2. cables
  3. 1058894209

Which cables go with what?????

I never fails to amaze me, the questions people ask on this forum, always trying to find some synergy between cables and their components/speakers.

The fact is: there are two classes of cables:
1) Those that are neutral
2) Those that impose a sonic signature (tone controls of a sort)

If the average audiophile spent his time trying to weed-out the tone control cables and get some neutral cables, then all that would be left is to determine the right synergy between his or her components. This may mean elimination of an offensive component, as painful as that sounds.

Component synergy is real. Amps and speaker combinations definitely need to be selected carefully. In some cases also preamp-amp synergies are important. If you are using tubes, then there are even more compatibility issues. But cables, forget it. If you are trying to compensate for a poor component or speaker design by using tone control cables, you will probably never be happy and likely compromise the sound of the other components in the process. You will certainly never approach a live or "master-tape" sound. There, that's my editorial. Hopefully some will learn from it.
audioengr
flex
292 posts
 
Okay Corona, supposing that it were somehow possible to eliminate the modulating effect of vibrational motion on the fields carried on a/c cords (and I'm assuming you're talking about mechanical and not electrical resonance), what percentage of that 80% distortion through the entire record/playback chain do you think is going to be reduced?

Resonance is present at every point in a playback system. If you reduce it in the power cord, where the a/c signal after passing through a transformer, admittedly becomes the base of the audio signal, then how do prevent resonance from being reintroduced in signal cables, within the electronic components including their wiring, and most of all within the speaker environment?
sean
6,231 posts
 
Corona: So, now you are trying to say that "proper" power cords could correct / reverse the physics involved with speaker design ? That is the only way for me to take what you are saying... Sean
>

PS... I think that ports with flares on the entrance and exit ( aka "aeroports" ) alleviate much of the problems associated with this type of design. The high impedance peak / poorer transient response / increased ringing / lack of power transfer that is directly related to the electro-mechanical resonances of such an alignment are still something that plague such designs. This is obviously taking this thread WAY off track though....
rjwood
14 posts
 
Audioengr, ALL cables have a sonic signature, just as ALL electronic components have a sonic signature. It's simply a matter of choosing a collection of components that, to YOUR ears, do least damage to the music. I'm all for applying sound scientific principles to cable design but, in its present state, science can only tell us so much, hence the diversity of equally valid approaches. The list of 'respectable' cable manufacturers you posted is completely arbitrary and FAR from complete.
rch102a97
162 posts
 
Rjwood: AudioEngr has done the self promotion before in past threads somewhat disguised. The fact that this thread has over 68 posts supports this. Great publicity!
dekay's avatar
dekay
5,387 posts
 
RCH:

Regardless of what/any intent Steve had in regard to starting this thread, I will say that his premise is an odd one (this not being the first time he has wierded me out, nor hopefully will it be the last).

I can't imagine seriously discussing this one (this concept) as it has too much of "The Chicken or the Egg" quality going for it.

Yes, I first thought that the thread might be financially motivated (especially after the two year old piped in:-), but now it seems fairly obvious that Steve was just dreaming/thinking outloud/online.

As far as any self promotion goes I'll be damned if I can ever remember the name of his cable company (and I have read tons of his AA posts), so he must be doing a very poor job of it.

The only thing that really bugs me about Steve is that his wife is easily a gazillion times more attractive (than Steve). I mean, what's up with this?
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