Soundlab M1 and Alpha-Core cables

Duke: I'm surprised at your recommendation of AP speaker cables. We typically share similar results / observations ( as we both like Magnan's products ), but we are 180* out of step on this one. On top of that, low skin effect on any stranded cable, especially one that uses bare conductors in a braid woven design, is a contradiction in itself. You literally have one bare wire crossing over another bare wire, resulting in what is referred to as "strand jumping". To my ears and those of my brother and ( now Ex ) girlfriend on several different systems, the AP 9's were horrible sounding.

Other than that, the Alpha-Core's "might" work well with the Soundlab's. Most of this would be dependent on what the output impedance of the amplifier being used was. With a low impedance SS amp, no problem. With a high impedance tubed amp, i would look for something else.

The reason for this has to do with power transfer characteristics and the nominal impedances involved. For best results, the nominal impedance of the speaker cables being used should be somewhere between the output impedance of the amplifier and the load impedance of the speakers. That is, IF the amp is stable and capable of driving the speakers without a problem. Otherwise, using speaker cables of a higher nominal impedance and / or a more restricted bandwidth may work better. Sean
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I see this talk about skin effect and wonder what you are talking about? In my electrical engineering schooling, we were taught that "skin effect" only occurs at much higher frequencies than what is present in an audio signal - we're talking MHz and GHz, not KHz. Do y'all have some new physics that you use to explain this?

-RW-

I hope this isn't taking this thread to far off course; upon reading Duke's post I went to the Magnan site and noticed that Magnan and Alpha-core while similar have a d different thoughts re; orientation. Magnan suggests that the positive and negative legs should be kept side by side and Alpha-core suggests top over bottom. Wireworld is marketing similar video cables and suggests top over bottom. When I spoke to Alpha-core re: using seperate legs for postive and negative (in order to facilitate simpler termination amongst other reasons) they said that I would be reducing their cable to "expensive jumpers". IMHO, the Magnan terminations seem a bit inelegant and might make cable dressign quite a nuisance. Analysis Plus concept of hollow cables would to my ignorant mind seem like a good thing. I can't help but wonder if an oval configuation of the Cogan Hall cables wouldn't be a bad idea. Any thoughts of about using twin thin hollow oval silver tubes individually wrapped in teflon and twisted that could be integrally termintated as speaker cables?

Sean -

I'm a little curious about the comments you made on output impedance of the amp and impedance ratings of the speaker cables and speaker. I use AC MI-2 and from what I can tell from specs published on the website they are 2.5 ohms impedance. My speakers are Spendor 1/2e rated at 8ohms nominal impedance (they dip but stay pretty flat overall). I have not perceived any issues with my amp, which is custom built and while I know the input impedance, sensitivity and gain, I don't know the output impedance. Ideally if I have the AC MI-2 specs correct what should be a good output impedance range for my amp?