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Does raising speaker cables off the floor really make a big difference?

My cables are laying on the floor (in a mess), would raising them off the floor really make much of a difference? The problem is they are quite wide and too long  http://mgaudiodesign.com/planus3.htm so any suggested props are appreciated!  Cheers
spoutmouzert
michaelgreenaudio's avatar
michaelgreenaudio
1,019 posts
 

"Does this mostly apply to carpeted floors?"

No, every room and every floor has a different sound. When you set cables on that floor the floor becomes part of the dielectric. Some wood floors actually sound nice with the cable sitting on it, but I have found this to be rare. It has a lot to do with how the floor is constructed.

Keep this in mind though, according to the 4 fundamental force interactions your cables are affected sometimes up to 15meters away from the physical wire itself for some forces.

mg

audioman58's avatar
audioman58
4,228 posts
 
cables create a magnetic cables create a magnetic field carpeting and cables static electricity, off the floor there is no potential conduction or attraction ..
i have been using them for years
power cords also for they carry much more current youcan just cut blocks of wood and cut a notch into it.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
People! Let’s not forget the vibration transmitted by the floor to the cables. Has anyone tried springs under cables or power cords? Hmmmmmm

Lots of things in this hobby are invisible! - magnetic fields, electric fields, vibration, acoustic waves, electromagnetic waves, RFI/EMI.

Pop quiz: why does external vibration affect the audio signal in cables? Free prize to first correct answer.
sailboat
45 posts
 
sigh.  Folks that claim to be engineers.... but who don't actually measure with scientific instruments.... 

if there is REALLY a change (in some systems there is, in many there is not....lots of complex reasons for this.  I will not give you a scholarly education on this.  not my job).. if there really is a change.. then it CAN BE MEASURED.  If your ears can hear a change then that MUST MEAN the audio waveform coming out of the speakers has changed.  If the waveform changes, it can be measured.  High end spectrum analyzers can easily resolve audio signals.  And are far more sensitive than the human ear.  

So, when someone claims big things.. I say show me the measurement.  NOT a subjective impossible to quantify.. "my ears or my ear "training" or my sense of hearing are more evolved an better than yours" like most claim. 

Humans are notoriously susceptible to suggestion and creative bias in perceptions.  

IF YOU CAN HEAR IT, it can be MEASURED.  

Science.  Engineering.  Not subjective opinions.

Now if you do measure, you will find that for some combinations of cables and equipment.... raising them does help a wee bit.  But this is not the case for almost all set ups.  There are so many large effects that would need to be fixed first that to get down to the need to raise cables would be fairly low on the list.  The effect is very tiny.  
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
sailboat
So, when someone claims big things.. I say show me the measurement. 

>>>>>I’ll show you mine if you show me yours. 
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