Aperion Audio (www.aperionaudio.com) has an admirable business model that offers friendly pricing by cutting out the middleguy. Any objections to accessing audio gear at lower prices? I didn't think so.
There is a section of their website entitled, "Aperion University" where I stumbled upon an interesting article regarding speaker wire selection. I highly recommend reading the entire article, but I'll quote the part I enjoyed the most (emphasis mine).
This controversy itself is a little hard to understand, considering that it has been so thoroughly researched with scientific studies, precise measurements and double-blind listening tests. Especially since the overwhelming evidence has all come down on one side. The results? People can’t actually hear any difference. So why does the cabling industry exist? That’s pretty simple: It’s phenomenally profitable. It’s definitely in their best interest to make you believe that their magical cables sound better.
It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but no amount of pseudo-scientific features like oxygen-free copper, skin effect, vacuums, dielectric biasing, or cable resonance make any difference at all. A $50 spool of 12-gauge zip-cord will perform exactly like a $15,000 run of space-age laser wire."
For dramatic effect, allow me to introduce you to the next sentence of their article (emphasis added):
"It is important to note that the high-tech wire may sound different but it will not necessarily offer better performance. In some cases, the expensive wires introduce sonic effects that actually change the sound but it’s a matter of personal taste if it is an improvement or not . . . expensive speaker wire is typically of excellent quality, it (usually) will make your speakers sound fantastic . . ."
Obviously, I don't find this helpful, or educational. But it is a perfect example of the dichotomy we deal with on a daily basis as audiophiles - and I must confess I truly enjoy the tension. Some of us become obsessed with this surface-level war, but it's really an illustration of much deeper, more important issues commonly found at the intersection of religion and science, faith and evidence; not to mention the burgeoning studies on thoughts and emotions as "things".
I hope we don't timidly shy away from these issues, give up in frustration, or even close our ears to the claims of opposite camps. Seems to me that we are only teachable when we are humble. Life is better lived with ears wide open, eh? (Yes, we're a Canadian company.)
Aperion Audio introduces the topic by claiming it's the most hotly contested in audio; and here we are (Virtual Dynamics) with our primary product (audio cables) smack in the middle of it. I'm continually amazed at the onslaught of customer emails we receive singing the praises of Virtual Dynamics cables, and the transformation it's triggered - they are so strongly worded!
On another topic, Aperion Audio has communicated very eloquently something we have tried to, but not nearly as well. It's about the role of electrical resistance and conductivity in audio cables.
"Any advantage gained by using a better conductor can easily be compensated for with slightly thicker wire. So fortunately, we can ignore this and concentrate on length and thickness."
I highly recommend viewing the article in it's entirety here, and please check out their products! I can't comment on the sonic quality, I've never had the opportunity to become acquainted with their wares outside of audio shows, and we all know how less-than-ideal these conditions can be. They seem to have a strong following, which surely says something!
-Jeff
