Throwing the cable cat amongst the pigeons!

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

'Confessions of a Satellite Installer'?

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Just out of curiosity Mike, have you ever tried different combinations of cables in sequence and subjected them to your analyses? I'm just wondering whether any mild form of thermoelectric effect is possible with different conductors. I know kit gets warm, and voice coils can be burned out (NOT in!) with too high volume levels. (Because I did it when I was a youngster...)

(I'm certainly not trying to prove any sort of point here - just curious and lacking the equipment to see for myself.)

 

[Mike Hunt]

Just out of curiosity Mike, have you ever tried different combinations of cables in sequence and subjected them to your analyses? I'm just wondering whether any mild form of thermoelectric effect is possible with different conductors. I know kit gets warm, and voice coils can be burned out (NOT in!) with too high volume levels. (Because I did it when I was a youngster...)

(I'm certainly not trying to prove any sort of point here - just curious and lacking the equipment to see for myself.)

I've tried lots of different cables. The only time I ever noticed an audible difference was when using really cheap (think 99p) or really badly made/designed cables.
I've been making my own cables for 20+ years, and used lots of different types of wire, but never noticed a difference worthy of note. I guess I must just be making them right... or I'm tone deaf. 😉

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Apologies, I might not have made myself particularly clear there - have you tried cables of different conductors wired together (one after the other, not mixed) in one cable - this will mostly be the case between amp and drive units because the internal wiring is usually not the same as the speaker cable.

It's probably academic, but my understanding of the thermoelectric effect is that some different conductors when connected and heated generate electricity - it's how the Curiosity Martian rover's RTG is powered. I was just wondering whether this might produce an effect detectable in your testing - did you call it sweep testing?

 

[Mike Hunt]

I didn't try that, no. What effect do you think it might have?

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

In all honesty, I have absolutely no idea - but in the most vaguely theoretical sense, a temperature gradient (which almost certainly exists between amp and source and could exist between amp and speaker) could produce DC electricity as an unwanted side effect - that's the thermoelectric effect - and if it did that would affect the net electrical signal carried. It's probably a dead end, but in the interests of science I wondered if it was worth a test? I got thinking about it when people stared talking about different cabling inside and outside loudspeakers.

(Not all combinations of conductors produce it though - if you were curious enough that'd need considering. Like I say, it's almost certainly a dead end.)

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

You misinterpreted a post of mine as an insult - it wasn't and I apologised for the confusion I caused. You might want to reconsider posting things like the above. I'll be reporting anything further along those lines.

 

[TrevC]

I happily admit having no idea about everything I have no idea about.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Me too - I wouldn't suggest it of others without knowing them though.

Let's chalk that one down to experience - hi Trev, hope all is well with you in these troubled times.

 

[TrevC]

Me too - I wouldn't suggest it of others without knowing them though.

Let's chalk that one down to experience - hi Trev, hope all is well with you in these troubled times.

All fine here thanks. Hope all is well with you too.

 

[nopiano]

Synergistic Research Orange Fuses

But they do have an 'extremely good price/performance ratio'.

I take that statement as meaning it’s an incredibly high price for performing as a safety device! What they probably meant it’s very good performance for the money?

I have never tried audio fuses, so I’m simply being mean!

 

[Gray]

I have never tried audio fuses

👍

 

[iMark]

Cables will always make a difference. Unless you listen wirelessly.

 

[davidf]

Cables will always make a difference. Unless you listen wirelessly.

Although, AudioQuest were doing demos a few years ago at the Bristol Show, showing the difference between wireless and cabled transmissions.

 

[Mike Hunt]

I have never tried audio fuses, so I’m simply being mean!

There's no such thing as audio fuses. It's more snake oil BS.

Cables will always make a difference. Unless you listen wirelessly.

A properly made cable shouldn't make any discernible difference.

 

[Deleted member 188516]

and following on from the basic 79 strand speaker cables i/we use and recommend. Here's a picture of second and last speaker cables i/we use and recommend. Basic 500 strand speaker cables chilling out at the store before heading off our clients homes -

View attachment 1136

may i ask whats the reason for sometimes recommending qed 79strand and other times 500 strand cable ?

 

[Al ears]

may i ask whats the reason for sometimes recommending qed 79strand and other times 500 strand cable ?

Price per metre presumably.

 

[Deleted member 188516]

Price per metre presumably.

i believe the 500 hundred strand would have a lower impedance compared to the 79 strand hence should work / sound differently as a result ?

looking at the pic of the 500 strand cable i'm guessing that it costs at the most £5 per m ?

(i would expect these cables to be included in the cost of a system purchase or given away free).

 

[TrevC]

The thicker the cable, the lower the resistance. The lower the resistance the better the sound.

 

[Deleted member 188516]

The thicker the cable, the lower the resistance. The lower the resistance the better the sound.

thats what i thought so i'm just wondering why / whats the reason for rick recommending the qed 79 strand ?

(the 500 strand product is not really that expensive for a once only purchase).

 

[Al ears]

i believe the 500 hundred strand would have a lower impedance compared to the 79 strand hence should work / sound differently as a result ?

looking at the pic of the 500 strand cable i'm guessing that it costs at the most £5 per m ?

(i would expect these cables to be included in the cost of a system purchase or given away free).

I have found, if you're buying most of your kit from one dealer then a bit of haggling can get you speaker cables or an interconnect thrown in...... pretty tricky to do online though...

 

[MUSICRAFT]

may i ask whats the reason for sometimes recommending 79 strand and other times 500 strand cable ?

If basic 500 strand speaker cables are not practical to use for eg. with spring clip terminals then use basic 79 strand speaker cables instead.

 

[Deleted member 188516]

If basic 500 strand speaker cables are not practical to use for eg. with spring clip terminals then use basic 79 strand speaker cables instead.

thanks for the reply - all now understood !

 

[Mike Hunt]

Would anybody know which are the best cables I could buy for this? 😗

M12 SWITCH GOLD - JCAT . next-gen computer audio

WORLD'S BEST NETWORK SWITCH FOR EXTREME AUDIOPHILES. FREE WORLDWIDE DELIVERY

jcat.eu

Would these enhance my spotify playlist?

Signature LAN Cable GOLD M12 X - JCAT . next-gen computer audio

Most likely the best sounding Ethernet cable available. World's best RJ45 connectors exclusive for JCAT. Now compatible with world's best network switch for hi-end audio - M12 SWITCH GOLD.

jcat.eu

 

[Fstein]

Right - serious question and intended just to see what people think and have experienced - if possible I'd prefer it if people didn't feel the need to put the boot into each others' opinions - I realise that this might be a forlorn hope 🙂 Italics for important emphasis to the statements.

I don't think there's any way of inserting a poll here, but just wonder whether people feel they best fit into these four cat-and-pigeonholes:

1) Cables make no difference whatsoever. As long as the material is a good conductor that's all there is to it - bell wire and freebies are all you need.

2) Cables can sometimes make a difference, sometimes subtle, sometimes less so - but you are highly sceptical of very big price tags.

3) There's always something to be gained from 'better cabling', though the law of diminishing returns applies.

4) Cables are more important than any other aspect of hifi - Russ Andrews/Kimber is a bargain.

FWIW, I am a 2. Not a number 2, mind...

2 but a difference is not necessarily an improvement