2. cables
  3. 155823-140523

10 Audio Cable Myths and Facts


In a sea of audio cable industry snake oil, we’re sure you’re wondering, What really matters when buying cables?Save your money by avoiding overpriced cables with outlandish claims. Below are some common myths to look out for and some important things to consider when buying audio cables.
 
CABLE MYTHS1. Conductor skin effect

In some applications like power transmission lines, an electric signal tends to travel through the surface of a conductor and avoids traveling through the center of the conductor. Many cable companies claim that their design limits the skin effect and measurably improves your sound.

The TruthWhile skin effect is a very real issue for large scale power transmission, audio signals are in such a low-frequency range that the skin effect is negligible at best. The skin effect is only an issue in high-frequency applications. 20kHz is the highest frequency that humans can hear. If we calculate the skin effect on a 12 AWG speaker cable like Gene from Audioholics does in this article, we find that the skin effect results in a loss of only -.014dB. Your speakers, room acoustics, and the human ear have a much larger effect on your sound than the skin effect.
2. Cable break-in

Don’t be fooled - any company that claims this thinks they can trick you into hearing better sound after a month or two. “Break-in” is a commonly used term throughout the industry. It is the idea that the dielectric of a cable changes and aligns itself to the electromagnetic field of the signal traveling through the conductors.

The Truth

There is no scientific evidence to support the idea of cable break-in, but there are still those who claim it improves sonic qualities. We’re not against optimism. We’re just not full of crap. Don’t drink the audio industry kool-aid and save your money for legitimate cables.
 

3. Cryogenic treatment

Cryogenic treatment is the process of freezing cables to -320 degrees Fahrenheit before use. The claim is that freezing the conductors of the cable at ultra low temperatures aligns the crystalline grain structure of them resulting in desirable improvements.

The Truth

Again there is no scientific data to support this notion. Cryogenic treatment can improve the durability of certain metals, usually steel, by stabilizing impurities. For example, the process is used to create strong tools or car parts.  

But, steel is a terrible metal to use for audio cables. It is one of the least conductive metals out there! Copper and silver are the best conductors of electricity and the preferred metals for audio cables.


4. Cable signal direction

You might hear this phrase tossed around quite a bit. It’s the notion that a cable has an established signal direction, the direction in which it was initially used, and that this signal direction should not be reversed.

The Truth

The reality is, assuming the connector ends and terminals are the same, the cable will work in both directions and the performance will be equivalent.

5. Cable elevators, risers, or lifts

 

The claim is that the cables’ magnetic field can interfere with the surface it is laying on. Essentially, the magnetic field can “reflect” from the surface back into the cable and cause distortions.

 

The Truth

There is no evidence to support these claims, and these unnecessary devices are merely for looks. They are in no way proven to improve cable performance.  

    CABLE FACTS1. Shielding is Important

    In the modern age, wireless signals are all around us all the time. The rapid growth and spread of technology means that these wireless signals will become more widespread and more likely to cause unwanted interference. Cellphones, wifi, and Bluetooth signals can enter your cables, but shielding can block these signals and preserve your sound quality.

    2. Length is a Factor

    No matter how well a cable is designed, cable length will always impact performance. As the length of a cable goes up, so does the risk of unwanted interference and signal loss. We always recommend keeping your cables as short as possible, but we understand that is not always possible. A well constructed and shielded cable will help combat this issue.

      3. Conductor material plays a role

      The best conductors to use for audio cables are pure silver or pure copper. Both are valued for their high conductivity, but copper is more widely used due to the high price of silver. Additionally, some variations are constructed with silver-plated copper. However, because the metals have different conductivities, the sound is more likely to travel through only the silver plating and not the copper.

      The purity of the conductor will affect performance more than anything. Look for Oxygen-Free High Conductivity (OFHC) conductors. This means that a significant percentage of oxygen and other impurities have been removed from the conductor resulting in high purity.  

      4. Wire gauge should not be overlooked

      The amount of wattage your system is using will determine the total gauge size needed for safe and optimal performance. The standard is 14 gauge wire minimum for the transmission of 250 watts of power. Many electronic devices use much less than this, but some speakers and listening setups may be using more. If your system uses more than 250 Watts, we recommend a higher total gauge cable.

      5. Quality connectors matter

      Truly, the best connectors are no connectors at all. But, if you can’t hardwire your system, gold plated connectors are the industry standard. Gold plating exhibits great corrosion resistance when exposed to oxygen and has good conductive properties. Connectors range from basic to extremely high end and flashy.

      The bottom line is:
      Choose connectors based on your personal needs and the type of connection being made. Overall, always choose quality connectors.  

      We hope these myths and facts will help you choose quality, reasonably priced cables to complete your listening room, studio, or whatever your setup may be.

      Share your setup with us in the comments below!
      shieldedaudio

      Showing 9 responses by fleschler

      fleschler
      2,041 posts
       
      GroverHuffman cables use a combination of embossed and flattened wire and flattened wire.  It took years to determine the mix of the two, conductor materials and size of the conductors.  Skin effect or not, these three wire parameters make a difference.  
      fleschler
      2,041 posts
       
      The only pure silver conductor cable I have is a 75 ohm SPDIF carrying a digital signal from transport to DAC.  I was surprised that installing an all copper conductor and a mix conductor design cable made a small amount of difference (pure copper emphasized the lower mids while rolling off the highs/ambiance but still highly enjoyable with any of the three).  Ordinarily, I hate pure silver conductor cables I've heard, as being too bright/tonally unbalanced in the analog realm.  So, the type of conductor or mix can affect analog signals differently from digital signals as only an opinion from my experience. 
      fleschler
      2,041 posts
       
      As a 20 year beta tester for various cables of GroverHuffman.com, he has a patented air dielectric with a combination of techniques which may not be scientifically proven but audibly proven at various shows and in our comparison to other expensive cables.  He embosses the finer copper and silver elements in his cabling.  He uses both silver and copper wire.  He doesn't orient the cable but believes the wire is oriented upon usage.  There are multiple levels of elimination of noise, particularly the sleeve which is dipped in a mixture of copper, nickel and tungsten powered glue and a braided copper mesh over that.   His phono cables have very low capacitance.  Anyway, there were many failed models of wire back in the 2000-2006 period when he used all silver or all copper wire.  The mixture varies per quality/price of his cabling and per application (A/C, IC, speaker, etc).  There is also an additional non-patented process he uses which is the reason his cables compete with SOTA cabling but at relatively inexpensive cost.
      fleschler
      2,041 posts
       
      A major problem for my friend is the snobbery among high end audiophiles.  He loses more sales due to price than any other factor (60 day trial included).  Snobs refuse to try a cable not priced in the multiple four or five digit range.  They contact him, he prices the cable(s) and they say the usual that they can't be an elite sounding cable at that price.

      As to directionality, I am non-committal.  My supposition (rather than knowing it to be true) is that directionality can be altered by reversing the cable and breaking it in over time in the alternate direction.  

      I can hear very significant differences even on my video system's audio using a Yamaha CR620 receiver (1978) with speaker and IC cabling by GroverHuffman.  I use his Empress cables on the video systems and the Pharoahs for the two main audio systems.
      fleschler
      2,041 posts
       
      I have had the experience of moving and reinstalling cables, with one pair misdirected.  After a few weeks of allowing the system to settle in, I really couldn't determine if there was a difference in sound quality.  I redirected them and found they were off sounding for a few days.  I conclude, possibly wrongly, that cables can learn new directionality over time.  Are there studies to dispute that possibility?  So many are sure that wire is directional or non-directional, but concerning learning directionality through use is apparently not a discussed subject. 

      As to not auditioning cabling costing in the $100s ($300 to $900) and not the $1,000s-$10,000s, that is foolish and I consider snobbery. 

      Many consider my 25 year old speakers antiquated.  Good high end speakers of that period are better than most $5,000-$10,000 currently made.  The reason could be in the tuning of them using the best technology at the time to sound musical, not just reproducing sound.   My speakers are still being used in sound studios, including some high end ones in New York and L.A.  They are not SOTA but are a real bargain for those building a high end sound system, sold around $2,500 (efficient, full frequency range, wide soundstage and gets the timing of music correct).  
      fleschler
      2,041 posts
       
      Back in the early 80's, I went from zip cord to Audioquest speaker wire.  There was NO contest.  Since then, I've changed speaker wire about half a dozen times.  I installed the Audioquest back into my system about 15 years ago to see how well it held up compared to my then current wire.  Not bad.  Zip cord-yuk!  
      fleschler
      2,041 posts
       
      I've tried a few tweaks that fooled me into thinking they made my audio system improved.  After some time, I realized that they also created negative effects.  Some were too obvious, e.g. the SR Blackbox which cut off the highs no matter where in the room they were located or Magico's isolation feet which killed the performance (sluggish and dark sounding) no matter which piece of equipment I placed them under.   I don't want to mention several other mistakes which I corrected because I ended up with other products using the same technology in different applications.   I am not a Golden Ear but do know live acoustical sound from performing and recording performances for 4 decades.   My friend who only listens/buys stereo recordings still appreciates the wonderful 78s and mono LP sound when played in my audio system.   He just doesn't have the room for more than his 12,000+ LPs and 5,000+ CDs.
      fleschler
      2,041 posts
       
      When I purchased my separate DAC, I also purchased an all silver 75 ohm cable.  I experimented with a Pharoah IC cable.  There wasn't as much difference that I expected.  It is possible that digital cabling is not as critical for SPDIF as other forms of digital cabling such as USB or Toslink and especially analog cabling.  Anyone experiment with SPDIF cabling?
      fleschler
      2,041 posts
       
      I am a beta tester for a cable manufacturer.  When he invented the Pharoah line, he provided me with Pharoah IC cables 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.  I had no preconceived notions as to which was best or worst or the same sounding.  I chose two as best, one as worst and two as in-between.  The manufacturer chose to use one of my two best choices (his system at the time was uber resolving compared to mine).  The first (up to the third) time I heard High Fidelity cables I heard distortion of the music/audio signal.  Just awful.  Eventually, I heard a sufficient number of installations at shows and homes that it was apparent how awful they are.  The home installations sold off their cables and chose others, GroverHuffman, Nordost, Wireworld, etc.  The reason the homeowners had HF cables was on hype and snobbery.  Unfortunately, that is where the preconceived notion that expensive cables are better.
      More to discover