Exposing the Speaker Wire myth

[Akira]

Sometimes we like to read about things we already know...just to confirm what we already believe. Blasphemy on an 'audiophile' site but, common knowledge here.

I found this article interesting nonetheless:
Roger Russell – a former engineer and speaker designer for McIntosh Labs – describes the introduction of expensive speaker wire brands, and critiques their performance in his online essay called Speaker Wire
http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm

p.s. I suppose this is a little dig at the "other half" but, I still can't figure out what audiophiles hear??

[4313B]

I still can't figure out what audiophiles hear??

Stuff. They hear stuff normal people can't.

[alskinner]

The best speaker cable I have used for home use is Carol 16/4 SJ cord. I use it inside the box as twisted pairs and for connection to the amplifier. Cost is about .45 a foot. Much rather spend money on better electronics and drivers than speaker wire that I can't hear a bit of difference in.

Regards
AL

[robertbartsch]

There are a lot of scam artists around these days. High-priced speaker wire is just another sad example.

I read an article recently that said blind listener tests of attendees at a industry show "proved" high-priced wires are supieror. I suppose the "bad wire" in the test was super thin 28 gauge wire.

[Fred Sanford]

Even if you dismiss the notion that there are audible differences between differing types of brand-new cables, there's a huge spectrum of longevity among different types of cables. So, even if you believe that all wires of a certain gauge would sound alike when new, once they're aging things can certainly change.

Just for a small sampling of my background in this subject, here's a short synopsis of my history dealing with wiring day-to-day:

~1984-1986 serviced school & church sound & signalling systems ranging from the 1900s up to the 1980s, working for a company that had the service contract for the NYC Board of Education schools continuously since the 1940s. LOTS of servicing of cables & connections that failed over time, along with many instances of cabling that lasted just fine & tested within spec decades later. We're talking VERY long runs through city-block sized schools and cathedrals, buldings that often shut down their climate controls systems when not in use (if they even have them, often it was just steam heat at best).

~1986-1988 serviced, modified & installed high-end AV systems, mostly systems from the 1970s & 1980s.

~1988-1989 back at the school & church systems, re-visiting the same sites.

~1989-2000 auto & marine communications systems - here's where you REALLY see the difference in quality cabling. Many clients/fleets were repeats or corporate accounts, so many systems were removed, inspected & re-installed over the 11 years I worked there.

~2000-2007 serviced, modified & installed high-end AV & networking systems, ranging from the 1970s to current, even a number of AV systems from the previous stint of work from the late '80s.

Essentially, it makes a difference. I've sampled thousands and thousands of installations, from climate-controlled penthouse apartments to ocean-going tugboats. Some cables will survive in both, some cables will fail in both. Some, like certain hardware-store-special drop lights & extension cords I've seen employed as speaker cable, will have green & gooey conductors the day you take them home from the store & strip the "insulation" back.

je

[Mr. Widget]

...there's a huge spectrum of longevity among different types of cables. So, even if you believe that all wires of a certain gauge would sound alike, once they're aging things can certainly change.

Interesting résumé by the way.


Widget

[Fred Sanford]

Interesting résumé by the way.


Widget

Hey, thanks! What should I do next?

je

[Fred Sanford]

One more recent situation- some old Monster speaker cables that were probably fairly pricey in their day showed an odd symptom: only one conductor in each was deteriorating. Only the side with the brand-name lettering inked on was oxidizing...very strange. Once the conductors were exposed, one side was fine and the other was greenish-black and sticky like a coating of tar. Two ~20' lengths, most likely cut from a bulk reel in the mid/late '80s or so. It's actually a good thing the jacketing was clear, if they weren't and had terminations on the ends, it might never have been visible.

I sent the cables back to Monster (lifetime warranty!) and they were awfully puzzled...seems the cable was older than any model they had records for. No explanation for how/why it happened, but they've come up with some kind of current "equivalent" replacement, and they're shipping it out to me tomorrow.

You might find the pics interesting:

[Allanvh5150]

p.s. I suppose this is a little dig at the "other half" but, I still can't figure out what audiophiles hear??

What the other half is "hearing" is the sense of well being after they have paid the maximum amout for a piece of lamp cord.

[Akira]

Even if you dismiss the notion that there are audible differences between differing types of brand-new cables, there's a huge spectrum of longevity among different types of cables. So, even if you believe that all wires of a certain gauge would sound alike when new, once they're aging things can certainly change.

I think we all agree on that one. But, there seems to be a huge discrepancy between 'proper' wiring and 'magic' wiring.

I do however believe in dual (4 send) wired cabling. Some say it should be braided. Perhaps someone can enlighten me on the advantages of braiding. (reduce the skin effect?)
Dual cabling is my personal equivalent to "audiophile indoctrination." I can't hear the difference between a single 12 gauge 25' run compared to the dual 12 gauge run I normally use. But this is standard practice in studio installations so I have adopted it, believing it to be pro. The cabling I use has all 4 sends in one cable marked by only two colors.

[Akira]

I inherited this cable from a 'Castle Winchester' system I bought 2 years ago. The system was sitting in a basement unused for 8 years and both sides were green. lol...I thought they were supposed to be like that...never used them.

P.S. WHILE WERE ON THE SUBJECT, IS THERE AN ADVANTAGE TO BI-WIRING?

[Allanvh5150]

I just took a look at some similar cable that I have here at it is the same lovely green colour. mm mm.

Bi wiring? Up to a point its ok if you have dinky cables but if you are using "normal" cables, i.e. something that is up to the job in the first place, all bi-wiring will do is double your cabling bill. Unless of course you have run two pairs of cable for future expansion as I have done. IMHO Bi wiring and Silver cables are better left to those people that can "hear" the difference.

[tom_h]

I was pretty skeptical about magic speaker wire but tried some and did hear a difference.

On wondering why, one thing came to mind. My (old) speakers were VERY inefficient (83 db) and magic wire has low overall impedance so the speaker can draw more current than with regular wires. I think the speaker load is part of the amplifier feedback circuit, so magic wire with lower inductance and capacitance may interact less with the driving end. But, I think the key idea is that inefficient speakers place a tough load on the electronics and need all the help they can get.

Since the magic wire experiment I replaced the audiophile speakers with LSR 6332s. What a difference. The much higher efficiency makes music sound very lifelike because it has better dynamic range. I used a longer run of cheapo speaker cable to get the JBLs to a place where they sounded best and these speakers seem to care less about magic wire than the audiphile ones.

As for me, I now care less about audiophile stuff. The new JBL speakers are fantastic. All my music is much more involving to listen to. I am not looking back.

[JBL 4645]

Oddly enough I’ve had some of that Tandy Realistic cable and that is cheap as biscuits and that also went green within a few years. I think I still have some in very short lengths in box. My camera doesn’t really capture too well so I’ll try and take a few picture once I dig it out of the box.

I use Gale cable and its also cheap as biscuits at around 80p per meter and that seems fine no colour degrading

Now as to how it performs really LOL. It works fine just fine I get good bass response and treble and I would gladly buy Gale again.

[4313B]

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