I did a blind test using Audioquest dbs cables. I put on Rippingtons, and then after a few minutes switched to Joss Stone. There was a difference. Put in Harmonic Techology cables. The difference remained...I concluded that no cables are able to make all my music sound the same.
Seriously, I am beginning to think that both positions may be partly true. I am definitely in the camp that says, "I hear a difference" regarding cables. However, I also think there are other intangible factors at work in ABX tests. I think it is possible that there are indeed differences, AND that people are notoriously unable to differentiate those differences when in bind tests. The day may come when both are substantiated to most audiophiles' satisfaction.
It IS much more difficult to apprehend the difference testing any one cable in an entire system (i.e. swapping out only interconnect from cdp to pre). Even in highly resolving systems, such changes are very nuanced. But, the difference becomes much more evident when the entire system's cables are changed. Most people, I surmise, are not wiling to go to that extreme, but merely swap a cable, don't hear too much, and conclude it's all bunk about cable differences.
Take a system with average electronics and monitors, say, and you're not likely to hear much different no matter what single cable you compare A/B. But, use a more ambitious system with very resolving speakers and you can fairly easily hear cable differences when the entire set is switched out.
Who wants to tie up as much as $2-4K in cables just to listen to two sets? Probably very few, even among those who claim the title audiophile. But, that IS what it usually takes to do it right. The results are most satisfactory.
Finally, I had put up a lengthy defence of sonic differences in cables on the Assylum a couple weeks ago. Several posts that had taken some time to think out. It was all deleted (as far as I was able to discern) after two days. Last time I waste effort on lengthy debate there!
