Why Do Cables Matter?


To me, all you need is low L, C, and R. I run Mogami W3104 bi-wire from my McIntosh MAC7200 to my Martin Logan Theos. We all know that a chain is only as strong as its' weakest link - so I am honestly confused by all this cable discussion. 

What kind of wiring goes from the transistor or tube to the amplifier speaker binding post inside the amplifier? It is usually plain old 16 ga or 14 ga copper. Then we are supposed to install 5 - 10' or so of wallet-emptying, pipe-sized pure CU or AG with "special configurations" to the speaker terminals?

What kind of wiring is inside the speaker from the terminals to the crossover, and from the crossover to the drivers? Usually plain old 16 ga or 14 ga copper.

So you have "weak links" inside the amplifier, and inside the speaker, so why bother with mega expensive cabling between the two? It doesn't make logical sense to me. It makes more sense to match the quality of your speaker wires with the existing wires in the signal path [inside the amplifier and inside the speaker].

 

 

kinarow1

@donavabdear you are welcome.

I’m no expert, but experiments showed me that even the quality of the pc connected to the linear DC power supply matter.

Why? I have no explanation other than cable material and structure shapes sound. Could be that cables are like bottles filled with water, they come in different shapes but the water in them is still water just delivered differently. 

I experimented with using combinations of different occ/silver/ofc wire types to supply my power conditioner. This works almost like an equalizer. I enhance the sound character by changing the wire combination.

Why do you use expensive power cords if you don’t believe in them?

The thing is, you are not curious and don’t want to try and experiment.

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@yoyoyaya Yes your correct on both points, I should have been clearer. Transfer facilities will not take time to resample your production sound if it is the wrong sample rate / bit rate or time code rate. Standard is 48k sample rate, 24 bit and 23.976 ND Time Code. When digital first came in I was the first to have an entirely digital system. It was hell, everyone was an expert and no one would listen, I nearly got fired from CSI: Miami on the first year by CBS. There were huge problems with time code flags and sample rates because some, not all recorders use the sample rate to generate time code and there was no standard with metadata. That was really a difficult time in movie sound. 

On the subject a great myth that practically no one understands is that a 48k sample rate and higher sample rates like 96hz or 192hz  converted back to analog have exactly the same wave form. I honestly knew this but didn't really understand that the wave forms are exactly the same the bit depth only helps the noise floor. 

Thanks for making that clear.

@donavabdear -

 Today vocalists routinely use Auto Tune or other programs to even make the singer bearable, 

        GEE!   In the STUDIO/during EDITING/on the RECORDING, changes can be made to the sounds/tracks being laid down?

                                            WHAT'S NEW?

         During PLAYBACK, in the listening room, from the source to the speakers/headphones, NO component manufactured is able to determine what information has been/may have been lost along the circuitry/signal path.

          To do so: the equipment would (of necessity) have to sample the original signal at the GENERATION POINT (stylus tip/tape head/LASER/digital track reader), compare the sound AT THE LISTENING POSITION, and process the signal to restore any information found absent, if possible.    NO current component does that. 

                                                  Give it a rest! 

@tjag Thanks for that, I don't believe in very expensive power cords like $2k and up, I have many thousands $ in power and interconnect cables over the years but it was never for sound quality but to save the power supplies and safety, I just know that if you get DC in your cables from bad power through unbalanced positive and negative waveforms the capacitors that cross your transformers will carry that DC voltage across the transformer into your equipment. But I haven't done any tests after I bought my power reconditioners they made all the AC power just fine. What kind of power condition do you use? I understand that it makes a difference but I don't understand how AC cables after reconditions should make any difference if RF is not a concern. Thanks