Anyone used these cables? Views?

[CJSF]

Andy, allow me to introduce you to my Audioquest Type 4, solid core speaker cable.

I tried a very thick two strand flat solid core cable from a utility pole, but the amp was oscilating so I still use my amazing audiophile Type 4.

The 4-Series of AudioQuest speakers cables may be the most successful in AudioQuest’s 30+ year history. Type 4′s roots go all the way back to the late 80′s. The fundamental geometry and conductor complement of Type 4 hasn’t changed since 1995 … because any change to the size or position of the 4-Series’ 2-sized Spread-Spectrum conductor arrangement would reduce performance.

SOLID LONG-GRAIN COPPER (LGC) CONDUCTORS: Type 4’s solid Long-Grain Copper allows a smoother and clearer sound than cables using typical OFHC (Oxygen-Free High-Conductivity) copper. OFHC is a general metal industry specification regarding “loss” without any concern for distortion. LGC has fewer oxides within the conducting material, less impurities, less grain boundaries, and definitively better performance. All four of Type 4’s conductors are solid. Electrical and magnetic interaction between strands in a conventional cable is the single greatest source of distortion, often causing a somewhat harsh, dirty and confused sound. Solid conductors are the most important ingredients enabling Type 4’s very clear sound. Whether a conductor is solid or stranded, skin-effect is a prime distortion mechanism in speaker cables. Type 4 very simply keeps this effect out of the audio range by using conductor sizes that are below the threshold for audible distortion.

CARBON-BASED NOISE-DISSIPATION and CROSS-TALK-DISSIPATION SYSTEMS (INSULATION): The two negative conductors in Type 4 are insulated with partially conductive Carbon-Loaded Polyethylene. This remarkable material damps radio-frequency garbage from being fed back into the amplifier. The sonic benefit is exactly the same reduction in “hash” and better dimensionality that comes whenever RF garbage is reduced in an audio circuit. Type 4 uses Nitrogen-Injected Foamed-Polyethylene Insulation on its positive conductors because air absorbs next to no energy, and Polyethylene is low-loss and has a benign distortion profile. Thanks to all the air in Foamed-PE, it causes much less of the out-of-focus effect common to other materials.

STAR-QUAD GEOMETRY: The relationship between conductors defines a cable’s most basic electrical values (capacitance and inductance). However, even when those variables are kept in a reasonable balance, the relationship between conductors can be varied in ways that greatly affect the sound. The Star-Quad construction of Type 4 allows for significantly better dynamic contrast and information intelligibility than if the same conductors were run in parallel.

SPREAD-SPECTRUM TECHNOLOGY (SST): Any single size or shape of conductor has a specific distortion profile. Even though radially symmetrical conductors (solid or tubular) have the fewest discontinuities, any conductor of a particular size does have a sonic signature. SST is a method for significantly reducing the awareness of these character flaws by using a precise combination of different size conductors. The different SST-determined conductor sizes used in Type 4 allow an exceptionally clear, clean and dynamic sound.

Hi Vladimir, I get your point re solid cable, I tried it using 30amp mains cable back in the 80's, I remember we got quite excited at the time . . . but never followed it up.

So, although I agree, what are your thoughts on the other places multistrand cable can be found in a hifi system, ie, interconect and tone arms to name two?

I might even have a go with some AQ Type 4, in view of my forgotten 80's experiance, if I can find a loan set or return if not happy option?

CJSF

 

[Freddy58]

If you want some 'instant' speaker cable, get yourself down to your local electrical shop and buy some 15amp twin and earth. Strip out the two insulated cores, lightly twist together and you are ready to go. Simple, and it works.

Interesting that, not the first time I've seen that suggested. Dave, what's the reason for stripping out the insulated cores? Is it purely because of the larger profile if left intact?

 

[Vladimir]

Hi Vladimir, I get your point re solid cable, I tried it using 30amp mains cable back in the 80's, I remember we got quite excited at the time . . . but never followed it up.

So, although I agree, what are your thoughts on the other places multistrand cable can be found in a hifi system, ie, interconect and tone arms to name two?

I might even have a go with some AQ Type 4, in view of my forgotten 80's experiance, if I can find a loan set or return if not happy option?

CJSF

In low power applications it might not make a difference. Everywhere except speaker cables solid core is trouble because of its stiffness. This makes it difficult to experiment with. However, that didn't stop some that used solid core silver wire of thinner gauge for tone arm wiring and interconnects.

You can buy the Type 4 from a spool and try it out for cheap unterminated.

 

[davedotco]

If you want some 'instant' speaker cable, get yourself down to your local electrical shop and buy some 15amp twin and earth. Strip out the two insulated cores, lightly twist together and you are ready to go. Simple, and it works.

Interesting that, not the first time I've seen that suggested. Dave, what's the reason for stripping out the insulated cores? Is it purely because of the larger profile if left intact?

That and the fact that it just looked neater.

Given that the OP is an employee of Tara Labs, I should point out that I 'assisted' company founder Mathew Bond in his shop in Bondi Junction in the mid-late 80s. His 'invention' of solid core technology came about by using stripped out twin and earth, as described above, the conductor was 1mm square as this was the 'standard' for 15 amp cable. 1mm square cable and muntiples thereof, became the standard for Tara cables for some time.

 

[CJSF]

Hi Vladimir, I get your point re solid cable, I tried it using 30amp mains cable back in the 80's, I remember we got quite excited at the time . . . but never followed it up.

So, although I agree, what are your thoughts on the other places multistrand cable can be found in a hifi system, ie, interconect and tone arms to name two?

I might even have a go with some AQ Type 4, in view of my forgotten 80's experiance, if I can find a loan set or return if not happy option?

CJSF

In low power applications it might not make a difference. Everywhere except speaker cables solid core is trouble because of its stiffness. This makes it difficult to experiment with. However, that didn't stop some that used solid core silver wire of thinner gauge for tone arm wiring and interconnects.

You can buy the Type 4 from a spool and try it out for cheap unterminated.

I did take my experiments with single solid core to interconects. The centeral conductor was silver coated steal about 10thou thick with a PTFE insulator. I still use it today, never found anthing that performs better, I always take it with me on auditions, makes a big differance. By the way its a pig to work with and very delicate . . . in all these years I have only destroyed one plug conection!

CJSF

 

[Vladimir]

Hi Vladimir, I get your point re solid cable, I tried it using 30amp mains cable back in the 80's, I remember we got quite excited at the time . . . but never followed it up.

So, although I agree, what are your thoughts on the other places multistrand cable can be found in a hifi system, ie, interconect and tone arms to name two?

I might even have a go with some AQ Type 4, in view of my forgotten 80's experiance, if I can find a loan set or return if not happy option?

CJSF

In low power applications it might not make a difference. Everywhere except speaker cables solid core is trouble because of its stiffness. This makes it difficult to experiment with. However, that didn't stop some that used solid core silver wire of thinner gauge for tone arm wiring and interconnects.

You can buy the Type 4 from a spool and try it out for cheap unterminated.

I did take my experiments with single solid core to interconects. The centeral conductor was silver coated steal about 10thou thick with a PTFE insulator. I still use it today, never found anthing that performs better, I always take it with me on auditions, makes a big differance. By the way its a pig to work with and very delicate . . . in all these years I have only destroyed one plug conection!

CJSF

I used high quality coaxial cable with solid core copper wire (1mm thick) center, teflon coating, tinned copper braided for the surround conductor, mylar wrapping, tinned copper shielding braid, plastic wrap and heavy duty plastic insulator. I found bits of it near my gate from installers that work for an internet provider and made interconnects from it. The thing was so stiff, practically unusable unless I stacked several components between the CDP and amp so it arches enough.