Shunyata Research Ad Showing Square Waves With Etron Cables

mep

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
9,481
17
0
Shunyata Research has taken out numerous 2 page ads in the audio rags with the latest one being in the TAS May/Jun 2013 issue. In these ads, they show 3 pictures of a square wave. The top picture is supposed to show a square wave from the signal generator which should be as 'perfect' as a square wave could be. Even the picture from the signal generator is distorted and I will let others conjecture why this is so. The square wave is nice and square, but there is ringing on the top of the square wave (and a significant portion of the top of the wave I might add). The second picture shows a 'conventional' cable reproducing the same square wave and of course it is grossly distorted. The third picture depicts the same square wave being reproduced by an ETRON cable and guess what, I wouldn't brag about how that square wave looks either. Yeah, it looks better than the 'conventional' IC square wave, but it still looks pretty shoddy.

Is this really good marketing? If that is the best my cable could do at passing a square wave, I'd probably keep that to myself.
 

edorr

WBF Founding Member
May 10, 2010
3,139
14
36
Smyrna, GA
Shunyata Research has taken out numerous 2 page ads in the audio rags with the latest one being in the TAS May/Jun 2013 issue. In these ads, they show 3 pictures of a square wave. The top picture is supposed to show a square wave from the signal generator which should be as 'perfect' as a square wave could be. Even the picture from the signal generator is distorted and I will let others conjecture why this is so. The square wave is nice and square, but there is ringing on the top of the square wave (and a significant portion of the top of the wave I might add). The second picture shows a 'conventional' cable reproducing the same square wave and of course it is grossly distorted. The third picture depicts the same square wave being reproduced by an ETRON cable and guess what, I wouldn't brag about how that square wave looks either. Yeah, it looks better than the 'conventional' IC square wave, but it still looks pretty shoddy.

Is this really good marketing? If that is the best my cable could do at passing a square wave, I'd probably keep that to myself.

Obviously the message here is that the Zitron cable significantly reduces distortion of the original signal relative to other cables. If other cables can produce a better square wave than the Zitrons there is a bit of exposure. If not, this strikes me as a pretty solid marketing message. Of course, I have 4 shunyata cables cooking to be inserted in my system this evening as we speak, so I'm biases.
 

mep

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
9,481
17
0
Edorr-So please tell me why you think that Shunyata chose to use a picture of a distorted square wave to use as a reference for a 'perfect' square wave. I have my thoughts...
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,806
4,698
2,790
Portugal
I own Shunyata cables, consider they sound great, they even have the same CD player I own in their listening room, but would not spend more than one minute looking at cables technical claims - it is mostly marketing. But if prepares you for their fantastic sound!

Edorr, I envy you :) - I still own the old line before the Ztron. I hope to read about your findings soon!
 

mep

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
9,481
17
0
I own Shunyata cables, consider they sound great, they even have the same CD player I own in their listening room, but would not spend more than one minute looking at cables technical claims - it is mostly marketing. But if prepares you for their fantastic sound!

Edorr, I envy you :) - I still own the old line before the Ztron. I hope to read about your findings soon!

Micro-My point is that looking at the three graphs is not going to "prepare" you for their fantastic sound. It would be quite the opposite. The Shunyata cables are responsible for the least trashed looking square wave-nothing to inspire confidence which makes me wonder why they did it in the first place. Notice I'm not commenting on how they sound because I have no idea. All I'm saying is that if the marketing graph is supposed to entice me to buy, I'm not buying.
 

edorr

WBF Founding Member
May 10, 2010
3,139
14
36
Smyrna, GA
Edorr-So please tell me why you think that Shunyata chose to use a picture of a distorted square wave to use as a reference for a 'perfect' square wave. I have my thoughts...

If the shunyata distorted square wave bests any other cable on the market this would still be an OK marketing message. Far more powerful would be to take 5 specific competing cables, compare them all and mention them name. For all we know the baseline distorted chart in the Shunyata test can be any piece of $5 home depot wire.
 

ack

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
May 6, 2010
6,774
1,198
580
Boston, MA
Shunyata Research has taken out numerous 2 page ads in the audio rags with the latest one being in the TAS May/Jun 2013 issue. In these ads, they show 3 pictures of a square wave. The top picture is supposed to show a square wave from the signal generator which should be as 'perfect' as a square wave could be. Even the picture from the signal generator is distorted and I will let others conjecture why this is so. The square wave is nice and square, but there is ringing on the top of the square wave (and a significant portion of the top of the wave I might add). The second picture shows a 'conventional' cable reproducing the same square wave and of course it is grossly distorted. The third picture depicts the same square wave being reproduced by an ETRON cable and guess what, I wouldn't brag about how that square wave looks either. Yeah, it looks better than the 'conventional' IC square wave, but it still looks pretty shoddy.

Is this really good marketing? If that is the best my cable could do at passing a square wave, I'd probably keep that to myself.

The devil is always in the details... a) what's the "conventional" cable - no indication it's a Shunyata cable; b) they have a companion video that shows this error correction again at 10kHz (and again, no clarification on the "conventional" cable) - if true, this would be a benefit at high frequencies, but I'd like to see what their technology does at 50 and 60Hz for their power cords; I bet nothing.
 

audioguy

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
2,794
73
1,635
Near Atlanta, GA but not too near!
I think it is great marketing. I don't own their cables and I am not a believer in the entire high end cable business. That said, it seems clear to me that they are saying that their cable will produce "cleaner" sound that the next guy's cable and it also sets an expectation so that if you go listen to their cable, the sound will be cleaner, better transients, etc.

Given the product they sell, I think it is a good ad.
 

mep

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
9,481
17
0
I think it is great marketing. I don't own their cables and I am not a believer in the entire high end cable business. That said, it seems clear to me that they are saying that their cable will produce "cleaner" sound that the next guy's cable and it also sets an expectation so that if you go listen to their cable, the sound will be cleaner, better transients, etc.

Given the product they sell, I think it is a good ad.

We have some EEs on this forum. I wish they would respond and tell us if this ad impressed them.
 

Elberoth

Member Sponsor
Dec 15, 2012
2,007
253
1,170
Poland
Microstrip - I recently bought the Anaconda ZTron for my system. It is a seriously good cable. Try one if you can.
 

edorr

WBF Founding Member
May 10, 2010
3,139
14
36
Smyrna, GA
Microstrip - I recently bought the Anaconda ZTron for my system. It is a seriously good cable. Try one if you can.

I will probably put three Zitron Anacondas up for sale (2 x IC + 1 x SC) tomorrow. I compared Zitron against my Transparent reference and prefered the latter in my system. The Zitrons are blazing fast and detailed cables, but too much so for my system. I'll listen a bit more this evening before making the final decision.
 

Elberoth

Member Sponsor
Dec 15, 2012
2,007
253
1,170
Poland
To my ears TA cables are a bit closed in on top, so if you like the sound of those cables in your system, you are unlikely to like Shunyata as much. In my system Shunyatas were a perfect match. YMMV.
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,806
4,698
2,790
Portugal
Microstrip - I recently bought the Anaconda ZTron for my system. It is a seriously good cable. Try one if you can.

My main concern is that I have five Anaconda Helix's and an old Hydra - if I change any of them, I will probably need to change all in a short time!
 

edorr

WBF Founding Member
May 10, 2010
3,139
14
36
Smyrna, GA
To my ears TA cables are a bit closed in on top, so if you like the sound of those cables in your system, you are unlikely to like Shunyata as much. In my system Shunyatas were a perfect match. YMMV.

I listened some more, and the Zitrons are indeed a bit more "open" at the top. However, still find the Transparents to be more musical (mostly more "body") sounding, so the Zitrons will go on audiogon....
 

Frank750

VIP/Donor
Jul 8, 2011
821
1
928
I listened some more, and the Zitrons are indeed a bit more "open" at the top. However, still find the Transparents to be more musical (mostly more "body") sounding, so the Zitrons will go on audiogon....

Your ad on Audiogon for the ICs says New Retail Price $1,700......Asking Price $2,250
 

mep

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
9,481
17
0
You have to admit those square wave adverts are great marketing.

Shunyata do a square wave test in real time on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXwRTzJZ7Y0

I thought it was crappy marketing because their square wave still looked like crap. I don't buy the "If you think our square wave sucks, just look at our competitors" marketing approach.
 
Last edited:

agisthos

Well-Known Member
Oct 14, 2012
116
37
935
I thought it was crappy marketing because their square wave still looked like crap. I don't buy the "If you think are square wave sucks, just look at our competitors" marketing approach.

You may not buy it, but how many other cables company adverts can you remember off the top of your head right now?

It was excellent marketing and to deny this is fairly ridiculous. This is not a statement about the honesty of their test approach and products, which may be suspect.
 

Andre Marc

Member Sponsor
Mar 14, 2012
3,970
7
0
San Diego
www.avrev.com
You have to admit those square wave adverts are great marketing.

Shunyata do a square wave test in real time on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXwRTzJZ7Y0

I'm not sure. Shunyata seems to shift their marketing strategy pretty regularly, almost as often as they churn their product line.

I think the Venom series is a tremendous value however.
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing