Speaker cable and RCA interconnects- help me choose

[Unregistered]

I am looking at av cable, axiom, and cobalt cables. AV cable and axiom were in the second speaker cable face-off article, while cobalt was in the first. I don't mind spending more money for aesthetics and quality terminations, but no more than cobalt and axiom's stuff. Which of these three would you purchase considering the measurements of inductance, resistance and capacitance? I would think the best blend would yield the best performance or am I reading the articles wrong? Also, does anyone have any experience with cobalt's rca cables?
thanks for your help

 

[mtrycrafts]

I am looking at av cable, axiom, and cobalt cables. AV cable and axiom were in the second speaker cable face-off article, while cobalt was in the first. I don't mind spending more money for aesthetics and quality terminations, but no more than cobalt and axiom's stuff. Which of these three would you purchase considering the measurements of inductance, resistance and capacitance? I would think the best blend would yield the best performance or am I reading the articles wrong? Also, does anyone have any experience with cobalt's rca cables?
thanks for your help

The cables in the face off are all measuring well enough not to be audibly different, IMO.

http://bruce.coppola.name/audio/cableInteractions.pdf

While the cables are not the same as in the face off, 1991 paper
the electrical values are similar. If you check the several figures, you will see how varied the resistance, about 10X difference, capacitance and inductance are, again up to 20X different. Then check out the frequency responses.
JND(Just noticable Difference) at 16kHz is 1dB min and 3 dB average. So, not to worry about audibility of any of those cables.


If you want the best frequency response out of a cable even if not audible, go for the lowest inductance being aware of the capacitance and your amps capability to put up with it

 

[Rÿche 1]

I recommend some good 12ga. (I use 14ga.) wire. Unless you just want to pay more than you need too for pretty looking cables, which will sound no different than regular .35/ft. wire.

I once had all Colbalt Cables in my system. I ended up returning all of them, because they're pretty to look at, and way overpriced. I'd rather spend .35/ft. on eBay for some good 14ga. Monster Cable, than $150-$200 from Cobalt for there speaker cables. And, there's 0 difference in sound! I just saved myself over 100 bucks.

 

[Mudcat]

I recommend some good 12ga. (I use 14ga.) wire. Unless you just want to pay more than you need too for pretty looking cables, which will sound no different than regular .35/ft. wire.

I once had all Colbalt Cables in my system. I ended up returning all of them, because they're pretty to look at, and way overpriced. I'd rather spend .35/ft. on eBay for some good 14ga. Monster Cable, than $150-$200 from Cobalt for there speaker cables. And, there's 0 difference in sound! I just saved myself over 100 bucks.

I added the emphisis to highlight a point of controversy that I am about to cause.

Up in the Philosophers and Wisemen forum in the Sound of Receivers Thread, Mr. Ryche 1 insists he can here the differences between receivers where my golden eared wife ( I actually do not know if her ears are golden, just that she can hear and understand me when I curse at her under my breath from the next room - is this that different room syndrome Mr. Seaton was harping on?) and I could not tell the difference between modern units with twenty year old units. Now down here in the cable section he cannot hear any difference in cables. Ummmmm

Personally I agree with the "no audible difference in cables" but am waiting for John E. to develop at better test.

 

[JoeE SP9]

As far as I can tell the only thing very expensive cable does is line the manufacturers pocket.

 

[gene]

Personally I agree with the "no audible difference in cables" but am waiting for John E. to develop at better test.

Mudcat; I think a more accurate statement here would be there are no audible differences in well designed cables. Exotic cable vendors, or anyone for that matter can easily design a high resistance/inductance cable that will cause audible differences b/c of too much of those factors. The same applies with high capacitance cables and how they interact with the amplifier and load. That being said, trying to distinguish audible differences of good cables in a controlled DBT test to my knowledge simply hasn't been achieved. It is so controversial among some audio circles that it cannot even be discussed on their sites!

 

[mtrycrafts]

( I actually do not know if her ears are golden, just that she can hear and understand me when I curse at her under my breath from the next room

You are killing me and I just got here




personally I agree with the "no audible difference in cables" but am waiting for John E. to develop at better test.

I think John is into developing cables of consistent parameters and the ability to change one at a time in a predictable manner.

I am not sure where and how the listening tests will be incorporated. I am still not real clear on it even though we went into it a few times. The first one was uncontrolled impressions.

 

[mtrycrafts]

That being said, trying to distinguish audible differences of good cables in a controlled DBT test to my knowledge simply hasn't been achieved. It is so controversial among some audio circles that it cannot even be discussed on their sites!

Tom Nousaine has been trying for 25+ years, nothing so far

I am here because of the last part, a good place succumbed Don't make me homeless

 

[Rÿche 1]

I added the emphisis to highlight a point of controversy that I am about to cause.

Up in the Philosophers and Wisemen forum in the Sound of Receivers Thread, Mr. Ryche 1 insists he can here the differences between receivers where my golden eared wife ( I actually do not know if her ears are golden, just that she can hear and understand me when I curse at her under my breath from the next room - is this that different room syndrome Mr. Seaton was harping on?) and I could not tell the difference between modern units with twenty year old units. Now down here in the cable section he cannot hear any difference in cables. Ummmmm

Personally I agree with the "no audible difference in cables" but am waiting for John E. to develop at better test.

Ummmmm what? What don't you understand exactly? To MY ears, there's no difference in speaker wire/cables. BUT, there IS a difference in sound quality between a H/K DPR-1001 and a Yamaha RX-V630, in my room, through my speaker wire and speakers. Any other questions?

 

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the Replies, but another question

Thanks for the replies. In reaction to your posts, I will get some good zip cord of decent gauge. I will need a decent length though so a bigger gauge will be best. What would be the best banana plugs and spades to get that will accept a broad range of gauges?

 

[Punkuk]

How much...... no way

My wife used to tell me "It’s a wire cable what difference can it possibly make"
It is easy to get caught up in the hype of manufactures which tout there high priced (Over priced cables).
Hell have you seen the Transparent OPUS MM $23,000.00 per pair.
Bet they sound gorgeous but at $23K+ only if they are hooked into my $250,000.00 Wilson WAMM’s

If you just laid out a couple of grand on your new Van Den Hulls of course you can hear the difference than the Monster stuff that cost you less than a $ a foot.
Your best mate can’t but there has gotta be a difference…….. right?

I have tried Van Den Hulls I have tried Monster and ECOSSE and now Signal Cable and there is a difference.
But the difference in what I perceive in quality, ambiance, openness or neutrality in each of the above is not worth the vast difference in price that I have paid.

Looking for that ultimate reproduction of sound to me is like wine it is down to your own palette.
If you are using Home Depot zip wire and you sit back and hear the sound that moves you then 25c a foot is great.

But I did get the wife to agree that my latest cable did make a distinct difference in what she used to hear (And she has no idea what I have used or how much it cost) to what she hears now, and that my friends is the biggest endorsement I can give SHE HEARD IT.
And I did not spend hundreds of dollars ether (well may be a couple).


Hummmm…… Now if I can just get her to agree to re mortgage the house I can get those OPUS MM’s, and sell the kids for the Wamm’s.
Then all I need is a deck, amps and a long power extension cord to the shed.

 

[Rÿche 1]

Punkuk, great post.