Finding your groove: getting into vinyl with Audio-Technica
I’d like to think that I could’ve been friends with the late Hideo Matsushita, founder of Japanese Hi-Fi powerhouse Audio-Technica. If I could, I’d travel back in time to 1960’s Tokyo, where a young Matsushita curated “vinyl listening sessions” at the Bridgestone Museum of Arts, exposing visitors to the sounds and possibilities of high end audio and the warmth of vinyl records. I imagine sitting with him in a mod coffee shop, listening to the stories of what he witnessed in those sessions, the conversations he had with visitors, and what ultimately motivated him to head back to his small apartment above a ramen restaurant and start an audio company of his own. In the histories I’ve read regarding AT’s humble beginnings, Matsushita’s motives seem clear. Produce high end audio at affordable prices, bringing audio excellence into spaces and to customers that simply didn’t have access to it before. His first two products, the AT-1 and AT-3 phono cartridges did exactly that, and...
Dec 6, 2023
Have you gone down this rabbit hole? Do you hear a difference? Is it worth it? I'm curious what your experiences are.
My experience: I studied audio engineering in university. The science side of my brain constantly tries to remind me that the differences I may perceive, if any is negligible, or placebo. Nevertheless, I had a custom set made that terminates to a 3.5mm TRS on both ends so that I can try it with all the heaphones I own that have detachable cables. As a caveat, the last time I went to an audiologist to get my hearing tested, I was able to discern up to 18khz. So... not perfect hearing. That was 3 years ago. I don't know where my hearing is now.
With that said and with all my logic telling me I shouldn't really hear any difference, my experience says otherwise. Immediately there was an undeniable difference in amplitude. This made A/B testing a bit difficult to get the volume leveled. Once I figured out the matched volumes, I proceeded to analyze the sounds coming through my headphones. There is a discernible change in sonic properties. It's slight, but unmistakenly there. Since this is my first and only audiophile cable, I can only speculate what other cable designs do to the signal.
The thing is, when changes in sound properties is slight like in this scenario, the more those subtle differences are subject to be increasingly affected by the listener's physiology. The unique pinna of our ears affects how we discern positioning and the space that we're in. A slight change in the mid frequencies may make a sound perceptually really close for one person while the same sound might feel not as close to someone else.
What I heard with my cable is a slight boost in the mid-high frequencies. It didn't affect anything else. Soundstage stayed the same. Stereo separation is the same. However, to someone else, the same change in the mid-high frequencies may open the sound stage because that increase in mid-high matches how their pinna filters sound waves that are far away before it enters their ear drum.
Perhaps this must be why some people hear great differences when they switch to different cables. (Small changes in signal / huge perceptual effect).
What it's worth: To me, personally, the gains in signal clarity is nice, but that's achievable with a modertely well built cable specially for short runs from a desk amp to your chair or the floor if you enjoy your music laying down. If the desire is to get those subtle differences in sonic properties, a well implemented EQ works much better for that I think. I won't be selling my cable. I actually like the boost that it gives, but now that my curiosity is satisfied, these will be the first and last audiophile cable I'll be purchasing.
Of course I say that now, but I guess I can never say never.