Interactive Simulator: Audio Cable Physics, Interface Loading, and Amplifier Stability

[unyora]

Hi ASR community,

I have developed an open-source, interactive simulator to explore how cable parameters, source/load interactions, and amplifier behavior affect the audio signal chain from a physical perspective.

Live Demo: https://audio-chain-physics.streamlit.app/
GitHub Repository: https://github.com/moe-charm/audio-chain-physics(Note: This project is registered with Zenodo DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18898657)

The Concept:The goal of this project isn't to claim that "cables sound better," but to create a "physics playground" where we can quantify how signals might degrade under specific conditions. To make things interesting, I collaborated with ChatGPT Pro to design various "extreme" scenarios and complex parameter configurations to see where the physics-based model breaks or shows measurable artifacts.

Key Features of the Model:

• Full RLGC Cable Model: Handles conductor geometry and dielectric parameters.
• Interface Interaction: Models RCA line-stage settling, common return contamination, and shield-quality stress.
• Amplifier Small-Signal Behavior: Simulates phase margin shifts and frequency-dependent output impedance (Zout) when driving capacitive loads.
• Time-Domain Analysis: Visualizes dielectric absorption, impulse response, and step response.
• New Metrics: Includes "TailRatio" and "StageError" — my experimental attempts at quantifying temporal smearing and signal degradation.

Why I'm sharing this:I’m not asserting that these simulations are the final word on audibility, nor is this a finished academic paper. It is a research prototype meant for exploration. I hope you enjoy playing with the sliders and stress-testing the system.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the models. If you find any bugs in the math or have suggestions on how to improve the perceptual metrics, please let me know.

No magic, just physics (and a bit of AI collaboration). Enjoy the simulation!

Best regards,Tomoaki Kurata

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[Speedskater]

For line level analog interconnects, it's not just about the cable. It's about output stage and input stage of the connected components. It's also about the noise and interference of the situation.

 

[unyora]

For line level analog interconnects, it's not just about the cable. It's about output stage and input stage of the connected components. It's also about the noise and interference of the situation.

Yes, the app already models that part. It does not treat the cable alone in isolation; it includes interaction between the source/output stage, the cable, and the receiving/input stage. Environmental noise is not fully modeled yet, because once you go there the signal environment itself becomes part of the problem and it gets much harder to represent cleanly.

 

[Ropeburn]

For line level analog interconnects, it's not just about the cable. It's about output stage and input stage of the connected components. It's also about the noise and interference of the situation.

Have you read the post at all?

I have developed an open-source, interactive simulator to explore how cable parameters, source/load interactions, and amplifier behavior affect the audio signal chain from a physical perspective.

The very first paragraph.

Anyway, this looks promising, very practical for easy simulation and estimation. Web-based is a big plus. Nice!

 

[unyora]

その投稿を読んだことがありますか?

一番最初の段落。

いずれにせよ、これは期待できそうです。シミュレーションや見積もりを簡単に行えるので、とても実用的です。Webベースなのも大きな利点です。素晴らしいですね！

Thank you, I really appreciate that. If you have any ideas for effects or interactions that might be worth incorporating into the calculations, please feel free to share them.

 

[Waxx]

The fact that the first page is in chinese, may be hard for many. It should be more obvious where to change the language. I could find it (but i'm an IT guy), but i know many non chinese speakers will be lost and close the page again.

But the tool has uses, that is true. It's bookmarked

 

[Devnull]

I think that this is an exceptional piece of software. Many decades ago, early 90s, used licensed software that did basically the same thing but it was about 50,000 bucks a license per workstation.

Outstanding job, great piece of software !

 

[Scytales]

The fact that the first page is in chinese, may be hard for many. It should be more obvious where to change the language. I could find it (but i'm an IT guy), but i know many non chinese speakers will be lost and close the page again.

Here, for those who cannot find the option easily: