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reduced volume with new interconnects?

172.242.215.34
Posted on March 9, 2015 at 12:55:18
alley -kat
Audiophile

Posts: 282
Location: southeast missouri
Joined: August 7, 2003
 I replaced some Radio Shack interconnects with Neotech NEI-5001 Finished Cables - 1.5m and after swapping, I noticed quite a reduction in output level according to the knob settings before the cable swap? Is this just because burn in time is needed? Thanks!

 

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RE: reduced volume with new interconnects?, posted on March 9, 2015 at 13:35:45
Duster
Manufacturer

Posts: 17117
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: August 25, 2002
 Burn-in should open-up the soundstage, improve overall coherency and dynamics which may increase the perceived output level rather than sound restricted due to a lack of burn-in time. Also, it's not uncommon that a lowered noise floor can result in the perception of a lower output level due to a cleaner signal with less glare with a blacker background, and with less artificial coloration and bloating of the signal due to less dielectric involvement. You may come to find you can actually hear more information that was otherwise obscured via the use of over-assertive sounding low-fi interconnects.

 

RE: reduced volume with new interconnects?, posted on March 9, 2015 at 14:26:50
Awe-d-o-file
Dealer

Posts: 21037
Location: 50 miles west of DC
Joined: January 10, 2004
 I've never heard of anyone commenting as you have. I have no idea other than sound changes. If you put a sine wave through each set of cables I'm pretty sure they'd measure exactly the same.


E
T


ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

 

Improbable. Check it with a sound meter. (nt), posted on March 9, 2015 at 15:26:12
robotk
Audiophile

Posts: 422
Joined: May 23, 2003
 ...

 

RE: reduced volume with new interconnects?, posted on March 9, 2015 at 16:37:39
fantja
Audiophile

Posts: 15518
Location: Alabama
Joined: September 11, 2010
 How many hours are on your cables?

 

RE: reduced volume with new interconnects?, posted on March 10, 2015 at 03:22:57
wires
Manufacturer

Posts: 64
Joined: April 12, 2001
 Generally capacitance or impedance will have an effect on volume settings. The difference of a higher capacitance would take a higher volume setting to achieve the same sound level as one with a lower capacitance. Also I believe the Rat Shack cable is not shielded, this also would account for the volume difference. There are far more variables here then just "burn in"

 

RE: reduced volume with new interconnects?, posted on March 12, 2015 at 05:03:02
alley -kat
Audiophile

Posts: 282
Location: southeast missouri
Joined: August 7, 2003
 I wondered about the capacitance values of the cables. The bass seems a lot thinner than the rest of the audio spectrum. I'd say I've got maybe 40-50 hours on these cables now but, the source has just been satellite music from dish receiver and the other cable runs from preamp to power amp. I thought about hooking the source cable from cd player to preamp and set a cd up for constant replay as I'm sure the cd player has a much higher output than the satellite receiver any thoughts/suggestions? Thanks very much folks!

 

RE: reduced volume with new interconnects?, posted on March 12, 2015 at 12:53:01
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 If you have a volt ohm meter, check the resistance. It sounds like something is wrong with the Neotech cables.

Dave

 

RE: reduced volume with new interconnects?, posted on March 12, 2015 at 13:06:04
Awe-d-o-file
Dealer

Posts: 21037
Location: 50 miles west of DC
Joined: January 10, 2004
 All RS interconnects are shielded. There was a time they also sold an 18 gauge speaker wire with RCA's on each end since at the time they had both speakers and amp/receivers with RCA jacks for speaker in/out.


E
T

ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

 

RE: reduced volume with new interconnects?, posted on March 12, 2015 at 14:11:26
Duster
Manufacturer

Posts: 17117
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: August 25, 2002
 IME, Radio Shack Gold Series interconnects present a high amount of glare which can masquerade as a higher output level when compared to a cleaner sounding interconnect cable design. What I'm most interested in knowing from the OP at this point is what differences there are between the Radio Shack cable vs. the Neotech cable in terms of low-level resolution, high fidelity timbrel information, soundstage boundaries. When a lowered noise floor is achieved, removal of false detail/etching due to harmonic glare can be "missed" if the ear becomes accustomed to that kind of aural excitation.

 

RE: reduced volume with new interconnects?, posted on March 12, 2015 at 15:51:01
alley -kat
Audiophile

Posts: 282
Location: southeast missouri
Joined: August 7, 2003
 One of the main differences with the Neotech cables seems to be weaker low and mid bass although, the bass drum does have a distinct tightness to it just less impact. When I increase the preamp volume, the low frequencies don't increase evenly with the mid and highs but there is better detail and some things that I never heard with the Ratshack cables. I'm wanting to order two more pairs of the same Neotech today one pair from cdp to preamp, and a pair from my dvd player to preamp I watch movies with just the setup I've mentioned along with a diy 15" DVC Parts Express home built sub with a 500 watt Bash plate amp which I built using the bassbox 6 computer program and it adds great bottom end for the movies and also, the port has been tuned to sound pretty tight and decent with music.I should probably be auditioning the cables with my CD player instead of the satellite receiver though, since the cd's have much more output and detail. I think I'll go ahead and order the other two pairs I need and give it a go because I really do like the detail I just hope the dynamics increase more I guess there's only one way to find out and just try it for a few hundred hours. Thanks again Folks!

 

RE: reduced volume with new interconnects?, posted on March 12, 2015 at 18:05:48
Duster
Manufacturer

Posts: 17117
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: August 25, 2002
 Folks might be of further help if you the post particular details of your audio system in Audio Asylum's "Inmate Systems" pages.

It's easy and it can be good fun to put together for the record.

See link:

 

definitely, posted on March 12, 2015 at 18:10:47
bullethead
 I recommend upgrading everything in the chain. I'm fortunate to use silver based cables throughout, although some don't like the sound, I enjoy it immensely.

congrats on the upgrade :) more detail is always good, and it takes some time to get your brain used to the sound ;)

 

RE: reduced volume with new interconnects?, posted on April 7, 2015 at 14:07:29
gkirkos
Audiophile

Posts: 201
Location: Seattle
Joined: February 6, 2015

Perceived loudness and power have a complicated relationship that is very dependent on spectral distribution (tone).

I'm with the person above that mentioned reduced glare.

 

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