Hi All, very puzzled this evening. Not a cable denier or promoter. Just believe in good quality does the job. Interconnects, RCA, Coaxial and speaker all Van Damme. I started with 4mm Blue Studio speaker cable and thought it was very good. Then tried the 4mm Tour Grade Bi-Wire, again very good. Finally moved on to 6mm Hifi Cable in a Bi-Wire configuration. Love it been very happy.
Until tonight! Had a crazy hour and put the nickel plated copper connectors back on my Concept 500. Pulled out some old Chord Carnival Silver Screen cables. Single wired them and they sound magnificent. It is very very noticeable! I can’t work out whether it’s the fact that its only 15AWG cable, single wired or the fact it’s a shielded cable.
The high end is extended much higher and I hear so much more clarity and love the way my system sounds.
Does anyone have any insight on what this maybe?
Would it be possible that thicker or more copper in the chain could be rolling of certain frequencies.
You’re very likely dropping a larger voltage proportion over the thinner cable in the bass frequencies, resulting in leaner bass, which in turn artificially emphasizes the higher frequencies.
Sounds highly possible with the increase in resistance of the thinner cable. Also with the fact I’m running subs I’m not noticing the the drop off in lower frequencies either.
Is there a lesson to be learned, a generalization? Thinner cables do this, thicker cables do that? Copper this, silver that? I am looking for cables medium-term to connect a tube amp with high sensitivity speakers (Speakers still to decide on ;).
PS atm I have second hand Chord Signature cables and they sound great. I would just stick with them, nothing to be desired. But they are sooo stiff that I can barely fit them behind my cabinet. I rather like less invasive cables that can be hidden.
And you are saying there is no rule of thumb, like silver cables sound silvery, thick cables slow, and banana plugs sound bananas? Of course I know it is more complex, but I was wondering if there is any kind of approximation or rule of thumb? Maybe not
Bi- vs single wiring has an effect on the capacitance and inductance that the amp “sees” on its output. Depending on the design of the amp, yours may or may not be sensitive to that.
Hello
It would be great if it was as you write
And the rules are there, there are even several
The better the conductor the better the effect, small resistance small capacitance.
The thicker the cable the better (funnel principle) (skinning phenomenon).
The same cable length for the channels.
and so on…
in summary: a thick matched silver cable will play better (more transparent) than a thin copper one… otherwise it won’t, because it’s the laws of physics.
Further, not everyone likes transparent sound, some prefer bass coloration…
or other highlights…
Rule #2) everything will play as well as the weakest link in the system…
And the most important rule: Everyone has different preferences and a different ear, so the important thing is that you like it because you listen to it!
I own a pair of Harbeth compact 7. The cable used in them is standard off the shelf Van Damme OFC - I forget the guage.
Anyway, I’m sure Harbeth are not alone on this approach (and at least use an industry standard cable) so ultimately I conclude exotic speaker cables are an irrelevance unless your speaker manufacturer is using the same or better.
Hello
You’re right, it’s important that we also remember the rationality of our choices. It is important to be aware of the choice, not how much it costs. I would also draw attention to the fact that many manufacturers give not quite true information, for example, the purity of copper they estimate at 99.99999, and here the question arises, how do they know this if there is NO EQUIPMENT THAT MEASURES IT.
That’s not true in the way it was written. E.g., the cable construction has a lot of influence. Litz and woven cables tend to have very high capacitance.
Hello
in principle, licy (braided ) cables made of a large number of conductors matched to the frequency of current flowing in it was created to reduce the phenomenon of skinning. also in them is eliminated capacitance ( and here you are right by the design of the entire cable, but not the conductor from which it is made).
I was of the understaning that if you use both A + B terminals on your amp you effectively limit both outputs to 8ohms. My speakers are 6ohms dipping a bit lower. Maybe the single wire connection is powering them better than bi wire?
That was one of the main differences I’ve noted. The Chord had fewer conductors but much thicker and stiffer than the VD. The UPLOFC 6mm Hifi have very fine Litz constructed conductors.
There are very many factors to discuss here.
