Speedskater
Major Contributor
A phono cartridge to pre-amp cable is a different ball game than a line level interconnect cable.
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True and I agree with you although the RCA cable looks the same, feels the same, is same size as other thicker RCA cables and it has RCA terminals. Why couldn't a regular line level more expensive RCA cable have capacitive and inductive reactance that changes the frequency response? Cables can sound different but just not always. It's usually snake oil as many here say but sometimes there is a reason for the difference. I subscribe to better cables but mostly for the better termination integrity and because I got them on the cheap
When I first started as a techy I was doing odd jobs nobody else wanted and one of them was to make 2000 RCA interconnects using MIT product. It was my special privilege to be given any cables that where slightly too long or short. So I received a couple of free pairs and was a happy camper. Otherwise I would not have spent $1500.00 on interconnects and speaker cables.
Speedskater
Major Contributor
Because in a well designed analog audio interconnect system, the input & output impedance's are such that cable capacitive and inductive reactances have effectively no impact on frequency response. However with some legacy and boutique components, high total cable capacitance can lead to ringing or even oscillation.
Killingbeans
Major Contributor
It can, but it shouldn't. A good cable only starts to show significant filtering properties above the audible range.
Of course, cables matter, if by that you mean sound different from each other. This is especially true with uber high end cables. This is because they use such widely divergent metals, configurations, and gizmos on them that I don't see how they could possibly sound the same. I run a set of Cerious Techologies Graphene Extreme speaker cables. Yes, they have graphene in them. How could they possibly sound just like a typical stranded copper cable? As to how they measure in any scientific test, I have no idea, but I really like the sound I'm getting. But the question was if cables "matter".
Your intuition has steered you wrong.
Maxwell’s equations, voltage dividers, and Kirchoff’s Law. And of course, the absolute absence of any actual listening test data to support the claims of audibility of things like material changes.
There are reasons for certain applications to require certain materials. Moving low frequency signals at moderate voltages are not among those.
If you want a deeper explanation, I’d suggest the papers from Richard Greiner and Fred Davis.
There are reasons for certain applications to require certain materials. Moving low frequency signals at moderate voltages are not among those.
If you want a deeper explanation, I’d suggest the papers from Richard Greiner and Fred Davis.
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There is a neuroscience reason.
If you mean in physics or electronics, you will need to start with a knowledge of impedance and current flow in various metals. Why not post your background in electronics so people can help you?
If you mean in physics or electronics, you will need to start with a knowledge of impedance and current flow in various metals. Why not post your background in electronics so people can help you?
Maxwell's equations.
I'm a electronic technician and not a engineer or physicist but I'll toss in my two bits.
Sigh* I previously typed a extensive helpful answer to your question but it went AWOL in a copy/paste.
For some reason this reply is being posted under the wrong reply to member.Question from MarcT is, "How so? Can you offer any scientific explanation as to why competely different metals, dielectrics, materials, and topologies would make no difference?"
Short answer is:
Different metals will determine the resistance of the cable. The resistance of the cable due to materials, cross section and length will cause a voltage drop across the cable that could make the listener perceive a louder or quieter speaker or headphone. That could make a person think the louder version is better. Different metals do not sound different due to exotic properties of the metal.
Dielectrics do not have loose or free electrons to enable conduction therefore there is really no current flow in them. There is or was a trend to thinking TPFE (teflon) dielectrics have a electron shock absorbing property but that's a load of rubbish in audio gear. The thickness of the dielectric does have a effect on capacitive reactance and inductive reactance between the conductors although as a expert or two here has stated it's not usually perceivable in the hearing range as is effect is at higher frequencies in audio gear.
The topology of a cable determines the reactance of the cable. The reactance is not enough in near all audio cables to have a audible effect.
Killingbeans
Major Contributor
Because resistance is just resistance. The material doesn't matter as long as you have a sufficient cross section in regards to the specific resistance.
The only speaker cable that sounds different is one that is designed to mess with the waveform, and that's not a good thing IMO.
EDIT:
Just had a look at their web page. They make graphene power cords as well
A huge red flag in my book... [/PET PEEVE]
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You can leave out the part in red.
Teflon is useful for certain special applications (e.g., low loss RF, ultra low leakage circuits) but although it's hyped for audio by the scammers and their promoters, it has several severe disadvantages in that application. Mechanically poor, high triboelectric potential, and high cost do not a rational engineering solution make.
I didnt realize how insane this was until I searched on Audiogon. OMG, $2175 for a pair of RCA cables. How do I get into this business?
https://www.audiogon.com/listings/l...il_20200104&utm_medium=email&utm_source=zaius
https://www.audiogon.com/listings/l...il_20200104&utm_medium=email&utm_source=zaius
At least they look pretty though in my subjective taste. The only cables I'm willing to shell out though are IEM cables since they my IEMs look prettier
That would make your headphones and IEMs a lot cooler! You can get a Gold Plated Silver wires too for more bling, but I'm satisfied with pure silver Litz wiring especially looking at it up close!
thefsb
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If your cables are defective then changing them will improve things.
That's tautological. Really shit things are bad and visa versa.
And price doesn't much come into it. I needed new cables once for the weird DIN connectors on my Meridian M3 and I looked for a supplier online. I found The Chord Company would do custom pinouts on DIN connectors. The cable set was not especially expensive but it wasn't cheap either. They were shit. I cut them and redid the termination myself. You can buy crap cables at any price point. You might find a cable at $6.95 better than one at $20.
It can make sense to spend the extra on, for example, Mogami if you're going to be plugging and unplugging a lot and reliability is critical but this is seldom the case in home entertainment systems.
I can be picky about cables. For example, I hate the Monoprice RCA patches. The cables are so stiff and the connectors themselves are loose.
I've always had success with Hosa for mics, instruments, patches. Their catalog is huge. I remember a display at Guitar Center with a small handwritten sign "A plethora of Hosa for you to interconnecta."
thefsb
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Fnar! Fnar!
I remember the sneaky trick Audioquest played with the Nighthawk headphones. They bundled 2 cables, with different properties and suggested people listen with an open mind and make their own mind that the heavier and more expensive cable was "better". Well, yes, if you compare two headphone cables with different electrical properties you may well discern a difference, that however is a deliberately induced difference which Audioquest did not make clear, as a sleigh of hand to convince people that expensive cables do indeed sound better.
I really found that quite sad because for once the Nighthawk showed Audioquest making a genuinely interesting and different product that demonstrated a lot of original thinking. For sure the sound signature wasn't for everyone but they were very comfortable fatigue free enjoyable headphones once you adjusted to the initially rather odd tuning. Very nicely packaged too. I found it really sad that even when making a commendably good and interesting product AQ had to introduce their cable snake oil selling BS into things.
I really found that quite sad because for once the Nighthawk showed Audioquest making a genuinely interesting and different product that demonstrated a lot of original thinking. For sure the sound signature wasn't for everyone but they were very comfortable fatigue free enjoyable headphones once you adjusted to the initially rather odd tuning. Very nicely packaged too. I found it really sad that even when making a commendably good and interesting product AQ had to introduce their cable snake oil selling BS into things.
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