2. tech-talk
  3. 1272063768

Do better ingredients make a better Ground Wire?

We have all heard the slogan "Better ingredients better Pizza". If this is true with Pizza, how about applying this Principal to a DIY Ground wire I pondered. So I set off on a journey to find out if using better ingredients (wire) would make a better ground cable. My finding of course only apply to my system in my listening room using my ears (my wife and my Beagle dog don't count). But they heard the difference as well. To say this was a short trip is an understatement. To say that the two versions I made more than held there own is an even BIGGER understatement. One version uses solid core Silver wire. The other version uses a silver & Palladium mix. I made 4 of each kind, both versions terminated using a pure 8 awg copper spade. Do better ingredients make a better Ground wire. In my system, a very understated YES!!!
jejaudio
ozzy's avatar
ozzy
7,447 posts
 
Jejaudio, I also have made some others with 21 ga pure silver. This time I used 2 sets of 24" long cable each folded 3 times each. This should be the equivalent of 15 gauge for each set 6" long. Then I made a 3' loop out of that and put the 4 wires into a banana plug. This should be more similiar to what you are using.
jejaudio OP
110 posts
 
Hi, Elescher. Reading your post made me think maybe we all are putting to much into the first part of the name (Ground Control), and not realizing that the function is not to Ground but to Control. I think the secret in the Audio Prism Ground Control is that it controls the preexisting ground you already have in your system. Not creating a new one. Kind of like a reinforcement to your ground, with a fake detour that enough of the audio gremlins take and intern make the music that much cleaner. That my attempt at explaining it, fire away.
jejaudio OP
110 posts
 
Hi, Ozzy. Your post says your loop is 3 feet long. Is this correct? If you meant 3 inches for your loop than we are similar. I use a 8 awg copper spade so I could use my thicker 14 awg silver and Palladium & silver mix cable. But I do have a pair that I made up using canare copper cables which sound pretty good terminated in my Audioquest spades.
ozzy's avatar
ozzy
7,447 posts
 
Jejaudio, Yeah, I pushed the wrong bottom it is 3".
Have you tried using silver spades?
With the new wires I am using, I wonder, like all cables, do they need to break in?
jejaudio OP
110 posts
 
The first DIY spades I made use Audioquest CF- spades. These are direct silver plated no nickel between the silver and copper. They accept up to 9 awg wire. I was only able to use one silver or one Palladium cables with these spades. So I had both end of 14 awg cable in a spade. It sounded good, a little thin when used on my speakers and amp. But just on the speakers it was a noticeable step up from the Audio Prism spades, nothing earth shattering, but a nice step up. But when I doubled up on the wire and put all 4 ends in the pure copper 8 awg spades it just wasn't even close. As soon as I put them in the difference in flow, and realism was dramatic. I don't know if it was the doubling of the cable or the pure copper spades, or a combination of both. I would like to try the Xhadow spades. They look promising.
More to discover