Ethernet Cables, do they make a difference?


I stream music via TIDAL and the only cable in my system that is not an "Audiophile" cable is the one going from my Gateway to my PC, it is a CAT6 cable. Question is, do "Audiophile" Ethernet cables make any difference/ improvement in sound quality?

Any and all feedback is most appreciated, especially if you noted improvements in your streaming audio SQ with a High-End Ethernet cable.

Thanks!
grm
grm

Showing 6 responses by astewart8944

I have a Purist Audio Design CAT7 Ethernet cable running from an Orbi satellite into an Antipodes DX3 music server. The difference from the "stock" ethernet cable is discernible. If someone couldn't hear the difference in my system I would question their hearing acuity. They might not think the difference was worth the money (BTW I do) but the difference is present. For those that insist on demanding the double blind test before proclaiming what they themselves hear, nope I didn't do one. But, I also know that I routinely experiment with other changes to my system (cables, isolation, hi rez files, power conditioners, etc.) and I readily admit when I can't discern a difference. If I'm imagining the difference, then it is a really good investment for an enjoyable imagined experience.
I went to the doctor and told him I didn't feel good. He ran tests and said I was imagining it because he couldn't see anything in my test results that would explain how I felt. When I left the doctor, I still felt bad and he felt scientific. One of us was experiencing something while the other was busy explaining that the experience wasn't genuine. This illustrates the never-ending "I hear it--no you don't" back and forth on this site. Trotting out what degree we have in a specific discipline, or our technical credentials doesn't invalidate what a person says they sense or experience.
I understand the back and forth isn't going to end--but it can be done in a way that doesn't infer, imply, suggest or expressly say that whoever doesn't agree with the stated position, whichever one it is, must be intellectually inferior, dishonest or lack the acuity to share the experience.    
Peace
Al 
@kosst_amojan 
Hmm...I don't know if you meant to do so, but you kind of made my point. You didn't advance your position by suggesting that anyone who says they hear ethernet cable differences is crazy. I counted at least 17 people on this thread, to this point, who affirm they have tried a different ethernet cable and heard a difference. Others, fewer in number but not statistically significantly less, said they either didn't hear a difference or it is impossible to hear a difference. I actually think everyone described accurately what they heard. But, I leave open the possibility that you may be right; all these folks may be victims of confirmation bias. But, I also leave open the possibility that you may be wrong. And very smart people have been known to be wrong about strongly held scientifically held views. Ethernet cable sound quality attributes is not the equivalent of gravity. One is unimpeachable--that would be gravity. For the record, not one of the posters claimed to hear the electricity in their wall outlets. :-)
Peace
Al 
 

@kosst_amojan Because you have asked who says gravity is unimpeachable, I provide this link to Bill Nye, the science guy, and Michio Kaku, astrophysics guy, explaining that gravity is one of nature's four fundamental forces. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9FVFh3HYaY
IMO when you are fighting gravity to make your point, you are probably losing ground. But, I admire your feistiness.
Peace
Al  
@kosst_amojan Hmm...you seem to relish throwing folks you disagree with under the bus (Bill Nye the Lyin Guy and Kaku--), which leaves me wondering why you uniformly take a caustic approach.  The gravity clip above says nothing outlandish. It says "gravity" exists. Wow! Anyway, I picked gravity because we all know it exists not because it made a particular point about audio equipment. Your response was to take on gravity as if it is clearly questionable and routinely in doubt. Once you went there, I stopped seriously listening to you. You want others to adopt your view on a particular subject as the irrevocable standard and then you roll over gravity as if it is a novel hypothesis. IMO not a convincing way to demonstrate reasonableness. This is my last post with you because I don't think you are listening either. We disagree--something that is possible to do in a civil manner.    
Peace
Al    
@grm Thanks for posting your results. The test isn't lame. It is realistic. Could it be published in a respected scientific journal? Nope. Does that really matter? Not at all. Will others criticize it? Undoubtedly. But, the critics may have biases that will not allow them to ever admit hearing a difference that they zealously contend is empirically impossible to hear.