2. cables
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Which cables cause issues for high bandwidth amps?

As in, blow them up? I recently bought a McCormack amp and blew it up when using Goertz Alpha Core MI-2 cables. I am about to get the amp back from being repaired, and I want to make fricken sure that I don't repeat the episode. Now, I do have a feeling that there was something wrong with that amp in the first place, but I still want to be very careful.

I now know that using the Goertz was a no-no, but I am told there may be other brands of cables with the same concerns. I have been advised to stay away from "flat" cables for the McCormack. Is this true, or an over-generalization?

I am looking for moderate price options, if anybody has experience with cables that sounded great with McCormack amps. Thanks a bunch!
mtrot

Showing 4 responses by mtrot

mtrot OP
804 posts
 
Thanks for the replies!

First, I am confident the cables were hooked up correctly. Also, I am now using the exact same set of cables with a Yamaha receiver and Monitor audio speakers and everything has been working fine for months, and the sound is pretty good.

Second, I want to see if I understand correctly that the spec that is the culprit in inducing these oscillation problems in amps is capacitance? And that as long as I keep that spec under 300-400 pf/foot, I am OK? Or, are there any other cable specifications that would ruin an amp?
mtrot OP
804 posts
 
Oh, also, the guys who are repairing my McCormack amp are discouraging the use of the Goertz cables, EVEN WITH the use of the Zobels across the terminals.
mtrot OP
804 posts
 
Thanks for all the replies. My cable length for this setup is 8-10 feet.
mtrot OP
804 posts
 
Bojack,

I do have on hand a set of old 12 ga Esoteric Ultra Cable Premier OFHC that I can use for the LF terminals and a set of Morrow Audio SP2 that I can use for the HF terminals. The Goertz cables ended up being used because I was trying out the McCormack amp in the bedroom system, which is where the Goertz cables were located.
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