[sdiy] can you really *not* hear the difference? (was: Frequency Counter Software)

[Scott Gravenhorst]

cheater cheater <cheater00 at gmail.com> wrote:
>On 10/12/05, Scott Gravenhorst <music.maker at gte.net> wrote:
>> Application is everything.  In one place, you can use ribbon cable with no
>> degrading effect, in other cases it could be a disaster.  I think general
>> comments like "ribbon cable is horrible" are broad-brushing.  No, I wouldn't
>> connect my guitar to my guitar amp with ribbon cable, but inside a synth, there
>> are places where it is entirely appropriate.  Signal level and impedance of
>> outs and ins must be considered.  Proper attention to grounding details is
>> important as well.  Eg. If I run 11 signals and one ground on a 12 wire ribbon,
>> I could get crosstalk, but if I use a gnd-sig-gnd-sig-gnd-sig arrangement, that
>> could work.  Placement of ins and outs is also a consideration.  Putting high
>> level outputs right next to high impedance inputs is asking for trouble.
>>
>
>that's a few more of my points :)
>
>> As far as gold is concerned, I don't believe that I could hear the difference
>> between good quality uncorroded copper wire and gold wire (for example).  Gold
>> is used in some equipment because of it's resistance to chemical corrosion, not
>> because it sounds better.
>
>copper corrodes, however, and stops sounding well. that's why i firmly
>trust in gold contacts 8)

Yes, but in what environment are you expecting to use this equipment?  A lead-acid
battery factory?  I don't have problems with copper unless it's outdoors and for a
long time.  I don't store my music equipment in the back yard.

Application is everything.  If you really think it's better to use gold, then why
stop at just contacts?  Why not make every conductor in your synth/audio equipment
out of gold?

My point was that gold doesn't sound better than copper.  And corroded copper
isn't copper anymore which is why it has problems.  So as long as you can keep the
copper clean and free of corrosion, it sounds the same as gold.


>
>> Please let us not allow this to become a "monster cable" thread.  It's been
>> done to death here and elsewhere.
>
>indeed, that was not my point.
>the gist of my question is why many people don't bother to tweak the
>circuits they have until they find the best configuration, be it
>through parts, planning, tuning, or all at once.
>
>yeah, that rex dude sounds like an audiophile. or, as we call those in
>my city, necrophile.
>
>cheers,
>8)        D.
>

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