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10 Audio Cable Myths and Facts


In a sea of audio cable industry snake oil, we’re sure you’re wondering, What really matters when buying cables?Save your money by avoiding overpriced cables with outlandish claims. Below are some common myths to look out for and some important things to consider when buying audio cables.
 
CABLE MYTHS1. Conductor skin effect

In some applications like power transmission lines, an electric signal tends to travel through the surface of a conductor and avoids traveling through the center of the conductor. Many cable companies claim that their design limits the skin effect and measurably improves your sound.

The TruthWhile skin effect is a very real issue for large scale power transmission, audio signals are in such a low-frequency range that the skin effect is negligible at best. The skin effect is only an issue in high-frequency applications. 20kHz is the highest frequency that humans can hear. If we calculate the skin effect on a 12 AWG speaker cable like Gene from Audioholics does in this article, we find that the skin effect results in a loss of only -.014dB. Your speakers, room acoustics, and the human ear have a much larger effect on your sound than the skin effect.
2. Cable break-in

Don’t be fooled - any company that claims this thinks they can trick you into hearing better sound after a month or two. “Break-in” is a commonly used term throughout the industry. It is the idea that the dielectric of a cable changes and aligns itself to the electromagnetic field of the signal traveling through the conductors.

The Truth

There is no scientific evidence to support the idea of cable break-in, but there are still those who claim it improves sonic qualities. We’re not against optimism. We’re just not full of crap. Don’t drink the audio industry kool-aid and save your money for legitimate cables.
 

3. Cryogenic treatment

Cryogenic treatment is the process of freezing cables to -320 degrees Fahrenheit before use. The claim is that freezing the conductors of the cable at ultra low temperatures aligns the crystalline grain structure of them resulting in desirable improvements.

The Truth

Again there is no scientific data to support this notion. Cryogenic treatment can improve the durability of certain metals, usually steel, by stabilizing impurities. For example, the process is used to create strong tools or car parts.  

But, steel is a terrible metal to use for audio cables. It is one of the least conductive metals out there! Copper and silver are the best conductors of electricity and the preferred metals for audio cables.


4. Cable signal direction

You might hear this phrase tossed around quite a bit. It’s the notion that a cable has an established signal direction, the direction in which it was initially used, and that this signal direction should not be reversed.

The Truth

The reality is, assuming the connector ends and terminals are the same, the cable will work in both directions and the performance will be equivalent.

5. Cable elevators, risers, or lifts

 

The claim is that the cables’ magnetic field can interfere with the surface it is laying on. Essentially, the magnetic field can “reflect” from the surface back into the cable and cause distortions.

 

The Truth

There is no evidence to support these claims, and these unnecessary devices are merely for looks. They are in no way proven to improve cable performance.  

    CABLE FACTS1. Shielding is Important

    In the modern age, wireless signals are all around us all the time. The rapid growth and spread of technology means that these wireless signals will become more widespread and more likely to cause unwanted interference. Cellphones, wifi, and Bluetooth signals can enter your cables, but shielding can block these signals and preserve your sound quality.

    2. Length is a Factor

    No matter how well a cable is designed, cable length will always impact performance. As the length of a cable goes up, so does the risk of unwanted interference and signal loss. We always recommend keeping your cables as short as possible, but we understand that is not always possible. A well constructed and shielded cable will help combat this issue.

      3. Conductor material plays a role

      The best conductors to use for audio cables are pure silver or pure copper. Both are valued for their high conductivity, but copper is more widely used due to the high price of silver. Additionally, some variations are constructed with silver-plated copper. However, because the metals have different conductivities, the sound is more likely to travel through only the silver plating and not the copper.

      The purity of the conductor will affect performance more than anything. Look for Oxygen-Free High Conductivity (OFHC) conductors. This means that a significant percentage of oxygen and other impurities have been removed from the conductor resulting in high purity.  

      4. Wire gauge should not be overlooked

      The amount of wattage your system is using will determine the total gauge size needed for safe and optimal performance. The standard is 14 gauge wire minimum for the transmission of 250 watts of power. Many electronic devices use much less than this, but some speakers and listening setups may be using more. If your system uses more than 250 Watts, we recommend a higher total gauge cable.

      5. Quality connectors matter

      Truly, the best connectors are no connectors at all. But, if you can’t hardwire your system, gold plated connectors are the industry standard. Gold plating exhibits great corrosion resistance when exposed to oxygen and has good conductive properties. Connectors range from basic to extremely high end and flashy.

      The bottom line is:
      Choose connectors based on your personal needs and the type of connection being made. Overall, always choose quality connectors.  

      We hope these myths and facts will help you choose quality, reasonably priced cables to complete your listening room, studio, or whatever your setup may be.

      Share your setup with us in the comments below!
      128x128shieldedaudio
      puffball08's avatar
      puffball08
      311 posts
       
      Ding-ding-ding-ding.....@dragon1952 nailed it. Succinct and to the point.
      "But the bottom line is that no matter how much science and measurements you spew forth there is still too much that we haven’t learned yet, especially when it comes to what the human brain can and does perceive."

      Duke Ellington once said, "If it sounds good, it IS good."

      Beauty is in the ears of the beholder.

      The discussion goes on and on. toward infinity, ad nauseam (Where’s my spectrum analyzer.....)

      Time to change the record.

      d.





      bob540
      407 posts
       
      My thinking regarding cables (power or otherwise) is this:  If the manufacturer of quality audio equipment includes a certain cable or recommends a cable as an additional purchase, I would think that such cable works well with their device.  I don’t know why the manufacturer would market, say, an amplifier and then handicap its performance by including or recommending a deficient cable.  The company is in competition with other companies to deliver the best sound, so they should be motivated to have their sound be the best.  I figure they most thing their cable does that.

      The other consideration, for me, is money. I have a finite amount of it and I have other needs and wants that compete with how much I can spend on audio.  So, while the $10,000 cable might well deliver better sound than a $100 cable, the cheaper cable fits better into my budget and mates with the lesser amounts I spend on equipment it is connected to.  That $10,000 cable probably doesn’t make as much difference when connected to a $1,000 amp instead of a $20,000 amp.  

      As I’ve noted before, I’m a “most bang for the buck” guy.  I might well get more enjoy from driving a new Porsche 911 instead of my 7 year old Honda, but driving the Honda allows me money to spend on other things I value even more.  Those who wealth allows them to purchase tens of thousands of dollars in audio equipment AND the Porsche AND the McMansion AND the vacations to Europe or island paradises, etc. . . . their decisions are different, because they can.  More power to them.
      geoffkait's avatar
      geoffkait
      23,365 posts
       

      bob540
      My thinking regarding cables (power or otherwise) is this: If the manufacturer of quality audio equipment includes a certain cable or recommends a cable as an additional purchase, I would think that such cable works well with their device. I don’t know why the manufacturer would market, say, an amplifier and then handicap its performance by including or recommending a deficient cable. The company is in competition with other companies to deliver the best sound, so they should be motivated to have their sound be the best. I figure they most thing their cable does that.

      >>>>It’s been my observation 👀 that amplifier manufacturers by and large are not aware of the cable controversy and if they are don’t really care much about it. In their minds it’s all about the circuit design. It’s the same idea for fuses and wire directionality. Audiophiles are way ahead of amplifier manufacturers in this regard. 
      mitch2
      3,967 posts
       
      @geoffkait 
      It’s been my observation 👀 that amplifier manufacturers by and large are not aware of the cable controversy and if they are don’t really care much about it. In their minds it’s all about the circuit design. It’s the same idea for fuses and wire directionality. Audiophiles are way ahead of amplifier manufacturers in this regard.
      I have observed the same thing with one exception being Steve McCormack at SMc Audio.  Steve and Patrick built my new amplifiers and by working with them throughout the process (and previously with a preamp they built for me) I can honestly say they leave no stone (or capacitor) unturned.  Things like connectors, wire, caps, resistors, fuses, power cords, transformers, damping, supports, and on and on, in addition to significant circuit and grounding improvements, they pretty much look at everything to build the best amplifiers they can.  As a pioneer in audio equipment improvements (i.e., tiptoes and equipment modifications by the ModSquad), my experience with Steve is that he looks not only at the components but also ancillaries as shown by his products such as the flex-connect,  Nexus AC Power Conditioner, Cable Kiln burn-in service, and Gravity Base System that is included in my amplifiers.
      https://www.stereophile.com/interviews/522/index.html
      oldhvymec
      5,101 posts
       
      OP post

      1. The skin effect is only an issue in high-frequency applications. 20kHz is the highest frequency that humans can hear. If we calculate the skin effect on a 12 AWG speaker cable like Gene from Audioholics does in this article, we find that the skin effect results in a loss of only -.014dB. Your speakers, room acoustics, and the human ear have a much larger effect on your sound than the skin effect.
      2. Cable break-in

      Don’t be fooled - any company that claims this thinks they can trick you into hearing better sound after a month or two. “Break-in” is a commonly used term throughout the industry. It is the idea that the dielectric of a cable changes and aligns itself to the electromagnetic field of the signal traveling through the conductors.


      The Truth is, maybe not the truth.

      As I got older I learned not to make statements without really listening.. Honestly, the crew your working with, can hear REALLY well? Do you have a reference point on "whos got the chops" "THE EARS" in the bunch.. Get hearing test done see who can actually hear well. START there.. No late night BASS parties, night before testing. 200.00 usd  get a hear test done..or Group discounts?

      THEN the truth is,

      If you can't hear the difference in cabling you best stick to making BASS box cable, you admit bigger is better, so you're halfway there already.

      Now just make it pretty...

      I want to touch  "CAN ONLY hear to 20kh".  This is not an accurate statement. Some people have hypersensitive hearing, 24kh. I met one at Stanford. I have it also (20 + then), a blessing and a curse. Lives with noise suppression devices in his ears.. I was being fitted for the same..Quite a few Audiofilers have trained themselves and have GOOD ears...They also protect them.. THE EARS...


      The same goes for those who can't hear well, I worked with a lot of mechanics that did not take care of their hearing (BASS HEADS). They were dashboard drummers, only because they couldn't hear it, they could only feel it.

      Breaking in, Cryo, and direction are hype... WOW, if you can't hear a difference in direction reversal after a breakin, stick to the bass cables, really. Cryo, I didn't believe, UNTIL, I ABCDed and found a difference. A good difference. Even handling a cable rough after treatment makes a difference..Not allowing static discharge on cable ends..Sealing ends when not in use...

      Secondly there are networks in cables and have been for a while. Reversal will put the inductor and HF networks at the wrong ends of the cable..What happens then? Could mess up the network? maybe.

      Why do my ears BLEED, when an interconnect (RCA) is backwards, or muddy just out of the box if there is no direction on it, (not cooked). 2-20 hours later the muddy or muffled sound clears up..usually, Alu/copper clad usually won't. Some will but never sound full, complete..FAT...

      I touched on just a couple of your statements.. I would urge you to do a LOT more research on you own, and LISTEN. 


      dragon1952      179 posts      04-02-2020 12:47pm      shieldedaudio
      Science can’t even explain how a freakin’ bicycle works yet. Since you’re so smart maybe you can.
      " How Bicycles Work

      I love the post.. The answer is simple. Has nothing to do with the bicycle.
      It is the person that's on it. Bicycles don't stand on their own, and most people don't need a kickstands.. There are those that have lost the use of a body appendage, but are very stable.. Unicycle?? Tightrope walkers. heck a dog a bear and a chipmunk can ride a bike...LOL crack me up..


      Respectfully and with regard to your forum.

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