Speaker cables: pricey VS cheap

[hgo58]

In a blind test, audiophiles couldn't tell the difference between audio signals sent through copper wire, a banana, or wet mud.



https://share.google/3JQA0hv5qudLD8Zfw

 

[dangermouse]

I tend to follow the advice of the legendary Peter Walker of Quad when it comes to speaker cables.

" There are only two requirements a speaker cable should satisfy. The first is that it should be long enough to reach between amplifier and speaker. Then having done that, the only other requirement is, ideally, the colour of the insulation should match that of the surface on which it is lays."

When asked to list some of the best speaker cables, Peter Walker replied:

"The best kind are those that conduct electricity."

 

[Aquaman]

.....The first is that it should be long enough to reach between amplifier and speaker. ....

Hilarious!

 

[hgo58]

The most important thing, as I see it, is to use cables of identical length for left and right speakers, even if it means coiling excess cable behind one speaker.

 

[Wiimer]

It was quite a while ago, but I remember when I connected a LAN cable to my speakers, the sound changed.

 

[hgo58]

It was quite a while ago, but I remember when I connected a LAN cable to my speakers, the sound changed.

Network jitter?

 

[HansD-NL]

It was quite a while ago, but I remember when I connected a LAN cable to my speakers, the sound changed.

Some sustained high power through that cable (thin conductors) and after a while there will be some smoke and smell after which the connection between the amp and speakers is Bluetooth automatically (wireless. It's a joke off course)

 

[Nikita]

OMG! not again! How many threads about cables and power supplies do we really need? What sacred knowledge not yet revealed?

 

[mrehorst]

All industrial copper is OCF (Oxygen free copper). It's quite unnecessary to mention 'OFC'. But it sounds so important ...

"OFC" is on the same sort of marketing BS as "aircraft grade" aluminum. Is it the aluminum they use for the wings, or the drinks cart?

 

[Indydan]

OMG! not again! How many threads about cables and power supplies do we really need? What sacred knowledge not yet revealed?

I kind of see your point.
But, this is a discussion forum. People come here to discuss things related to hifi gear.

 

[mrehorst]

The most important thing, as I see it, is to use cables of identical length for left and right speakers, even if it means coiling excess cable behind one speaker.

hmmmm. At what difference in length does this become important? Will coiling the excess cable increase its inductance?

 

[slartibartfast]

Will coiling the excess cable increase its inductance?

Seems not since an equal but opposite current flows in the positive and negative wires cancelling out the magnetic fields.

 

[hgo58]

hmmmm. At what difference in length does this become important? Will coiling the excess cable increase its inductance?

It's not so much about resistance for short cables but even a 1 m difference can introduce subtle phase shifts due to the speed of the electrical signal in the cable, especially for high frequencies.

For long cable runs (over 10 meters) resistance and capacitance become more significant. Mismatched lengths can then cause uneven frequency response.

 

[slartibartfast]

It's not so much about resistance for short cables but even a 1 m difference can introduce subtle phase shifts due to the speed of the electrical signal in the cable, especially for high frequencies.

For long cable runs (over 10 meters) resistance and capacitance become more significant. Mismatched lengths can then cause uneven frequency response.

I bet the resistance makes more difference than the time it takes the signal to reach the end of the cables at a high fraction of the speed of light.

 

[hgo58]

I bet the resistance makes more difference than the time it takes the signal to reach the end of the cables at a high fraction of the speed of light.

A 1 meter difference is about 5 ns difference. That is phase shift of about 70 degree at 20 kHz. This is negligible for most music but potentially audible in high-end systems or with transient-heavy material? At low frequencies it doesn't matter at all.

 

[mrehorst]

It's not so much about resistance for short cables but even a 1 m difference can introduce subtle phase shifts due to the speed of the electrical signal in the cable, especially for high frequencies.

For long cable runs (over 10 meters) resistance and capacitance become more significant. Mismatched lengths can then cause uneven frequency response.

Electricity travels at about 240000 km/sec in wire cable. So a 1m difference in length will lead to about a 4 ns delay. Do you think that's audible to any human under any circumstances? Subtle, indeed!

 

[slartibartfast]

A 1 meter difference is about 5 ns difference. That is phase shift of about 70 degree at 20 kHz. This is negligible for most music but potentially audible in high-end systems or with transient-heavy material? At low frequencies it doesn't matter at all.

20kHz has a period of 50us. 5ns is 1/10000th of a period so 0.036 degrees.

 

[hgo58]

Y

20kHz has a period of 50us. 5ns is 1/10000th of a period so 0.036 degrees.

Yes, you are right. I got the calculation wrong

So phase shift is not really an issue for speaker cables.

 

[MCG555]

Well, to be honest I have quite expensive Chord cables, and the vendor brought them along with my ProAc speakers. But again - psychoacoustics and expectation bias pays its tribute - I thought I hear a difference! Even when the seller changed the position where he plugged the cable into the speakers (cross wired)…
I am sure, in a blind test it would look embarrassingly different…

 

[dangermouse]

The most important thing, as I see it, is to use cables of identical length for left and right speakers, even if it means coiling excess cable behind one speaker.

Differing cable lengths might be a factor in very long runs, but in both my experience and imho it makes no difference whatsoever in a domestic environment.