Robert Harley Visits Transparent Audio—and Discovers a $210 "Miracle" Upgrade
Robert Harley Visits Transparent Audio—and Discovers a $210 “Miracle” Upgrade
Robert Harley
I recently made the trek to Maine to visit the venerable high-end cable manufacturer Transparent Audio. Transparent has long been a major player in the cable arena, and I wanted to get a first-hand look at their technology and design/production facilities. The 18,000 square-foot factory is nestled in an idyllic rural area in Saco, just outside Portland.
Transparent Audio was founded in 1980 by Karen Sumner, Jack Sumner, and Carl Smith to distribute high-end audio products. Karen and Jack were educators, and Smith an attorney, but all shared a passion for music and great sound. (Smith is responsible for the release of Sonny Rollins' CD Road Shows, and many of the live-performance recordings used on this CD came from his personal collection. He also wrote Bouncing with Bud, a definitive commentary on all the recordings of pianist Bud Powell.) Jack, an accomplished musician with a degree in physics and doctoral studies in research and statistical design, fulfilled his career ambitions as Transparent’s head of design. Karen, Transparent’s president, is the company’s entrepreneurial creative force in the areas of products, marketing, dealer training, and staff development.
Transparent Audio’s first imported line was the Norwegian brand Electrocompaniet. Soon thereafter Transparent got into the manufacturing business, making and marketing the iconic turntable of the 1980s, the Well Tempered Turntable.
Jack and Karen Sumner
In 1985 Transparent began distributing and later building MIT cables, a relationship that lasted until 1993 after which Transparent launched its own line of loudspeaker cables and interconnects. The following year the company introduced their first AC power conditioner, and a year after that, the Reference line of cables. It was the Reference line that announced Transparent as a significant force in the high-end cable market. The cables were extremely well received and found their way into many world-class systems.
Transparent has been steadily refining their cable, interconnect, and AC cord/conditioner technologies since the Reference products. The company introduced two important innovations during the 1990s—the first cables that could be individually calibrated to system components (1997), and an upgrade program that allows owners to trade in their Transparent cables toward newer or higher models (1998). The upgrade program gives owners a credit of 70% of the cable’s current retail price toward new cables, no matter the cable’s age. In addition, cables at Reference XL level and above can be re-optimized for the electronics with which they will be used—such as if you change preamps. There is no charge for this service for as long as the customer owns the cables.
After learning about the company’s history and current product line, I toured the factory. The company employs about 15 people in-house, with an additional 20 cable assemblers working from home. Employing home-based workers is a long tradition at Transparent; the company started the practice when it was small and short on factory space but discovered that home assemblers are happier and more productive. All the upper-end cables are made by two individuals, who together have more than 30 years’ experience building Transparent cables. In fact, just about everyone I spoke with had been with Transparent for a long time, and many had relatives who also worked at the company. The entire vibe was of one big, happy family who loves what they do.
Inside Transparent's warehouse
After a lunch that included my first lobster roll—a Maine tradition—we went into the spectacular listening room adjacent to the design laboratory. This was, along with Rockport’s room described in my blog post “The Best Stereo System I’ve Ever Heard,” the most elaborate listening room I’ve seen in an audio-manufacturing facility. The huge room was built from the ground up and featured a high ceiling, “room-within-a-room” construction, and extensive acoustic treatments from RPG. The electronics were all reference-quality, and speakers were Wilson Alexandria X-2 Series 2. (Transparent maintains a second, nearly identical, room off-site with multichannel capability, also with X-2s as the main speakers. I was fortunate to hear both.)
Designers Josh Clark and Jack Sumner in Transparent's Saco listening room
The second listening room in Falmouth provides multichannel playback.
Oddly, though, in front of the mighty X-2s was a pair of tiny B&W 685 speakers ($650) connected to a Rotel RCD-1072 CD player and RA-1062 integrated amplifier ($699 each). What was up with that?
Transparent had set up this modest system in parallel with their main system to demonstrate their least expensive cables and to make a point that interconnects, speaker cables, and AC power cords are important contributors to good sound at any level of equipment. They gave me the same demo that their dealers give to uninitiated customers who might not have listened to cable differences before.
The B&W/Rotel system was set up in parallel with the reference system that included Wilson X-2 Series 2 loudspeakers
We listened to the system (which sounded surprisingly good for under $2100—the B&W 685 was our 2007 Entry-Level Loudspeaker of the Year winner for good reason) and then substituted the stock cords on the Rotel integrated amp and CD player with Transparent’s entry-level High-Performance PowerLink cords. Frankly, I didn’t expect to hear much of a difference for several reasons—we were switching to a very modestly priced cord ($105) not a “super cord,” and the playback system, although very good, was not the last word in resolution.
Seconds into the first piece of music I was struck by the system’s greater harmonic richness, reduction in treble hash and grain, increased dimensionality, and overall sense of ease and musicality. Resolution of low-level detail improved, yet the sound was more relaxed—always a sign something good is happening. This wasn’t a “golden ears” difference of audiophile minutia, but a fundamental improvement in the system’s ability to convey musical expression. And at $210 for both AC cords—10% of the system price—this upgrade was nothing short of miraculous.
We continued listening, substituting generic interconnects for Transparent’s $85 The Link interconnect. Again, the difference this entry-level cable made to the Rotel/B&W system was significant—smoother textures, greater warmth and body to timbres, and increased dimensionality. Next up for replacement was a generic 14-gauge speaker wire for Transparent’s The Wave ($200 for an 8’ pair). The system took yet another step up in smoothness, harmonic richness, resolution, and musical engagement.
After experiencing this demo for myself, I can see why Transparent encourages its dealers to present its products in this context. Anyone can hear the difference; it’s not esoteric, but simply a cost-effective way of getting more enjoyment out of a music system. More important, however, is that this demo allows the entry-level audiophile an opportunity to hear for himself the value of specialty cables.
From there we went up the Transparent line in interconnects, speaker cables, and AC power conditioners, with each step representing an improvement in sound quality from this modest system. We then switched to the reference system, wired with top of the line Opus interconnects and speaker cables. The Wilson X-2s, which I’ve listened to nearly daily for more than a year in my own system, sounded fabulous in this context. The big, dynamic, and open sound for which the X-2s are famous took a step forward. The soundstage was huge and dimensional, with tremendous depth and width. It’s impossible to judge the performance of one component within the context of an unknown system, but for whatever reasons, the X-2s really sang.
(Neil Gader is reviewing Rotel’s new “15-Series’ integrated amplifier and CD player (the replacements for the RA-1062 and RCD-1072) and will report in more depth on the High-Performance PowerLink AC cords, The Wave speaker cable, and The Link interconnect.)
Comments
Electricity travel miles on end on what ever wire standard used by the power company ... enters your home and travel on whatever wire standard used by your electrician.... then some magic ... for the last meter or so it travel thru' this "special" cable ... and voila ... sorted! Lol!
Don't make me stop visiting this site - power conditioners are one thing (still relax here ppl) but a power cable! As long as the cable is decent quality, with decent awg, with decent connectors on both ends (wall and apparatus) you're set.
I heard praying for better sound has the same effect of exotic power cables and is cheaper!
A French philosopher, Emmanuel Feuerbach, spoke often of his questions about "idee fixe". It appears that Etienne Azzopardi has allowed himself to be held captive by his fixed ideas, that it "can't work" or som such, probably without every trying power cables. Perhaps he is afraid of upsetting his notions!
You are absolutely wrong. I demo'd an ESP power cable on my home system and could clearly detect a drop in background noise. To substantiate my impression I did a "blind" test with my wife, not telling her whether she was listening to music with our original stock power cord or the ESP. She also noticed the drop in noise and preferred the ESP cable.
Etienne, it is the last meter for you and me, but from amplifier's power supply pespective, it is the first meter. All EMI/RF garbage travelling through powerlines is sent to the amp and the system. Also, average power cord is perfect antenna for environment-caused RF polution. Good DIY design can also prevent this, but not everyone likes to cook. That's why honest vendors are definitive plus for the hobby and those who repacakage Belden with 2000% markup brought the bad name to alll cable vendors.
I agree. What's next, hi fidelity furniture polish for you speaker enclosures?
The coefficient of acoustic conductivity of various coatings must be considered. I would recommend an acoustic conductivity sensor to be arranged on the enclosure surface which is connected to a measuring device calibrated for the capture of sound pressure data at selected frequencies. A second sensor is mounted within the enclosure. The delta SPL can then be calculated. It is important to independently test the enclosure material itself so that its contribution to the test results may be backed out.
Ignatz - I would like to email you on your comment posted on "The Foundry" williamatnetprosdotnet Thanks!
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I purchased used PS audio cables to see if it made a difference. I was shocked my wife came into the room and asked what I had done to the stereo it sounded really good. Know I use Power Plant Premier and cables on everything on my system. I tell everyone that is the cheapest upgrade
I prayed for better sound, and God told me to shut off the stereo and go outside and listen to the frogs and thunder.
If your magic power cables were able to produce a difference noticeable by ANYbody...the effect should be able to be measured. The world awaits breathlessly.
This comment seems to imply that you can OBJECTIVELY measure the difference in wine by the chemical composition.
Yes, but the differences in wine composition can be measured.
Sorry...unless you have actually tried it, you have no space to even comment. Especially because the power cable between the wall and the component is the FIRST thing that the component sees...not the last. So give it a try, and if you don't hear a difference, get a better system and try it again.
I am planning to pay my power company to upgrade the lines from the generation facility, through distribution, all the way to my house. Thay said they would do this for only $17 per month additional. It's nice to not have to pay it all at once.
Just like resistor on you amplifiers circuit board the mains cable is part of a circuit that Includes the power station generator, the cables and everything in between the Power station and your speakers. Weather you can hear a difference is another story. However If you consider the complete circuit you can begin to understand how tiny items such and Resistors and cable types make a difference. Electricity does not behave in a intuitive way and is very, very strange
really?? what part do you consider strange? strange would imply that there was some unattural or unpredictable behavior.
guess I wasted all that time getting that degree in engineering.
upstream of the power supply input has very little relevance assuming it stays within a 5% tolerance of line voltage.
the power supply stage is regulating the input to a stable voltage, if it isn't the amplifier is crap.
and assuming the power cord comparison is something more conductive than wet string, you not going to hear a difference in a blind test.
of course, psychoacoustics will continue to let golden ears hear whatever they want.
What I mean is that many of the attributes of electricity and how this attributes influence sound are unknown. There are known unknowns and probably unknown unknowns!!. I changed my power cable from a standard cable to a specialist cable and heard a huge difference. I am not a physicist or a mathematician, so I cannot understand in any detail why this change in the sound as occurred. I understand that HF frequency filtering and other cable attributes can make a difference, but this is all received wisdom to me. What I do know is that I have to keep an open mind about such things, because if I do not, I will fail to improve the sound from my system.
Please visit our store and do your own listening. Then, after YOU hear the difference, you may realize it isn't "Golden Ears" but just training in how to listen and what to listen for in differences. Most people don't demo the difference, but we do it every day, and if you can't hear it then don't buy it.
There is some phenomena that goes on with wire that can effect the sound quality of a system. I conducted experiments with different types of audio cables to be used as a subwoofer cable including those marked as "subwoofer cables". I ended up using a single piece of an older radio shack audio cable which gave me the best bass response between my receiver's sub output and my sub. I also discovered that there seems to be a "polarity" factor in cable as well. I had to reverse the cable to determine that it was put in phase with the satellites. All other wires that I tested all exhibited this factor too.
I have also found this "phase" characteristic" on wires I tried using for coaxial digital cables as well between a dvd player and my receiver. There is a reason why come companies mark an arrow on some of their wires indicating which way to place that cable into an input. Obviously they know something about the phase characteristics of wire and therefore is is not something I am imagining myself. It would seem that Transparent is working on a very high scale of this factor and perhaps other electrical and physical makeup of wires that can effect the electrons that carry the information to make sound.
Kelsci stated, "There is a reason why come companies mark an arrow on some of their wires indicating which way to place that cable into an input. Obviously they know something about the phase characteristics of wire and therefore is is not something I am imagining myself."
The arrows may simply be the engineer's way of assuring that the cable's shielding is properly grounded. Some cables do not employ the shield as a conductor, and instead have separate conductors for the signal. Because of this, they may be constructed such that the shielding is electrically connected to only one connector (and therefore only one component). For the shield to function as designed, the engineer may want to assure that it is grounded only where he/she intended, hence the use of arrows.
I once had an engineer tell me that because he could hear a difference consistently in a cable when I reversed it that the cable MUST be defective. Even though every cable exhibited the same signal.
The way it has been explained to me is not to think of the power cord as the the last three feet coming out the wall but as the first three feet coming out of the components power supply. The cord itself is a integral part of the power supply. AWG, quality of metal, geometry, and shielding can all make a difference. If you think about it, the most common signal among all components is AC power that is modulated to come out of our speakers as sound. If interconnects and speaker cable make a difference why wouldn't a power cord?
Capacitance and inductance are interesting, but "strange"? The cargo cult mentality that pervades the audiophile scene is pathetic. It's like none of them have ever heard of the concept of a double blind experiment, let alone the reasoning behind the technique. I know that science education in the USA is an abortive fiasco, but really people.
Okay, Robert. But what actually is the name/model of these $105 power cables. It seems that you have not mentioned their actual name, other than they're the Transparent brand.
I named the power cords in the blog: " . . substituted the stock cords on the Rotel integrated amp and CD player with Transparent’s entry-level High-Performance PowerLink cords.
Peceived Reality IS Reality!
Sorry, perceived reality is deception.
Sorry, perceived reality is deception.
Given Robert Harley's lifelong technical incompetence; should we pay attention to anything he says?
If the power cord really makes "a fundamental improvement", this should be verfiable with true double blind trials. Of course you want a set of listeners who have demonstrated skilled discernment in basic listening test. I've seen double blinds done with good success in wine tasting, it is quite possible in subjective areas.
This should be required for all extraordinary claims. It's one thing to say it theoretically possible the power cord could make a difference. But if it's just a very high quality passive wire, it's very unlikely to make a difference. If there's ferrite beads or other means of noise supressions, that's another thing. But let's get some rigor here. Even in cases where the science is not well understood, we should be able to make subjective statistical correlation. Please note that I make these comments because I love audio and want to see it progress, not to be a spoilsport.
Forget the power line completely- too much noise. . A bank of good deep cycle car batteries is the way to go. You don't need a power conditioner for that. Bypasses the AC noice, rectifiers, capacitors. THAT you can hear.
AC power cables are just that- proper AWG and a $6 cable sounds just as good as a $200 one (unless you're already CONVINCED it will sound better and that's what your mind tells you has occurred- similar to placebo instead of an actual drug- the effect cna be the same if you believe it will be so)
the fumes from all those car bateries must be causing a malfunction in your temperal lobe as a wire,weather its an interconnect or power,makes all the difference in the world,you have not tried any other the stock if you say this or your stereo is a piece o crap
Folks, save your money. Andrew, I hear you. Industry employees are just that. In order to survive, they'll favor anything in the industry for job security.
Any reliable person I've personally spoken to who is NOT associated with IC companies or writing reviews to survive states this is a total farse. I'm talkin' high end technicians and certified installers who have heard it all for years.
It's a cheap sales trick for the industry guys to favor each other to draw a paycheck from your wallet and survive. PERIOD. Companies create expensive IC's specifically for buyers who believe everything they read. Buyers WILL hear a difference if they WANT to. Believe no more.
The take home message from REAL audio people who don't carry Fairy Dust along with their business cards: Buy high quality, medium end IC's from a reputable company. They're as good or better as any IC's some goofball sprinkled Fairy Dust all over.
I had a hodgepodge of IC's that came with various components. Some were in bad condition from use over the years. I went all Mogami Gold for about $200.00. That included all digital and analog IC's, balanced in and out where possible, and multi-channel.
This article was a technical subject. An abstract is in order first, supporting data, and summary. See any technology backed by valid scientific methodologies? Me either. All I saw was a company tour by some industry Fairy.
And of course no double-blind testing was done, because they don't actually prove anything, right? ;)
The mind is a powerful thing. Until you eliminate that bias, you simply cannot back up a statement like "the difference was obvious." The difference was obvious because you obviously saw that a cable was changed.
Everyone does seem to miss the pivotal point in this discussion.
Let’s assume that all equipment has power cords that are connected to one multi-socket mains output.
It is quite easy to prove **and** to measure that due to stray capacitances there is running mains induced common current mode through the signal cables. This is largely ignored or even unknown by manufacturers and reviewers.
What the heck does that mean? It means that there is mains related current flowing through the signal cables that is caused by the loop power cord (power amplifier for instance) – signal cable – power cord (preamplifier for instance).
This causes the described harsh sound. The power plant and the transport to your home is not included in this chain, and so of an other order.
In this scheme it could be seen as feasible that the power cords can have an effect on the sound.
I can not vouch for AC cord changes, but I will note that the last time I changed out an interconnect, or speaker cable, the difference was anything but subtle. In one case, I hooked up a silver/copper speaker cable on one channel and a solid silver cable on the other - from the same manufacturer - so similar shielding and dielectrics. After selecting mono on the amp so that we could hear the full signal separately from each speaker, we were able to toggle back and forth with the balance control. We concluded (separately) that the silver cable had a stronger bass, and was slightly clearer and more detailed, while the copper/silver blend had a more unified, even warmer sound, but with less bass and less detail. I bought the $ 5.5/ft silver cable over the $4 /ft blend.
No, it was not a double blind experiment, but again I had no horse in the race, and was only trying to decide which sound I liked. I would have been happy to buy the cheaper cable if they sounded identical. They did not.
The other eye-opener was when I replaced a ten year old interconnect with a brand new one. The brand new one sounded like congested crap. Even though it ostensibly was a much higher quality item based on the design specs.
The older interconnect was the one that came with the component! Anything should have kicked it's butt. But it didn't.
My conclusion was that either a) there is something to the concept of burn-in, which I had been somewhat skeptical of previously or b) the polarity was off on the other interconnect or c) more expensive and over-engineered does not always equal better sound or performance. Sometimes less is more. But you knew that.
Bottom line, after years of listening and discerning differences in every other component, it was nice to actually AB something in the cable world. If speaker cables can make that much difference, and interconnects open up or shut down the sound, then surely a better AC cord, let alone power conditioners, let alone pure battery power (the top of the food chain - just ask a certain amplifier manufacturer) can be heard. No need to call reviewers industry shills.
Yes, we all want companies and the audio industry to make it. But the reason we care is because, by gum, there is magic out there, whether or not it can always be adequately explained.
For the record, this was a secondary system consisting of a Linn LP12/Pioneer Elite PDF27/NAD 7225PE/Vandersteen 1B's. Tributary was the speaker cable auditioned.
I have heard of people doing double-blind A/B testing of both signal and power cables. The result? No difference!
When they were told when an expensive wire was used vs cheap, people heard a clear difference (according to what they were told, not according to actual cables used!). Placebo effect rules!
Human hering is one of the most easily manipulated senses, and very few of us has an objective comparative sound memory.
Can't we get TAS to get serious about being more scientific, and less hokus-pokus. But I guess the high-end industry would hate that and try to avoid any testing like that, eh?
But that aside, the individual electrons in the AC cable actually only move at about 6 meters per second, back and forth (the "voltage wave" is at light speed (or close to)), so local effects can be seen. But actually hearable? I doubt it.
Eliminating first and second audio reflexes from your speakers must be an order of 5 magnitudes or so higher than these minute differences, if any. I'm still baffled that so little is being done on the speaker technology side. DSP room correction has some potential, but some of that can actually be incorporated pretty cheaply into the speaker. Just look at Amphion that uses a phasing-out system to manage some of the reflexes. Just like cupping your hands behind your ears, arguable one of the cheapest, most "magical" sound improvements you can do.
Let's bring TAS into the 21st century!
I agree with mermaid sashimi.
Time for TAS sharpen their act. A new generation of readership will be less impressed by hokus-pokus, I'm sure. Please do (more) comparative group tests of equipment, and if double-blind testing is practical, the more believeable it will be.
I don't care if they think group tests don't belong in high-end, and that we should trust the golden ears.
Maybe it's just a big conspriacy to keep up sales and spread the audiophile virus of uncertainty and that there is always something better...
I agree that there is no reason to think it will work, and I still hear similar arguments about interconnect cable. I actually believed it myself until I heard some $20 interconnects a friend of mine made. The difference in sound was so great that I actually had a physical reaction and tears filled my eyes. And I was NOT expecting any difference. The hard boiled objectivists among you would probably hear what I heard and still claim there was no difference. The fairy dust guys my claim a difference where none exists, but the capital S sceptics will claim nothing happens despite the evidence of trtheir own ears, simply because it does not fit with their pre-conceived theory.
Tears filled my eyes as well after I invested several hundred dollars in an MIT biwire speaker cable only to find that a couple of pairs of #12 stranded sounded identically the same. I will admit however that a heavy guage cable with excellent build quality and machined aluminum network boxes just HAS to sound better. It's pretty cool aesthetically to have those babies in your system. For a mere $26K you can have a pair of very sexy networked MIT speaker cables that will impress your friends. Or for the same $$ you could invest in a pair of LAMM monoblocks....your choice.
Or for the same $$ you could invest in a pair of LAMM monoblocks....your choice
Why would you do that? All decently designed amplifiers sound the same, no? Put the money in the speaker, I say :)
Robert Harley, I'd give you a gold star if you could supply the technical information/sources I refer to below in the same thoughtful way that you perform and report your equipment reviews.
This is a very relevant article for me. I have just upgraded my amplifier, an ARC Ref 110, which is very resolving in my system. I have already satisfied myself via extensive listening testing in my system that sonic improvements can result from utilizing high quality interconnects (i.e., Kimber Select) and speaker cables (I utilize mid-level Transparent Audio Ultra). I have used for several years a PS Audio power plant for my source and pre-amp, with excellent results (very "black" background from which the music emerges - try it for yourself if you doubt!) Given the increased resolution of my new amp, I am in the process of further upgrading the dedicated 20 amp circuit which powers this unit (i.e., cleaned and utilized Pro Gold on the contacts at the breaker panel for the circuit - which itself is only two years old: new heavy gauge wire, seperate grounding, new breaker, etc.) Downstream, I replaced the duplex outlet with best Hubbell 20 amp outlet available, utilizing Pro Gold on its contacts as well. Then, I added in a PS Audio Duet to condition the power and help surge protect the amp. I have heard the difference power cords can make in other systems via A/B tests. THERE IS AN AUDIBLE IMPROVEMENT AVAILABLE. But, I've never heard any reviewer/manufacturer explain why they make the difference (hence, the "snake oil" arguments ensue). Now, the questions I have follow:
1. What is the difference via cords attributable mainly to? (gauge, OFC or other type of conductors, the terminating connectors, the insulating material sheathing the conductors, etc.?) There are sonic improvements with higher current flow and lower impedence; but, what contributes he most towards the improvements? I am now investigating the possibility of building my own cords since the components are available at a fraction of the cost of audiophile brands (and, maybe that's the point why no reviewer or manufacturer is willing to frankly and clearly discuss these matters).
2. Is there a gauge beyond which either no improvements (or, in fact, detriments) to the gear and resulting playback result? (This should be something that EE's or even good technicians should be able to explain and I would think that magazines like Absolute Sound or Stereophile would be interested in covering for the benefit of their reader constituents).
3. Does anyone know of sources for a "lay person" like me to utilize in gaining some information about these matters?
I WILL get to the bottom of this subject matter - just takes some patience and self-education. However, it would certainly be nice to be able to rely on my trusty Absolute Sound or Stereophile subscriptions (I take both for the fun of it and the little bit of music reviews that they cover) for some helpful, insightful technical information.
Big Picture Comment: The analogy which I've heard that seems to make some sense is that of the water filter that you place at your faucet: the water goes from unpotable to sanitized, stored in an old rusty tank, through a bunch of old plumbing getting to your home and yet the filter at the spout does, in fact, make the water much more drinkable; would you drink the same water without it? (That doesn't hold true in my mind with respect to my "re-generated" power from the PS Audio power plant (i.e., that is newly regenerated AC converted from DC); but, it seems to make sense for conditioned (not regenerated) AC.) So, bottom line - I hear the improvements; I'm not convinced that it requires a strictly "audiophile" brand solution to get the results. Hence, my choice of going with high-grade Hubbell duplex (model IG 5362) versus a Shunyata, PS Audio or other audiophile brand at a multiple of the price I paid (didn't get the "cryo" treatment; but, I'll live!)
I'd love to hear from folks about reliable, technical information sources w/r/t this matter of power transmission and conditioning at the end of the line in the home for electronic components (particularly the power cords from the wall to the units).
You realize right that after the age of about 30, men can't hear above 13K hz. And after 50, I suspect that number is more like 9K hz.
http://www.noiseaddicts.com/2009/03/can-you-hear-this-hearing-test/
How old is Robert Harley?
Just measure it!
A crystal salesperson told me Coke would taste better in a $50 Waterford goblet than it would out of a can, and after I dropped $600 for a set, I had already convinced myself it had! Maybe the shape of the goblet let the Coke 'breathe' before I drank it?
Seriously, someone is going to claim a human ear is more sensitive than a $10K RF network analyzer, then I should be asking our engineers to start listening to our RF cables at work instead of testing them...
1) Compare the differences in phase, resistance, inductance and capacitance at every frequency from 5 to 25,000 Hz
2) Overlay the plots of the baseline with the unit under test
3) Make observations on those frequencies with the largest deltas
4) Conduct a blind test at the frequency/frequencies and ask the subjects to ID the cables for a trial number of, say 10 times (this is an OBVIOUS delta, correct?)
Anything less than that is a debate right up there with Chevy v. Ford, or Tastes Great or Less Filling.......
-Oliver
I've noted on why a company that MAKES POWER CONDITIONERS wasn't able to demonstrate not just how an improvement $200.00 in cables may "do" between JUST TWO components in a system (multiply by total components in a system) but what an AC Regenerator may do for THE WHOLE SYSTEM whenever It's "low end" or a "high end" one. Just see other comments regarding cables v/s the fact of condition of power served for the WHOLE system.
-Mark.
Maybe we should let the placebo effect have its powerful impact on those who have convinced themselves. If people think cable A is vastly better than cable B, then they are enjoying the result more. Just like people enjoy a wine they are told costs $100 more than one they are told costs $5.
But it's a different matter when talking to newbies in the field. It is simply not ethical to tell them this kind of drivel. Boy, do we ever need science education for people!
Here are some measurements of different speaker cables with test signals designed to simulate complex musical signals:
http://www.audiodesignline.com/howto/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=201807390
You'll note that the different speaker cables, connected to actual speaker loads, exhibited significantly different spectral responses at the amplifier, and even greater differences at the speaker. Speaker cables absolutely do "sound" different in an absolute sense; I won't get into the argument here of the ability of the average human to memorize the sound of speaker cables to the degree necessary to reliably distinguish them in a DBT.
Corruption of the A/C power ground, with concommitant increase in noise floor, has long been understood as a significant issue in the pro audio world. See, for instance:
http://www.equitech.com/articles/origin.html
It is clearly physically very possible for power conditioners and/or power cords to cancel or damp the noise injected into the A/C power ground by audio components (or other noise sources, for that matter). Again, I won't get into arguments about the audibility. In a pro audio system, a reduction of 15-20 db in noise floor is blatantly audible. In a consumer audio system, with fewer components, the reduction will obviously be less.
There is definitely a lot of pseudo-scientific nonsense surrounding cables and A/C power in the high-end audio community. What is not commonly recognized by the so-called "objectivist" camp is that some of that nonsense originates with the objectivists, in the form of simplifying assumptions that ignore real physical phenomena, particularly phenomena associated with systemic interaction.
B& W 685 's ? The ones TAS compared to the older and cheaper DM 602's ? Sigh. Remember how good Stereophile was in the 90' s?
Rather than purchase new power cords, I simply take my system's OEM power cords and coil them around my seven year old male(neutered) black cat. I've noticed that the result is a smoother, yet more analytical midrange, while the high frequencies are markedly less strident. The bass response also becomes richer and more expressive. Brushing the cat immediately prior to a listening session will further maximize the sonic benefits. Note that I tried a similar experiment using a three year old female gray tabby, and the results were most unpleasant; the highs were veiled, the mids hazy, and the bass was vague and unfocused.
Unfortunately, if you read and understand a bit about the physical phenomenon of A/C power corruption in audio systems, you will realize that your subjective response to cat treatments must be a placebo effect. There is no understood physical reason that wrapping your A/C cords around cats should impact the noise spectra of any of the 3 electrical lines consituting an A/C connection. For actual physical changes, that might actually be audible, you should try power cords that are electromagnetically damped, or a balanced A/C power conditioner designed to electrically cancel back EMF from you audio components. Try to apply your imagination to the discipline of skeptical inquiry, rather than the cheap, false pleasures of snark.
my cuil cat max mite av worked well, he was a maine tabby w/swe purr n wishers ya ya i luv u cheers cheerio ciao brady http://whatreallyhappened.com http://puppetgov.com http://informationliberation.com http://scroogle.org find fluoride deception on googlevid fluoridealert.org killercoke.org aspartamekills.com cannabis cures cancer find run from the cure the rick simpson story phoenixtears.ca docs n patients testify http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7331006790306000271 http://www.phoenixtears.ca/
THC, killed tumor cells in advanced cases of glioma, a quick-killing cancer for which there is currently no effective treatment. Guzman says that the experiment, published in the March 2000 issue of Nature Medicine, tested THC at very low doses and at a late stage
What hallucinogenic compound do you suppose was in that lobster roll, making Robert lose touch with reality ?
Have somebody see the Transparent Cable Factory?
I have only saw cable rolls and four people posing for the camera.
I suspect the cables are not "Proudly made in USA" but in China and assambled in the Transparent workshop.
jamost anything is made where ever it cost less to make if thats china there goes amerika jobs n economy
I didn't mean to trample on ppl's beliefs wrt audio ... but the problem is that - no belief is required here!
We have a firm understanding of what's going on with electical circuits and don't need any belief when instead we have knowledge.
Can a power cable deterioate the audio quality? Yes. Can a power cable improve the audio quality? Yes
But - given the cable is allowing as much current to flow as needed by the psu - you're sorted. Should we even consider capacitance & inductance of a couple meter long power cable? Not really no - this is a power lead - it will supply a psu/transformer which is built on loads of capacitors & inductors - any value a simple power lead can generate is negligilble. This is not the case in signal cables (low or high / video or audio) where capacitance/inductace and impedance play a considerable role.
Those extra $200 are better spent on a higher-end amp with better powersupply design! Some reputable amp manufacturers even state not to bother with power conditioners as their power-supplies are desgined to clean up incoming noise. Also - no power-cord can reduce incoming noise - at best it can not pick up any additional noise!
There was an article a while back on some other site where this guy servered (by mistake) his $200 power lead (which he swore till that point gave an improvment) only to find it was a repackaged cheapo cable with a decent plug and iec connector - something he could have done himself for about $20 !
Please avguide.com - stop advertising snake-oil.
Etienne,
Please see my note above entered yesterday. I posed some questions that you may be able to provide answer sources for - I'd appreciate any insights you have w/r/t/ the specifics, particularly since you refer to DIY option in your message here. I'm really trying to avoid the "snake oil" as well...Thanks in advance!
I propose somebody develop a reference model for cables - take all the electrical variables of resistance, capacitance, inductance, rectification, and whatever else there is, or even might be, and put them together so that some demonstrable output illustrates, and maybe even predicts, these purported results. For example, high series inductance creates a low pass filter with a 6 dB/octave filter, as does parallel capacitance. Cables showing those characteristices would attentuate AC line noise in a very predictable fashion, just like those same filters can be used as a crossover in a speaker. Oxidation on connectors can create rectification and/or resistance of AC signals in a most non-linear fashion, as well, possibly explaining several audible phenomena.
Audibility is a response to a physical (not metaphysical) stimulus. Associate audibility with a physical stimulus and you have plausibility. Correlate, through cause and effect, changes in the physical environment with audible results and you have repeatability, the cornerstone of all science. Lacking it, you have anecdote, placebo, and deceit.
While I agree with your call for more scientific study of cable phenomena, your approach implies studying properties of cables in isolation. But if you try to study cables independent of the system in which they're used, you miss most or all of the important effects. See the link to speaker cable testing I posted above: different cables connected to an 8 ohm load exhibited essentially identical performance, while significant differences cropped up when the cables were connected to an actual speaker load. We're simply not at the point, at least based on published research, where we can describe the performance of a cable in a system based solely on simple physical characteristics.
What is needed first, IMO, is a lot more empirical study: lots of measurements of the effects of cables in real world environments, from which we can begin to tease out the parameters involved in systemic interactions and build some theories of what's really happening.
I am a music Lover.I regulary need my music fix(food for my soul)I have read all the comments above and wonder what we are trying to achieve if anything less than being able to interact with the rest of the world to show mines bigger than yours or better than,if we are all interested in audio and the way we hear,percieve or enjoy sound, one would have to ask,do each of us hear the same thing?Human hearing is not the same for all.point being what I like in audio you may not,If we are trying to achieve the perfect sound for a concert,philharmonic orcestra or Dave Matthews,this can only be done if you are there,if these are to be simulated in an enclosed enviroment,music room,den etc.there would have to be a compomise,no audio system can recreate a live performance.We would strive recreate live as best we can,If the claims made by manufactures,audiophiles,magazines etc as to the 1)lower noise level,hashness,etc in the case of power cables and 2)Depth,warmth,smooth etc in the case of speaker cables is to be believed,them a RF shielded,soundproof room would be nessesary to coduct1)proper audio annalysis of there claims2)20 or more music lovers to listen to the various combinations of power cables/speaker cables.In the end it all comes down to perception on the part of the individules own hearing,what is,or sounds best to them.
I use Vellaman K4040 90/90watts valve amp,Yamaha RX-V1500 AV Reciever,Jamo C607 speakers,LUDA cd player,Thorens turntable
I have an upgrade that only costs $25 and it saves you $210. Most after market cables are absolute snake oil BS of the highest caliber. I used to be a believer brothers and sisters, that you had to spend mega bucks to get a mega cable. I even had a $2000 eight foot pair of wonder kables hooked between my speakers and amp. And then I saw the light brothers and sisters, in the form of another Mega Cable. This one sold by Radio Shack for $25/50'. Say Amen. Save the $210 and do not buy Transparent's power cords. Instead go buy some cd's, sacd's or DVD's while you still can. I have found that power cords make the least amount of sound difference in an audio system. Dedicated wiring and power filters are a whole nuther story.
If you want some TRUTH on this subject, go to the only guy I know left in the industry telling the truth, Mr. Roger Sanders...check out his site and work at www.sanderssoundsystems.com
Roger knows his way around electronics; hand builds the finest gear you will ever have the pleasure to listen to. No hype, just facts, backed by science and measurements...something rarely seen in the audiophool world! I might add his prices are fare and he, himself is one of the nicest guys I've ever met.
I get so sick of this garbage every time someone makes a post about their experiences. Half the people who have strong opinions have no personal experience with what they talk about. Their opinions often come from others on the net, or books they have read that support their own thoughts. sadly engineers are generally the worst ofenders. Whatever opinions you have you should keep to your self and use your own experience to judge. I am tired of people in this industry trying to force opinions on eachother and giving everyone else that doesnt support their ideas shit. no wonder this industry is having problems. maybe you argumentative types should get on to a forum like coffee snobs so you can tell everyone else what they should be tasting?
From now on I will be sure to read the blog and ignore the other posts.
you negative types bore me.
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So many of the comments here argue that perceived superiority in AC cables is wishful thinking: "Peceived [sic] Reality IS Reality!" or "Buyers WILL hear a difference if they WANT to."
I am not a physicist so I cannot comment on the science of all this but I can give an anecdote: I bought a pair of (very expensive) Shunyata PCs to run my EMM Labs DCC2 and CDSD combo. (based largely on a TAS review, in fact). I very, VERY badly wanted them to sound better than the stockers (actually entry-level Kimbers)—esp. given how much $$$ I’d spent on them.
Long story short, although the Shunyatas were smoother, no doubt, the stock cables TOOK THEM APPART in every other way. Now if I had “wanted” to hear that my super-pricy PCs were better than stock, why did I hear the exact opposite? It cannot have been wishful thinking and certainly not a case of “perceived reality is deception.” Further, if PCs make no difference at all, why was I so (re-)taken by the stock cords I sold the Shunyatas (at a substantial loss) based on preference—not on price?
I am 100% sold on the fact that PCs (can) make a huge difference in system performance, I am not sold at all on the fact that the more expensive ones necessarily make better sound—no matter what I WANT to hear.
(Finally, note too that I believe that cables of all sorts match idiosyncratically with various components (not from a scientific/physics perspective but from a system-matching perspective). Thus this note ought not to be taken as saying that, in my opinion, Shunyata makes bad cables but rather that they just did not work well with the EMM Labs gear.)
What I would encourage everyone to do is to actually take the time to listen to different power cords, interconnects, etc. in a "blind" set up.
As somebody who has long been a proponent of blind testing (having had numerous "letters to the editor" published in high end magazines going back well over a decade, for example, where I argued for it), I don't have any patience for people who say "we know everything about how electricity affects sound reproduction, therefore nothing can be going on here, therefore nothing IS going on here, and I don't even have to listen to anything to reach that conclusion." Don't reach your conclusions before you have done your listening.
See, the basic issue with that line of reasoning is the inconvenient truth that different interconnects, power cords, speaker wire, etc. DO sound different. Years ago I was very skeptical that this would be the case, but I reached that conclusion after much blind listening. Now, as the guy above says, "different" may be "better" or "worse" depending on your system and your point of view. You may find that simple Radio Shack speaker wire gives you "more bass" than megabuck wire (again, it sounds "different" - maybe better, maybe worse). And some of the prices that are charged for cables, etc., are nothing short of outrageous, and it is completely appropriate to reach a conclusion that you won't spend a certain amount of money for a certain amount of difference in the sound.
But if you start by asking the very basic question of "does every interconnect on the planet sound exactly the same as every other interconnect on the planet" the answer is "no." And if you continue by asking "does every interconnect without measurable electrical flaws that is sold by every "high end" company sound the same as every other interconnect without measurable electrical flaws that is sold by every other "high end" company" the answer, again, is no.
Where that leads to next is up to each individual to decide.
@Jwalters and ScottB
Finally some common sense, some evidence, and some thoughtful comment. I too would challenge all the "cables make no difference because cables CAN'T make a difference types to make the claim that all wire makes any given system sound the SAME, no matter which wire you use. Unless that is true, then changing wire changes sound. If that's true, we've now entered a completely subjective area; which sounds best?
That subjective judgement explains the presence of an industry which produces so many products, at so many price points, with so much technological variety in every category of sound reproduction. That's why so many manufacturers compete at every price point, because different people shopping at a given price point come to different conclusions about the sounds they prefer. To say that something is better is NOT an objective statement unless we can all agree on what the criteria are. Which is, objectively, the better luxury car; Lexus, Mercedes, BMW or Audi? I have no idea since the real question is which one do I prefer? I 'll take the one that has the best combination of the qualities I'm looking for and that combination will not be someone else's.
Of course some of the folks who comment here would tell me that my preferences in cars or audio are objectively incorrect, but what can we say to people to whom personal opinion equals objective truth provided of course that it's thier opinion?
Hi Robert,
How would you characterize or differentiate the sound in your own room as compared to the Transparent Audio room with their own cables? I ask this with the Wilson Alexandria X-2 Series 2 as the constant factor in your evaluation.
It's hard to say because I didn't listen to the system for very long, and didn't hear any famililar music. Nonetheless, the X-2's sounded bigger and more spacious in the Transparent room, with a deeper soundstage (probably the result of the larger room). The bass in my room seemed tighter and better coupled to the room, with greater transient fidelity.
Mr. Harley,
Most cable reviews can be summarized as follows: there is a darker background with less noise; the music flows better. So are the Transparent really better than those of other companies? Or are they different? Up to what price point can the other companies hang with Transparent?
If you could compare/ contrast it would be great.
Thanks!
I don't have a lot of recent experience with entry-level interconnects and speaker cable, but I was surprised by how much difference the Transparent cables made in this system. What struck me was the price/performance ratio; for 10% of the system price, the cables made a significant improvement.
Neil Gader has a more detailed and in-depth assessment of Transparent's entry level cable and interconnect in the next issue. He was able to compare it, at length and in his own system, with other cables he's recently auditioned.
Hi there,i have a moddest 82,000 dollar system and didnt believe in wire changes then my eyes were finaly opened.i now have richard grey upgrade power cords for every piece of equip i own incl my tuner i have total harmonic interconect and speaker wire and a 1500 interconect from my naim,5 din pin to my macintosh mx 136 pre,ive just changed the 5 din to rca english wire to the 2000 transparent,wow what a difference it makes on my 21000 dollar naim cdx player,unbelievable..
I'm not Mr. Harley, but if I may pitch in with my rather limited experience ...
I've tried the Transparents Opus range in my system at home. I've had them for a few weeks and compared them with Nordost Odin cables and interconnects.
I have to stress here that the Opus were new and unbroken when I got them, so my comments have to be taken with that in mind. After I returned the cables to the dealer after a few weeks of daily use, he said they were still unbroken.
In the context of MY system, in my room, myself and other listeners preferred the Odin speaker cable by a long shot. The Transparents seemed to convey more bass, but felt dark and sluggish compared to the Odin. The music seemed to be robbed of its swing or its foot-tapping drive. Most tellingly, I breathed a sigh of relief when I put back the Odins, after a few weeks of listening to the Opus speaker cable exclusively.
As far as the interconnects were concerned, the differences were less marked, but still followed a similar pattern. We tried the DAC to preamp in both guises (Odin and Opus), and again the Odin was judged to be superior in clarity and dynamics. The preamp to amp connection was an Opus, so, unless an Odin was present, we were listening to an all Opus system - power cords excluded.
Having said all this, I would not make the statement that the Odin is a better cable than the Opus, although for my system, for the set of ears that were present during these trials, it clearly was. The Opus could very well match a different system better (my guess would be a bright system). I have found that cables are the finishing touch on a system and must be heard in the context of a particular system. In an ideal world, they would all sound the same and have no influence, but this is unfortunately not the case.
did you tell the guys at transparent which equiptment the wires would be used on as they have to be configgured to those exact pieces or may not get the sound you would expect in such a pricey cable.
Cables do make a difference , on some ocasions the difference could be large . Be it power cables or interconnects I've heard differences on both . I'll admit interconnects make more of a difference then power cables, but they do change the sound. But hey ! If you can't hear a difference , don't buy and thats it ! But just because you can't hear a difference doesn't mean that there isn't one .
Perhaps the mains are extremely noisy, if so purchase an expensive line filter. Otherwise the burden lies with the manufacturer to show by scientific test methods that his product produces some change in the sound, especially when the claims fly in the face of all known science.
I want to believe (especially in UFOs). All you have to do is show me the infallible, scientific evidence, preferably not concocted by the folks trying to separate me from my money.
Some golden eared 'experts' will try to tell us that there is no reliable way to scientifically quantify differences between audio equipment, you pretty much have to resort to trusting their golden ears. A/B testing is not reliable, double-blind testing is not reliable, only they are reliable. They would set science back 100s of years. Pleeze!
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