Speaker cable

[ToppingSMSL]

The guy that sells cables(probably expensive) for a living wants you to hear differences.

Absolutely. That's what it's all about. He'll even be kind enough to tell you what you're going to hear.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Absolutely. That's what it's all about. He'll even be kind enough to tell you what you're going to hear.

Please clarify whether you are referring to a forum member, or I will have to that assume you are.

 

[ToppingSMSL]

Please clarify whether you are referring to a forum member, or I will have to that assume you are.

Deary me. No I'm not. I'm not even aware of a forum member who sells cables for a living. ****************

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Deary me. No I'm not. I'm not even aware of a forum member who sells cables for a living. ****************

Let's not get personal, please. There are two hifi dealers who are regular members, and who have differing views on the subject - both of which have been aired in current threads so I was just making sure this wasn't aimed at one of them. The post that you are quoting does appear to be doing so.

Personal comments are not allowed as per forum rules, so I've deleted the one you've aimed at me. Forum rules will apply in full from now on, so please familiarise yourself with them.

 

[Al ears]

Let's not get personal, please. There are two hifi dealers who are regular members, and who have differing views on the subject - both of which have been aired in current threads so I was just making sure this wasn't aimed at one of them. The post that you are quoting does appear to be doing so.

Personal comments are not allowed as per forum rules, so I've deleted the one you've aimed at me. Forum rules will apply in full from now on, so please familiarise yourself with them.

It's about time a number of forumees did exactly that.....

 

[pd44]

Hello,
Recently acquired a pair B&W 705 Signature speakers (in fabulous datuk finish) and the Rotel RA-1592MKII integrated amplifier.
Now i am looking for speakercables ( bi-wire or full-range with jumper) that would bring the most out of them.
I am thinking about : Audioquest Rocket 88 or Telluriumq Silver iii or ??

Thanks for any advice you can give me


-

The function of speaker cable is to transfer electricity from amp to speaker. The electrons move at the speed of light, copper is a better & cheaper conductor than silver. Start by trying standard unearthed lamp cable 🙂

 

[Gray]

copper is a better & cheaper conductor than silver.

The other way round when it comes to the better conductor 👍

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

The function of speaker cable is to transfer electricity from amp to speaker. The electrons move at the speed of light, copper is a better & cheaper conductor than silver. Start by trying standard unearthed lamp cable 🙂

They move at a significant proportion of the speed of light but not at it, and you have it the wrong way around about conductivity.

 

[Jasonovich]

They move at a significant proportion of the speed of light but not at it, and you have it the wrong way around about conductivity.

Out of curiosity, do you get better conductivity with gold than you do with silver?
I appreciate they plate plugs with gold, not silver to protect copper cables from oxidation, I was thinking is because it also has the best conductivity?

 

[RJW232]

Out of curiosity, do you get better conductivity with gold than you do with silver?
I appreciate they plate plugs with gold, not silver to protect copper cables from oxidation, I was thinking is because it also has the best conductivity?

The better conductivity is because it is protected from oxidation. The resistance of gold is slightly higher than copper. But unnoticeable since it's just a very thin layer on the connectors.

 

[RTHerringbone]

My limited understanding is that conductivity is always best when your cables have been soaked in unicorn tears and then basted with rocking-horse poop.

 

[RTHerringbone]

My absolute favourite bit of techno-babble audiophile marketing relates to the cable that came with a pair of my headphones.

There may perhaps be some science to it, but it sounds like April Fool's Day, every day:

In order to ensure maximum signal purity and conductivity, FiiO bundles the FT7 with a premium-designed cable. It features liquid-nitrogen frozen 6N single-crystal copper wire cores. After liquid nitrogen cryogenic treatment, the cable is kept at an ultra-low temperature environment of -192°C for seven days. This method eliminates the internal stress of metal materials and improves the signal conductivity.

 

[RTHerringbone]

I assure you I can hear the impact of each one of those -192°C.

 

[DougK1]

Out of curiosity, do you get better conductivity with gold than you do with silver?
I appreciate they plate plugs with gold, not silver to protect copper cables from oxidation, I was thinking is because it also has the best conductivity?

Google is your friend 🙂 Apparently gold ranks third, behind silver and then copper. Gold is resistant to oxidation.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Out of curiosity, do you get better conductivity with gold than you do with silver?
I appreciate they plate plugs with gold, not silver to protect copper cables from oxidation, I was thinking is because it also has the best conductivity?

Funnily enough, I'd just read about conductivity in a short book chapter - silver is the best there is. We use copper so widely because it's vastly cheaper.

 

[Al ears]

The better conductivity is because it is protected from oxidation. The resistance of gold is slightly higher than copper. But unnoticeable since it's just a very thin layer on the connectors.

Yep. Silver is better conductor but it obviously tarnishes so not good

 

[woodbar]

I assure you I can hear the impact of each one of those -192°C.

Yes I am sure, but have you done a blind test with a normal unfrozen cable else it could be construed as wishful thinking on your part? 😀 😳

 

[Superhullie]

The choice of the best conductive material for cables, such as copper, silver and gold, is a subject of discussion and is influenced by various factors. Here are some considerations regarding these materials:

1. Copper: Copper is widely used as a conductor in audio cables because of its excellent electrical conductivity and affordability. It generally offers good performance and reliable signal transmission. Most cables on the market use copper conductors because of the optimal balance between cost and performance.

2. Silver: Silver has higher electrical conductivity than copper and can theoretically provide better signal transmission. It can pass higher frequencies better and have lower resistance than copper. Some audiophiles claim that silver conductors can provide a clearer and more detailed sound. However, it is important to note that the differences may be subtle and not always noticeable to all listeners.

3. Gold: Gold has excellent resistance to corrosion and oxidation, making it a good choice for contacts and connectors. It is often used in gold-plated connectors to ensure a reliable and durable connection. Although gold is a good conductor, it has a slightly higher resistance than copper and silver. In terms of pure conductivity, gold is usually not considered superior to copper or silver.

It is important to note that the choice of the guide material is not the only factor that determines the performance of a cable. Other factors, such as cable construction, shielding, connectors, and overall cable quality, can also have a significant impact on sound quality.

The final judgment on which conductive material is best may depend on personal preferences, the audio system in which the cable is used, and the specific application. It is recommended to listen to different cables with different conductors and judge for yourself which one sounds best in your specific setup.

 

[gasolin]

On my second pair of speaker cable, although it's super thin it sounds good

Canare 4S6G (ofc cable) can also recommend canare

For OP i would say get atleast 4S8G and best if you get 4S11G

How much does plugs matter ?

My banana plugs for my canare is super cheap, VCELINK Banana Plug Speaker 24K Gold-Plated 0.75 mm - 4 mm (4 Pairs / 8 Pieces) for 11.55 euros + shipping

I just don't feel anything negative about the plugs

 

[pd44]

They move at a significant proportion of the speed of light but not at it, and you have it the wrong way around about conductivity.

Oops - yes - you are right, I'm getting old & forgetfull ...

 

[woodbar]

Talking of headphone cables 😉 - I had a long session listening to various sources this afternoon and juggling my headphones and cables around.

My conclusion was the best sounding cable (for my ears) was the Fiio Balanced that came with my FT5 phones! I preferred this on all 3 cans compared to my Open Heart 16 core, Hifiman original and several others - seemed to have more definition and weight to the sound which surprised me somewhat?

The Open Heart 16 core were excellent but they seemed to exaggerate the top end which made the bass sound a little light?

Might just be wishful thinking so I will have another quick check tomorrow. Unfortunately I can't see that particular cable is available separately and in any case it has a very neat and well constructed multiple source interchangeable end plug which I don't really need - 4.4mm/XLR only for me and I already have two of the Fiio XLR adapters that accept a 4.4mm cable.

As far as I can tell the closest match is the FiiO LL-4.4A which is quite a reasonable price on Ali so I might be ordering two of those tomorrow unless anyone jumps in telling me they are rubbish!

 

[Entrigo]

My absolute favourite bit of techno-babble audiophile marketing relates to the cable that came with a pair of my headphones.

There may perhaps be some science to it, but it sounds like April Fool's Day, every day:

Hahahaha brilliant! That is hilariously silly!

(Referred to the marketing twaddle above, not to any forum members 🙃)

 

[abacus]

Talking of headphone cables 😉 - I had a long session listening to various sources this afternoon and juggling my headphones and cables around.

My conclusion was the best sounding cable (for my ears) was the Fiio Balanced that came with my FT5 phones! I preferred this on all 3 cans compared to my Open Heart 16 core, Hifiman original and several others - seemed to have more definition and weight to the sound which surprised me somewhat?

The Open Heart 16 core were excellent but they seemed to exaggerate the top end which made the bass sound a little light?

Might just be wishful thinking so I will have another quick check tomorrow. Unfortunately I can't see that particular cable is available separately and in any case it has a very neat and well constructed multiple source interchangeable end plug which I don't really need - 4.4mm/XLR only for me and I already have two of the Fiio XLR adapters that accept a 4.4mm cable.

As far as I can tell the closest match is the FiiO LL-4.4A which is quite reasonable priced on Ali so I might be ordering two of those tomorrow unless anyone jumps in telling me they are rubbish!

If you believe they make a difference then go right ahead and purchase, in the end your choice is the only one that matters. (As always it is best to do a double blind test before purchasing expensive cables to make sure there really is a difference)

Bill

 

[Dave_]

Cable threads should come with health warnings for the uninitiated!

"Contains utter bollox & opinion masquerading as fact"

 

[Jasonovich]

Talking of headphone cables 😉 - I had a long session listening to various sources this afternoon and juggling my headphones and cables around.

My conclusion was the best sounding cable (for my ears) was the Fiio Balanced that came with my FT5 phones! I preferred this on all 3 cans compared to my Open Heart 16 core, Hifiman original and several others - seemed to have more definition and weight to the sound which surprised me somewhat?

The Open Heart 16 core were excellent but they seemed to exaggerate the top end which made the bass sound a little light?

Might just be wishful thinking so I will have another quick check tomorrow. Unfortunately I can't see that particular cable is available separately and in any case it has a very neat and well constructed multiple source interchangeable end plug which I don't really need - 4.4mm/XLR only for me and I already have two of the Fiio XLR adapters that accept a 4.4mm cable.

As far as I can tell the closest match is the FiiO LL-4.4A which is quite a reasonable price on Ali so I might be ordering two of those tomorrow unless anyone jumps in telling me they are rubbish!

I think FiiO for their quality headphone cables are using Furukawa single crystal cables, which are excellent.