A physicist explains why we need cable lifters...

[Vive la dissonance!]

Well, unless your floor is solid steel...

Wait, are we discussing Dwarf Fortress now?

 

[audiofooled]

That is what I call using an engineering degree! That was interesting, very cool and fun to watch. Amazing!

I thought I'd share this because I love these vids of Tesla coils making music. This particular tune reminds me of this cool game I used to love decades ago. Kind of an ear worm but in a positive manner. Now if these coils could also draw some pretty graphs in mid air that would really be something eh?

 

[krabapple]

I demand cables that levitate.

 

[egellings]

OK, I am not actually going to waste my time by watching this, but as a physicist myself (PhD Stanford 1980), I'm going to guess that he did not bother to point out that cable resistance and inductance are typically several orders of magnitude smaller than speaker resistance and inductance, and hence almost always negligible, with no audible effect. And any changes caused by cable lifters would be many more orders of magnitude smaller still. (Well, unless your floor is solid steel, or some other good conductor; then the changes might be as large as the original inductance, but still audibly irrelevant.)

I first did calculations of this type in grad school. I'd bought some Polk Model 10s, and Polk was pushing one of the first specialty speaker cables in the audio world, with low inductance. I wanted to know if that could possibly matter. The answer I came to then is still the same today: no.

I agree wholeheartedly!

 

[FlyingFreak]

I demand cables that levitate.

This.
10000 times, forever.
Gimme cables that levitates when powered on and slowly come back to the floor when turned off.
Please, someone. We need levitating cables.
Then let manufacturers convinced people who run cables through their walls, ceiling and floor they need levitating cables too.

 

[Bernard23]

This.
10000 times, forever.
Gimme cables that levitates when powered on and slowly come back to the floor when turned off.
Please, someone. We need levitating cables.
Then let manufacturers convinced people who run cables through their walls, ceiling and floor they need levitating cables too.

Now if they pulse in the Y direction to the beat....

 

[FlyingFreak]

Now if they pulse in the Y direction to the beat....

I saw a thread about folks smoking weed or taking other mind altering substances and discussing their experience with music under those conditions. Imagine the smile on their faces (or horror, or historical laughter, or ...) if they had levitating cables pulsing.
Someone please do it for the stoners of this world!

 

[DavidMcRoy]

Wire lifting = veil lifting

 

[Speedskater]

Budget cable lifters:

 

[Holmz]

OK, I am not actually going to waste my time by watching this, but as a physicist myself (PhD Stanford 1980), I'm going to guess that he did not bother to point out that cable resistance and inductance are typically several orders of magnitude smaller than speaker resistance and inductance, and hence almost always negligible, with no audible effect. And any changes caused by cable lifters would be many more orders of magnitude smaller still. (Well, unless your floor is solid steel, or some other good conductor; then the changes might be as large as the original inductance, but still audibly irrelevant.)

Correct on all counts.
But he did not talk about quanta and crystal boundaries, only what we call true things.

I first did calculations of this type in grad school. I'd bought some Polk Model 10s, and Polk was pushing one of the first specialty speaker cables in the audio world, with low inductance. I wanted to know if that could possibly matter. The answer I came to then is still the same today: no.

It sort of depends on the values… and we do not know if modern high-end cables have higher capacitance and inductance, as well as higher resistance.
It is sort of hard to do the math without numbers, so some of the snake oil is in manufactures without specs and numbers.

Which reminds me I have to get some banana plugs that stack.

 

[Spkrdctr]

and that is the issue ------ no valid double blind test to dispell the snake oil.

Actually quite a few. No human can tell the difference between regular copper wire and unobtanium wires when using speakers. The speakers attributes which are many, swamp any microscopic change in any wire. Amir, JJ and many others here have all been involved in this subject at some level. They all agree that it is all inaudible to the human ear.

 

[mixsit]

In this two-part video series, Roland Gauder, co-founder of German loudspeaker manufacturer Gauder Acoustics, explains the influence of speaker cables on sound.

At the beginning of the first and towards the end of the second video, he claims that the electromagnetic field surrounding cables is disturbed when they lie on the ground. For that reason he recommends to use cable lifters. Unfortunately he does not show any data...

Wait a sec. Thread title says 'a physicist explains. But he is not? And no data? (apparently- by way of only ten posts in here..

 

[HarmonicTHD]

OK, I am not actually going to waste my time by watching this, but as a physicist myself (PhD Stanford 1980), I'm going to guess that he did not bother to point out that cable resistance and inductance are typically several orders of magnitude smaller than speaker resistance and inductance, and hence almost always negligible, with no audible effect. And any changes caused by cable lifters would be many more orders of magnitude smaller still. (Well, unless your floor is solid steel, or some other good conductor; then the changes might be as large as the original inductance, but still audibly irrelevant.)

I first did calculations of this type in grad school. I'd bought some Polk Model 10s, and Polk was pushing one of the first specialty speaker cables in the audio world, with low inductance. I wanted to know if that could possibly matter. The answer I came to then is still the same today: no.

You Sir saved the honor of physicist and proofed that a good school is worth its money ;-)

 

[teashea]

Actually quite a few. No human can tell the difference between regular copper wire and unobtanium wires when using speakers. The speakers attributes which are many, swamp any microscopic change in any wire. Amir, JJ and many others here have all been involved in this subject at some level. They all agree that it is all inaudible to the human ear.

You are correct.

 

[fpitas]

Well maybe YOU guys can't hear the difference. But I can. I'd say you don't have a resolving enough system, maybe the people here can't afford it.

/Troll off
//There's been a distinct lack of quality trolling lately
///Slashies ftw

 

[Spkrdctr]

You are correct.

I looked at the two companies in your signature. I have to say I'm impressed. I had the good fortune when I was young 40 years ago? to go on tour with Dire Straits. I am always amazed at all the work involved in live performances at large venues. The sound system, lighting and such is amazing. Of course this was before computers controlled everything. It was like watching a well oiled machine go to work at every venue. All the different groups (sound, lighting, stage set up etc) all went to work and did their job. It all got done with no fuss. Plus the guys really worked. Problem was I accidently found out they had help. I saw a board or something with a line of dust or something on it and I brushed it off to kind of clean it off. Later I heard them asking what happened to the cocaine? No one knew where it went. I kept my mouth shut as it was a VERY good paying job. Live and learn!

 

[fpitas]

I looked at the two companies in your signature. I have to say I'm impressed. I had the good fortune when I was young 40 years ago? to go on tour with Dire Straits. I am always amazed at all the work involved in live performances at large venues. The sound system, lighting and such is amazing. Of course this was before computers controlled everything. It was like watching a well oiled machine go to work at every venue. All the different groups (sound, lighting, stage set up etc) all went to work and did their job. It all got done with no fuss. Plus the guys really worked. Problem was I accidently found out they had help. I saw a board or something with a line of dust or something on it and I brushed it off to kind of clean it off. Later I heard them asking what happened to the cocaine? No one knew where it went. I kept my mouth shut as it was a VERY good paying job. Live and learn!

Now that's funny!

 

[teashea]

I looked at the two companies in your signature. I have to say I'm impressed. I had the good fortune when I was young 40 years ago? to go on tour with Dire Straits. I am always amazed at all the work involved in live performances at large venues. The sound system, lighting and such is amazing. Of course this was before computers controlled everything. It was like watching a well oiled machine go to work at every venue. All the different groups (sound, lighting, stage set up etc) all went to work and did their job. It all got done with no fuss. Plus the guys really worked. Problem was I accidently found out they had help. I saw a board or something with a line of dust or something on it and I brushed it off to kind of clean it off. Later I heard them asking what happened to the cocaine? No one knew where it went. I kept my mouth shut as it was a VERY good paying job. Live and learn!

great story

 

[teashea]

Well maybe YOU guys can't hear the difference. But I can. I'd say you don't have a resolving enough system, maybe the people here can't afford it.

/Troll off
//There's been a distinct lack of quality trolling lately
///Slashies ftw

hillarious

 

[fpitas]

i doubt the roadies missing their coke would appreciate the humor