Hi there, just a quick question, would having a thick chunky cable, ie like an av cable make any difference to having a standard size cable in terms of sonic difference. I understand that it looks more clumsy and awkward, but if you could please provide me some feedback, this would assist me in my cable purchase
Speaker cable thickness, does this make a difference
- Thread starter pravstar
- Start date
michael hoy
Well-known member
Pravstar, when talking about the thickness of the cable, are you refering to the outside diameter of the insulation or the outside diameter of the conducting core?
Some cables have thin conducting cores and thick chunky insulation.
Anyway. Check this cable loss calculator out:
http://www.electrovoice.com/cableloss.php
Some cables have thin conducting cores and thick chunky insulation.
Anyway. Check this cable loss calculator out:
http://www.electrovoice.com/cableloss.php
TrevC
Well-known member
TrevC said:
Not quite. Once it's thick enough, any thicker makes ****** all difference. So no better.
TrevC
Well-known member
fr0g said:TrevC said:
Not quite. Once it's thick enough, any thicker makes ****** all difference. So no better.
Even if the cables are 5 miles long? :O)
Fit 6mm stranded (otherwise you can't bend it easily) and forget. As good as Nordost, Chord etc etc.
Ty, by thickness l meant it looks like an av cable, a bit chunky. I get the impression that this won't make it any worse which answers my question. Thanks to all who posted
Yes you are both correct: thicker the better and optimal thickness in relation to length.
But the smart arse way everyone seems to be on these forums is unhelpful to people asking simple questions
Yes your clever but it just confuses and scares away new people.
But the smart arse way everyone seems to be on these forums is unhelpful to people asking simple questions
Yes your clever but it just confuses and scares away new people.
SteveR750
Well-known member
TrevC
Well-known member
bigboss
Moderator
bigboss
Moderator
TrevC
Well-known member
Covenanter
Well-known member
If there is the same overall diameter of copper then the two types of cable will have the same resistance and therefore the same properties. Standed cable is more flexible and less likely to break. I guess there may be different inductance and capacitance properties but these will be very small and will not be significant at audio frequencies. It's only when you get to very high frequencies that you need to consider cable properties of this type.
I read somewhere that oxygen free copper is about 1% less resistive than "normal" copper but given how little resistance there is in cable anyway this also won't be significant.
For a scientific explanation this Wiki page is excellent. I know you can't trust everything on Wiki but this is sensible stuff.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speaker_wire
I know there will be some here who don't believe it because they can "hear a difference". Nevertheless the scientific and engineering community know it to be true.
Chris
I read somewhere that oxygen free copper is about 1% less resistive than "normal" copper but given how little resistance there is in cable anyway this also won't be significant.
For a scientific explanation this Wiki page is excellent. I know you can't trust everything on Wiki but this is sensible stuff.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speaker_wire
I know there will be some here who don't believe it because they can "hear a difference". Nevertheless the scientific and engineering community know it to be true.
Chris
TrevC
Well-known member
DocG
Well-known member
SteveR750
Well-known member
Solid is cheaper (at B&Q anyway). I like unbendable, plus it's easier to insert a solid core into a terminal than faffing about with all those hairs. Their twin and earth ring main is rated to 30 amps, somewhat below the alleged capability of hi fi amp transients. How convenient that into an 8 ohm load that is 240V...maybe they knew all along.
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