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Recording Studios Are At the Front of the Distortion Headroom Chain

See:
http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/cables/messages/30013.html

Since they originate the music source, they can use up almost all the signal abberation headroom there is, and as long as the playback system does not take the recording playback event over that edge, all is well.

However, it has been my contention that this very fact is why some systems respond so positively to replacement of cheap OEM/freebie audio cable, is that they are pushing the recorded playback event over the edge, past the audibility limits, and so, even very small aspects of improvements can become much more important.

As noted in the referenced post, not all recording studios use garden variety cables, many use premium cables of one sort or another, no, not $2200 AudioQuest cables, but as noted, they have a lot more signal abberation headroom to use up than most playback systems.

As for digital interconnects, the same kind of thing is still true to a large extent for the studio, they can experience more jitter related aspects than home playback, and not suffer the sonic consequences.

See:
http://www.geocities.com/jonrisch/jitter.htm

Sure, some recoridng studio folks still don't have a clue, mainly because they ARE blessed with having ALL the distortion and audibility headroom to play with, so they never get much of a chance to notice cable upgrades or changes as readily. That doesn't mean that it is not a factor in home playback.

Many guitarists and musicians have begun to notice that really good cables can make a difference for them as well. Live sound that is basically well done otherwise can also benefit from the lack of prior signal abberations, and can "get by" with heavy-duty pro-sound reinforcement speakers, pro-sound amps, and cheesy cabling, and yet still sound very immediate and "real", despite what is actually a mediocre level of overall system performance.
Play a CD back through that same sound system, and it just doesn't sound as immediate or as good, yet the live sound event is pretty decent overall.


Jon Risch

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