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DIY cable elevators

I know that there is opinion on both sides of the aisle as to whether elevating speaker cable is a worthwhile or pointless thing to do, or a good or a bad thing sonically.

Assuming for the moment that it might be desirable, can anyone tell me why the following DIY solution would not work as well as, or better than, the expensive products out there that The Cable Company is trying to sell me?

Take three chopsticks or similar lengths of narrow gauge dowel, align the three of them, tie a piece of string tightly around them about 2" from one end, splay the three legs out like a tripod, set on floor, and rest the cable in the "cradle" formed by the three short angled lengths of stick above the string. Repeat as necessary. Last I heard, wood is pretty non-conductive. But perhaps I'm missing something.

(Of course, if this works, we can start experimenting with different woods and different shapes and brands of chopstick.) (;
twoleftears

Showing 2 responses by rushton

rushton's avatar
rushton
2,445 posts
 
Twoleftears, what you describe will work just fine. You can experiment with the height off the floor to see if there is a better height, but lifting the cables 6" or more should work well (4" may also work fine, but going taller might make the difference).

Any paper or wood material should work well. I use corrugated cardboard in a crossing "+" arrangement (as seen from the top). Avoid plastics (which can store energy).

Good luck with your experiments. It's certainly inexpensive enough to try.
rushton's avatar
rushton
2,445 posts
 
Twoleftears, what you describe will work just fine. You can experiment with the height off the floor to see if there is a better height, but lifting the cables 6" or more should work well (4" may also work fine, but going taller might make the difference).

Any paper or wood material should work well. I use corrugated cardboard in a crossing "+" arrangement (as seen from the top). Avoid plastics (which can store energy).

Good luck with your experiments. It's certainly inexpensive enough to try.
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