When 12 Gauge Wire is Not 12 Gauge

[RayDunzl]

Years ago, my neighbor's illegally boosted CB would play thru my speakers. You could hear every word from 2 rooms away. I cannot recall if that happened with my amp powered up.

With my amp off, the woofer creates voltage on the speaker leads as it acts like a microphone.

When the amp is powered up, that voltage disappears.

I would presume the negative feedback from the "noisy" speaker cables attached to the amp output to the "quiet" input causes the amplifier to follow but negate the external voltage.

 

[krabapple]

A policy of avoiding fomenting audiophile hysteria (i.e, adhering to science) would dictate adding a paragraph up front, perhaps even in bold red type, indicating *under what conditions* such differences might be audible in normal listening.

 

[Sal1950]

Years ago, my neighbor's illegally boosted CB would play thru my speakers. You could hear every word from 2 rooms away. I cannot recall if that happened with my amp powered up.

I'd give you 100/1 odds that the amp was on.
I used to get the same complaints about my CB coming thru neighbors TV.
In both cases it is entering thru a poorly sheilded area of the component's amp, tuner, or other parts of the units circuitry. It would also make the picture on the TV tear up and go bonky. Not getting in thru eithers speak cables.

 

[DonH56]

"Back in the day" I "fixed" plenty of amplifiers that let RFI on the speaker cables sneak back through the feedback path to be demodulated inside the amp. Hams were rarely the problem though it happened; local radio stations did their share, but by far the worst were CB users with their "linears" (illegal high-powered amplifiers, typically using TV sweep tubes, horribly mistuned and looking very much like garage-shop jobs) that were splattering harmonics everywhere. RC snubbers across the outputs and/or ferrites on the cables usually fixed it. At some point RF test standards, or maybe just testing, became more stringent so I think the problem is less likely today. Don't really know, however, since I'm not an audio tech these days (except for my own system).

 

[Sal1950]

"Back in the day" I "fixed" plenty of amplifiers that let RFI on the speaker cables sneak back through the feedback path to be demodulated inside the amp.

OK, a complicated subject. But without a live amp in the circuit you could never hear any RFI interference from the speakers.

 

[DonH56]

OK, a complicated subject. But without a live amp in the circuit you could never hear any RFI interference from the speakers.

There have been times, with nearby high-power transmitters, but it is very unlikely.

 

[audio2design]

There have been times, with nearby high-power transmitters, but it is very unlikely.

It would require the circuitry in the amp in order to be audible otherwise there would be nothing to demodulate the signal. If it is not on, I would think you would need a heck of a lot of RF and a compatible modulation scheme.

 

[DonH56]

It would require the circuitry in the amp in order to be audible otherwise there would be nothing to demodulate the signal. If it is not on, I would think you would need a heck of a lot of RF and a compatible modulation scheme.

AM radio station, and on a couple of occasions nearby hams running AM/SSB, and the output devices in the amp rectified the carrier to produce tiny, tinny noise from the speakers. As I said, very unlikely, special circumstances, but was a windfall of "voices in your head" jokes until I figured it out and got it fixed.

 

[Sal1950]

As I said, very unlikely, special circumstances, but was a windfall of "voices in your head" jokes until I figured it out and got it fixed.

Yea, you started smoking some higher quality shite.

 

[Addy]

Lucky me, to join this community.

 

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I'm sure it's posted somewhere but what does Amir use in his home system?

 

[amirm]

I'm sure it's posted somewhere but what does Amir use in his home system?

My system is mostly XLRs and for that, I use Mogami Gold. For speaker cables I use some Monster cable I got for free long time ago. Dealer wanted to sell them to me with the expensive purchase I had made. Told him if he gives me the cable for free, I will take it. Immediately he knocks down the price of the rest of the stuff I was buying as to then sell me the cable for no additional cost! They are incentivized to sell cables with higher commissions so are happy to pull such stunts. I have a bunch of high-end cables I have acquired the same way (Transparent Audio).

FYI I measured the monster cable post this testing and despite it being twice as thick as all the cables I have tested here, it actually measured like 13 gauge wire.

 

[amirm]

Oh, I forgot that before using the Monster I also used a pair of really thick stuff that one of our reps gave us for free. I forget the brand.

 

[DonH56]

Oh, I forgot that before using the Monster I also used a pair of really thick stuff that one of our reps gave us for free. I forget the brand.

Fulton? I still have a pair of Fulton Gold speaker cables, somewhere...

 

[Rufus T. Firefly]

My system is mostly XLRs and for that, I use Mogami Gold. For speaker cables I use some Monster cable I got for free long time ago. Dealer wanted to sell them to me with the expensive purchase I had made. Told him if he gives me the cable for free, I will take it. Immediately he knocks down the price of the rest of the stuff I was buying as to then sell me the cable for no additional cost! They are incentivized to sell cables with higher commissions so are happy to pull such stunts. I have a bunch of high-end cables I have acquired the same way (Transparent Audio).

FYI I measured the monster cable post this testing and despite it being twice as thick as all the cables I have tested here, it actually measured like 13 gauge wire.

Right on, I believe I'm also running Monster, it's been twenty five years plus since I bought it at what was then the outlandish price of a buck a foot.

 

[Wolf]

Nobody has mentioned Carol wire? My go-to stuff is Belden, Carol, Canare, and Mogami.

 

[Sal1950]

For speaker cables I use some Monster cable I got for free long time ago.

I believe I'm also running Monster, it's been twenty five years plus since I bought it at what was then the outlandish price of a buck a foot.

I was using some very old Monster for a long time, then it all turned GREEN !

 

[watchnerd]

Nobody has mentioned Carol wire? My go-to stuff is Belden, Carol, Canare, and Mogami.

I have Belden and Canare, but I've never even heard of Carol.

 

[Wolf]

Carol is manufactured by General Cable. ANY contractor's electrical store carries it:
https://www.parts-express.com/brand/Carol-Cable


Microphone cable, direct burial, SJOO/SJOW, etc...

 

[Wolf]

I was using some very old Monster for a long time, then it all turned GREEN !

Ah, the jealousy Monster with eyes of jade....

I also assume most of you have read the testimonials on the Blue Jeans pages about why NOT to buy Monster Cable, correct? Their lawyers are terrible and even sued 'Monster Energy' for rights to the name' Monster', ultimately culminating in dues paid for the usage of.