What cables do you use in your systems?

[Julf]

Question....I have these xlr cables to my active speakers....and even though many here says there is no difference in sound......in my ears these sound better than basic ones. I red about this skin effect here ......cables specs says they are unshielded....could that be the cause for ”better” sound?

No. The most likely cause is confirmation bias. Try a proper double-blind listening test.

 

[Oukkidoukki]

Okey

 

[Julf]

Okey

Skin effect isn't an issue except with very thick cables and at radio frequencies.

 

[Oukkidoukki]

Allright

 

[VintageFlanker]

What cables do you use in your systems?

Interconnects:

Speaker cable:

Coax cable:

USB cable:

Power cable:

Cleaning up my system from Audiophile Snake Oil (Facepalm time)

 

[Willem]

I saw your other post on the snake oil that you replaced. It was not even crazy expensive but even so probably enough to buy something useful from the proceeds.

 

[VintageFlanker]

I saw your other post on the snake oil that you replaced. It was not even crazy expensive but even so probably enough to buy something useful from the proceeds.

That's exactly the point. Instead of spend hundreds and hundreds to buy cables, trying to improve my speakers... I'd have rather buy another pair of speakers.

 

[gino1961]

Hi just to say to not overlook connectors. I think that same cable with better plugs can sound different=better.
For instance i put some banana plugs on my speaker cables and the sound is cleaner and more powerful
Also RCAs can have different quality.

 

[dropbear]

You have now got yourself on a very tricky road.

So, do you have something concrete to support your claims?
How do you define cleaner sound or more powerful sound?
How should one interpret "better plugs"?

 

[VintageFlanker]

I think that same cable with better plugs can sound different=better.
For instance i put some banana plugs on my speaker cables and the sound is cleaner and more powerful
Also RCAs can have different quality.

Most likely: not possible, from a scientific approach. So I would be the first one to ask: Try to do the listening blind, without knowing if there is bananas connected or not.

Plus, I would like to add: 99% of speakers binding posts are made of gold plated brass. How whatever metal in between could do a better job in conductivity?

 

[gino1961]

You have now got yourself on a very tricky road.
So, do you have something concrete to support your claims? How do you define cleaner sound or more powerful sound?
How should one interpret "better plugs"?

just listening to the same system ... at first with bare speaker wires and then terminated with this kind of bananas

https://www.ebay.com/itm/6-x-Nakamichi-24K-Gold-Plated-Copper-BFA-4mm-Banana-Plug-Male-Speaker-Connector/254336655844?hash=item3b37a561e4:g:TGkAAOSw2XFUdYb5&LH_BIN=1

much better sound ... less noise the image better the power in the bass better for same volume levels. Maybe the bare wire had a worse contact
Unfortunately not all speakers i use have binding post some have spring clips ... i am so positive about the plugs above that i am thinking to change binding posts on speakers
The very good ones unfortunately are also very very expensive (i.e. rhodium plated). But when the concept is sane even cheaper models are good. I can only guess that this kind of plugs allow for a greater surface contact area ? love them.
Also a friend of mine in his system has had a similar result.

 

[Willem]

In fact, I happen to be using the same Nakamichi connectors. I do not hear any difference, but they sure look elegant. But to be honest, they are not as reliable as they should be. If I had a choice I would prefer Neutrik for a more secure connection (and identical sound).

 

[VintageFlanker]

just listening to the same system ... originally with bare wires and after with this kind of bananas

https://www.ebay.com/itm/6-x-Nakami...sh=item3b37a561e4:g:TGkAAOSw2XFUdYb5&LH_BIN=1

Well, most of the Nakamichi bananas are fake on eBay. They claim to be made of "copper" but most are magnetic (meaning: brass or even worst, iron). I had a ton of these. I cut one or two and discovered it was some kind of grey metal beneath the "gold plating".

much better sound ... less noise the image better the power in the bass better for same volume levels. Maybe the bare wire had a worse contact
Unfortunately not all speakers i use

Or maybe all changes you believed to perceive are nothing but placebo.

 

[Julf]

just listening to the same system ... at first with bare speaker wires and then terminated with this kind of bananas.

Ever heard of expectation bias? ABX? Double-blind tests?

 

[Willem]

My Nakamichi plugs were the real thing from the Dutch importer. Unfortunately my speakers (Quad 2805s) do not have Neutrik connectors and that is precisely the only reason I am not using them.

 

[VintageFlanker]

The very good ones unfortunately are also very very expensive (i.e. rhodium plated).

From an electrical point of view, rhodium do has less conductivity than gold, so this doesn't make any sense.

Also a friend of mine in his system has had a similar result

Just another victim of the power of suggestion.

If I had a choice I would prefer Neutrik for a more secure connection (and identical sound).

Unfortunately, Neutrik doesn't build bananas or spades, just SpeakOn.

 

[watchnerd]

How about this: https://benchmarkmedia.com/collections/cables/products/benchmark-speaker-cable-nl2-to-banana-2-pole

Benchmark is as reliable a source as we have. Gino is right to bring up connections, in that bad quality ones that come loose can lead to a loss of dBs, hence making something sound "less powerful." Also see Amir's review of the AHB2 and what he says about the NL2 connectors.

Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see anything on the page claiming they improved the sound.

"poor speaker connections can easily create more distortion than the entire power amplifier"

Well, sure....but a jiggly speaker cable connection can cause this in any amp.

 

[VintageFlanker]

How about this: https://benchmarkmedia.com/collections/cables/products/benchmark-speaker-cable-nl2-to-banana-2-pole

Or just buy Canare 4S11 bulk, SpeakOn and bananas, and build your own cable for significantly cheaper.

Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see anything on the page claiming they improved the sound.

I don't think this kind of serious manufacturer would do such claims. They just say it transmit the sound as it is

 

[watchnerd]

Or just buy Canare 4S11 bulk, SpeakOn and bananas, and build your own cable for significantly cheaper.

I use the grey Canare 4S11 with locking bananas at both ends.

Solid enough connection that it will yank the monitors over if I trip over the cable.

 

[watchnerd]

I didn't say they improved the sound.

Then what are you saying?

If all we're saying is "secure connections are better than jiggly connections, and jiggly connections can cause scratchy distortion"....well, that's kind of common sense, isn't it?