Speaker Cable...quick recommendations

[Uncle Paul]

Yeah, this discussion covers the same ground every time it comes up.

I used to work with microwave transmitters and that kind of RF signal travels through wave guide - at 2.6gHz.
People have spoken of skin effect here and related high losses due to that, but it just isn't relevant at audio frequencies.

Once you are using good clean copper at a significant diameter, upgrading beyond that is just diminishing returns, especially at mega dollar prices

Exactly. If esoteric makes you feel better about your gear, go for it, but outside of a placebo effect it won't improve sound quality.

[Mr. Widget]

Exactly. If esoteric makes you feel better about your gear, go for it, but outside of a placebo effect it won't improve sound quality.

Well... sorta, kinda.

Some of the exotic cables will actually change the sound of some speakers due to the cable's inherent capacitance or due to the networks that are sometimes incorporated. So the cable you try might make the sound better while another might go the other way. Trying to find the one cable that compliments a particular loudspeaker and amplifier combination seems pretty random to me.

I am definitely in the pure copper camp myself. I have no desire to attempt to equalize my speakers with a system of unknowns in such a random way. That said, I'll try the frozen hockey pucks. That sounds like a sound approach.


Widget

[jcrobso]

Yeah, this discussion covers the same ground every time it comes up.

I used to work with microwave transmitters and that kind of RF signal travels through wave guide - at 2.6gHz.
People have spoken of skin effect here and related high losses due to that, but it just isn't relevant at audio frequencies.

Once you are using good clean copper at a significant diameter, upgrading beyond that is just diminishing returns, especially at mega dollar prices!



Skatin' on thin ice, there Audiobeer!

I world to sell that person the Brooklyn Bridge, I'm sure he would buy it.

There is so much FUD about cables. Things that you need to to consider when working with RF DON'T APPLY AT AUDIO FREQUENCIES! But the makers of expensive cables try to make you believe that they do but using junk science!
My be we should make a sticky on this subject so we don't have to though this all the time. I know over at C-net cables come up from time to time also.

[Eaulive]

In my opinion the best money spent has to be in one of those amazing accessories: http://www.vhaudio.com/miscellaneous.html#rr-77














Ok, I'm outta here

[jcrobso]

1

In my opinion the best money spent has to be in one of those amazing accessories: http://www.vhaudio.com/miscellaneous.html#rr-77
WOW you you believe this?














Ok, I'm outta here

[Eaulive]

You gotta be f***ing kidding me....
http://www.acoustic-revive.com/engli...psa100_01.html

[Allanvh5150]

In my opinion the best money spent has to be in one of those amazing accessories: http://www.vhaudio.com/miscellaneous.html#rr-77
Ok, I'm outta here

I've gotta get me one of those CD de-maggers!

[Allanvh5150]

Here is another must have!

http://www.musicdirect.com/product/73367

[Mr. Widget]

Here is another must have!

http://www.musicdirect.com/product/73367

Let's burn-in those power cords! Put a load on your wires and heat 'em up... that sounds smart!

Widget

[duaneage]

http://www.vhaudio.com/acoustic-revive-rd-3.html

CD demagnetization. Nice. Brought to you by the same people who make this:

http://www.kjmagnetics.com/fuelmagnet.asp

Don't forget the blue markers for the edge treatment of CDs as well.

[duaneage]

You gotta be f***ing kidding me....
http://www.acoustic-revive.com/engli...psa100_01.html

ROTFLMAO

I wonder if Blue or Green fuzz works better and should the lights be on or off in the room?

[Allanvh5150]

Let's burn-in those power cords! Put a load on your wires and heat 'em up... that sounds smart!

Widget

No, its not quite that simple. It has to be for 72+ hours......

[Audiobeer]

I world to sell that person the Brooklyn Bridge, I'm sure he would buy it.

There is so much FUD about cables. Things that you need to to consider when working with RF DON'T APPLY AT AUDIO FREQUENCIES! But the makers of expensive cables try to make you believe that they do but using junk science!
My be we should make a sticky on this subject so we don't have to though this all the time. I know over at C-net cables come up from time to time also.

Anytime, anywhere there is an audio discussion you're going to get a debate on cables, interconnects, ect. I wish I had the money that some spend on these items. I bought an amp on Audiogon a few years back where the seller was just asking too much for an amp IMHO and I countered with what I felt was a great offer. He not only accepted but dropped the price another $200 if he could keep the power cord he had with the amp. If some people can hear it the differences I tip my hat to them. I simply cannot. I have actualy heard improvements in my speakers from going from High end cables to simple 16 guage zip wire to the L-300s I once owned. I cannot explain that. Grumpy the frozen Ding Dongs are in fact better than the frozen hockey pucks. I don't think everyone got it other than Heatheran you. But the ding dongs actualy have a soothing dampening effect on the sound as they melt. I am a believer!

[BMWCCA]

Grumpy the frozen Ding Dongs are in fact better than the frozen hockey pucks. I don't think everyone got it other than Heatheran you. But the ding dongs actualy have a soothing dampening effect on the sound as they melt. I am a believer!

I find the innate resiliency of the covering on the Hostess Snowballs works much better, especially once the DingDongs thaw.

Last ones I bought were 12¢ for a pack of two.

[Uncle Paul]

I have actualy heard improvements in my speakers from going from High end cables to simple 16 guage zip wire to the L-300s I once owned. I cannot explain that.

Widget may have given a bit of a clue to this above. Pretty much anything you pass an alternating current through will display a certain amount of resistance, capacitance, and inductance. A resistor, for example, is mostly resistive, but will have a small, and usually insignificant amount of capacitance and inductance. Likewise for capacitors and inductors.

Ideally, a conductor such as speaker wire will have no resistance, capacitance, or inductance (or any other unwanted electrical characteristic) as these change the circuit and can affect the sound. As a practical matter the best you can do is to get minimal amounts of these electrical characteristics. To achieve this you want a decent guage of wire (based on the run) that is well insolated. Some wires have a spacer between the two conductors to further improve insolation.

Beyond that, pretty much anything you do will change it's electrical behaviour (including coiling a too long cable) as a conductor. This is why I stick to to the basics and possibly why your 16 gauge zip cord works well for you. That's theory number 1.

Theory number 2 is that when your L300's were developed, 16 gauge zipcord was considered pretty spiffy and was possibly what the engineers used when they measured and tweaked the system.