Why my new audiophile cable won't sound better

[@philbarone4603]

A reviewer who actually knows what he’s talking about AND doesn’t take kickbacks. I like it.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏🏽

[@wildebeest773]

Thanks, Hans. I have learned a lot from you. I find myself keep re-watching your youtube videos and learn a few things every time. This time is no different. I like the very important axiom that you delivered in a much humourous way beginning at 9:00. Keep up the good work. Best regards, Will.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Cool, thanks

[@johnrichardson6606]

This man talks a lot of sense.

[@duranarts]

Left the non out of the sense for those who sense no nonsense.

[@saintmichael1779]

"Sad tuna." I love Hans.

[@szallitolevel]

Good day, Hans! Just seen this "vintage" video from you now. From many other of your sessions I already put together milestones and guidelines to my audio journey (the Node 2 from you was and will be an important milestone for a long while), but this video gives a perfect resume of important steps and gives nice explanation of many minor but important things. Thank you for your mission, Hans! Karoly

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Sounds great!

[@kenwebster5053]

Yep, I'm a retired analyst programmer so I can show some quantitative examples as to why this is so. The overall error in a series system such as an audio system where each signal step occurs one after the another (series), the total system error = the square root of the sum of squared errors. E = (A1^2 + E2^2 + E3^2 + ..........+ En^2)^(1/2). Suppose we have a 10 step system where each step incurs and error of 1. It doesn't matter what we are measuring or what the units are, as long as we are consistent, could be % THD or some expression of S/N, whatever, it doesn't matter because it's just an example to demonstrate how the numbers work out. Anyway, the point is that in our system a value of 1 in every step represents the best possible performance that can be hoped for because every step in any system incurs some loss. Well 10 steps where each step has an error of 1 gives a total system error of 3.162. Surprised? Well, that's because any error at any point may be either a + or a - on the signal. So some errors cancel or partially cancel other errors & that's just how it is. Ok, next example, we have the same 10 steps but this time half the steps have and error of 10. Total System error is now 22.47 Suppose we fix just 1 of those steps. Total system error is now 20.15 Now ask yourself, will you hear the difference between 22.47 and 20.15 (10% of an already small error)? Well let me just say that the smallest difference most people can readily hear is 3dB which represents an SPL difference of 100%. OK, these are not the same thing but I think you get the point, 10% improvement to an already small error is unlikely to be heard. If we keep fixing each step one at a time, we get 17.52 14.42 10.44 3.16 So in this case, it's only when the last step is fixed that the whole system really experiences the largest improvement. But errors in a system are unlikely to be all the same like that. So lets try 5 steps with our minimum value 1 and 5 where the error doubles 2 4 8 16 32. Now our total system error = 37 If we fix the largest error, the system error becomes 18.6, an improvement of 50% If however we had fixed the smallest error, the total system error would have become 36.96, an improvement of 0.1% In this last example, we fixed a step that was twice as bad as it should have been but got no discernible improvement overall. This shows the importance of targeting the biggest error in the system first. However, it is often very difficult to identify where that largest error is until you fix it. When you do fix the worst thing, you then have a next worst think to identify & fix. Other lessons we learned here: Just because you made a real improvement somewhere doesn't mean the system will sound better or different. You might only hear a difference when you fix the worst or last error in the system. This is why it is imperative when attempting to improve a system, to isolate the components of the system around the change as much as is possible to do, because that minimises the likely-hood of other possible errors masking the test results. I hope I have explained this well enough to makes sense to someone & I hope it demonstrates why some hear cable differences while the nothing matters crowd just don't.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Thanks for sharing

[@gfresh42]

I've never heard such a good analogy to cooking! Great info in here. Thanks for all your work, Hans.

[@SpikeoutBattleStreet]

Great video Hans! I always tell people to borrow from friends first or to buy from dealers which you can refund. This way nothing can be lost. Let your own ears tell you.

[@devletli]

mr. beekhuyzen always talks about very serious subjects in a very serious manner and every once in a while drops bombs like big butts and shiploads etc. with a dead straight face. goed gedaan, meneer.

[@VintageStereoCollectorChannel]

Great mission statement and purpose👍

[@sagarmmk6813]

You always offer best explanations. Thank you.

[@howardskeivys4184]

Yet another excellent video and even more excellent advice. Thank you Sir

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Very welcome

[@philbarone4603]

Hans, would love to hear your thoughts on the now popular Tekton Double Impacts.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

I have not reviewed it so I can’t say.

[@RetrospectiveZoology]

Hi Hans. I bought my first entry level dac and I have it connected directly to computer via USB. Im hearing some noise in the background. What is your suggestion on how should i approch this problem. Thank you kindly!

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

I can't say from this limited info and lack the time to help you through the problem. Try to get support from the manufacturer or dealer.

[@RetrospectiveZoology]

@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel i've found some other videos from you after i wrote you on this problem: audio hygene and bridge iFi / Regen. Thank you for the suggestion, will contact the manufacturer Topping

[@SamiyuruSenarathna]

Once you mentioned in a comment for one of my questions that the difference between cables worth 100s of dollars and cables worth 1000s of dollars is like the difference between $10 Xmas tree and a $30 Xmas tree. So how much one should spend on cables?

[@johnbravo7542]

Samiyuru Senarathne,its all relative to the expense you have made in your whole system

[@y.k.9705]

The (problem) is that all of us have different taste. Every time one reviewer on KZbin introduced a new pair of speakers I bought them. I ended up with ten pairs of speakers. At least I learned witch are my favorite. :))

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

You must be affluent. Or, at least, you were😁

[@NickP333]

@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel 🤣 Haha

[@jamour5355]

Would you explain why a preamp added to a system makes it sound better? ...since adding is supposed to degrade a system.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

I have never researched this but I can imagine that impedance matching by buffer stages might have something to do with it.

[@jamour5355]

@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel Thanks, I respect your research. If you have anymore insight on this subject matter, I would appreciate it if you would share it.

[@Nephilim-81]

Depending on how analytical and sensitive your audio gear is cables will make a difference in my experience. Great audio equipment with poor or inferior interconnects is a sad Tuna. ;)

[@blax100dk]

Do you really have to care so much about speaker cables? I am no audiophile but would like to buy the Dali Rubicon 2 and NAD c368. Is this stuff not only useful if you have the best of the best grade equipment? Or should you already be careful about the quality of the cables with the Dali Rubicon 2 speakers and NAD c368 amp (I know this is already good quality stuff)? As I was thinking of just buying these two with a cheap thick cable. Will a expensive 200$ cable make any valuable difference? I am thinking of using this for both music, movies and even gaming.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Whether a good loudspeaker cable is beneficiary for you, I can't say. But if I would buy such a lovely sounding stereo I would place my speakers properly (watch kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYnSma2hocuqhtU) and spend € 100 to €200 on loudspeaker cable.

[@blax100dk]

Ok thanks for the very quick reply. :) But the link doesn't work.

[@blax100dk]

And Dali speakers are not like most speakers, as they have to be placed parallel. No need to toe them in towards your ears.

[@tonino5113]

Antonino from Italy. thanks for the tips

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

That depends on the quality of the setup. In my setup 1 it's about € 5.000.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Hi end interconnects and speaker cables have been around for over 40 years now you would think by now that they would’ve had so many bad reviews that they would not be in business anymore. However after 40 years somebody must be hearing some difference because these companies are big business now.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

If you have it demonstrated by a professional dealer, you don't have to doubt provided your hearing is fine.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

The Hans Beekhuyzen Channel very true.

[@simonlai]

MARVELLOUS!

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Simon Lai 🙏🏽

[@iyona14granturismogt6gtspo7]

When the naysayers claim "Why would the last 3ft of high quality cable matter? When miles of cheap cable precede it? What does miles of dirty plumbing pipes matter when the water gets to your house, you filter it clean right?

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Well,, a good cable doesn't filter. You might want to watch my video again.

[@iyona14granturismogt6gtspo7]

@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel good cables have shielding that blocks interference...is that not correct?

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Yes, but that’s not filtering

[@iyona14granturismogt6gtspo7]

@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel the obvious point being,its altered for the better after arriving in poor condition.

[@Sonus1002]

@@iyona14granturismogt6gtspo7 Wasn't it Michael Fremer who came up with the plumbing pipe analogy? Now Beekhuyzen clearly states cables do not filter the signal. How can you trust any of the audio pros on this subject when not even they have a consistent explanation on what cables are actually doing? It seems everyone has a different opinion. Personally, I didn't ever hear a difference in cables in direct comparison. If I listened for a longer period of time, I probably would start to hear a difference. But I tell you something: My system sounds different every day depending on my mood. How can I determine if the sonic difference is caused by the cable or my mood? I can't!