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Audioquest GO-4 Speaker Cable Review

Rate this cable:

  • 1. Waste of money (piggy bank panther)

    Votes: 276 97.2%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 3 1.1%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 2 0.7%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 3 1.1%

  • Total voters
    284

fpitas

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amirm

amirm

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I think others on ASR have modeled the FR of a cable+speaker "circuit" using typical LCR values using simulation software, and achieved similar results.
1664838694108.png
You are showing less than half a dB worst case at 20 kHz. That simply is not consequential. My frequency response graph is +- 5 dB which I think a much more realistic vertical axis than one that just spans 0.6 dB.
 

audiofan2016

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Hello,

Being very familiar with Go-4 for some years here are my remarks (others will follow):
1. Oxidation. Yes, silver does tarnish over time and Aq provides in the box a special cloth to clean it from time to time.
You said this is a borrowed cable. Cable could be 3-5-7... years old. Judging by the DBS system employed this is an older version that proves the cables has certainly an age.
Why is this a surprise for anyone to see oxidation?
2. GO-4 is a 15 AWG cable, why do you compare it with a 12 awg cable ? Let's be rigurous. 1,65 mm2 vs 3.3 mm2 is not the same thing.
You did measure the effect of oxidation on the cable but you forgot about gauge and oversee its importance ?
3 Nobody listens to 1 kHz test tones, dummy loads, cheap chinese amps, I listen to music on higher end equipment.
Is it possible to imagine a relevant test that supports your conclusion?
 

Ken1951

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Hello,

Being very familiar with Go-4 for some years here are my remarks (others will follow):
1. Oxidation. Yes, silver does tarnish over time and Aq provides in the box a special cloth to clean it from time to time.
You said this is a borrowed cable. Cable could be 3-5-7... years old. Judging by the DBS system employed this is an older version that proves the cables has certainly an age.
Why is this a surprise for anyone to see oxidation?
2. GO-4 is a 15 AWG cable, why do you compare it with a 12 awg cable ? Let's be rigurous. 1,65 mm2 vs 3.3 mm2 is not the same thing.
You did measure the effect of oxidation on the cable but you forgot about gauge and oversee its importance ?
3 Nobody listens to 1 kHz test tones, dummy loads, cheap chinese amps, I listen to music on higher end equipment.
Is it possible to imagine a relevant test that supports your conclusion?
:facepalm:
 

AdamG

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Hello,

Being very familiar with Go-4 for some years here are my remarks (others will follow):
1. Oxidation. Yes, silver does tarnish over time and Aq provides in the box a special cloth to clean it from time to time.
You said this is a borrowed cable. Cable could be 3-5-7... years old. Judging by the DBS system employed this is an older version that proves the cables has certainly an age.
Why is this a surprise for anyone to see oxidation?
2. GO-4 is a 15 AWG cable, why do you compare it with a 12 awg cable ? Let's be rigurous. 1,65 mm2 vs 3.3 mm2 is not the same thing.
You did measure the effect of oxidation on the cable but you forgot about gauge and oversee its importance ?
3 Nobody listens to 1 kHz test tones, dummy loads, cheap chinese amps, I listen to music on higher end equipment.
Is it possible to imagine a relevant test that supports your conclusion?
Since this is your first post you get a pass. ASR is very different from every other Audio site in existence. We are a community of Engineers, Scientists and other professionals who wish to discuss and debate actual Scientific/Engineered derived data and designs that can be verified by the application of science and measurements.

We rely almost entirely on Engineering and Science. Not feelings, impressions and opinions. Science demands proof of function and performance. If you make any statements or observations, expect to be asked for measurements and/or data that supports your claims/positions. This specific Engineering based Forum model does not suit all visitors. I kindly suggest you do some homework and reading about who and what we are/do here. We’re not being rude or mean. And it’s not personal. We don’t go in for flowery words and fancy tales about how it feels to actually hear it. We want to know exactly how it works and how it measures. If you claim that there are just some things that can’t be measured. Your talking about Science Fiction and we have just not yet achieved the breakthrough knowledge to fully understand the experience. We don’t do Fiction very well here.

Welcome Aboard and please watch your step here. The nights are dark and full of terrors! :cool:
 

HarmonicTHD

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Since this is your first post you get a pass. ASR is very different from every other Audio site in existence. We are a community of Engineers, Scientists and other professionals who wish to discuss and debate actual Scientific/Engineered derived data and designs that can be verified by the application of science and measurements.

We rely almost entirely on Engineering and Science. Not feelings, impressions and opinions. Science demands proof of function and performance. If you make any statements or observations, expect to be asked for measurements and/or data that supports your claims/positions. This specific Engineering based Forum model does not suit all visitors. I kindly suggest you do some homework and reading about who and what we are/do here. We’re not being rude or mean. And it’s not personal. We don’t go in for flowery words and fancy tales about how it feels to actually hear it. We want to know exactly how it works and how it measures. If you claim that there are just some things that can’t be measured. Your talking about Science Fiction and we have just not yet achieved the breakthrough knowledge to fully understand the experience. We don’t do Fiction very well here.

Welcome Aboard and please watch your step here. The nights are dark and full of terrors! :cool:
Nicely put. Thank you.
 

audiofan2016

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Right, you don't do fiction, I raised 2 valid points. Instead of a technical debate I get replies like this...
You can delete my account if this suits you.
 

DonR

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The tarnish was measured to be about 100 mohm (the accuracy of that measurement is certainly debatable). I would not consider that consequential into a 4 or 8 ohm load. Gauge certainly was in favour of the control sample but, again, I would not consider it consequential given the short lengths involved and that was borne out in the measurements as the thicker wire produced no measurable differences.
 

voodooless

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Right, you don't do fiction, I raised 2 valid points. Instead of a technical debate I get replies like this...
Okay, I’ll bite.. I assume your points 1 and 2 you presume to be valid?

1. Basically addressed in #17.
2. Yes the gauge is different, yet they measure basically the same. Does the larger diameter give it magic properties? It’s resistance is lower, that may effect the speaker bass response a bit, and may be important over larger distances. Does any of that justify the price? You just choose the gauge that suits your application.
 

AdamG

Proving your point makes it “Science”.
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Right, you don't do fiction, I raised 2 valid points. Instead of a technical debate I get replies like this...
You can delete my account if this suits you.
Perhaps we have a failure to communicate, but certainly not a failure to try. Maybe a language barrier exists that might be adding to the confusion.

I welcomed you aboard and only attempted to acclimate you to this unique environment. Certainly don’t desire to delete your account. Let’s try again. Please elaborate on what you’re specific 2 valid arguments are Sir. Since you didn’t Reply or Quote any particular post it is difficult to understand the context.
 

fpitas

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Right, you don't do fiction, I raised 2 valid points. Instead of a technical debate I get replies like this...
You can delete my account if this suits you.
OK, here's my reply. Why should I pay $599 for this cable when it offered no difference from a far cheaper cable?
 
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amirm

amirm

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Being very familiar with Go-4 for some years here are my remarks (others will follow):
1. Oxidation. Yes, silver does tarnish over time and Aq provides in the box a special cloth to clean it from time to time.
You said this is a borrowed cable. Cable could be 3-5-7... years old. Judging by the DBS system employed this is an older version that proves the cables has certainly an age.
Why is this a surprise for anyone to see oxidation?
2. GO-4 is a 15 AWG cable, why do you compare it with a 12 awg cable ? Let's be rigurous. 1,65 mm2 vs 3.3 mm2 is not the same thing.
You did measure the effect of oxidation on the cable but you forgot about gauge and oversee its importance ?
3 Nobody listens to 1 kHz test tones, dummy loads, cheap chinese amps, I listen to music on higher end equipment.
Is it possible to imagine a relevant test that supports your conclusion?
1. Another reason to not buy it.
2. There are no specs for this cable. Even if there were, if it has some mix of silver and copper, knowing the gauge wouldn't do you any good.
3. The tests included a range of frequencies:
index.php


index.php


Your cable doesn't know a test tone from music. It is all varying voltages that it needs to transfer transparently.

The tests most definitely support the conclusion that this is an expensive cable, with no benefit to audio waveforms that it carries compared to others. Indeed, if it is 15 awg and hence higher resistance, it can degrade audio vs 12 awg cable.
 

ahofer

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Uh oh

1668619947160.png
 

fpitas

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dustinyo

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Hello,

Being very familiar with Go-4 for some years here are my remarks (others will follow):
1. Oxidation. Yes, silver does tarnish over time and Aq provides in the box a special cloth to clean it from time to time.
You said this is a borrowed cable. Cable could be 3-5-7... years old. Judging by the DBS system employed this is an older version that proves the cables has certainly an age.
Why is this a surprise for anyone to see oxidation?
2. GO-4 is a 15 AWG cable, why do you compare it with a 12 awg cable ? Let's be rigurous. 1,65 mm2 vs 3.3 mm2 is not the same thing.
You did measure the effect of oxidation on the cable but you forgot about gauge and oversee its importance ?
3 Nobody listens to 1 kHz test tones, dummy loads, cheap chinese amps, I listen to music on higher end equipment.
Is it possible to imagine a relevant test that supports your conclusion?
If a $600 speaker cable would start to degrade to the point of being acoustically deficient in as little as 3 years, then that is a horrific design.
 
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