Audio Interconnect and Speaker Cable Myths and Truths Revealed

[Pyrrho]

I thought you were going to say tighter skirt ...

This thread, and in particular, your post, has given me a brilliant idea for getting people to watch videos about audio gear. What should be done is a new series of videos posted on youtube, called "The Cross-dressing Audiophile." Put a guy in a dress (hopefully one who will not make everyone gag), and have him give good advice about audio. Throw in a couple of innuendos about the advantages of "thick wire" and about guys who buy expensive wires to try to make up for their "shortcomings" and you have the makings of not only the most-watched audio series, but one of the most watched of any series! You would get people from all walks of life watching videos talking about audio gear that way. I am ready to start watching!

 

[mtrycrafts]

I thought you were going to say tighter skirt ...

The eyes can play tricks on you. At first look that is what my brain registered; 2nd read didn't.

 

[Peart2112]

Great job on the video guys, I am sure being on camera will get easier and more comfortable for you both. My brother does on-air work on HSN and his first few appearances were comical!

I would like to see an "Ask Audioholics" series for simple and complex questions, maybe have your review staff do a walk-around using their gear to explain their answer(s)?

 

[gene]

Part II YouTube Interview on Audio Interconnects Posted!

Guys;

we just posted Part II Audio Interconnects to this interview on our YouTube Channel.

[video=youtube_share;dVDTwzCKIC4]http://youtu.be/dVDTwzCKIC4[/video]

 

[CrankyGuy]

Nice videos!

Totally agree about the huge amount of snakeoil out there.

Check out this guy's recent power cable review debunking the BS.
Archimago's Musings: MEASUREMENTS: Power Cable Redux. The Synergistic Research Tesla T2 SE, T3 SE and PowerCell 4.

About time rational people got involved.

 

[detroit1]

Excellent article again by Audioholics. Yes the Sales clowns in this business never have any degree and are usually $5/hour type employees that worked at Walmart, Mcdonalds, etc and now they work as Audio Video salesman

The B.S the hell out of customers about what is best ;not cooncidentally it is always whatever costs more that they carry

They are still doing this with cables; I know because I have called around and asked about this

It would be great if the FTC or someone regulated this joke industry

You have people like Runco selling Projectors for $15K that are not as good as an Epson at $3500 and those Joke Dealers have no idea and are telling people to buy other expensive cable accessories along with the "Runco"

It is laughable how many products in this business that cost more are actually lesser quality than products at a fraction of the price

places like Stereophile fuel this with their absurd cable reviews

 

[gene]

Excellent article again by Audioholics. Yes the Sales clowns in this business never have any degree and are usually $5/hour type employees that worked at Walmart, Mcdonalds, etc and now they work as Audio Video salesman

The B.S the hell out of customers about what is best ;not cooncidentally it is always whatever costs more that they carry

They are still doing this with cables; I know because I have called around and asked about this

It would be great if the FTC or someone regulated this joke industry

You have people like Runco selling Projectors for $15K that are not as good as an Epson at $3500 and those Joke Dealers have no idea and are telling people to buy other expensive cable accessories along with the "Runco"

It is laughable how many products in this business that cost more are actually lesser quality than products at a fraction of the price

places like Stereophile fuel this with their absurd cable reviews

It is sad, especially when the audio snobby exhibited by some attempt to devalue good performing, honestly priced products. I kinda consider Audioholics.com the police of the industry but it doesn't make us popular at times to do it and it certainly doesn't make us rich either

 

[haraldo]

I came across this on Norwegian AV forum, it is hard to say about authenticity of these documents, but if this is the case.... I find it quite interesting

 

[detroit1]

More Excellent Info. The Cable crooks have been trying to rip off people for years and years and years
This information should be posted on Audioholics,Audiogon, Hometheater.com,Hometheaterhifi and of course Stereophile
Stereophile has posted many reviews on cables claiming to hear a whole new level of sound. What a joke

 

[gene]

I came across this on Norwegian AV forum, it is hard to say about authenticity of these documents, but if this is the case.... I find it quite interesting

None of this should be a surprise. I've heard from a few reliable industry sources that Audioquest almost exclusively repackages Belden cable with their own cosmetics; batteries not included

 

[gene]

More Excellent Info. The Cable crooks have been trying to rip off people for years and years and years
This information should be posted on Audioholics,Audiogon, Hometheater.com,Hometheaterhifi and of course Stereophile
Stereophile has posted many reviews on cables claiming to hear a whole new level of sound. What a joke

There is big money in promoting exotic cables both in retail and in advertising for AV review publications. That being said, some people (including the cable vendors themselves) actually genuinely believe their own pseudoscience. This is no different than people denying Evolution over ID, but let's not get into that debate

 

[haraldo]

There's this Kiwi company that makes air-insulated cables, based on the assumption that no contact between the wire and the insulation will make an audible difference, and the idea that when you have no insulation in connection with the wire it's like having no wire at all.
http://www.slinkylinks.net/AboutUs-OurProduct.htm

Well, the speaker cables have so thin wires that a 20 feet cables has a dc resistance approaching 1 ohm. I want to be open minded and if in doubt see and think if there is something I really could have missed... but no matter what and how there's no way in the world... even if you turn the world upside down... I don't see how a speaker cable with a 1 ohm DC resistance can do anything but big harm....
This is stated here: Product Review

Here's what slinkylinks claim about resistance:
Slinkylinks are a relatively high resistance cable. This is due to the small size of the conductors. The benefits of the small conductors by far outweigh any losses created though resistance. At worst minor adjustments to volume may be necessary to compensate for losses (speaker cables only) Slinkylinks may give an impression of not being as loud as conventional cables in direct A-B comparison, this however is not due to energy loss, but a lack of noise and harshness associated with other cables. Until now this noise has been accepted as normal in stereo systems.

And then about phase, it's claimed that all cables generate phase-distortion, somehow.....
The increased linearity of the signal generated through the air dielectric insulation means that the bass signals arrive in time with treble frequencies. Subjectively, this tightens everything up. The bass becomes far more melodic and is synchronous with other recorded instruments.
Hmmm, I'm an engineer, but I don't understand any of this reasoning.... I never knew that 15KHz frequencies travel quicker through a wire than the 50Hz

This is their faq's Slinkylinks

Perhaps I'll better then just stick with the cheap Swedish supra speaker cables that I have and my Canare interconnects from BJC.... Sorry guys, I just don't know better

 

[mtrycrafts]

... This is no different than people denying Evolution over ID, but let's not get into that debate

Ok, let's not. How about global warming caused by humans.

 

[mtrycrafts]

There's this Kiwi company that makes air-insulated cables, based on the assumption that no contact between the wire and the insulation will make an audible difference, and the idea that when you have no insulation in connection with the wire it's like having no wire at all.
Best audio cables by Slinkylinks New Zealand

Well, the speaker cables have so thin wires that a 20 feet cables has a dc resistance approaching 1 ohm. I want to be open minded and if in doubt see and think if there is something I really could have missed... but no matter what and how there's no way in the world... even if you turn the world upside down... I don't see how a speaker cable with a 1 ohm DC resistance can do anything but big harm....
This is stated here: Product Review

Here's what slinkylinks claim about resistance:
Slinkylinks are a relatively high resistance cable. This is due to the small size of the conductors. The benefits of the small conductors by far outweigh any losses created though resistance. At worst minor adjustments to volume may be necessary to compensate for losses (speaker cables only) Slinkylinks may give an impression of not being as loud as conventional cables in direct A-B comparison, this however is not due to energy loss, but a lack of noise and harshness associated with other cables. Until now this noise has been accepted as normal in stereo systems.

And then about phase, it's claimed that all cables generate phase-distortion, somehow.....
The increased linearity of the signal generated through the air dielectric insulation means that the bass signals arrive in time with treble frequencies. Subjectively, this tightens everything up. The bass becomes far more melodic and is synchronous with other recorded instruments.
Hmmm, I'm an engineer, but I don't understand any of this reasoning.... I never knew that 15KHz frequencies travel quicker through a wire than the 50Hz

This is their faq's Slinkylinks

Perhaps I'll better then just stick with the cheap Swedish supra speaker cables that I have and my Canare interconnects from BJC.... Sorry guys, I just don't know better

Air as an insulator increases the signal propagation velocity, big deal.
High resistance will change frequency response of the amp to align with the FR of the speaker, not a good thing.
The loss of loudness is certainly an energy loss, period. If the owner of that company can hear the noise of a cable, he is superior to superman and a Vulcan

As to arrival times, again, if he can heart those nanoseconds, same applies

 

[jneutron]

[/I]And then about phase, it's claimed that all cables generate phase-distortion, somehow.....
The increased linearity of the signal generated through the air dielectric insulation means that the bass signals arrive in time with treble frequencies. Subjectively, this tightens everything up. The bass becomes far more melodic and is synchronous with other recorded instruments.
Hmmm, I'm an engineer, but I don't understand any of this reasoning.... I never knew that 15KHz frequencies travel quicker through a wire than the 50Hz

I am also an engineer. I do understand it.

Whether or not the settling time differences as a consequence of load impedance variations on a sub wavelength transmission line rise to the level of soundstage disruption (5 to 10 uSec differential ITD) would depend on the ratio of the line impedance to the load impedance variations.

jn

 

[gene]

Ok, let's not. How about global warming caused by humans.

How about it? Man Made Climate Change is real as is the science behind. The only deniers are typically big Oil and Fox News.

 

[haraldo]

How about it? Man Made Climate Change is real as is the science behind. The only deniers are typically big Oil and Fox News.

The next you're gonna tell me that the world is not flat, but round, yes

 

[gene]

The next you're gonna tell me that the world is not flat, but round, yes

Sadly it's still flat for a large portion of our population that rejects science.

 

[haraldo]

Sadly it's still flat for a large portion of our population that rejects science.

I hope you understand my humor Gene

Keep up the good work Gene

 

[haraldo]

Get one of these to sort the issues