Potential Audioquest Rigged HDMI Demo Exposed

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  • Опубликовано: 4 окт 2024
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    www.audioholics... - Potential Audioquest Rigged HDMI Demo Exposed: Audiophile drama is unfolding as an Audioquest HDMI cable demo, featuring an Audioquest employee showing unrealistic changes in sound, was seemingly debunked as fraudulent by Mark Waldrep, aka Dr. AIX, in a recent blog post. A subsequent "Open Letter" from Audioquest owner William Low admitted he heard the video a year ago, found the audio difference "unbelievable", but did not ask to have the video removed until after Mark Waldrep published his findings a year later. Is this an isolated incident, or just the latest in a string of misleading behavior perpetuated in the high-end cable industry?
    Also covered are other Audioquest demos as well as Monster Cable demos. You can't miss this super informative video!
    For a written article on the subject please visit Audioholics.com here:
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Комментарии • 271

  • @megaetk
    @megaetk 8 лет назад +13

    Purposely didn't buy an Audioquest product because of this. I saw the video way way back when it came out, I was disgusted.

  • @krishtrinity
    @krishtrinity 8 лет назад +49

    basically Audioquest is Scientology of audio

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад +10

      +KrishKrusher Yes but replace the E-meters with battery biasing apparatuses ;)

    • @Hemshemsems
      @Hemshemsems 8 лет назад +2

      +KrishKrusher Synergistic Research do it much better in my view - They add a power supply not a small puni battery, 120-230V is key - DC is for fools..!

    • @TheCid3
      @TheCid3 8 лет назад +8

      +Audioholics i put a battery on my hdmi, the 1080p signal improved now its 4k. you need to believe.

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад +4

      LOL good one.

    • @nespressoman
      @nespressoman 5 лет назад +1

      @KINGDOM K Bullshit. Audioquest make amazing products.

  • @marceldiezasch6192
    @marceldiezasch6192 8 лет назад +18

    It's digital.
    a) It works.
    b) It doesn't.
    Case closed.

  • @tomatoflamers2112
    @tomatoflamers2112 8 лет назад +2

    I actually once went to an AudioQuest dealer that literally did this "comparison" in their showroom, and I do believe they said an AudioQuest rep set it up for them. It'd be very interesting to see how it's set up. But the salespeople there seemed to "tense up" when talking about expensive cables, so I imagine asking them how it's set up would really put them on the defensive.
    BTW, I recently Googled "why expensive HDMI cables are worth it", and looked through the first 10 pages of search results, which is 100 websites. Out of those websites, I found only TWO that claimed expensive HDMI cables were worth it, and they were Crutchfield and Best Buy's websites. The other 98 websites said they are not worth it and are essentially snake oil (i.e. HDMI cables costing $100+ for < or = 6 ft. runs).
    Also, back when I was in college, I asked a computer science professor and 3 electrical engineering professors (two of whom's main area of study is audio equipment) if expensive cables were worth it, and they all said they're not.
    One would think if expensive HDMI cables had any worth at all, you'd be able to find at least 1 [3rd-party] website out of 98 claiming they are when literally trying to search for reasons why they're worth it, and experts in the field would be claiming they're were worth it, too. But this doesn't appear to be the case. Instead, it seems the only people who claim they're worth it are people who can make money by selling them, and people who buy them; which seems to be an extreme minority given what came up in the search results.

  • @fxstd000
    @fxstd000 8 лет назад +9

    Thanks for this video guys. I'm starting to get into higher-end AV and made a few big investments recently (Marantz AV7702MKII, Outlaw 7700, Outlaw 5000) . I still haven't purchased "quality" cables yet. Been doing a lot of research online for cables and talked with some "experts" at Best Buy's Magnolia center. It's amazing how they try to push Audioquest cables on consumers and "upsell" those who have deeper pockets. I watched this video (and several other Audioholics videos) before going into Magnolia and started asking questions. The guy I spoke with couldn't give specifics about why I should pay so much for an Audioquest cable but did mention "batteries connected to the each cable is the best". I mentioned this video and the salesman claimed to have not heard of you guys. Bottom line, I don't trust Audioquest for ANY of their products after seeing this video and I now question the Best Buy Magnolia Center "experts" after my experience. I think people absolutely need more honest videos like this where companies are exposed for misleading and misdirecting consumers. Keep up the good work!

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад +3

      +Ken B If you can't trust someone on a simple topic as cables and wire, then it's hard to trust them on more complicated topics in audio IMO.

  • @andyandy2684
    @andyandy2684 8 лет назад +7

    hmm....i dunno. I have heard differences in speaker cables and interconnects before. Both reasonably well made above average quality. Differences I heard were not night and day like some would expect. Tone remained the same. The differences were at best 5 percent. The subtle differences I noticed were sibilance, bass heft and image focus. It's like adding a little salt and pepper to food...changes things around just a little. This is what I look for when comparing cables. Most noticeable in my opinion is sibilance in the female voice and bass energy. Whether it's worth the price from going to a $100 per pair interconnect to $500 per pair interconnect for that 5 percent difference in sibilance....is your call. For a bright sounding system, that 5 percent difference in high frequency energy that manifests itself as siblilance could be a godsend.
    Expecting cables to transform your system....like most reviewers in Hi Fi magazines would like you to believe....isn't simply gonna happen.

    • @phoebus
      @phoebus 3 года назад

      You are right about being able to hear differences. I just changed speaker wire and I could hear a definite difference. The old wire was good wire, in fact I liked the way it sounded better than the new more expensive wire that I replaced it with. The new speaker wire was more detailed and had much better imaging but the overall tonality of the new wire sounded off. But I also had some new interconnect cables on order which came about a week later. I didn't like the sound of the new wire so much I was about to scrap them however when I changed the old interconnect cables out for the new then the new speaker wire sounded tonally like the old wire plus it still had all the added detail and improved imaging. I tested all the combinations back and forth many times and there was no mistaking which was which.

  • @sals26
    @sals26 8 лет назад +4

    Thanks Gene and Hugo, haven't had so much fun in a long time.
    It's way past time for the objective community to stand up and not
    allow the lunatic fringe to continue shoveling their BS down the public's
    throats unchallenged. The high end audio media , both print and on-line
    is off the tracks and some form of responsibility has to be returned.

  • @poodlelord
    @poodlelord 8 лет назад +8

    Exactly why i subscribed, love that you guys call this stuff out.

  • @marctoupin3968
    @marctoupin3968 9 месяцев назад +1

    Just stumbled upon this video while doing some research about HDMI cables. How come a company like Audioquest can still be in business if they’re a fraud? Why nobody sue them for misleading representations?

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  9 месяцев назад +2

      It's a good question. Not enough consumers are informed to care and the ones that buy these products typically want to believe in the "magic".

  • @abs2fast2furios
    @abs2fast2furios 8 лет назад +7

    I don't use Audioquest cables per se, but I love their personal audio products like the Dragonfly and the Nighthawk. I anyways keep out of the high end cable market cause I find it hard to justify hundreds of dollars, sometimes even thousands of dollars on a piece of copper wire, cause as long as they were well sealed and well terminated what the hell else can you do to make it better? Use unearthly super conductors? C'mon man.
    I hate this coming from Audioquest as I love their personal audio products and I feel more disappointed than pissed.

  • @justkiddin1980
    @justkiddin1980 8 лет назад +6

    digital is digital...1 is 1 and 0 is 0....so price point doesnt matter for cables up to 5 metres

    • @athathsonty2925
      @athathsonty2925 8 лет назад

      +justkiddin1980 For Cables beyond 5 metres, What ?

    • @justkiddin1980
      @justkiddin1980 8 лет назад +1

      Ramarao Sonty sometimes cables beyond 5 metres can be prone to interference...

    • @lsdave
      @lsdave 8 лет назад

      +justkiddin1980 This is actually not true. USB Audio for instance does not have error correction. Similar to UDP protocol with the internet. Where copying a file over usb there is error correction, similar to TCP/IP protocol. So due to noise or interference, 1's and 0's can get flipped from one end of the cable to the other, so without error correction, it WILL affect the sound quality if enough data gets corrupted. Its like watching satellite in a storm.... does the image just disappear all of a sudden, no, you usually get a distorted image and pixelization. So before you make claims, you should REALLY know what you are talking about.

  • @SomeGuyNamedPaul49
    @SomeGuyNamedPaul49 8 лет назад +1

    It's not just that HDMI is passing a digital signal, it's passing an encoded and encrypted signal. If your cable flips a few bits then you're going to wind up with a pile of digital garbage that your receiver can't even attempt to convert to audio. An HDMI cable simply cannot massage the signal any more than your ethernet cable can make your bank's website have deeper color and more contrasty text.

  • @IlovePumping
    @IlovePumping 7 лет назад +5

    At the 19:20 mark, an Amazon reviewer claimed the AQ cable gave him length and girth. The other reviewer said his cat developed diamond grills and a propensity for gang related violence after chewing on the diamond AQ cables.

  • @psartana4398
    @psartana4398 8 лет назад +5

    Monster Cable are SAINTS compared to Audio Quest. I saw an AQ HDMI cable go for 1200 for a 6 Ft length. The salesman said that these cables are made out of REAL silver and that is why they cost so much. He was also adamant that these cables will give you the absolute best picture and sound you are going to get from your gear. When I questioned his SANITY he just shrugged and said you must be one of those people who thinks there are is no difference between these and a 4 dollar cable. I really feel sorry for anyone who actually buys AQ.

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад +2

      +psartana Our biggest beef is the abuse of science. People can spend as much as they want for a product if it makes them feel good. We just want the abuse of science to stop as we've found Audioquest to be one of the worst offenders in consumer audio.

  • @nataflet
    @nataflet 7 лет назад +1

    How about Active HDMI that draw current from HDMI port ?
    Or shielded cable ? I've seen cables with 4x shielding, why is it needed to shield a HDMI cable ?
    Well, I know why, because AUDIO can be contaminated with EMI/RFI and result is jitter which is measurable and alter the AUDIO quality, so it's a different on HDMI cables or not ?
    It was a night and day difference between a cheap USB cable and a shielded cable between my computer and my DAC.
    This should be the case with HDMI too.

  • @dansantoso48
    @dansantoso48 5 лет назад

    Halo, I found this video because im doing a research to buy HDMI cable to connect my oppo 205 to preamp (audio only). 1st of all, in my system i found all the HDMI cables I had, sound differently, bigger soundstage, dynamic, thicker/thinner sound, each exhibits different SQ. So I can confirm that HDMI cable does sound different!. 2nd, my friend who works in headphone modification, told me that each cable is directional, even capacitor and resistor. I did not believe him until he gave me a headphone and headphone amp with connectors on it. He asked me to connect the cable i want to test, so I did and I found out each cable is directional. One end is more open, the other end has smaller soundstage!

  • @LIFT4POWER
    @LIFT4POWER 8 лет назад +6

    audioquest: making the world's first diode speaker wire!!!

  • @mikbert1
    @mikbert1 6 лет назад +1

    There are some HDMI cables that do post processing of the video signal before reaching the TV/Receiver.It's not entirely impossible to believe that an HDMI cable could manipulate the audio as well.I'm not saying that's what's happening here but it is possible.

    • @kacperuminski1547
      @kacperuminski1547 6 лет назад

      mikbert1 Linus Tech Tips did a video on one of those.

  • @erikthorsen328
    @erikthorsen328 8 лет назад +1

    Checkout NORDOST cables. $54000 for 6 foot speaker wire. Salesman told me that this company made the wire for the space shuttle. No wonder we couldn't afford to keep flying them.

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад

      +Erik Thorsen LMAO that's hilarious!

    • @erikthorsen328
      @erikthorsen328 8 лет назад

      +Audioholics LMAO? Laughing my ... off? Cryogenic treatment of metal is interesting. I have heard of racing engines and precision rifle barrels being treated that way. They say that the crystalline structure of metal is aligned and REMAINS intact when back at room temperature. This is off topic question: I have a 7.1 system. I plan to use it in my new home and thought that building the "back" and "rear" speakers into the ceiling was the best way to implement. Should I have flush mount speakers in the ceiling? I can't place these speakers on the floor in the room if I want to continue to have a relationship with my wife. I have seen some in ceiling speakers that have directional tweeters in them to you can point the sound down toward the listing area. Local HIFi guys said this was a bad idea, don't know who to believe. Should the "back" speakers be dipole type?Also would like to use the Pioneer room EQ feature in my receiver but the mic will not reach the center listening area (receiver will be in a closet rack in another room). Can I use an extension cord to extend the mic into the listening area? Usually these are high impedance mics and are limited to about 16 feet long although this one is over 25 feet. I though I could use a small mixer to place in the middle to keep line loss to a minimum. Good idea? Any instructions or experience I can get would help. When my local HiFi shop said they didn't like using auto features and just listened to adjust I thought I would be getting what they think is correct. Wasn't too comfortable. with that.

  • @bernhardhnida3038
    @bernhardhnida3038 6 лет назад +1

    digital is not "work ore work not" because there is error correction in the game so it can significantly better ore worse while it is still working. do your homework guys

  • @nukesaway4806
    @nukesaway4806 6 лет назад +1

    HDMI is a cash grab garbage connector. Optical is the best, but profits from optical is 0. Dollar store cables have lasted 4 years without a problem. My 200 dollar set of cables lasted 8 to 12 months.

  • @crackills1
    @crackills1 8 лет назад +2

    Couple questions, I'd love if you guys could answer them for me:
    1) the digital argument: our cell phones are digital, so if it's all just binary- 1's and 0's, it either it works or didn't work, then why do we have bars of signal? Why isn't it just one bar and you either have signal or don't have signal?
    2) so, science can't back up AQ's boasts and claims about improved audio quality... Then what does? Why is there a difference? As in, I've tested multiple cables and I can hear a difference. And let's exclude the placebo effect as it's safe to assume that's countered out by the skeptic effect.
    Thanks guys!
    Oh, I guess I should ask you guys if you can or can't hear a difference?
    Also, as I'm watching your video right now, you guys are talking all about the copper but the big thing with AQ and going up from forest to vodka etc etc is the silver content increasing. But you guys, as of 19 mins in right now, haven't even mentioned silver?? What's up? Also, not defending AQ, I've just done my research, but you guys are way smarter than me and more knowledgeable so hopefully you can answer my questions! Thanks!

    • @technology4617
      @technology4617 7 лет назад

      Regarding the "digital" argument, digital errors are radically different and more obvious in nature than analog ones. A clock error, for instance, would make the sound unacceptably awful, as opposed to being slightly less "warm" or something.
      With HDMI cables, it is entirely possible a poorly made cable to be incapable of transmitting retardedly demanding high-frequency signals, such as 4K video. This could be somewhat analogous to internet pages taking longer to load with a poorer signal.

  • @mechtheist
    @mechtheist 8 лет назад

    My extremely hi-tech Ethernet cables use a quantum mechanical design such that only spin-up electrons are allowed through. They're guaranteed to make audio streamed across the internet sound better than the source! Plus, there's even an option to use all the rejected, spin-down electrons to power your equipment.
    Returning to this planet, there is a guy out there selling light-switch wall plates, the little plastic cover that surrounds the switch, for something like $25-30, said to greatly improve the sound of any equipment in the room. I called him a few years ago, he actually claimed to be a physicist.
    Great video, this stuff needs as much exposure as possible. I like how you discussed the effects of repetition, there's a lot of good science on that, it's part of the concept of 'memes', and we're all susceptible to it.

  • @edwinvanderkooij8713
    @edwinvanderkooij8713 2 года назад

    Funny enough digital waveforms can be seen as a fourier sinus series of analoque waveforms.
    But something else, the way I look at it is that investing in a higher CAT range is like investing in a faster car, although you know there are limitations with speed velocity. But it feels real good possesing a faster car or a cable with a higher speed. 😊

  • @darthvaper6745
    @darthvaper6745 8 лет назад +1

    I had an Marantz analog amp, 2 b&w speakers and went with an HRT Music Streamer III and audio quest cables to modernize the HiFi to work with my laptop. works well. A good decision?

  • @ghlsustarsic
    @ghlsustarsic 6 лет назад

    I was at CES a few years ago and went to the Audio Quest suite in the Venetian where the guy in the room told me about the "direction difference" in the copper! I stopped to look him in the eyes to see if he was trying to BS me..... I think he drank all the cool aid including the pitcher !

  • @LIFT4POWER
    @LIFT4POWER 8 лет назад +5

    great Scott look at the size of hugo

  • @todddembsky8321
    @todddembsky8321 8 лет назад +4

    Speaker cables -- the best that I have found is 18 gage lamp cord (0.19 a foot) the cable run is less than 10 feet. I find the brown cables are more chocolaty while the white ones are more transparent. I like the black ones as they are made better (I promise they are :-) )
    At 55, my ears are no longer good enough to hear the difference between Monster cable vrs normal copper wire.
    Of course this is all for analog signals direct connection amp to speaker.

  • @khurram88
    @khurram88 8 лет назад +1

    I'm curious, Magnolia sells good amps, speakers and TVs, why only carry audioquest directional speaker cables?

    • @ocostich
      @ocostich 8 лет назад +1

      +Khurram Tariq
      Giant profit margins, just like all the other "high-end" cables.

    • @khurram88
      @khurram88 8 лет назад

      ocostich This is tarnishing one's own image.

    • @bomberkid55
      @bomberkid55 8 лет назад

      +Khurram Tariq I knew a guy that hooked these cables up backwards, and when he played a Beatles album, it sounded like "John is dead, John is dead..."

    • @khurram88
      @khurram88 8 лет назад

      +bomberkid55 Ha-ha

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад

      +bomberkid55 LMAO thanks for that one!

  • @mpitogo
    @mpitogo 6 лет назад

    Guys, I’m so against snake oil products but there is some truth to good quality. I was running a generic HDMI cable from an x800 UHD-BD to an Atmos receiver for audio and a good quality RadioShack High-Speed HDMI cable to a 4K HDR TV. Listening was ok Audio was working but I was getting random drops (no sound). I wasn’t sure what it was, I thought it could either be the receiver or x800 UHD player. One day I got fed up with the drops and tried swapping out the HDMI cable and boom that was it. The cable was swapped with with an AppleTV 1080p and this started getting drops so the issue moved with the cable. The cable worked but like the audio I was getting random drops. Took it out completely and threw it in the garbage. Everything is now stable. The cable was only 6’ generic. So sometimes is not always black or white, on or off, working or not working, somewhere in between the gray area where the devices are dropping packets but mostly working.

  • @nicktan4530
    @nicktan4530 2 года назад

    Heard of the jitter bug ? do they make a difference ?

  • @fatold50
    @fatold50 8 лет назад +2

    thanks guys..... for me helping to realize that the most important thing is "How (any stereo component )it sounds to my ears"....In other words don't go by all the hype....Again Thanks

  • @tgifraley
    @tgifraley 8 лет назад +4

    Can you guys do a video on power conditioners, and do they help with the sound or picture?

  • @DOYLECLEVERLOBE1
    @DOYLECLEVERLOBE1 8 лет назад

    I always make sure my components face magnetic north to assure there is no directional interference. There is one problem though, now i have to pull them out of the cabinet to put in a cd or change volume or settings. This is a small price to pay for great audio. Keep up the good work guys.

  • @squidcaps4308
    @squidcaps4308 8 лет назад +1

    I said the same to AQ president, either they admit that they knew it was a fraud but still let it stay online or their ears are so bad they couldn' t detect that, in which case their golden ears are not working and all of their cables are 50/50 chance wired the right way as they are "directional"... In either case, they are toasted.

  • @BoredomEnsues
    @BoredomEnsues 8 лет назад +1

    Audioquest cables are mere child's play. I only use cryo-freezed HDMI cables to transmit my ones and zeros.

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад +1

      +Boredom Ensues Don't forget to soak them in kosher chicken fat blessed by a Rabi.

  • @ZeBubba
    @ZeBubba 8 лет назад +3

    Audioquest can count me out as a potential customer. This is ridiculous.

  • @roveism
    @roveism 8 лет назад +1

    Flame Flame Flame! was so close to picking up an AudioQuest Diamondback cable, to see if it makes my system better, Thanks you guys ;)

  • @omegakilo871
    @omegakilo871 8 лет назад +2

    Hugo do you have Audioquest muscles? 😂Great video guys. Keep it up 👍🏼

  • @pjo1964
    @pjo1964 11 месяцев назад

    I like the old Audioquest wires in the 1990s before the batteries. They were decent before their company blew up.

  • @xburgos1
    @xburgos1 8 лет назад

    The best buy people say that each strand on the hdmi expensive cable are individually shielded and you don't get a bottle neck effect with the shielding and the high % of silver added to the cable. Please explain or expand on what they are claiming

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад +1

      +xburgos1 That's a made up theory similar to Bugs Bunny physics. I can't explain it logically but we have a solution for it with IBS. See: www.audioholics.com/trade-shows/2005-consumer-electronics-show-ces/audioholics-unveils-new-cable-technology-the-globTM

  • @Mark-lq3sb
    @Mark-lq3sb 4 года назад

    Question, do you test "all" cables and make public the results?

  • @COLDMKULTRA
    @COLDMKULTRA 2 года назад

    A/B testing has to be measured in seconds ... Human audio memory is no longer than 10 to 15 seconds (if that even) ... great debunking of snake oil stuff Guys !
    Placebo and Audiophile snobbery is EVERYTHING!

  • @Bob.martens
    @Bob.martens 2 года назад

    The ancient Egyptians knew cables were snake oil.

  • @atomann193
    @atomann193 8 лет назад +1

    i agree wat u guys said. Audio companies and video companies had one time or another either twisted or manipulated the truth about cable performance wether for audio or video enhancement to customers for years. I'm glad you guys are on the front line for audio & video products review and intel. Keep up the excellent vids on the ever expanding world of audio. COOL DUDES!!!

  • @kevonmanuel
    @kevonmanuel 8 лет назад

    So why haven't these companies been sued for "False advertising" ?

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад

      +Kevon Manuel Who is going to sue them? Most consumers don't know and they fall below the radar of the FTC. Audioquest admits that you can't measure their claims. You just have to believe that things sound better because their pseudoscience and ears say so.

  • @crackills1
    @crackills1 8 лет назад

    Lol, that best buy demo was showing the difference between component and hdmi.
    But while bringing up Monster, they at least have a bit rate speed difference, does that matter? Besides future proofing.

  • @sal20Jets
    @sal20Jets 7 лет назад +5

    I buy AudioQuest hdmi cables

  • @pushcomedy
    @pushcomedy 8 лет назад

    Most of the Audioquest cables are of very high quality, but they get into a lot of bullshit. I typically buy their Cinnamon cables at employee cost.

  • @ProfessorB70
    @ProfessorB70 6 лет назад +2

    Hugo is a beast

  • @jjpopnfresh6822
    @jjpopnfresh6822 2 года назад

    "Conform or be cast out" Love the Peart reference

  • @scrotty11
    @scrotty11 8 лет назад +2

    Why does that dude want to show his muscles all the time?

  • @locmanw1583
    @locmanw1583 6 лет назад

    I have a question about Audio digital streamers. I recently purchased a Cambridge Audio CXN. Their is a higher model called 851N. Someone says since it's digital they would sound the same is this true. The 851N has a bigger transformer and better analog supply.

  • @anyimmichaelik
    @anyimmichaelik 8 лет назад

    am glad well knowledgeable people like you guys are watching out for us the consumer. I will like to point out that the save selling strategies exist in other fields too. for instance, the cell phone companies keep making new phones every year claiming that the new phone is faster and better than the previous one. in actual fact they are most likely the same. they send this thing they call update every season to your old phone. this updates slow down the phone which makes the new once appear faster. this companies do stuffs that will land the common man in jail. but they get away with it. not to even mention the fact that most electronics are expensive this days because people don't want "cheap stuffs" they now have to jack up prices to get people interested. it's a crazy system.

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад +1

      +Michael Anyim Agreed about cell phones. What a scam it is to get people to upgrade every 2 years. We live in such a disposable society today. Very sad.

  • @budsmoker4201120
    @budsmoker4201120 4 месяца назад

    Sterophile and absolute sound are some of the biggest snake oil saleman

  • @JustinLoving
    @JustinLoving 7 лет назад

    Will you do a video debunking high end USB cables?

  • @ThunderStruckMTB
    @ThunderStruckMTB 8 лет назад +10

    There are suckers born every day, and they usually elevate their speaker cables

    • @usp40guy5
      @usp40guy5 8 лет назад +2

      +ThunderStruckCoach HA HA yes truly. Which wood species makes the cables sound better. They claim Cedar wood gives an "aromatic" sound to the music....

  • @HiFiInsider
    @HiFiInsider 8 лет назад +1

    Not all high-end cables are B.S. Just like every piece of New York strip steak doesn't taste the same. There are different grades...

    • @squidcaps4308
      @squidcaps4308 8 лет назад +4

      +Hi-Fi Insider Can you point towards high end cables that do what they claim to do? Any ideas why they would work, what is the main difference? I'm audio engineer, 25 years of experience, don't be afraid to get technical. If it's digital or power cables you are talking about, don't bother, our science is firm on that one. I doubt that you want to go there in this particular video comment section.
      On analog interconnects and speaker cables, there are measurable differences. I'm interested in the magnitude of those changes and how they are detected, how did you arrive at this conclusion.

    • @ocostich
      @ocostich 8 лет назад

      +Hi-Fi Insider
      Yes, they are, until you can show what some real testing that they have any audible differences than, say, the stuff from Blue Jeans cable. The high-end cable companies don't do controlled comparisons because it's not good for business.

    • @jaswats9645
      @jaswats9645 8 лет назад +1

      +TheMagnumb "meat isn't directional!"
      Sure it is. Straight into ma belly!

    • @marceldiezasch6192
      @marceldiezasch6192 8 лет назад +2

      It's a fucking digital cable.
      a) It works.
      b) It doesn't.
      That's it. No voodoo magic involved.

  • @Raylop69
    @Raylop69 8 лет назад +1

    On a side note, In my stereo system I use Kimber Cable, I do NOT have golden ears, But to ME they make my system sound better. Put what you want in your system.

  • @zora1
    @zora1 8 лет назад +3

    Bernie sanders needs to be on Audioquest Case

    • @usp40guy5
      @usp40guy5 8 лет назад +1

      +Emarald Mist Next debate, they should have Bern and Over the Hillary (she was paid to give speeches from Audioquest ...hahaha)

    • @zora1
      @zora1 8 лет назад

      lol audioquest is as corrupt as Koch brothers!!!

  • @Raylop69
    @Raylop69 8 лет назад

    AQ Gives their dealers a HUGE profit margin, A Diamond Hdmi cable would cost an employee of a dealer 250.00!!! But the average sucker would pay 1000.00!!!, Good thing I have friends that work at these places. I Got a well built high speed Monster Black Platinum Hdmi cable for 15 bucks.

  • @jasonwhitehurst7576
    @jasonwhitehurst7576 5 лет назад

    to be clear, I'm not a cable believer either but there are some measurable differences for some solutions.

  • @cheeky50862
    @cheeky50862 3 года назад

    Late to the show here lol.
    I recently upgraded to a 4k TV....
    And an £8 hdmi cable..... Will my TV not be able to create a wormhole???

  • @canadianatlas
    @canadianatlas 6 лет назад

    Does anyone know where I can buy some saffron cables?

  • @Geerladenlad
    @Geerladenlad 8 лет назад +11

    This rant should have stopped at the 10 minute mark.

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад +9

      +Geerladenlad That's why the stop button exists.

    • @Geerladenlad
      @Geerladenlad 8 лет назад

      Audioholics I appreciate the info on that company. There was a lot of unnecessary repetition IMO. Mark Waldrep not Wahlberg.

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад +6

      +Geerladenlad Repetition is often necessary when driving points home on technical topics like this. I am aware that I said Mark's last name incorrectly as you would have noticed in the annotations.

    • @jaswats9645
      @jaswats9645 8 лет назад +6

      +Geerladenlad Yours should have stopped at "T"
      lol.

    • @grantdurtschi2966
      @grantdurtschi2966 8 лет назад

      +Geerladenlad It should have ended at 5 minutes....BUT people still buy into the crap year after year. So apparently they NEED to repeat it over and over so MAYBE people will realize it's right.

  • @rsimmons37
    @rsimmons37 8 лет назад +1

    this reminds me that I need to go do my laundry

  • @elongatuspiranha
    @elongatuspiranha 8 лет назад

    very glad to see u both back!

  • @jasonwhitehurst7576
    @jasonwhitehurst7576 5 лет назад

    Look at the Linus TechTips HDMI cable review and their detailed measurements.

  • @LaserLuther
    @LaserLuther 8 лет назад

    I recently built a $3k gaming computer and there is about $25.00 worth of digital cables inside. My only option with cables was color and type, computer/IT, pro audio people ect. do not fall for this bogus crap. I do believe that analog cables can make a difference with sizable diminishing returns above say $100.00 for a pair of 4' rca's. Great video!

    • @iancampbell4531
      @iancampbell4531 8 лет назад

      Yeah like your vids dude! I'm considering getting an svs ultra set but I'm not sure what to do for power. I have a denon x4200w think that would be good enough, or I'm also considering getting an emotiva xpa-5. Thoughts?

    • @khurram88
      @khurram88 8 лет назад

      Agreed. Your videos are great.

    • @LaserLuther
      @LaserLuther 8 лет назад +1

      I think an xpa-3 or xpa-5 would do a great job. Emotiva has some good deals going on now with there new amps coming out soon. I would also check out Outlaw Audio, the model 5000 is hard to beat and very under rated.
      Also make sure your Denon has pre-outs, I think your covered with the X4200W.

  • @ChrisMag100
    @ChrisMag100 7 лет назад

    Snowy picture for a digital video signal via a bad HDMI cable? Uhh... somehow I doubt that's possible.

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  7 лет назад +2

      A bad cable can cause snowy artifacts to appear. The picture won't get blurry or lose resolution, instead it will just be covered in static either partially or whole.

    • @cheeky50862
      @cheeky50862 3 года назад

      @@Audioholics I have actually had this happen caused by a bad hdmi cable

  • @KrashTheMusician
    @KrashTheMusician 6 лет назад +1

    Normally I agree but I can tell you from personal experience that there is a difference between regular cables and audioquest cables a big difference

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  6 лет назад +3

      Agreed, a big difference in price and marketing bullshit. In those regards, Audioquest reign king.

  • @johndavidson772
    @johndavidson772 8 лет назад

    Posted this in my audiophile group. Now watch for the ensuing bullshit from the snake-oilers.

  • @bill32889
    @bill32889 8 лет назад

    haha i saved the short video version when i notice the longer video disappeared because i knew it was BS and wanted to show a friend.

  • @Bob.martens
    @Bob.martens 2 года назад

    I've got some very nice Chinese interconnects that claim to be directional:) They even copy the false claims when copying...

  • @igorstrav
    @igorstrav 8 лет назад

    You can read the original post I investigated and wrote exposing the doctored video at www.realhd-audio.com/?p=5540. There are also other posts about cables and the follow up comments. There are some things in this video that are incorrect. It is certainly possible for a the amplitude and color of a digital signal to be altered in the digital domain not just after it's been converted back to analog. I have heard from the CEO of AudioQuest and he acknowledged that the soundtrack was not representative of the actual fidelity improvements the company claims.
    A digital cable that meets the specifications for HDMI (whatever version 1.4 or 2.0) will deliver the data stream without any change of fidelity. High-end cables may look nice and have customer appeal, but they are not responsible for quality changes. It's that simple.

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад

      you can't manipulate a digital signal with a cable period. even you admit that in the last paragraph of your post. we aren't talking about digital processing that goes on in a codec, dac or scalar.

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад

      +TheMagnumb yes sorry for the confusion.

  • @parapobabam
    @parapobabam 4 года назад

    "IT BLOWS MY HEAD GENE!". umm. which head?

  • @pking39
    @pking39 8 лет назад

    Great wake up call video for the audiofools out there. Here is another one from Audioquest. I really LMFAO
    AudioQuest NRG WEL Signature Series AC Power Cable www.audioquest.com/power-cables/wel-signature
    COUNTER-SPIRAL GEOMETRY: WEL Signature AC power cables have an inner circular array of positive conductors spiraling in one direction. Around this inner group are the negative conductors spiraling in the opposite direction. Even while the positive and negative conductors are crossing each other instead of being parallel, the relationship between the positive and negative groups is fixed and non-changing. The result is an astonishing clarity, like focusing a camera lens you had no idea was so far out of focus.
    But Audioquest is only one of the audio cults. There are many, even worst than Audioquest. Such as these
    Super Intelligent Chip!
    www.machinadynamica.com/machina31.htm
    6Moons reviews Super Intelligent Chip!
    www.6moons.com/audioreviews/photoncannons/photoncannons.html
    Damn, I wonder if I can use this chip to clean my toilet too because after reading this, I constantly visit my toilet non-stop. Maybe it is not a good idea to mix the chip with Jalapeño and tabasco sauce :-)
    Btw, if you use Google map, then you will see the company that invented this chip is a dude who lives in a condo apartment. I wonder how is he fabricated the chip in such a place with no air tight glass doors, etc.
    Brilliant Pebbles!
    www.machinadynamica.com/machina31.htm
    My fish tank has tons of pebbles. I guess, I should place my 40 gallons fish tank on top of my speakers to make them sound more dynamic...:-)
    De Mag www.furutech.com/2013/02/02/1792/
    The only way to achieve top performance is by demagnetizing your problems away! There are no other demagnetizers on the market that can be used in such a versatile and effective way. The deMag Demagnetizer can even be used on metal-based accessories like CD stabilizers or speaker terminals.
    I am an electrical engineer, and up till now I have no idea LP, CD, or speaker terminals actually have any kind of magnetism. Maybe I should go back to school and update my knowledge :-). The only audio product that I was aware of are tapes (cassette or open-reel) players. In cassette and open-reel tape players, audio tape leaves residual magnetism on the metal parts inside. This magnetism builds up over time. Recordings becoming noisier and the music on the tape gets slowly erased.

  • @fullstack9507
    @fullstack9507 3 года назад

    I own a few vodkas and a couple thunderbird 2.1. you should take a listen. Stop pointing to the paper on your wall

  • @chrisguilfoyle8799
    @chrisguilfoyle8799 8 лет назад

    Wow.. now I feel guilty for using their USB DAC.

    • @ethernetsoundoff7257
      @ethernetsoundoff7257 8 лет назад

      +Chris Guilfoyle But they have a decent DAC... I don't get a sub $200 DAC but a $400 cable.

    • @chrisguilfoyle8799
      @chrisguilfoyle8799 8 лет назад

      +Ethernet Soundoff it's a good DAC for the money for sure.

    • @chrisguilfoyle8799
      @chrisguilfoyle8799 8 лет назад +1

      +Chris Guilfoyle Also, I did purchase one of their modestly priced Evergreen analog interconnects for that DAC (I think for $30) because it looked cool. It's an interconnect, whatever. I've seen their pricey products and just rolled my eyes. If a consumer wants to buy a $1k data cable then that's on the consumer.

  • @slapshock2582
    @slapshock2582 5 лет назад

    Maybe the real victims here is the one who purchased this AQ cables, so what highend cable that is really worth it honest to the consumer?

  • @sal20Jets
    @sal20Jets 7 лет назад

    Night owl headphones and DACs are amazing. Let’s not say the entire company sucks. Just a branch of it

  • @thomashoctor8687
    @thomashoctor8687 8 лет назад

    That was freaking hilarious! Hey Gene when are you going to do your tutorial on how to set up and use the in line mini DSP? I've researched it after watching your video shout out to it a few videos ago and I think even a newb like myself could use it to improve my subs bass. The cutting of cable and wiring into the DSP is my biggest learning curve though. A video tutorial by you and Hugo would be great! You guys are the best. I learn so much from your efforts.

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад

      +Thomas Hoctor Thanks Thomas. We plan on shooting a video on the mDSP in the next 2 weeks. I just finished my calibrations and very pleased with the results.

    • @thomashoctor8687
      @thomashoctor8687 8 лет назад

      Cool. Looking forward to it.

  • @CaptainEO27
    @CaptainEO27 8 лет назад

    Lou Ferrigno is in great shape!

  • @CompetitionChris
    @CompetitionChris 3 года назад +1

    I love this. I could listen to Gene rant and rave all day.

  • @leifaregis2554
    @leifaregis2554 3 года назад

    All of this saying i still Love my audioquest gives my tv a very good quality and sounds maybe the only thing is different between cheap and AQ is built for last, but thanks for the effort of this video ,still alot of people buying the product because is Great.

  • @johnbuckley1754
    @johnbuckley1754 6 лет назад

    I will say better cables and sheilding make a difference working for cable companys and internet service providers. Is a 1200 Dollar diamond cable needed probably not. There's a reason why there are different categories of cable, and there defined buy shielding, speed and construction. ther is not a lot different from cat5 and cat5e or even cat 6 but the construction and terminations will make a huge difference on data transfer and packet loss and interference. That I know is proven quite well and we're the difference is going to be. All of our digital equipment makes up for loss and the goal to my understanding is to stop loss and interference and keep equipment from guessing. I fixed plenty of things because of loss and interference on a digital single even though the signal shows fine with my equipment. Audioquest may sell a lot of snake oil, but in my experience there pearl or forset depending if you want it braided or not will keep enough loss and interference out of your cables and might make a perciveable difference to some folks over the 2 dollar freebie maybe even the 7-15 dollar wall Mart cable. Not to mention the cable connecter it self is plan tougher than anything else I have seen on the market.

  • @bernarddussault2365
    @bernarddussault2365 5 лет назад +1

    I changed my single speaker cable for bi-wired ones ...so when a girl com in my living room , I have beter chances to score ;)

  • @Audiophilifix
    @Audiophilifix 8 лет назад

    Mark Waldrep not Walhberg.

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад +3

      +Audiophilifix Haha sorry I often make that mistake.

    • @Audiophilifix
      @Audiophilifix 8 лет назад +1

      No worries nice video! I remember a best buy rep trying to sell me AQ hdmi smh...No way on hell I was gonna pay those prices. But iMo, done cables are BUILT better than others so $25 was my top for 3 metre cable. I believe they were monster. Great work guys!

  • @mikeday62
    @mikeday62 6 лет назад

    He is Hans....and other guy is Franz. They are here to pumping you up. That's right Jean. Arnold the terminator's wacky cousins. Time to get those flabby audio muscles in shape guys.

  • @xburgos1
    @xburgos1 8 лет назад

    Don't mean to be redundant but Best Buy Argument is that those cables especially the cinnamon and up does not bottleneck the signal. What the heck do they mean when it's a digital on and off signal of 1s and 0s. Give me the short answer rebuttal to tell them. Lol help me out since I don't exactly know what to say to shut them up about it.

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад

      +xburgos1 WTF is bottlenecking the signal? Tell them that the signal goes through a flux induced transmutation that allows it to flow on the surface and bypass the bottleneck IF they lube up the cable with vaseline before sticking it in their....HDMI ports ;)

    • @ocostich
      @ocostich 8 лет назад

      +xburgos1
      Tell them they are full of sh*t.

  • @todd.goslin6190
    @todd.goslin6190 7 лет назад

    I gotta ask, why this hard on for audioquest? Nordost, for example, make similar claims about dielectric distortion as Audioquest does, though they go about solving it differently, and they charge a butt load more for their cables.

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  7 лет назад +1

      todd goslin to our knowledge Nordost wasn't involved in a freadulent HDMI test like we were discussing in this video. But, yes, Nordost makes a lot of snake oil voodoo claims as well.

    • @todd.goslin6190
      @todd.goslin6190 7 лет назад

      Audioholics I think you've singled out Audioquest in some other videos. Are they more egregious in their claims in your estimation?
      'Cause we can throw a boat load of boutique cable and interconnect manufacturers under that bus.

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  7 лет назад +2

      Audioquest is the biggest and most visible target. Their claims are also some of the most ludicrous as well. They actually have a section on their site for "education" as if what they are conveying is based on any provable engineering or science. MIT Cable, Transparent, Nordost are all equal offenders, just not as visible in the public eye.

    • @todd.goslin6190
      @todd.goslin6190 7 лет назад

      Audioholics fair enough. I take it Monster Cable has a very special place in your heart.

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  7 лет назад

      Oh we have plenty of coverage for them that shows our love ;)

  • @JC-uo7px
    @JC-uo7px 6 лет назад +4

    stumbled across this video. these guys are couple of knuckleheads. all along they repeatedly say theres no difference in cables then at 27:46 he contradicts and says there is a slight difference but not worth a $1000. well which is it now? lolNews flash - different Cables sound as different as different loudspeakers do regardless of price

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  6 лет назад +2

      at 27:46 I used the term "similarly good". If you equate that with "slight difference" then it's no wonder you convinced yourself that cables make as big of an impact on sound as changing loudspeakers.

    • @JC-uo7px
      @JC-uo7px 6 лет назад

      "similarily good" but why not the same?

  • @nelsonpires5441
    @nelsonpires5441 8 лет назад

    I can really tell the difference between a cheap Hdmi cable and the Qed Hdmi Performance.. am I crazy? I don't know but the cables really sound different.

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад

      +Nelson Pires Placebo

    • @nelsonpires5441
      @nelsonpires5441 8 лет назад

      +Audioholics and the jitter? is possible that a cheap cable have more jitter than an expensive one? are the possible problems with jitter audible?

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад

      +Nelson Pires NO. It either works or doesn't as I repeatedly said in the video.

    • @nelsonpires5441
      @nelsonpires5441 8 лет назад

      +Audioholics I agree with you but It's possible that I have a faulty cable? Because I compare the two cables and the contrast is different and I have some noise with the cheaper one. Believe me it's not placebo the cables are really different.

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад +1

      +Nelson Pires A faulty cable would result in a snowy picture or drop outs all together. It's NOT possible for color or contrast to be different bc of a cable.

  • @hassabsaeed9993
    @hassabsaeed9993 8 лет назад

    Hi ..
    What about USB cable from PC to USB stereo DAC ?
    Is there a deference using 100$ usb cable VS. normal high quality usb cable ?
    Thank you ..

    • @klokibril
      @klokibril 8 лет назад

      +Saeed Al-Ghamdi
      Well, not really. It's more effective to get a Jitterbug I think as it removes all of the noise generated by other components in the PC on the USB +5V line, providing a much more stable power and data source for DAC's. Appearantly it works well with the Dragonfly.

    • @justkiddin1980
      @justkiddin1980 8 лет назад

      nope....digital signal...it doesnt matter for soind

    • @mikkelkirketerp4884
      @mikkelkirketerp4884 8 лет назад +1

      +justkiddin1980 it does matter. you usually need an USB cable with a ferrite bead on it, it does clean up the power.
      no kidding, NwAwGuy even recommends it.

    • @justkiddin1980
      @justkiddin1980 8 лет назад

      +Mikkel Kirketerp correct me if i'm wrong....but usb is still digital..or is it not? if it is than no matter of treatment to your cable does anything to a digital signal...

    • @hassabsaeed9993
      @hassabsaeed9993 8 лет назад

      +Mikkel Kirketerp
      i was looking for an answer from Audioholics but it seems that i will not git any answer !!!
      Thanks Anyway ..

  • @brantgourley5983
    @brantgourley5983 6 лет назад +2

    Lost all respect here for the rant from audioholics....interconnect parasitics DO impact digital signals, clock skew, etc. is a major consideration when designing digital circuits, it's more complicated than just passing 1's and 0's

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  6 лет назад +1

      Really, please provide proof of this using a logic analyzer. HDMI either works or doesn't. If the clock is skewed, the audio would drop out.

    • @brantgourley5983
      @brantgourley5983 6 лет назад

      Fact is that digital signals are impacted by parasitics, it is well known that digital signals get rounded off, etc. due to parasitic impedance and capacitance, basic transmission line theory...HDMI over short distances works fine but over longer distances the twisted pair design will be significantly limited by the impedance that attenuates the signal

    • @James28R
      @James28R 5 лет назад +1

      @@brantgourley5983 so.. no proof then. what a shocker.

  • @grantdurtschi2966
    @grantdurtschi2966 8 лет назад

    Have you seen "The Life of Pi"?

  • @juqual78
    @juqual78 2 года назад

    Great work exposing these snake oil salesman.

  • @bournechupacabra
    @bournechupacabra 8 лет назад +1

    It baffles me how Audioquest can do this stuff and yet make a really good USB dac and headphone. I feel like the cable designers and their new engineers are separate.

    • @falcon048
      @falcon048 3 года назад

      It's easy. You make a super awesome cable using all the best geometry, materials and connectors....then....you break it and dummy it down so you can create entry level and mid-level versions to expand your consumer base. Thing is, most of these reviewers, including this Audioholic guy, aren't going to buy, rent or be given the top-most rated cable the company makes. They're going to be given a version several steps below. Therefore, the reviewer is just going to be analyzing some broken down, snake-oiled version of a MUCH better cable. Why do they do this? Again, easy. These companies already know their top-most cable is awesome and they know it carries an unrealistic price tag. So you don't need to really push THAT cable. What you need to do is get people to buy the mid-range or the upper-tier, where your overhead is smaller.
      In regards to HDMI, I urge anyone to read the white paper on the HDMI spec. Specifically specs 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3. Read how the engineers struggled to get audio and video to sync until they realized using multiple twisted pairs increased the speed and bandwidth. Audioquest DOES NOT FOLLOW HDMI SPEC! Go check their website. Not a single cable states which HDMI spec it is using. Why? So that Audioquest can go beyond HDMI spec and alter the performance. Once AUdioquest understood what the spec is trying to do to increase bandwidth, all they have to do is use their knowledge of wire geometry, metallurgy and tech to exceed HDMI spec. By doing so, they cannot claim their cables are HDMI spec. But...again....once you've made your super-duper-uber cable....you have to break it in various ways to create all those lesser versions in the line up. This faux-pa they did by adjusting the sound in the video to make it appear there is a difference, doesn't mean there isn't a difference in performance from one line to another...it's just not as obvious.

  • @ricksanchezz8130
    @ricksanchezz8130 7 лет назад +1

    Cables don't need no sticking batteries! Cables dipped in holy water built by nude virgins by hand and blessed by Belgium monks lol.

  • @thudeets
    @thudeets 8 лет назад

    I wonder if the physical construction of an HDMI cable could have anything to do with how it "sounds"? For example, if it is generally accepted as possible for different metals, or grounding configurations - or even shielding configurations - to change the sound of coax cables and RCA cables why not HDMI also? Just asking. In my opinion, perceived (or measurable) sound differences could be due to the potential for an additional electrical "circuit" to be introduced between two components when they are connected via an HDMI. In this case the type of metal, shielding, or even construction topology can effect audio or video via the effects of the potential for electrical interaction between the two components and how well a particular component can ignore or filter out such interaction. The only exception to this situation I guess would be a connection via a toslink (fiber optic) cable where the physical connection between the two components does not create an opportunity for an electrical interaction between the two components. This would suggest there is more to consider than just the transmission of zeros and ones, right?

    • @Audioholics
      @Audioholics  8 лет назад +1

      +thudeets I know this may be a hard concept to accept, which is why I repeated it so many times. HDMI cables CAN NOT sound different. HDMI either passes the data or it doesn't. Either the audio works or doesn't. It doesn't work but sound worse, it just doesn't work. Good HDMI cable = passes all data ; Bad HDMI cable = audio dropouts and/or snowy picture. There isn't reduced bass, reduced treble, less airy sound etc. That can't happen with HDMI!

    • @thudeets
      @thudeets 8 лет назад

      +Audioholics I already got that. It is not a hard concept at all. That wasn't my question though.