Date:         Mon, 28 Aug 2006 21:42:00 -0400
Reply-To:     Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
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From:         Jerome Hartke <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:      Re: Cables- was Can 78s sound better than LPs?
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of steven c
> Sent: Monday, August 28, 2006 9:05 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Cables- was Can 78s sound better than LPs?
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mike Richter" <[log in to unmask]>
> > Steven Smolian wrote:
> > > Seems to me the theory of matched impedence comes into play here
> > > somewhere. What is the size of the wire attached to the connector on
> the
> > > inside of the box?
> > >
> > > Unknown.  Many of us the "it couldn't hurt" theory.  So do I.  I use
> > > heavy lamp wire for speaker connections.
> > >
> > > I expect cable length has more to do with it than thickness.  All
> other
> > > things being equal, I've found powered speakers sound better- more
> open-
> > > than the same speakers with external amplification.
> > >
> > > This is heresy.  None of the classic speakers were made that way and
> we
> > > all venerate age- of equipment.
> > >
> > > Steve Smolian
> >
> > I have been using 10 gauge zip cord for decades, since I first heard a
> > shop selling junk speakers by hooking up AR3s with "speaker wire" for
> > comparison.
> >
> > It's easy enough to calculate the impedance of any length of
> > standard-gauge wire. That yields the damping factor for speaker
> > resonances since it is almost always far more than the output impedance
> > of a modern amplifier. Said damping factor then goes into classic
> > expressions for the Q of the tuned circuit which is the electrical
> > aspect of a speaker.
> >
> > In short, run a few feet of high-impedance wire to turn your
> > high-quality speakers into a boom box.
> >
> When you folks are talking about "impedance" in relation to speaker
> (and other sound-system) cables...are you talking about the impedance
> of the cables as a transmission line? If so, does the frequency of
> the tramsmitted signal get involved at all? As well, does this mean
> that the impedances of both the output of the signal source and the
> input of whatever is being fed would have to be matched to the
> cables' characteristic impedance? I used to use 72-ohm transmission
> line to feed a half-wave dipole, with a pi-network output feeding
> my transmitter signal to the "house end" of the twin-lead (or 300-
> ohm line to feed a "folded dipole")...But is the upshot of this
> the possibility of having "standing waves" on speaker cables?
> 
> Steven C. Barr

Cable impedance only becomes significant if their length approaches a tenth
wavelength or more. I doubt that this happens at audio frequencies unless
the speakers are in another state.

Jerry
Media Sciences, Inc.