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In Reply to: RE: In any event there is still the posted by bjh on March 20, 2008 at 19:46:42
Measuring distortion may not be easy, but before it can be done a clear definition of distortion is necessary. In audio, the term is generally reserved for non-linear changes to a signal, where the output is not a linear function of the input. Other changes, such as gain or equalization changes, are not generally called distortion. For linear changes, the principle of superposition holds, while for non-linear changes the principle of superposition fails.
Superposition or the lack thereof is a big deal, as it relates to the clarity one hears when multiple instruments are playing. This is not a matter of PH BS. A long time ago a friend who will remain nameless was boasting of how good his new Bose 901 speakers sounded. I brought a pre-recorded tape of Stravinsky's Petrushka. When the bass drum kicked in the distortion utterly destroyed the sound of the rest of the orchestra, something that had not been a problem on my KLH-6's.
In comparison with non-linear distortion, small equalization changes are of minor importance and often are less than what one might experience by moving to a slightly different position in the room. Gain changes are even less important, as they can usually be corrected by a twist of the volume control.
There is no doubt that cables can affect signal gain and equalization, although it can be debated whether or not these are significant in particular applications. A more interesting question is whether cables add significant non-linear distortion. A related question is whether cables affect the linearity of other system components. Careful measurement might help answer these questions. (Or maybe already have—references anybody?)
Tony Lauck
"Perception, inference and authority are the valid sources of knowledge" - P.R. Sarkar
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