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Would you change your amp selection knowing...?

OK - so this thread was promted by some comments on another thread - not wanting to hijack that thread I created this one...

ISSUE: some high current designed amps have an issue with speaker cables that have a high capacitance.
- the amp can be driven to self destruction because of internal oscilation caused by the high capacitance of the speaker cable
- this does NOT apply to Tube amps - i.e. to my knowledge

The amps I know of that are affected in this way are Ayre, Gryphon and NAIM
- only NAIM warns of this up front AND instruct their dealers to let customers know about it

So why don’t other brands warn about the possibility?

QUESTION:
- would it put you off?
- would you select a different amp if the manufacturer warned of this "issue" up front?

Cheers



williewonka
jhills
622 posts
 
In my last sentence, I meant to say - high speed data transfer.
Regards, Jim
cheeg's avatar
cheeg
247 posts
 
 Thanks for starting this thread-I had no idea that this was a potential issue with my system!   I completely agree with @elizabeth  that it is both the amp and cable manufactures’ responsibility to warn the public if there is a potential issue with their product.

 Unfortunately, much of the electrical discussion I find to be extremely dense.  It would be a great service to the audio community if someone would provide a layman’s rule of thumb for determining whether their system may be  subject to harmful isolation to to  a poor match between amp and cables. 
jhills
622 posts
 
@cheeg While I’m not an expert by any means, I have been an audio enthusiast for more than 35 years and have had the opportunity of owning or extensively auditioning some very nice equipment - speakers, amps, cables and accessories - some combinations working very well together and some not. Regarding cables, IMO that there is little to no reason to use high capacitance cables for any system, regardless of speakers and whether powering with a ss amp (particularly a high currant ss amp) or tubes. I have one set of low capacitance, highly conductive (individual strands of polyethylene insulated Oxy free pure copper)) cables, that I now use always, regardless of what I trade in and out of my system, knowing that they will allow me to hear subtle differences in everything else without adding a character or coloration of their own. I have no worries of them raising havoc with any of my high currant amps and they work equally well with tubes. My RCA interconnect cables are short run, low C pure silver and I have no desire to change them either.....just some thoughts...Jim
williewonka OP
3,131 posts
 
@jhills - WRT...

I tend to agree with anhwy61, shadome, almarg and others that feel there is no reason for high capacitance in a cable.
The only "reason" as such, pertains to adopting a particular cable geometry in order best to combat cable related noise issues.

The cable geometry used in one CARDAS cable having high capacitance is a very low noise design - effective at attaining the "black background "

The "side effect" of that particular geometry is high capacitance
- which is not an issue with tube amps
- and is only an issue with SOME high current solid state amp designs

Can you acjieve the same black bakground with a different geometry?
- I believe so - but they may be more complex to manufacture

There’s are many ways to "skin a cat" - in the end - it all boils down to cost.

Hope that helps - Steve
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