Doubling a Set of Speaker Cables

Vicweast, I have no experience with the Zero autoformers. As you no doubt realize, their main purpose is to increase the load impedance seen by an amp, in situations where the impedance of the speaker itself would be too low to be optimal with the amp that is being used.

They are intended to be placed close to the speakers, which will minimize the length and hence the effects of the cables connecting them to the speakers (see the photo of a typical installation on this page). And I would expect the effects of the cables connecting them to the amp to also be reduced, since the resistance and inductive reactance (the inductive form of impedance) of those cables will be a smaller fraction of the load impedance than if connected directly to the speakers.

Regards,
-- Al

I have had positive results doubling speaker cables - but have never compared to a single set of better cables...

I have ran a shotgun configuration for years.  I rather quite like it.  I have found it depends on the amp and speakers, but for the most part, a worthwhile endeavor.

So make yourselves happy, but it's quite possible that doubling speaker cables is also doubling cable capacitance, and I'm not sure about inductance.

Anyone who wants to measure this realatively cheaply may wish to acquire a Dayton DATS V2. Fairly accurate, especially for the price.

Not saying changing capacitance, inductance, etc. just wanted to add to the discussion about how this may be working.

Best,

Erik

... it’s quite possible that doubling speaker cables is also doubling cable capacitance, and I’m not sure about inductance.

Hi Erik,

My initial post above addressed that. Paralleling ("doubling") identical speaker cables will double capacitance, which under most but not all circumstances will not matter. It will also cut inductance (as well as resistance) in half. The reduction in inductance is most likely to make a difference if speaker impedance at high frequencies is low (the impedance presented by an inductor increases as frequency increases), and/or if cable length is long (cable inductance is proportional to length).  Electrostatic speakers, in particular, tend to have very low impedances at high frequencies. 

That difference, if it occurs, would be in the direction of greater accuracy of signal transfer, but of course whether or not the improvement in accuracy would be subjectively preferable in a given system to a given listener is another matter.

Regards,
-- Al