Nonsense. Millions and millions of piece of gear is shipped with these types of short RCA cables. Problems are rare and if there, are not solved by using another RCA cable. You have shown no case of such cables having signal integrity problems. Just a random claim that we now find out was for long, thin cables. Something you forgot to mention before saying this was a "real word" problem. Real world is not long, thin RCA cables.
To be fair, he did acknowledge that this was a 1% problem and that 99% of the time, the cheapie gave no issue.
My experience too. While these super cheap cables when kept short can be fine, they will sometimes cause hum/noise issues which disappear with a good coax cable such as RG59 or RG6. In any other than the very cheapest applications I wouldn't use these. I'd at least spring for some coax.
That effin' stuff was the 'go to upgrade' in the UK some years back. The systems I used with it (and similar) never really suffered hum, but I now wonder if what we 'heard' as an improvement may have been slight oscillation - or most probably imagination after spending so much money. It's also all but impossible to form into a 5 pin DIN plug too (I tried but only semi succeeded - 'it worked' is the best I can say).My experience too. While these super cheap cables when kept short can be fine, they will sometimes cause hum/noise issues which disappear with a good coax cable such as RG59 or RG6. In any other than the very cheapest applications I wouldn't use these. I'd at least spring for some coax.
It can be funny. Knew someone with these Nordost cables once. 4 meter set which I think was pushing $2k. Had a low level hum problem wanted some help. I took one look, and went to a video system he had in another room. Pulled off two of the three in an RGB connection of 6 meter long video cables. He was incredulous, but I insisted he swap. System was completely quiet, and he had a look on his face I won't forget.
If the colours are for ID, and not just aesthetics, just stick a small piece of coloured tape at both ends of each one.
An example of "you get what you pay for." [Contrary to the predominant ASR dogma.]
It does not make sense using garbage cables even though some people like to give the usual commentary about rip offs etc for super expensive items. Of course that’s ridiculous, but that still should not stop one from buying decent wire from a reputable company. In the speaker wire comparison here, it shows that some of the wire is not even pure copper. There is some real garbage out there so just picking up the $3 dollar item is not always the best idea. I would not go crazy and spend the mortgage money on wire but decent stuff is a good idea.
I have been buying audio gear for 40 years and despite the constant proselytizing about there being no measurable difference, I have yet to see a diminishment in the pricing and marketing of Hifi cables. Essentially, the argument is a fart in a windstorm. The only people an evaluation such as this might serve are the sceptics, who will again gloat and trot out the tiresome and time-worn mantra, ‘Snake Oil.’ This compulsion to protect the pockets of audio purchasers puzzles me. Personally, I have desire for exotic cables, but as far as I’m concerned, if someone wants to spend $1000 on an interconnect, let them, If someone wants to spend $2000 on a pair of sneakers, $5000 on a watch $50,000 on a car, who cares? It’s their money, they can do what they want with it.
The problem is with demonstrably false claims of superior performance with increased prices. Most consumers, even those who are well-off, don’t have the equipment to test such claims; that’s what ASR does.
I think this is a misconception.
Of course, someone can do with their money as they please. But few people will want to spend unjustifiable sums of money seeking either an improvement in sound quality [which they won't get] or an increase in status that exists only in their imagination.
$2000 sneakers, they know it's fashion, status of desirability, friends go
. They post on Instagram or TikTok, like "oowoo look what i got", probably not on forums saying they can walk better, more air.
My dad runs el-cheapo cables (with 1/8th in TRS to dual RCA adapters) from the analog output on his laptop to his receiver about 15 ft, with most of it along walls with AC mains wiring, and I can't hear any noticeable hum.
Mostly hum on unbalanced cables come from ground loops. His laptop is probably not earthed, so there is no ground loop between laptop and amp, so no hum.
