many cable measurement gurus say that the 16awg zip cord is just as good with no difference in the application of home audio where cable lengths are not terribly long. Some said there was an obvious difference between them because of the differences in the gauges (thickness) of the cables, which may or may not be true but measurement wise, it is not true that there is an obvious difference and so with anything there is a step 1, 2 and 3. I can't skip to step 2 and assume gauges make a difference when measurements do not support that. Hence I went with the very basic step first, which is to test STOCK vs NON-Stock cables. As for the aliexpress cable, again, the comments vary from asking why I didn't take the aliexpress cable to why I didn't modify the aliexpress cable in a similar way to GR-Research's cable and then test it with Danny. To put it simply, again it was skipping to step 3 before even addressing the simpler questions and steps. The title of the video wasn't "can the aliexpress cable be modified to be as a good as the GR-Research cable" - although an interesting topic that I might pursue later, it isn't the topic in this video. Aliexpress cable was simply not brought with me because I quite frankly thought it sounded terrible even compared to other normal generic cables I have at home that I have tested. Quite frankly, I can attest that the generic 16 awg we used in this video was much better than the aliexpress cable. Hopefully this clears up some confusion or questions some of you guys have.* GR Research Cables: gr-research.com/cables/ Related Videos: Insider Look at The GR-Research Factory - DIY Audiophile Speaker Haven: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmfQY52Ah8ikaaM Full 2+ hr video of Danny Doing the blind test: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJnCnmZ5h9yqg5I Support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/jayiyagi follow on Instagram: instagram.com/jays_iyagi/ follow on Facebook: facebook.com/jayiyagiofficial Follow soundstage take 2 reviews: kzbin.info/aero/PLPOzvlhtSqn5xdc__ftuSt4Rxy_wm5Af0 Speaker stands: amzn.to/3ssRhI3 Better speaker stands: solidsteel.it/my-product/ss-7-vintage-hi-fi-speaker-stands/ acoustic panels I use: ua-acoustics.com/ acoustic curtain: amzn.to/31d1zAM BDI Cabinet I use: bit.ly/2OJRwQQ amzn.to/3chBuFZ other BDI Cabinets: bit.ly/3ctxXV1 amzn.to/30bsUCH my fav hifi tweaks: (Isoacoustics devices) amzn.to/3j5FGvM 0:00 Backstory 1:47 Was Danny Able To Tell A Difference? 12:59 Why is the GR-Research HiFi Cable Better? 16:21 Is There Measurements For Better HiFi Cables? 18:00 How do you design Better HiFi Cables? 19:35 Should You Get GR-Research Cables? #hifi #audiophile #homeaudio

[@stasis2007]

What a load. Why didn't you bring your Aliexpress cables? Comparing to Walmart cables was not what we wanted to see. I guess Danny wouldn't let you do that A/B test as it would reveal what his cables really are. FAIL.

[@Jayiyagi]

@@stasis2007 Can't please everyone. As I said in the video, me and my cameraman compared the aliexpress cable and found the differences huge so I wasn't interested in Danny doing the easy comparison. I think the "Walmart cable" was a harder one

[@stasis2007]

@@Jayiyagi Did you stuff the Aliexpress cable with cotton rope and terminate them the same? Did you do equal burn-in so the comparison is equal? I can take a high end cable and put crap banana or spades on them and it will impact the sound from the original. I do not think this was an unbiased test at all. I'd even wager the bare cable on both is the same, just the rope and termination is different.

[@Jayiyagi]

@@stasis2007 Can a modified Aliexpress cable sound as good as the GR-Research cable? - A cool video idea but not the subject of this video nor the point of this test

[@stasis2007]

@@Jayiyagi I appreciate your response Jay. The problem a lot of people have with Danny is that he always comes off as kind of scammy and a bit disingenuous. He buys his cable from China, yet insists that nobody can possibly buy what he has. There are only so many sources for this Kimber knock-off cable. If you ask for any details on the cable, he refuses to respond, says it's a trade secret or simply blocks you. I tend to never trust anyone that silences people for questioning. Again, good job on the video and sorry you had to explain yourself to others. Did you every get his banana plugs tested for copper content like you said you were going to do?

[@bearclaw5115]

Good on Danny to put himself on the line and he came out on top! Thanks to Jay for putting in some serious effort to answer the question "Do cables make a difference?".

[@scottbayne5710]

This says ALOT about Danny. Name ONE other industry person who would allow this to happen and be videoed real-time! Bravo Danny!

[@r423sdex]

Was it real time ! Now let’s do it fair.

[@richh650]

100% agree. Danny seems to be one of the very few, who even though is a manufacturer, backs up his thoughts with reasoning.

[@wicomms]

Scott see what I wrote to Jay. What do you think? I am the latest to ask...Sept 2023

[@nellyt2807]

Comedy gold

[@matth9359]

What does it say about the industry? That people are susceptible to marketing. Period.

[@alford35]

Great job guys!!! Never gonna satisfy those that refuse to “LISTEN” for the differences though.

[@jebo4jc]

Good work. Although, comparing a $400 cable to a $4 cable, I would hope we all would hear a difference! I'd like to see this test done again with a $40 cable compared to the $400 cable.

[@chinmeysway]

if there are differences it is testable. actual science requires more than one person doing a study. A/B-ing could be done with sounds touching - no gap. use one speaker, mono. use speakers like nice desktop so you could mic the speakers. use a Klippel and test a speaker 800-1000 measurements per cable, quasi-anechoic. test without moving phyiscally each time. test without feedback or reaction / take down guess non-verbally. have someone who tests with most sophisticated technology available do this. too many variables otherwise sorry no i am not close minded to actual differences,; i am open minded to scientific approach. science is actually really hard to achieve! if its this subtle though, please ppl dont waste time and money. there's so many ppl who could use your disposable fundage. give it to organizations that help people.

[@jamestindle2077]

I very much enjoyed this, and trial and error is part of science. After all, what is an experiment, but trial and error.

[@rgrosset]

It's a US$ 10,00 speaker cable versus a US$ 140,00 one (for a 10 ft cable), tested with his own speakers, in his own treated room, with the songs he chose, and he guessed it 8 out of 10 (when 5 in 10 would be considered sheer luck). We should also consider the possibility that, having built the cable, he would know the sonic signature of the material, and was able to pick up the differences, not necessarily the BETTER one. Congratulations on the courage and honesty of trying your own products on a blind test (God knows that most hifi manufacturers wouldn't do that to not risk embarrasing themselves), but as Danny himself points out at the end of the video, you must have excellent speakers, properly set up on a proper room, with the right equipment, with excellent recordings, in order to start picking up the differences between 2 cables.

[@dannyrichie9743]

A super high end and perfectly set up system is not necessary to hear the differences. What I was pointing out in the end is that it is more important to take care of those areas first so that the differences that cable can bring to the table can be fully realized.

[@franciscorompana2985]

Ha, ha. Great. Kudus for both, and for the cables. They must be really good.😅

[@vwestlife]

If this was a sponsored video, then you legally need to click on the "Yes, it includes paid promotion" option.

[@Jayiyagi]

It is not a sponsored video

[@stewart73]

Hey Jay, are you going to post a video about the speakers you listened to at Danny's place?

[@joaopedroscarcella422]

Some years ago, me and a skeptical friend were in a high end workshop. The spokesman(?) changed back and forth a DIGITAL cable. Remember, bits are bits! It was easy to pick up diferences on drums cymbals. Then he looked at me and said: "Now I have a conflict between my mind and my ears". I nerver forget that :)

[@drewpknutz1410]

ones and zeros are still just voltage differences, so I can see how there could be a difference

[@lp9290]

This test does not prove anything as it has no statistical power to reveal something different from chance. You should try in a blind mode at least 100 songs with the same duration. The cable issue is the most incredible hoax in the hifi history and it keeps a lot of young people away from the hifi. To listen a song in a decent way you do not need any strange or sophisticated and expensive cable but a copper cable with adequate section.

[@dannyrichie9743]

100 songs huh? An incredible hoax? Maybe you should be the guy in the hot seat. You'd learn real quickly that there has been no hoax. The differences are real.

[@stackoverflow8260]

Radio frequencies are beyond human audible range. Most tube amps start rolling off or acting weirdly in frequencies above 10khz. Why would he think that RF that the cable is picking up would make a difference?

[@soundhead18]

It seems like it would actually be pretty easy to do a scientific measurement of signal coming from the speakers including soundstage/dispersion. You know why people don’t do an actual test?…because if they did, they wouldn’t be able to sell their “high end” cables 😂 (partially joking) Is there a difference? Sure. Different conductive materials, possibly better noise canceling. Can you hear it? Possibly. But how much noise needs to be around for you to hear the noise in the cheap cable? Is it possible to just reduce the outside noise so the cables don’t pick it up? To an extent I’m sure.

[@Coneman3]

Good work.

[@jaghifi]

awesome video, love both your videos.

[@scientificaudiophile]

Awesome. Two different cables sound different. Next time you should use the same gauge and put the black tarp from floor to ceiling. He could have guessed simply by looking at your face.

[@Jayiyagi]

awesome. Feel free to visit Danny and do it better than me!

[@dannyrichie9743]

The gauge does not cause the clear audible differences in these cables. I also paid no attention to Jay at any time.

[@Carl-bd1rf]

Humm…8/10, I was expecting a min 9/10 and honestly a 10/10. My take away is if you listen to rock-n-roll and other compressed types of music forget spending extra money on speaker cable.

[@dannyrichie9743]

10 out of 10 is not a problem. I can just play music over and over that highlight the differences, but that wouldn't have been as much fun.

[@Carl-bd1rf]

@@dannyrichie9743 Well of course we can rig any system for the outcome we want! Glad to see you chose a more realistic test.

[@shaymcquaid]

Thank you so much Guys

[@MrDTF]

Length of the cable?

[@dannyrichie9743]

Same, 6 feet.

[@robk5745]

Lol Danny did it for all the cable trolls on the internet 😂. Every piece of the chain in an audio system can have an impact on the sound. Audio information and how we understand it as individuals is a fascinating subject!

[@llee4225]

Getting 8 or 10 correct is great but comparing with 16 gauge is one sided as most people would use 12 gauge at least.

[@dannyrichie9743]

The gauge had nothing to do with the audible differences.

[@jah5035]

@@dannyrichie9743 What???? Although subtle, cable gauge (therefore resistance) certainly affects the sound coming out of your speakers. How much depends on the relationships between amplifier output impedance, speaker impedance, and crossover construction. This is especially true with low efficiency speakers, speakers that have large independence swings and long cable runs. Everything from frequency response to damping factor will be affected. To be a valid test, at the very least, you need to select cables that have similar impedance characteristics.

[@scottwheeler2679]

A study in how to do a bad blind test.

[@Jayiyagi]

I challenge you to do it better on Camera :)

[@scottwheeler2679]

@@Jayiyagi On camera? I can tell you how to design a much better test if you like. But if we are going to do challenges there needs to be stakes to make it worth my while and an agreed upon standard by which the quality of the test is judged. The problem with your test is that not only is it not double blind it is not randomized. And there is nothing preventing you from a multitude of inadvertent cues. Of course the other problem is it didn't reach the level of confidence that is the standard for such tests. Much better to do 20 trials. 15 at least. 8/10 is a very ambiguous result and does not meet the 95% (95.4% is the better number) standard of a positive result much less the 99% common in today's scientific studies. And you can't say it was close enough. That is the point of having such a standard. At best you can say it warrants a second test. The test really didn't tell us anything. I also have to ask, why would you use 16 gauge wire? Why not 14 gauge? 16 gauge is too thin to guarantee transparency for a speaker cable under all conditions.

[@Jayiyagi]

@@scottwheeler2679 I don't need you to tell me how to design a better test. I did mine, if you are not satisfied and think you can do better, I need you to "do it" on camera and prove it. It is easy to type on a keyboard how things should be done. It is harder for someone to actually "do it."

[@scottwheeler2679]

@@Jayiyagi Yeah you kind of do need someone to tell you how to design a better test if you think the one you did was worth a trip and a video and actually was a meaningful test with useful results. Why bother if you are going to do such a bad job of it? And if you don't understand that you did a really bad job of it you do need people telling you so and telling you why it was so bad and telling you how to do a better job. That's just facts.

[@Jayiyagi]

@@scottwheeler2679 And who are you to tell me that... I don't know you. You haven't shown me that you are someone that can conduct such a test. I'm out here in the open on a public platform to showcase what I found. If you are not satisfied with what I've done, then instead of insulting my work, why don't you stop typing and go "do it" and show me how its done!

[@vdochev]

But what if the artist intended a closed sound stage?

[@maxbouvatte]

He gets dizzy when he closes his eyes? Interesting

[@dannyrichie9743]

No, it was the blind fold and the music together. My system creates a lot of movement in the music. It got to me.

[@franciscoortiz6980]

Thanks for honesty. Dannys cable is kinda reasonable. But in the end one has to decide. 1000/pr + $30 speaker cable vs $800/pr + $230 speaker cable. To this day... better speaker with cheaper cable always wins.

[@JurMalafi]

Your example makes your chances of being correct better, but mostly would be incorrect as the price of the speakers is increased from your example. Price does not necessarily determine the quality of the cable and the speakers. One day when you have good speakers( maybe you do have good speakers) you will become familiar of all the qualities of playback that can be affected by cables. Some speakers destroy the differences when the designer has not paid attention to the details (no matter the price). Having started my speaker journey with speakers from Thiel, Magnepan and Dynaudio, all speakers paying a great deal of attention to phase and a linear amplitude response. When I finally found a great speaker cable the less expensive speaker and the more expensive speaker both improved in a significant way. The Cable Company will send you cables for a percentage of the cost of the cables you want to try to expand your cable experience. I tried 4 cables much more expensive than my twisted double 16 guage radio shack wire that failed to make a difference, the 5th cable which were wound in such a way that my Thiels would not sit flat on the floor (so I hated them) made all the difference in my system (Sonagraphe SD-22, Motif MC-7, CJ MV-75A, Sota/Premiere/Grado, Thiel CS1.2 & Dynaudio Twynn kit) So since 1995 I discovered not all cables make a difference, but some do..TARA Labs Quantum III was the difference making cable. It removed a glare and a hash the other cables left on the sound of my system and that helped my system define the spaces around and in between instruments on the $1250 speakers and the $2500 speakers. My RS $30 cables and the 4 other cables degraded the sound comparatively and the "noise" that remained over the music degraded the $2500 speakers below the $1250 speakers.

[@johnbravo7542]

@@JurMalafi you dreaming!

[@miquifaye]

Total B.S . Cool story though 👍🏻

[@Reyfox1]

So glad you made the trip and are reporting what you experienced, heard and saw. This should be the norm in the industry, where people can get together and challenge manufacturers on their equipment. Well done Jay and Danny!

[@sloboat55]

I hope you two do more of this. It was excellent.

[@BIGSMONITORS]

Bamboozled!! Danny is comparing his cable to pathetically thin 16 ga cable that has much higher DC resistance than his cable - the question is - Is Danny's cable better than the equivalent standard cable with equal DC resistance ?. Please be scientific about this - Blind listening tests show that cables having the same DC resistance are indistinguishable. Cables with higher DC resistance result in audible differences in the frequency ranges where the impedance of the speaker are low. Also Danny, in violation of your stated requirement, listened to crappy music that he was not familiar with - which gives him an out for wrong answers. He should compared cables with equivalent DC resistance using material that he is familiar with --- He did not This snake oil is sincerely misdirection entertainment Sorry Sorry Sorry

[@Jayiyagi]

Please read the pinned comment for clarification. Thanks!

[@dannyrichie9743]

Wire gauge had nothing to do with the audible differences. The only area that lower resistance can make a difference in output is in the first octave and the first octave was being filtered out by the pre-amp. So levels were the same all the way across.

[@BlackCatPianist]

@@dannyrichie9743 Oh yes it does. It changes the impedance as seen by the amp, with good enough amp and speakers you can definitely hear the difference. Using 16AWG cable to drive tower speakers seems absurd.

[@Venus_Isle]

You two lads should hook up together more often. It would be for the greater good in this audiophile world...

[@felipeneri3364]

Thanks Jay, by the way, how that open baffles sounds?

[@leoanthony7281]

Excellent interview, Jay. and Danny. This is the kind of content I love informative and without bias. I believe Danny has proven himself quite a few times now to be a straight shooter.

[@pkats9093]

Very cool. What what about the speakers?! Do you have another video coming with your overall impressions?

[@CristhianSerrano]

Jay and Dani giving the internet a lesson of how to go about controversies and disagreements, dialogue and conversation will Always be the answer kudos to you guys really fun video

[@stephenyoud6125]

Nicely done and thanks for sharing. Looks like a very worthwhile and hugely enjoyable trip. I'm very jealous

[@michelmayrand9557]

Looks like a Monster Cable test. A 16 AWG vs an 8? Are you guys serious? Talk about an unfair test or should I dare say...fixed? Match a zip cord of the same AWG and I am 100% certain that he would have been lucky to get 5 right which is basically like flipping a coin.

[@dannyrichie9743]

Wire gauge had nothing to do with the audible differences. The only area that lower resistance can make a difference in output is in the first octave and the first octave was being filtered out by the pre-amp. So levels were the same all the way across.

[@williamzame3708]

@@dannyrichie9743 If that is true, why didn't you use the same gauge wire?

[@zizendorf]

Wow! First time I've ever heard anyone reference Vienna Teng! She's fantastic - her writing and performing. She's also a warm, kind, and compassionate human being - met her prior to a show for a Q&A session. She's got a lot of great stuff out there!

[@typedeaf]

So similarlly, I did the test with like 5 tracks, each in 3 formats lossless, 128 and 192 bit mp3. I didnt get but 1 right and even then, it was a crap shoot. So I seriously doubt my ears would discern the difference. Cheers to those who can, but then again, in this case, ignorance is bliss.

[@emalior5000]

What cables did you use ?

[@archerlink3]

Love Danny and Jay. I'm glad this video and Randy's recent video on cables came out. I've always noticed differences in cables, but it was always such a taboo subject :P

[@carterleynes6380]

Here are the flaws with this test. First of all you are using a tube amp which would inherently have a high output impedance. Then you are using two cables that obviously have huge differences in gauge. I'm not sure what the nominal impedance is on the speaker but if it's in the range of about 4 ohms, all of this is a recipe for creating huge differences in frequency response between the two cables. Tube amp combined with higher resistance thin wire equals a large voltage drop across those two components, equals a larger variant in frequency response when switching between a heavy gauge wire and thin one. This would all be obvious to someone with electrical engineering background. It would have been better to use a solid state amp with high damping factor and a wire with similar gauge. The challenge reminds me of the old Monster Cable trickery comparison at the big box store where you could switch between a thick Monster speaker cable and a very thin wire spun into a long spool.

[@Jayiyagi]

yes it is a flawed test. It is by no means a perfect test. I agree. Please read the pinned comment for clarification

[@dannyrichie9743]

The gauge of the wire has nothing to do with the audible differences between the two cables. We have also done the same comparisons with other amps and get the same results and often to an even larger factor.

[@thomprd]

So yes, cables make a difference.

[@m.9243]

Well done with the test! There should be more tests like this even with amplifiers and sources. One thing I have found in my setup, eliminating banana / spade termination and using just bare wire directly on the speaker terminals has a very positive effect on sound.

[@BadMonkeyFinger_Audio]

So, now that I'm done watching this vid in its entirety, I have to say - this was a very entertaining and much-needed open discussion on the topic. Job well done.

[@randallcollura]

I have GR X-Statik speakers (which I love btw) but my room is far from ideal. I am very skeptical of claims about speaker wires but this kind of video is honest and appreciated. Danny is clearly a very talented designer.

[@iBeaver1973]

i just went through this same experience last week... I purchased 5m kimber cable 8PR.... to replace inakustik Excellence 2x4mm cables.... about 4 times the price difference. no other change (except the banana plugs, i needed to use a different brand that could take the quantity of the 8PRs to terminate....) summary, the kimber cables were pretty easy to hear the difference. it was like I had not really heard cymbals before, which I can not explain easily why that it the case. the cymbals were now more than just a tsss tsss, they were musical. And then, another difference, i could hear better the width of the keyboard of the piano between the speakers.... danny called that the spatial cues. anyhow, I am happy to have upgraded.

[@jmitchell3]

I think cables likely do make a difference but so many of us are living in subpar listening environments that we really can’t tell the difference. I’ve been to Danny’s listening room and it is amazing. (I have the XStatiks also but at Danny’s with the open baffle subs they are amazing!)

[@ChonkTek]

​@@jmitchell3no, you'll be able to hear the difference. First, listen to both directions/orientations. There's one way that's far superior ;) This is heard no matter the listening environment. One orientation annoys everyone, the other more smooth and natural with a holographic presentation.

[@listeningto8371]

@@ChonkTek Direction? What are you on about?

[@doctorfuzzzdirtbox]

"You can't measure soundstage..." Dynamic range Crosstalk Signa-to-noise Distortion Dispurtion There are very real ways to measure this and they are measurements used by any reputable audio company. you just won't find it in the Hi-Fi world because they rely on Snake Oil jargon. Shame we didn't see Danny's listening test, not sure why that had to be cut . . . People are calling this "brave." This should be the norm! 10 tracks for 1 test is nothing! We need repeated results over a large data set to have 80% mean anything. Why is this such a taboo thing?

[@kraig7777]

This was one of the most educational videos I've seen a while. And just when he has me sold on the cables and tube connectors he brings me back down to earth with speakers and room treatment. I like my speakers now but my room is horrible.

[@larrydunn4626]

want to mention one other thing... called confirmation bias. I was EQing some very nice earphones, between three different EQ profiles. I could hear the differences easily, and had definite preferences ... until I looked down and realized I was playing the song through my iphone instead of my MB Pro. Holy Crap, how could I really hear differences that weren't even there? That's easy... I heard what I EXPECTED to hear, when it wasn't even there. It wasn't real.

[@eightrodway]

Good on you Jay, for keeping an open mind and trusting your ears.

[@in2it85]

*Audio Cables.* *THE HOLY GRAIL OF SNAKE-OIL.* *The perfect Scam product.* 😂

[@Jonathan_Doe_]

This is a dumb test, there’s more than one variable at play because the cheap speaker cable you used was a much thinner gauge, this greatly affects power losses, and the damping factor of the amplifier at low frequencies. Ask GR research to repeat the experiment again for you, but this time against some stranded mains cable with the exact same mm2 area/awg of copper as their “audiophile” stuff… Bet your ass he won’t be willing to do it.

[@patthewoodboy]

I wasnt there so I cant judge ... but I did a blind test with 6 people and one of the interconnects was made up with a key in the line ... no one could tell

[@crossoverchef]

Get some decent cables of good value and spend the rest of your $$ that you saved on other parts of your system...........you will get 90% more results.

[@xxsauron007xx]

Thank you for doing this, it's really interesting to watch something like this so I can get my own opinion. So far I think that cables do make a difference, but of all the things one could upgrade, they are the least bang for buck. I think most other components would make a greater differences in different price classes. But I'm always free to be convinced otherwise.

[@DougMen1]

From my experience, going from a $20 Amazon or Monster cable to a good $50-100 Audioquest or Straightwire cable can make a significant difference in the sound quality of your system. But, that's interconnects that I'm talking about. I've never really felt the same when it comes to $100-200 speaker cables from those two or from Kimber. I actually prefer Audioquest's 14 ga. two conductor in-wall speaker wire, terminated with simple banana plugs. It's 2 14 ga. wires, one in a red jacket and one in a black one, with a white outer jacket.

[@matthewtaylor7355]

It makes more difference if u can avoid mains cable in the wall... I have a female mains plug very close t my mains.. Avoiding 15 metres of mains makes a big difference and it is free.. I have not spent 2 grand on audiograde in wall cable

[@howardskeivys4184]

I recently took my 17 year old amp to my local dealer to have them return it to the manufacturer to be refurbished. When I purchased that amp 17 years ago, it was the manufacturer’s flagship model. It is still in production, but now is a MK3 and sports a remote control. Mine is a MK1 and doesn’t sport a remote. When my refurbished MK1 came back into the store, the staff talked me into auditioning the 2 new amps now above mine in that manufacturer’s range, but, I insisted it be done, blind. No, I didn’t were a blindfold or mask. All 3 amps were in a rack well behind the listening chair. The set up was totally different to my set up at home. Different cables, different speakers, different cd transport, different dac and vastly different room. As soon as the 1st track was played through the 1st amp, i knew immediately, beyond question that, that amp was my trusty 17 year old MK1. When the staff member switched to the 2nd amp, I momentarily questioned my 1st decision. The 2nd amp sounded remarkably similar to the 1st. 2 or 3 tracks later I could pick out that the 2nd amp had fractionally tighter bass control. When the staff member switched to the 3rd amp, the sonic signature was very different, much more resolving! I had the amps 100% correct. Amp 1 was my MK1. Amp 2 was the next up in the range, costing twice as much. Amp 3 was the top of the range, 3 times the price. That experiment was repeated multiple times, using alternative speakers. I correctly identified all 3 amps 100% of the time. That MK1 amp was the beating heart of my system for 17 years. Thousands of hours of attentive listening. I knew it well. As should Danny know his speaker cable well. I would have thought that his 80% success rate was the very least that should be expected, especially as the comparison was against such a basic, unassuming cable. Prices weren’t mentioned here, but I’d bet Danny’s cable was way more than 80% higher than the Amazan basic?

[@AndrewB23]

Yeah that makes sense bud each amp will potentially add the end product especially older equipment, comparing amps isn't the same as comparing speaker wires though amps make a difference speaker wires do not

[@trevorcrowe7571]

This is a long overdue discussion that I will be sharing quite often. There are so many important nuanced aspects of this discussion that seem to go over peoples heads. These things are argued “to death” on forums and FB discussions. Every discussion seems to inevitably distill down to arguments about the ability to hear differences. I get so tired of people with desktop systems who cannot hear a difference TELLING others who CAN hear differences in their treated rooms, that they “shouldn’t hear a difference because it cannot be measured” or it’s “just your bias” or some “psychoacoustic placebo effect”. Thank you guys for doing this.

[@charlesclifton1006]

80% accuracy is pretty darn good - especially considering the material selected. I would need very high quality recordings wherein I was familiar with every nuance both engineered and presented by the raw talent of the musicians. The fact that Danny chose to challenge himself demonstrates the level of confidence he has in his products.

[@howardskeivys4184]

To make that challenge more accurate, a placebo should have been introduced.

[@poturbg8698]

@@howardskeivys4184 I don't understand your question. The "placebo" was actually the generic cable.

[@Roof_Pizza]

Yeah, no. LOLZ.

[@banginga3468]

@@poturbg8698 No that's not the placebo. You could still hit 80% just by chance, its not a high chance but still there. To demonstrate, flip a coin 10 times, getting 10 heads in a row is a really small chance. Flip that coin 1000 times, and getting 10 heads in a row becomes a lot more statistically possible. So if there was a 3rd cable, or he was told there was a 3rd cable but not what it is and could then say to that same level, "that one is mine, that one is the other, but theres something different here, it doesn't sound like the other's etc." He said it himself there, to paraphrase "I could hear a difference but couldn't tell", if I'm paying several thousand for a cable (I have no idea how much it actually costs) I'd want to not have to guess if its the cheap or old, it would have to leave me with 0 chance of not being able to tell.

[@drewpknutz1410]

@@banginga3468 Too bad this experiment didn't meet your exacting criteria. I think itd be best if you just stuck with the cheapest cables you can find so you can be secure in the fact that there is no difference.

[@leehallman5104]

Texas & guns do not belong in your audio journey. See ya.

[@nixx5490]

A bit too early for April fool

[@LovelyDoetje]

I liked the video. Liked the way it doesn't come across as a commercial just to sell something. I appreciated the moment you tell us not to spend money on the cables unless you did everything else. Good point. But 10 blind tests ain't something to draw a conclusion on. If you want results you need to repeat the test with mutiple people everyday for a year. The results could be very different then. Still I myself heard differences between cables. I must say I only heard differences with speaker cables. Never with other cables used in my system. And I have tried different brands and priceranges and most cables are still in use because none of them were bad. Well 1 was badly build and fell apart while unplugging (not the cheapest one).

[@adamjj85]

Props to Danny for agreeing to do this and also getting 8/10, very impressive! Also, I totally agree with your statements on the frustration about not being able to measure the differences. It would be a lot easier to communicate the benefits of things like this if there was a scientific way to detect and show the differences.

[@AT-wl9yq]

"It would be a lot easier to communicate the benefits of things like this if there was a scientific way to detect and show the differences. " There is a scientific way to show differences. Everyone seems to think some kind of measurements need to be done to achieve scientifically valid results. That's not true. To start with, you need to test for something objective. What sounds better or worse is irrelevant. That's personal preference. Can't go by price either. If a $500 cable goes on sale for $300, the cable doesn't sound any different. For example, "is there a difference between cable A and cable B?". That's it. You need to test for something like that. The solution is this. If you set up a blind listening test going by the principals listed in the scientific method, you will have scientifically valid results so long as you consider all relevant variables. For example, if you are testing 2 pairs of cables to find audible differences between them, as long as your test accounts for all variables so that when you AB the cables, any differences in sound has to be due to the cables, and nothing else. And if you get all of that right, your results will be every bit as valid as a measurement. You have to do a listening test because we don't know how to measure everything we hear. And yes, I know doing a test like this is a pain in the ass, but you really have no choice. In the future, we may figure out how to explain more with measurements, but until that happens, you need a well conducted listening test. Null testing also looks very promising.

[@literalghost929]

So you guys compared a 16 & 8 AWG cable...? Why exactly? What was the point? Anyone could have told you that there will be a difference by using larger cables. Should have compared 2 cables of the same length and same gauge...!

[@Jayiyagi]

please read the pinned comment for clarification. Thanks!

[@literalghost929]

@@Jayiyagi Thanks! Well... Still not sure what you were trying to prove. If it's that "a generic cable sound different from an audiophile cable", you have to use the same gauge...! What you tested was simply "can someone differentiate an 8 vs 16 AWG copper wire", which I don't think was the disputed claim, and it says nothing about generic vs audiophile cable. It's to be expected that a cable 7x larger than another will be a better conductor... Were they even the same length? Bottom line: Known fact cable gauge affects conductivity, and given speaker impedance and all, can have audible effect. Disputed claim is that snakeoil cables (power cables, RCA cables, speaker cables, etc.) perform any better than normal cables. You can't give a MASSIVE advantage to snakeoil cable, by comparing it to cable 1/7th the size, and claim to have positively demonstrated the claim! It's like... I dunno... Proving that kevlar is superior subwoofer driver material to aluminum, and to prove it you use an 18 inch kevlar driver and compare it to an 7 inch alu sub...!

[@dannyrichie9743]

Wire gauge had nothing to do with the audible differences. The only area that lower resistance can make a difference in output is in the first octave and the first octave was being filtered out by the pre-amp. So levels were the same all the way across.

[@badgermike1231]

I think it's pretty awesome that you two were able to get together and discuss audio gear, and even do a blind cable test, without acrimony or even a hint of tension. Great series of videos.

[@waltzie]

This guy is struggling to sell his snake oil.

[@greenbeginner9221]

What "struggle" are you speaking of?

[@matthewtaylor7355]

I buy my snake oil off Ali Express... I don't mind been ripped off at 3 to 5% of the Western medicine men prices

[@freone111]

8 out of 10 with non-audiophile recordings is very impressive. Thank you for taking time to do this. All my music is in crappy recordings and I can relate to this experience.

[@vdochev]

What is an "audiophile" recording?

[@aceofspades6667]

@@vdochev Diana krall vs AC/DC … IYKYK

[@freone111]

@@vdochev 😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄

[@freone111]

@@vdochev I apologize you are clueless

[@secretsimon1897]

It's not impressive, it's stupid.

[@arkman8109]

He looks like he wants to cry , man he is literally taking a beating over this from himself. Don't be worried about this your just experiencing what the average guy struggles with, regular decent cables or very expensive cables.

[@dannyrichie9743]

Oh, I got what I asked for. I picked tough songs, songs that I haven't heard in a long time, and using amps that I don't normally use. Still, the differences were pretty apparent. I should have stuck with better recorded music and took the easy 10 for 10.

[@jeremysumpter8939]

TO double down on snake oil like this broke my brain.

[@abelabner]

As a Telecom worker for years originally working on Copper Cable runs (now mainly Fiber Optic Cable) we use diagnostic testing machines that you can physically graph the signal and glean much data, including RF interference. You just need a multi-thousand dollar tool that is precisely engineered with physical graphing ability among many other measurements you can take.

[@YallDotBiz]

When that is done there is no difference

[@CaptainJamesTKirk-en4kt]

Danny brings up a great point, "you get lost in the music" you really don't give a crap what type of cable you're using. LOL Funny on how Jay and Danny where hitting heads a few years ago now they are friends, which is a good thing. The problem with that it makes reviewers biased in the long run... ;)

[@dannyrichie9743]

Actually, I never had Jay in mind when I threw a broad blanket over the young KZbin reviewers.

[@emalior5000]

Next time compare same AWG and length.

[@perlman7376]

“Comparison is the thief of joy”. Doesn't matter who said it. More importantly, just something to consider.

[@konstantinost3185]

Comparing the GR Research 8AWG to what looks like a much thinner speaker cable isn't fair to say the least. Compare it with something of similar Gauge and Geometry and Danny will scratch his head...😁

[@Jayiyagi]

please read the pinned comment for clarification

[@dannyrichie9743]

Wire gauge had nothing to do with the audible differences. The only area that lower resistance can make a difference in output is in the first octave and the first octave was being filtered out by the pre-amp. So levels were the same all the way across.

[@RCToys09]

Was Danny's cable 16ga as well? There are audible differences between 14ga and 16ga.

[@AndrewB23]

Not at that length

[@bobb.9917]

Very Brave of both Jay and Danny! That said..I am a #10 solid copper lamp cord guy. 🙂 (I do not have a system like Danny's). I did just remove all the cheap electrolytic-film capacitors and cheap resistors in the tube stage of my Schiit Freya+ Preamp and soldered in $600 worth of V-Cap oil-damped metallized capacitors and Audio Note audiophile resistors. I was extremely pleased with the time and financial investment that truly improved the sound in my system & room. Plus…IT WAS FUN! 😀

[@martinclift3843]

Kudos to you for doing it! Too many shy away from these kind of tests. Great video.

[@roybatty-]

Danny is a clown. A living meme 😂

[@pacificateur3630]

You could have waited after the Montreal Audio Show…Best show in a long time and no coverage 🥲 Nevertheless, very cool video.

[@mikelanier5617]

First! ❤ 🎉 Been waiting for this one! Really glad you took the trip and hope you enjoyed your time Jay 👍

[@gotchagoing4905]

This was very informative on a somewhat controversial subject. Jay, ya done good. That shows me you are a man of good character and are open and honest. I think we ALL learned something here, and for that I will also say, thank you.

[@trevorcrowe7571]

Somewhat controversial is an understatement!

[@matytinman]

Many years ago, with the second audio equipment sounding much worse than now, I appreciated the difference between the typical/cheap OFC audio cable and the current Kimber Kable 8PR (interleaved like GR-Research's): more detail and, very noticeably, more bass. Now I also notice the difference in the connectors but it is more subtle. The sound improvement after changing tweeter filter components was spectacular. Finally, the quality of the electrical grid is essential, which is getting louder every day. The difference can also be spectacular, at least in my house. If you notice, Danny has a couple of car batteries for the little amps.

[@aussie_philosopher8079]

I'd like to buy and try Dannys cables. He is a very experienced guy. Currently I use the thin analysis plus cables which are extremely efficient and sound great. But gr research know their stuff so I will try.

[@AndrewB23]

There's literally no audible difference unless the cable was intentionally made bad or so cheaply made that it wouldn't even ve considered in the first place, just get Amazon basics or monoprice

[@Rockit66]

So what I go from this vide is that cables make a difference but one can only distinguish it like 70 to 80% on a super hifi system. That tells me that I will probably never need that kind of cable.

[@erics9754]

True still not convinced cables are a waste of money just buy well-made ones and spend the money on good speakers amp and preamp and a good source. Cables are for super-rich people with money to burn.

[@DrGonzo-it1fi]

Respect to GR Research for admitting to getting some wrong. And explaining that differences are subtle but evident in better recordings

[@r423sdex]

He had to, otherwise you would not have been convinced. Maybe you need to buy some of his cables, but don't expect the effect to last that long.

[@IliyaOsnovikov]

Jay, you should compare cables with the same cross section. Let's say one 4 mm2 cable to another 4 mm2 cable of the same length.

[@Darkbelovedcloud]

A true ABX test has a minimum of 10 listening trials. A single test is wholly inconclusive and such results would be laughed out of a AES meeting. The kid means well but doesn’t understand the incontestable requirements. If after at least 10 tests Danny has an 80% correct rate then he should present his white paper to AES and be given full credit for his golden ears and superlative products.

[@dextermorgan1]

I really enjoy listening to two people talk shop, when they really know what they're talking about. This was a good video.

[@RyuMasterEX]

If this is true then sites like ASR have a long way to go before they understand the "truth"

[@dannyrichie9743]

A long, long way.

[@brentcollins9727]

Lone Star Corvette Club! I have a supercharged blue C5 Z06!!

[@BomBoo-rn8gj]

Balderdash...My cables are always the best, the ones I made blindfolded in Mom's Basement. Remember the sound you hear is in YOUR head, and the 'opinions' of xspurts are only correct to those who have them.

[@onemic-theminimalist]

A/B gives you a 50% chance of being right. Add an X (A or B), and you have an all-new ball game.

[@anthonycody4095]

Hi Jay, interesting clip, on your point about how a cable improves sound stage or bass or air, etc... I believe that high-quality cables aren't improving the sound they are allowing "more" of the signal to come through to the speakers. So you hear, closer to 100% of the sound quality that your components are capable of delivering. I think this is why there is a lot of disagreement about cables, people aren't understanding what's going on. So it comes down to what their system is capable of delivering and how much of the sound quality is making to their speakers. This is where well-made cables can really ensure you hear everything your system is doing. Cables unlock the full potential of your system

[@SahinurUK]

Agree with you.

[@jdm-uk-yank]

I don't think anyone else listened to Patti Larkin. She great

[@user-tk7kz1fl2r]

He had a few excuses about the songs HE chose and why would the song choice even matter. 8 out of 10 is poor, considering what he charges compared with what the cheap one costs. Id say it’s a good score for the cheap basic one as it’s a fraction of the cost. He could not even pick his own cables every time in a blind test. He should have been easily able to pick his cable every single time within seconds.

[@allseeingeye1]

8/10 = v. Impressive. However, just goes to show, for most people, good standard cables are more than good enough.

[@CupOfSweetTea]

Audio cables, other than very badly engineered cables, don't do anything positive to the sound. The only way they could be used is if designed to equalise speakers by cancelling their tolerance differences.

[@jamestyrer907]

You compare your fancy speaker cable and a junk speaker cable. Can you compare to a good quality standard speaker cable [Belden 1311A] with THE best binding posts [Pomona 3770] and cold-staked Tellurium Copper spade lugs (add good quality solder [Ersin Multicore 5-Core Solder] if you want, even Silver solder)? Have you tried Ferrite beads to get rid of the antenna effect? There exist banana plugs that are copper with Berylium Copper springs. EXPENSIVE!!!

[@damonm3]

One blatant flaw in the test is wire gauge. The volume difference would be the only difference. Retest, do 20x and with same gauge. 10 or 12 would probably both work. But I use 16 for my atmos speakers that are 50w rms. I run 12 to my 250rms towers. Edit: ok, wow. I just opened the link to the other cables tested. 😂. You AB tested 16ga vs 8ga and he missed 2? Wow. Must be deaf. What a total joke.

[@Jayiyagi]

There is no volume difference between different gauges. Please check the pinned comment for further clarification

[@damonm3]

@@Jayiyagi ok, well at least compare a decent cable 99% of people would use. No one is using 16 ga cable on good tower speakers. Compare a good $50 10ga wire not some crap 16ga. Kinda silly regardless. And it does change loss as higher volumes. And it does translate to lower DB. But it would have to be at the limit of the cables ability to transmit. I would guess at a measured 105db it’s down at least 3-5db but this is a guess.

[@Jayiyagi]

Can you please let me know where you are sourcing this information from? I’ve never heard of measurements indicating change in spl depending on gauge for audio applications

[@dannyrichie9743]

Wire gauge had nothing to do with the audible differences. The only area that lower resistance can make a difference in output is in the first octave and the first octave was being filtered out by the pre-amp. So levels were the same all the way across.

[@shadowgolem9158]

Compare cables with the same measured resistance next time. Very good but still inexpensive shielded twisted fiber copper is going to dover well head to head. Also next time you need to double blind your experiment so the one changing does not know which is which.

[@todd8155]

This is interesting, and 80% is good. However, this isn't true blind testing as it's not double blind. For drug trials, for example, it's important that the person dispensing the drugs doesn't know which drug is given as they can be giving unconscious cues to the patient. In other words, Jay could have given subliminal cues to Danny about which cable. Ideally Jay should also be hidden, and Danny should not be able to interact. There should be no spoken words from Jay to Danny, but should be done by a buzer or light bulb. So while this is interesting, it's still not definitive. I hate to be a stickler, but if they listening is real and able to tell the difference, then it should be able to be done as a true double blind test as well. I would also like to have some better fidelity recordings, and a bigger sample size. I am open to maybe we can hear some differences, but we still haven't definitively proven it yet.

[@kft590]

Acoustic guitars, pianos and orchestra type music is best for testing all electronics equipment. Electronic music as absolutely worthless for testing Audio equipment. Picking out differences in AC/DC with distorted guitars is very difficult to compare equipment.