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Speaker cables from same brand as interconnects?

Many of the fellow audiophiles say in one's system speakers cables should be from the same brand as the interconnects. In my opinion this is not often the case. It is true that many cable brands have their own "house sound", so certain sonic characterics apply for both the interconnects and speaker cables. But one has to realize that they should have other properties as well as they are meant to carry different kind of electrical signals (voltage based vs current based electrical signals). In my case I'm using Cardas Golden Reference speaker cables and pure silver interconnect cables (Wireworld Gold Eclipse) because I feel these are the strategic places these cables can offer the most sonic benefit. I think the same theory holds true for power cords and digital interconnects. What do you think?

Chris
dazzdax
dazzdax OP
599 posts
 
Jwp, you suggested not to mix silver and copper signal cables in the same system as a rule of thumb. According to this rule I'm doing wrong by mixing Cardas Golden Reference(copper) ls cable with Wireworld Gold Eclipse (pure silver) interconnects? Anyone else who is using silver and copper cables in one system?

Chris
sean
6,231 posts
 
Jwpstayman: "transfer speed" has to do with the impedance of the cable and the dielectrics used, not the actual material used for the conductors. Sean
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audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
Mix and match to your hearts content. The silver and copper thing is only an old wives' tale. Gold, silver, copper, palladium, upsadasium (trivia anyone?), carbon, etc. etc. it doesn't matter. There are no rules except what sounds good to you.

It's as simple as that.
jwpstayman
391 posts
 
Hey guys - ease UP a bit on the critique! I said BASIC RULE OF THUMB it's best not to mix silver and copper conductors in the same system. Of course there are exceptions - I use Siltech (silver and gold) along with Nirvana interconnects and PAD speaker cables,in my own system BUT - I have the luxury of being able to try virtually anything that I want to whenever I want to. How many audiophiles can do that? That's why this is a guideline (which is what a basic rule of thumb is) and not a rule.
Sean - transfer speed of an analog audio cable has to do with ALL of the factors in the cable- overall design, conductor materials( and size, shape, and number of conductors, etc), dielectic material and location of same relative to conductors. Transfer speed is the rate at which a signal in the audio frequency domain travels from one end to another end of a cable ( or some could argue, between two components). I was trying to keeping my comments more on the general vein for those people sincerely interested in getting good, useful, practical, EXPERIENCED advice on this subject.
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
There is no BASIC RULE OF THUMB. Perhaps you believe this but cable design, geometry, construction, and dielectric are just as important, maybe more, than copper or silver.

There are mushy sounding silver cables and bright sounding copper cables.

Your "rule" cannot be supported by anything but opinion.

It's that simple.
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