Hi Nick,
After looking at the impedance curve of your speaker, I don't see cable inductance as being particularly critical. Keep in mind that the impedance presented by inductance ("inductive reactance") is directly proportional to frequency, and any significance it might have will therefore occur at upper treble and ultrasonic frequencies. Your speakers have reasonably high impedances at those frequencies, much higher than the inductive reactance of a moderate length of cable having reasonable inductance per unit length, and therefore there should be little if any sensitivity to that inductance.
Also, depending on the cable design, ultra-low inductance can often go hand-in-hand with extremely high capacitance, which your amplifier might not be happy with.
Another consideration that is sometimes applicable is the possibility that noise picked up by the cable can enter the feedback loop of the amplifier, if it has one, potentially resulting in effects within the audible spectrum. Shielding obviously could help that, but I agree with your friend that chances are it wouldn't be a problem without a shield, especially if the + and - conductors are twisted and/or braided together (so that noise is picked up equally by the two conductors). Twisting will lower inductance and raise capacitance, btw.
All in all, my instinct would be to avoid any extreme parameters, and beyond that to proceed essentially by trial-and-error.
Regards,
-- Al
After looking at the impedance curve of your speaker, I don't see cable inductance as being particularly critical. Keep in mind that the impedance presented by inductance ("inductive reactance") is directly proportional to frequency, and any significance it might have will therefore occur at upper treble and ultrasonic frequencies. Your speakers have reasonably high impedances at those frequencies, much higher than the inductive reactance of a moderate length of cable having reasonable inductance per unit length, and therefore there should be little if any sensitivity to that inductance.
Also, depending on the cable design, ultra-low inductance can often go hand-in-hand with extremely high capacitance, which your amplifier might not be happy with.
Another consideration that is sometimes applicable is the possibility that noise picked up by the cable can enter the feedback loop of the amplifier, if it has one, potentially resulting in effects within the audible spectrum. Shielding obviously could help that, but I agree with your friend that chances are it wouldn't be a problem without a shield, especially if the + and - conductors are twisted and/or braided together (so that noise is picked up equally by the two conductors). Twisting will lower inductance and raise capacitance, btw.
All in all, my instinct would be to avoid any extreme parameters, and beyond that to proceed essentially by trial-and-error.
Regards,
-- Al