Yes, generalizing, shielding is more useful on front end components than power amps. The LAT info is a decent primer, but doesn't offer much in depth. That's ok.
There is widespread agreement that fluorocarbons' (Teflons)
very low dielectric involvement is superior for ALL cables, including AC power. Yet affordable, shielded, all-Teflon cable exists for DIY'ers or small producers. It is indeed possible to assemble yourself VERY high performance PCs for well under $75, or buy finished comparable ones from $75-$200. Above that price lies retail markup and marketing hype for questionable incremental improvement. (DISCLAIMER: I'm the mule who stocks Teflon cables to get DIY PCKits to you guys.)
Cabling is indeed system-specific, but predominantly because spectral effects result from top-octave rolling by use of different (and often cheaper) insulations...or magnetic (!) stuffers. Clever marketing of specific designs for component function type (except where total AWG gauge is correllated with current demand, or true need of shielding) is specious, at best, however. When one says that a PC sounds great on one component but not another it's more apt to be about shielding issues or a spectral effect that occurs on a particular component (audio signal carrying) vs one that doesn't (transport or tt motor), rather than that the cable is actually designed for a particular application. Why would one bother, except to purposely roll off top octave linearity, of which I abhor.
Room treatment and speaker selection are far better avenues to spectral harmony than a molassesy power cord, IMO.
Can a cable be TOO linear? Too "open", or too "black" sounding from having too wide a bandwidth or low noisefloor. Not in my book. I'm trying to debunk some myths here without personal marketing. Hope this helps a bit. Ern
There is widespread agreement that fluorocarbons' (Teflons)
very low dielectric involvement is superior for ALL cables, including AC power. Yet affordable, shielded, all-Teflon cable exists for DIY'ers or small producers. It is indeed possible to assemble yourself VERY high performance PCs for well under $75, or buy finished comparable ones from $75-$200. Above that price lies retail markup and marketing hype for questionable incremental improvement. (DISCLAIMER: I'm the mule who stocks Teflon cables to get DIY PCKits to you guys.)
Cabling is indeed system-specific, but predominantly because spectral effects result from top-octave rolling by use of different (and often cheaper) insulations...or magnetic (!) stuffers. Clever marketing of specific designs for component function type (except where total AWG gauge is correllated with current demand, or true need of shielding) is specious, at best, however. When one says that a PC sounds great on one component but not another it's more apt to be about shielding issues or a spectral effect that occurs on a particular component (audio signal carrying) vs one that doesn't (transport or tt motor), rather than that the cable is actually designed for a particular application. Why would one bother, except to purposely roll off top octave linearity, of which I abhor.
Room treatment and speaker selection are far better avenues to spectral harmony than a molassesy power cord, IMO.
Can a cable be TOO linear? Too "open", or too "black" sounding from having too wide a bandwidth or low noisefloor. Not in my book. I'm trying to debunk some myths here without personal marketing. Hope this helps a bit. Ern