SACD Interconnects

If you are using a set of 6, they are analog, not digital. All you need are regular analog interconnects.

Kal

OK, thanks Kal.

Kal or anyone:

I decided on 3 prs of 1 meter analog decent audiophile grade ICs. I'll leave out the brand for now unless your answers depend on knowing the brand and series.

Anyway, the hi-fi audio store is about a one hour drive from here but I was out that way on business so I didn't have to make a special trip. When I got them home, two of the 3 packages were mismarked. Two of the 3 pairs are actually 1.5 meters in length and the other pair is 1 meter. I only need 1 meter in length for all 3 pairs. Would this have any impact on the overall sound if I use the 1 meter pr for the L & R mains and the longer pairs for the center, subwoofer, and two surrounds? If none, it would save me the hassle of returning and exchanging them. The store would have to order them too which means another trip out there to pick them up. Any guidance here? Many thanks.

There will be around 1 nanosecond (1/10^9) of difference in propagation delay between 1m and 1.5m length interconnects, which is probably not audible to anyone. However the human nature is that each time you put on music you are likely be bothered by the thought that the sound might have been compromised by mixing cables of different length, so I would recommend using identical length for the peace of mind. If you are going to keep them, use the different length for surrounds.

C'mon. It will make absolutely no audible difference and, if just knowing the lengths are different bothers you, you need to change your thinking. Are all your speaker cables the same length? Is every internal path length the same? Get over it.

Kal

well put Kal

Kal,

Thanks - there are so many myths propagated about cables, lengths, materials etc. that feed the fears of audiophiles - some by reviewers. I am highly impressed with your practical no nonsense approach. Kudos to you for calling a spade a spade. Of course it makes no difference!

Thanks. I do believe that everything makes a difference but it is always a matter of degree or, even, order of magnitude. I have heard differences (with electronic delays) of ~1millisecond between the two channels of a stereo pair but a 1millisecond difference requires a cable length difference of more than 125miles! Who has room for such?!?

Kal

Thanks. I do believe that everything makes a difference but it is always a matter of degree or, even, order of magnitude. I have heard differences (with electronic delays) of ~1millisecond between the two channels of a stereo pair but a 1millisecond difference requires a cable length difference of more than 125miles! Who has room for such?!?

Kal

1 millisec is around the threshold of audibility for time delay.

Of course tolerances must be much tighter for drivers sitting adjacent to eachother and emmitting the same frequencies in a speaker array as you would certainly get cancellation or reinforcement (comb filtering effects). And since we hear frequencies we will very likely perceive this.

So in one case a millisec is very important and in another it just touches the threshold of audibility. IMHO, it is the misapplied extrapolation of one truth in one situation which often leads to the incorrect conclusion that tiny differences always matter. The reality is that tiny differences do matter in some particular cases but NOT ALL CASES.

I agree but my test was, imho, completely analogous to the situation with the unequal cable lengths. We simply instituted the delay of one channel electronically.

Kal

Wow, I guess I started quite a stimulating discussion. That's good. Thanks everyone. Again we all learned something. Turns out the manufacturer made good on their mistake and shipped me two 1 meter pair of ICs because they're a reputable firm and I'm returning the longer ones. Thanks again.