The Science of Cables

Most people try to gain greater transparency by upping the intensity of the light ( in cable speak upping high frequencies which has been the standard method used for decades now to try to achieve some modicum of transparency ) we just clean the window ( or in cable speak drop the noise floor )

I suppose "cleaning the window" is better than trying to "upping the intensity of the light".  Galen Gareis  (Iconoclast designer) says extensively about "TIME" coherent in his cable design.  Some of the reviews seem to say that his cables are very "transparent", so I guess "TIME" coherent is one of the main ingredients for being "transparent".

Anyway, as for measurement vs. listening, Galen Gareis says that he notices differences in sound between different type of copper although he readily admits that he doesn't know how to measure them.  He also said that two cables with the same "RLC" measurements could have completely different sound.  

 

He also said that two cables with the same "RLC" measurements could have completely different sound.  

Sounds like that right there is a severely serious Class One case of bigly blasphemy. Methinks he will soon be answering to a cracked, errrr, crack team of inquisitors from the dreaded Cable Inquisition.

It is with mixed emotions I interject into a nice scientific cable discussion the observation that -all things being equal - a white jacketed cable or power cord whatever will sound better than one with another color jacket. As the little mice in the movie say, that’s the way things are! OK, bickering may continue.

He also said that two cables with the same "RLC" measurements could have completely different sound.

DOH! That is no surprise.

There innumerable ways to lumped L, C & R parameters. The signal responds to an infinite series of µL µC & µR. GEOMETRY is every bit as important.

Mr Kait, don't forget to mention ink color and font.

the word ’lumped’ is the dead giveaway.....

as an aside just for the sheer annoyance factor of the easily excited on the buzzword front... molecular/atomic level fluids like the room temperature fluid metal alloys in Teo cables, are technically and in definition...to fall under quantum rules...and charged ionic systems like that of plasma (tubes) are considered to be classical.

This means.. the true fluid metal alloy in the Teo cables, while under signal loading... is constantly switching or sliding between being quantum and classical, with a indeterminate Schrodinger-like complexity, due to the high mass and atom to atom (electron orbital to electron orbital) ..where the loading is a radically discontinuous variable due to the high mass. The math is insane and very incomplete at this time in physics.

Ouch.

The tube kinda does the same but is mostly a stressed/loaded system while in-situ, so just about 100% classical, as it is, in operation, never really going to zero. One would think that the liquid metal cable is thus the same but the high mass vs that of the tube’s low mass constitution, makes the quantum connection in the metal fluid - considerably more real.

Importantly, none of this takes place with wire as the wire is in a frozen lattice form. In truth..some of it is still there but of such a minor dangling part, that it is not really ever included in any of the calculations - no point. Under certain stress and loading conditions it can be made to come to the fore, though.

It might be considered that the frozen lattice form of the structure of the ’wire’, gives rise to complex impedance, as we know it, as a set of lumped parameters. LCR is a lumped parameter, and that L, C, and R are each lumped parameters all on their own - when in full analysis.

Those lumped parameters, the LCR and the individual lumped L, C, and R, are for engineering or building. One has to go back to the theory as it is all theory when seeking solutions to complex layered problems. That is....if we can recognize the problem in the first place.

If one wishes to analyze problems in interpretation and projection into solution seeking or problems in observation vs measurement, then one should consider going down to those basics and analyze at the fundamental physics level. Otherwise one might find themselves going in circles, or arguing without understanding the actual questions at hand...