Parallel speaker cable

[admin_exported]

As I eluded to in another post the other day, I'm wondering if there's any pro's or cons of running parallel speaker cable? I think my treble could do with a bit of brightening after bi-wiring with copper cable - I was thnking of running my old silver plated cheapy wire to each tweeter in addition to the copper one already there.

Of course, i will just try it later (assuming banana plugs will still fit in the terminals), but would be interested in any thoughts or experiences.

cheers

 

[Andrew Everard]

...or you could even try copper to the bass, and silverplated to the treble.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, indeed - I understand some feel there is an advantage to a very small gauge wire for the treble (well, I've read it argued about on other forums!). I guess it feels natural to have as much copper (silver) in between the amp and speakers as possible, but thats probably just my niaivity (I don't think I can even spell that correctly...).

So, is there any benefits to running more than one cable in parallel? I guess capacitance would be doubled and inductance halved? Would this help the damping factor? Or would the values of inductance be so small as to be negligible? Should I stop worrying? Why does silver sound brighter??! Aargh - someone get me out of this hifi hell! I can't stop wondering about all these things - I'm like a child: "Why...?" "Why...?" etc

 

[Anonymous]

Should you stop worrying......YES.

 

[Anonymous]

The medication's starting to work now....

 

[Thaiman]

[quote user="bloney"]Why does silver sound brighter??! [/quote]
Does it? Or you mean Silver Plated cables sound harsh? Does copper sound more natural and Is it true that until recently Naim always ues a cheap metal plated cables to tested their system? Does bi-wire made any different, if yes which one shall I go for?
Was Andrew joking about use silver and copper for biwire? hehe he..been there, done that! I am glad that my mind is totally cleared from the Myths of Hifi cables.

 

[Anonymous]

Yup, you got it Thaiman!

I was just swapping my copper cable to my tweeters for my cheap old silver stuff and though "darn it" (well, something like that) "you know what? I can't be bothered!" (again, actual language differed slightly at the time).

Just played some Richard Thompson and it sounded sublime. Now got Nirvana on and it sounds cr*p, so whats the point in bothering?!

 

[Thaiman]

So many people made you believed that cables to be treated just like any other component in the system chain? The Fact is if you can get the main 3 right, cables then can be used as a minor tweak in sound.

 

[Anton90125]

[quote user="Thaiman"]
So many people made you believed that cables to be treated just like any other component in the system chain? The Fact is if you can get the main 3 right, cables then can be used as a minor tweak in sound.
[/quote]

I thought I did until I tried some Townshend Isolda S/H from ebay. I have never heard such an improvement except when changing a major piece of equipment (like speakers/amp). His cable has been rated by nearly all the hifi press and I can see (hear) why. I tried it out on my friends system first (which is radically different to mine- single ended 300B mono blocks/ Lowthers) and his system was transformed. Looking at the Townshend site: http://www.townshendaudio.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=86 gives an explanation re:Impedance matching. I know this is very expensive cable but I stronly urge anyone to try it out. I don't know the effects on a low budget sysyem is but on medium/hi end systems the effect is profound with a STRONG mid band couple with exceptional clarity. Also silence is truely black. Enough now of the Isolda plug. I used to use VDH CS122 for my bi wire treble spur followed by AudioQuest Midnight "blue"? Currently I am using Linn but I am not totaly happy this cable. I (and my friend) are very tempted to do some DIY cabling :http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/ubyte2e.html This looks very interesting.

 

[Thaiman]

The so call Hi-end Cables I have used in the past are included Kondo, Nordost Valhala, Cardas Golden reference, VDH the 1st + many more than I can be bother to list.
Now a day, my set up cost rrp £9,000 and the cost of current set of cables come to only £190! I am not anti cables by any mean otherwise I would be using £6 a pair from Maplin (nothing wrong with them either).
As for the main cables I am not going to start the debates as it's your money and spend it however you would like. (I wish Andrew add some nice smiley icons on this forum so I can use it on the end of my post just incase Anton thought I am starting the war again!)

 

[Anton90125]

[quote user="Thaiman"] wish Andrew add some nice smiley icons on this forum so I can use it on the end of my post just incase Anton thought I am starting the war again![/quote]

No dont worry I am not assuming you are starting another war. You gave you opinion based on your experience and I gave mine based on mine. I have not used any of the cables you mentioned so I can not comment on how good they or are not.

I know that just because a cable is expensive does not necessarily mean that its going to be good. I said that the Isolda's performance was way beyond anything I have previoulsy encounted before and that if anyone who has the opportunity to try it should do so. I am not a rich man which is why most of my gear is SH and my only opportunity to try the highly rated Isolda was through Ebay. I already have Townshend Glastonbury's Mk1 which are a mid 80's (£2000 ish) speaker. (I think these are superb- better then the Sonus Faber Electa I had before) so I felt that if the Isolda followed the same design philosophies I was on to a good thing. The Isolda's exceeded all of expectations by a significat margin.

[quote user="Thaiman"]As for the main cables I am not going to start the debates as it's your money and spend it however you would like.[/quote]

I never talked about mains cable. I use a variac/autotransformer (electrical transformer with only one winding) set at unity.
This is scientificaly proven to clean up RF by the simple fact thats its a inductor. About 1/3 to 1/4 of hifi manufactures at the hifi show were using a variac. With so much hifi equipment being used at the hotal I suppose its not suprising!.
However with regards to mains cable -having never tried (comparatively tested) them I am in no position to comment either way.

 

[Thaiman]

The reason I listed the cables I have used in the past and what I am using now because I found out (later in my hobby's life) that the price have nothing to do with how good the cables are (like what you said!) some products is over hype and over priced, and some are cheap but will do the job well.
I always wonder how cables manufacture come up with so many models (have a look at VDH website!) I mean how many ways you can made a cables? surely not over 200 ways! and what is the different between "the name" and "the well"?? really....
I am now using a thick copper speakers cable as I like the sound of it (doesn't matter who made them....it could be Alba or Sanyo!)
The silver plated ones sound harsh and bright but the 100% silver is totally different as I think they do give a full body sound.
I will try Isolda if I come across a 2nd hands pair just for experience but my mind is made up about cables in general!
BTW you room must be massive to accomedate Townshend Glastonbury! I have heard them in Norwich sound exchange and I was very impressd with the sound but not the look!

 

[Anton90125]

My Glastonburys Mk1 are large but not as large as the later Mks!!!. I got my pair second hand. The guy who first owned them painted the white!! .Glastonburys have a metal outer jacket which was originally a matt black finish. I was impossible to get all the paint off so my friend cleaned it up as much as possible then stuck on two wooded sides. He then varnished/polished it up.
He put a dark leather like material on the front with holes for the drive units/bass port. Lastly fitting a piece of glass on the top.
The speaker looks quite different-posh. The speakers case is acoustically dead. Max Townshend designed the cabinet with the metal shell on the outside followed by a carpet like material soaked in plaster-very thick. If you tap the side it has a very dull sound- very dead. You can put the speakers near the wall without much chance of boom. Because of this I can get away with a smaller room. Its so heavy that two people are needed to safely (as in not doing your back in) move it. I love them!

I think cables are one of those things that are hard to quantify in any absolute sense. It always relative to something not least the equipment you use it with. An extream example Naim amp with high capacitance cables!!!. Yes most of the cable mystique is nonsense but some of it holds true. I intend to try some DIY cabling as I said in one of my previous replies.
This may yield some interesting results. The one thing that I have discovered in hifi is there is alway something round the corner which will suprise me! - Dame! - I am sounding old and pompus.

 

[Anonymous]

How about this website http://www.anticables.com/

it was recommended by another poster and it looks very interesting!

 

[Thaiman]

Yeb, the black metal case was not pretty (white even worst, sorry).....my wife would kill me if I bought them. but what you did sould like a nice project....dark leather like Sonus Faber....lovely.

[quote user="Anton90125"]I intend to try some DIY cabling as I said in one of my previous replies. [/quote]
When you made them, I could give them a try and give you, as always, my honest opinion.