Speaker wire construction and sound quality


I'm not new to mid to high end stereo listening but have concentrated, over the years, mostly on the obvious equipment choices such as amplifiers, CD players, loudspeakers, etc. Most recent decisions regarding these have been based on information and advice found through forums such as this and, for the most part, have worked out well.

In the old days (50+ years ago) when monaural was king and high volume strong bass reproduction was the goal of most young pursuers of high fidelity, speaker wire construction and quality were not common subjects of conversation. Everyday electrical extension cord in those days was the cable of choice. In the past twenty or thirty years my approach has not been that much different in that I have simply chosen specialized and relatively expensive heavy gauge wire and left it at that.

Things have changed. The choice of speaker conductor has become a big deal and I simply don't understand the technical arguments supporting one type or another of the available choices. For the most part I'm pretty happy with my system but am always looking for ways to reduce brilliance/shrillness which I am very sensitive to because of a hearing condition called hyperacusis.

I've tried some of the more obvious fixes such as tube based DAC's and they definitely have helped. FYI, my basic system consists of the following: Rogue Audio Sphinx integrated hybrid amp, Shanling solid state CD player, California Audio tube DAC and Martin Logan Odyssey speakers. This was not a ground up designed system, just what it has ended up being as a process of piecemeal evolution.

Getting back to speaker wire, is there really that much difference in sonic quality related to a choice of the many that are available? I've read many articles on the subject and the opinions vary greatly to the extent of being totally contradictory to one another. I don't have a super audiophile system, I know, but are there some basic considerations that one should take into account in making a choice, and is there any advantage to bi-wiring?

I'm not that good at describing sound character because I don't have a good handle on the terminology but I do know brilliance when I hear it. It was suggested by someone whose knowledge I respect, that speaker wire could have a positive effect in resolving the brilliance issue while maintaining detail. As an experiment, he loaned me a pair of cables that are highly reviewed and cost over $5000. I can't afford something like this but was curious to see if I could tell the difference; I couldn't. I even tried the same experiment with my pair of Jamo Concert 8 bookshelf speakers using the same music ( Jazz at the Pawnshop) thinking they might be more sensitive to subtle changes, and still could not discern a difference. I realize that this could be as a result of my own observation deficiencies but would very much like to hear what you all have to say about this issue.
128x128broadstone
If I smoke a bowl or a bong and play same track before and after, I can assure you that it's a great tweak and it works:-)
Remember the good old days lots of audiophiles did that simply because there was not as many choices as it is now.
Actually, Audiophiles had a third choice back then, called reefers. They were a main contributer for causing Audiophile Madness.
Almarg, your explanation of impedance related high frequency reproduction of electrostats is an eye opener for me. I had been aware that there is a corresponding impedance reduction as frequencies increase. The fact, then, that some relative exaggeration of higher frequencies would result makes logical sense but I had never put two and two together until your post.

I've assumed for some time that addition of tube based components could improve my situation but, primarily for reasons related to cost, decided to incorporate DAC's behind the CD player, DVD player and Sony multiple CD jukebox instead of biting the bullet and investing in an amp with a tube based output section. A tube DAC, BTW, significantly improved the jukebox to the extent that I can now actually use it without lowering the volume to near inaudible levels.

I also thought that my latest addition of the Rogue hybrid amp would solve my problem but, although it may be one of the best amplifiers that I've ever owned, it doesn't altogether resolve the issues that I have which are caused, at least partly, by my hearing problems. It looks like I'm adding tubes to the wrong end of the sound stream. I'm very glad to learn, though, that I don't have to sacrifice detail to deal with brilliance.

Grimace, I'm not offended in the least by your comments regarding one's ability to discern subtle differences such as those related to speaker wire characteristics; I think I am one of those who has real difficulty in that area. As you also stated, though, and even with my age related hearing deficiencies, I do enjoy my music as much as the next guy. Maybe this is even an advantage because it reduces the number of decisions that I'm faced with.

Thank you for the important input you all have shared with us. Although I thought i would never consider letting this Rogue Audio amplifier go, I'll be looking into the possibility of acquiring an amplifier with a tube output stage as my next quest. Perhaps I'll be able to borrow one to test from one of my friends before I make what would be a significant sized investment for me.
Basically what I'm reading is that folks are suggesting various ways of inserting tone controls into a system. Why not simply do it right and find a high-quality parametric EQ that will allow you to precisely tailor the sound for your hearing anomalies?

Messing around with amps, preamps, cables and such is, IMHO, a very hit or miss way of doing it. I would tackle the problem using a piece of gear expressly designed for the job at hand.

Barring that, finding speakers that attenuate the troublesome frequencies would seem to be your next best choice...

-RW-
Thanks, RW, that thought of an equalizer crossed my mind, especially in view of the fact that my amp has no tone control, but I was afraid that the reduction of those perceived offending frequencies might adversely affect overall sound quality....and maybe that's a good thing.

On the other hand, though, it makes a great deal of sense if, for no other reason than reasonable cost to, at least, determine where the offending frequencies occur. I have used a sound generator in an attempt to pinpoint those areas of discomfort but the problem seems to be more complicated than that related to single frequencies. I believe that the range I'm most sensitive to is closely on either side of 5000 Hz and any frequency above 8000Hz is inaudible to me.....I'm getting old.

I am generally very happy with my system which I believe compares favorably with systems having much higher price tags and I agree with and appreciate your other comments re equipment. However, there is a limit to how much more I can justify spending on this. I WILL purchase an equalizer based on your suggestion, something that I probably should have tried ages ago.