2. cables
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Where can I get educated about cables?

I'm still relatively new to this "hobby" compared to most of you it seems, and I'm trying to learn as much as I can. I've finally gotten to the point where I am considering purchasing cables, both for IC's and speakers, but I don't know where to begin.

Here's the deal- I read alot of reviews, talk to dealers, and read threads both here and on AA, and while everyone genuinely seems to want to help, I hear alot of talk about "impedance" and "capacitance", "six-nines', etc, when they talk about various cables. Now, I'm not an electrical engineer (I'm a commercial HVAC tech by trade), but I do know a little basic electronics, and am comfortable with a wiring diagram, so I am familiar with these terms.

Ultimately, I'd like to understand how to choose a cable, and why. I'd like to know how a cables characteristics will affect the sound with my equipment, and I'd like to know what cabling changes to make if I change a different part of my system somewhere down the road. Please don't misunderstand me- I do not believe I will find the perfect combination by simply using a magic formula of some sort. I'm just looking for information on the basics to get me headed in the right direction so I can make an informed decision, and hopefully save myself some grief (and cash) along the way.

Against my better judgement, but as an example, I'll tell you that I have a Sonic Frontiers Line1, a Bryston 4BST, and PSB Gold i's. I borrowed some different IC's from a local dealer, and heard the differences between them. BUT WHY? I wanna know why! Why did cable "XYZ" sound different than cable "ABC"? And what if I changed preamps? Then what? Or my amp? This could get really expensive trying cable after cable after cable, without knowing what to look for or having a frame of reference to start with.

Please, if anyone knows a source of info, a book, a site, or an actual person who can help me, let me know. It would be greatly appreciated.

Lastly, if you have experience with my particular COMPLETE setup, not just the individual pieces, your input would probably benefit me here as well.

Thanks for your time.


subcoolman
johnny7
16 posts
 
Some dealers will let you audition equipment if you give the dealer a deposit.
Listening with your own ears is the best education.
johnny7
subcoolman OP
17 posts
 
I appreciate all of the input everyone has given me, including the emails sent outside this forum- Thanks! I've been doing some checking, learning, reading, and finally, listening! I found a local dealer who will let me audition his broke-in display cables right off his floor systems, two sets at a time, and I've begun "the search". I've also checked many of the above mentioned sites and sources and all I can say is there is more info out there than I thought! I just didn't know where to look.

Thanks again everyone!

Jim
david_d
83 posts
 

You're Welcome Subcoolman.
Best of luck in finding apropriate cables for your system.
Cheers!
corona
132 posts
 
Subcoolman you asked:
The reason cable performance changes from one placement to another has a great deal to do with the primitive technol ogy the industry is married to. Every time a given cable is inserted in to an electrical device the cable reacts to the load the device is presenting, change the load and the cable sounds different. In other words, the designs are very unstable. The cause has very little to do with capacitance,impedance etc. these measurements were developed by AT&T back in the 30's for phone line service across the country, I do not think your audio cables are thousands of miles long. Electromagnetics and resonance are the real issues that are not being addressed. Cable conductors could have 60 nines purity,but without the proper field technology all thoes nines are irrelevant. Bad cable design is the major reason why audio systems still sound like audio systems. So if you feel like a novice take a ticket and get in line with everyone else.
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