Dielectrics and such...??

Hi Ben, here is my experience. I have Kimber 3033 and tried to protect them from dust by wrapping them up in a thin plastic sheet, those used to keep food in the fridge.

Result was a huge change in sound for the worst. Harsh, unmusical,..., forcing me to remove it. Once done, good sound returned.

I admit I covered the whole lenght of the cables with the plastic sheet. Maybe using a short lenght of tape might not have the same effect.

Good luck.

Chema

Jbuenech - that's good input and certainly makes me rethink my original strategy.

Al and Kijanki - You guys are both so knowledgeable and I always look forward to your intelligent responses.

The Kimber 4tc, as you likely know, is comprised of multiple twisted ("braided") wires including both the positive and negative runs. I want to use each "braided pair" (one complete run of the 4tc) per speaker terminal (2 runs - one to each of the top/bottom positives, and 2 runs - one to each of the top/bottom negatives). My thought was to run the four runs parallel and evenly spaced. Perhaps I should twist the runs.

Please help me determine the best approach to twisting:

1) twist the top negative and top positive separately and twist the bottom negative and bottom positive separately.

2) Do step (1) - above - and then twist those two "twisted pairs" together to form one large twisted run (with all four cables).

3) Twist the two positive runs together; twist the two negatives together; and then twist those two twisted pairs together...

4) Don't twist - run parallel/evenly spaced.

5) Other...

Thanks guys.

04-04-12: Jbuenech
I have Kimber 3033 and tried to protect them from dust by wrapping them up in a thin plastic sheet, those used to keep food in the fridge. Result was a huge change in sound for the worst.

I suppose the reason for that might have been static electricity on the plastic sheet, which is a possible issue that I hadn't thought of when I composed my previous responses. Not sure how or if it may be possible to quantify or predict that risk.

Ben, Digikey has a selection of tapes having anti-static properties, which it would probably be a good idea to look through. Under "tape type" select one of the three anti-static entries, and then click "apply filters."

Best regards,
-- Al

04-05-12: 2chnlben
I want to use each "braided pair" (one complete run of the 4tc) per speaker terminal (2 runs - one to each of the top/bottom positives, and 2 runs - one to each of the top/bottom negatives).

Hi Ben,

Thanks very much for the nice words.

What you are describing is not what I was interpreting your original post to mean. And I wouldn't recommend doing what you are now describing. If you use all of the conduction paths within a single cable to carry just one polarity of the signal (+ or -), you are essentially redesigning the cable to have very different characteristics than what it was designed to provide. Inductance will increase considerably. Also, the effect that Kijanki described about noise being picked up and entering the feedback loop of the amplifier, if it has one, becomes a significantly greater possibility. Capacitance will be reduced, but capacitance is relatively unimportant for a speaker cable as long as it is not extremely high. Twisting with another cable carrying the opposite polarity will reduce the magnitude of the increase in inductance, and the likelihood of noise-related issues, but just somewhat.

Best regards,
-- Al

Thanks Al.

How then would you suggest I utilize my Kimber wire. I have plenty of it to work with. The 4tc does not provide a lot of copper (gauge). I want to increase the amount of copper (gauge) and thus my desire to use four sets per speaker.

Would I need to take two runs of the 4tc and twist them together...then at the ends, separate and combine the negative wires and the positive wires from the two runs. Repeating this procedure for both the top and bottom sets of the speaker's binding posts...?