Idiot Question

[Tarzan]

Evening all, l have found an interconnect that has blown me away, it is very thin physically , but the sound has deep bass, smooth and a very full and dynamic sound, probably the most dynamic cable l have yet heard, but l have a question, could l use this as a speaker cable and get the same results as using the same cable as an interconnect, or is there no substitute for thick speaker cables, cheers- this could get interesting:).

[colinB]

Ive always understood there is nothing as good as thick multi strand although some companies like DNM still make single core.

[James G]

Hi Andy,

Do you mean the wire core itself is thin, or the whole package? Is it stranded or solid core? I have read about very very thin solid core wire being used for speaker cables. It was a while ago so I can't remember the name. It was using a hollow tube as a dielectric. Never tried it though.

So what is this cable you're talking about? :)

[Tarzan]

I mean the whole cable including heatshrink, it is probably 3mm thick, but to my ears it sounds full-bloodied and very dynamic and is cheap as chips, l do not know if it solid core, but l would guess it is multi-stranded as it is so flexible, l am going to get the Techie arm re-wired with this stuff, the DNM cable- was this considered a dynamic cable? I will try to post a link later but l am not to clever on the old computer:(.

[Tarzan]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2m-PURE-OFC-2-Phonos-RCA-2-x-Phono-Cable-Lead-GOLD-/380136552142?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item5881e776ce

[Ali Tait]

Should be fine,give it a go.

[trailer]

Evening all, l have found an interconnect that has blown me away, it is very thin physically

"This is a top quality cable with thick Digital Fully Shielded High Definition OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) cable suitable for home cinema and digital stereo hi-fi systems, using high quality gold plated ends"

:scratch:

[DSJR]

Those leads with "Digital" emblazoned on the plugs are pretty good I believe. A local shop (now closed down) had tons of them and rated them well as a great budget interconnect.

A few years ago, when I was still working in the industry, a chap (from the pro sector IIRC) sent us a demo interconnect to try with an anticipated £100rrp. Each channel wire was around 1 - 2mm thick, yet the sound was absolutely top flight, the bass being deep and powerful (when there in the music) and the rest of it as good as the recording being played. I cannot remember the chap's name, but when the store closed I wish I'd kept this cable (or at least taken details of the guy's contact details) as it looked nothing special but out-performed all up to the Chord Signature.


Speakers NEED current as well as voltage (unlike line-level signals) and, IMO, the gauge of the speaker cable should be as hefty as you can get away with. The "science" of audio loudspeaker cables can be an interesting past-time as IMO mega stranded wires sound sickly and/or soggy, whereas solid-core types are cleaner but with massive resistance (in the case of DNM). Having said that, the DNM wires work really well with DNM gear (DUH!!) and if under 5m each side and possibly doubled or tripled up may be the ideal.

P.S. I was always a fan of the (white) Naim A5 as it uses an insulation which doesn't react with the copper over time, the copper is high quality and is 19 strands, rather than 50 or 56 thinner ones. The current price is obscene IMO as it could easily sell profitably (for Naim and dealers) at half it's current retail price (dealers don't make 60%+ "cable" margins on it either), but it is good, especially for older style valve gear like my Quads.

[hifi_dave]

I'm not a fan of multi-strand cables which I find give a diffuse, confused sound in comparison to a good quality copper, single core.

The very best cable I have had over the years was a single strand of ultra high purity copper with a a baked on Teflon varnish. This cable I bought from Japan on a reel and used to make it into star-quad incon, speaker and digital cable. I sold almost all of it to good, regular customers who still have it some 25 years on.

Over the years I used this as my 'secret weapon' whenever a manufacturer or rep got too full of themselves about their new, high-tech cables. I would bring out my tatty, cheap cables and blow them away.

It was only a couple of Quid per metre but the quality and purity of copper was the key.

On the face of it, the DNM cables shouldn't give any bass but they do. I have been very impressed with their latest cables which are truly excellent in all departments and are relatively inexpensive.

[Ali Tait]

Agreed,I use DNM and there is no lack of bass at all,not even compared to NVA LS3 or even Black Mambas.

[Spectral Morn]

Hills Components make a cable which comes in a blue jacket with no plugs as such, as the metal work is bonded into the end of the cable jacket which widens to accommodate it.

Shockingly good for a few quid imho/e but like most cheap cables not without some issues.

link to it http://www.hillscomponents.com/product.asp?PROD=21-7389


Regards D S D L

[Marco]

Strangely enough, or not, I've always found thinner cables to sound better than any of the 'hosepipe' variety, which usually sound phat and bloated in comparison.

In terms of speaker cable, I've just bought this Van Damme pro stuff from Mark Grant, to use with my Celestions in the lounge, and it's very good indeed at a mind-blowingly expensive (not) £1.90 a metre (!):

http://markgrantcables.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=46_21&products_id=169

Marco.

P.S Andy, could you do me a favour and add your location details to your profile? Cheers! :cool:

[AlanS]

I tried DNM I/C as it is similar to the Cyrus cables in construction - thin wires parallel insulation. Then I tried Mark Grant Canare cables and the DNM is sitting somewhere awaiting a fate. Unlike Ali Tait I found the DNM light in the bass area compared to conventional cabling and MG in particular.

[Tarzan]

Brought some more to try as speaker cable, will report back, l am still shocked how good this cable is, anybody gonna give it a try( just so l know l am not going mad):)

[Ali Tait]

I'm using statics though.It may be a different story on conventional speakers.

[Marco]

Ali, I'd have thought that if a cable was bass-light you'd know about it more using statics than conventional speakers! ;)

Marco.

[James G]

Also a fan of solid core wire. Even my interconnects are solid core. I've tried various types, braided, silver-plated whatnot, and while sometimes they seemed to perform better in the end it seemed to come from an extra brightness or "edge enhancement" or something that would normally not be there in the music. I started to feel the solid cores just had a more reliable, easy sound, if that makes sense.

Right now I'm using a very plain Audio-Technica AT-ES1400. Those ones from Mark look interesting too, Marco.

[Ali Tait]

Not really,statics are an easy load in the bass,and drop impedance in the treble.It's generally the opposite for conventional speakers.

[Marco]

Yup, but what I meant was that, in general, statics (not yours) can be somewhat lacking in (genuine) bass extension compared to the best box speakers in that respect, despite their unquestionable talents in other areas.

This has certainly been my own experience to date with statics, in comparison to, say, large Tannoys, and so a bass-light speaker cable (if it were genuinely bass-light) used with them would exacerbate that effect more.... :)

Marco.

[Ali Tait]

What I was getting at is that because statics generally are an easier load in the bass than in the treble,they would demand less current than conventional speakers to reproduce those frequencies.At least,that's the way it seems to me,I may be completely wrong.In any case,coming from your large Tannoys,you'd no doubt find my statics bass-light by comparison.It's not an issue for me personally,I'm happy to trade a bit of extension for a cleaner reproduction,though being such large panels,they do give a pretty good response.The lack of a box adding to the impression of deep bass can also make statics appear to be more bass-light than they actually are.Most folk are used to the sound of bass from a box,coloured as it is.

[Stratmangler]

Most folk are used to the sound of bass from a box,coloured as it is.

You got there before me on this point Ali.

Do you remember the Owston meet when the GM70 boat anchors were introduced in bread-boarded form ?
There was certainly no lack of low end action that day.

I thought that the Acorns driven by the GM70's were one the best sounds of the day.

[Stratmangler]

Ali

Talking of Acorns, how are things progressing with the direct drive project ?

[Ali Tait]

I do remember! Yes the Acorns do even better bass than the III's,but the Acorns are out of action till I fix one of the panels,so I'm using the III's at the moment.They are a little lighter in the bass but there's not a great deal in it.It's only when you spend some time with statics or OB's that you realise how coloured box speakers are.I still use and enjoy the MLTL's,but the colouration is obvious.

[Marco]

Most folk are used to the sound of bass from a box,coloured as it is.


Lol - we've been here before......

It's swings and roundabouts, chaps, and simply a matter of choosing your compromises ;)

Personally, I wouldn't trade the 'rib-cage rearranging' scale (and loudness capabilities) of my Lockwoods for the slightly superior imaging abilities of statics, much though I enjoy the latter effect. I say "slightly" because Tannoy DCs are also rightly noted for their excellent imaging qualities.

I do agree that box speakers are generally rather more coloured sounding than statics, but big Tannoys, when played at sensible volume levels, seem to exhibit little of that type of coloration, probably because the huge 15" cones hardly need to move to generate a room-filling sound, and so this doesn't excite the cabinets, hence the lack of box coloration.

Nick was seriously impressed by Ian Walker's Canterbury's driven by my copper amp............

For me, big Tannoys are the ideal all-round compromise. YMMV.

Anyway, let's get back to cables, shall we? :cool:

Marco.

[Ali Tait]

Totally agree Marco.I'll have to come down sometime for a listen.

[Marco]

Well you know that you're very welcome anytime, dude! :)

Marco.

[Ali Tait]

Ali

Talking of Acorns, how are things progressing with the direct drive project ?


Not heard much lately from Nick,but he's got other fish to fry.I don't like to keep hassling him.I guess the simple answer is-they'll be ready when they're ready!

[Tarzan]

Anybody going to try it?:)

[Ali Tait]

Well you know that you're very welcome anytime, dude! :)

Marco.

Cheers Mate!

[Ali Tait]

Anybody going to try it?:)


They may or may not-does it matter? It's what you think that matters.If it sounds great to you then it is great.Don't worry too much about what others think,trust your own ears.

[Ali Tait]

Been nosing around and found this,it may be of interest to some-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrostatic_loudspeaker

[Tarzan]

Just trying to bring a bargain to the masses ,also checking me new signature:).

[Jonboy]

They may or may not-does it matter? It's what you think that matters.If it sounds great to you then it is great.Don't worry too much about what others think,trust your own ears.

:exactly:

[Ali Tait]

Just trying to bring a bargain to the masses ,also checking me new signature:).

Just noticed you have a Jungson.I was going to buy one of these a while back.What do you think of it?

[Tarzan]

Seriously good, especially for the wonga,amazing transparency,with bags of power and it looks well cool with the chrome front and blue VU meters, very smooth and full-bloodied and very big!:)

[Ali Tait]

About what I thought then.I was going to get one,but blagged a Musical Fidelity A370 from a member here instead.

[Tarzan]

Doubt it would beat a A370, but over on Audiogon a few people where trading some pretty heavy pre/powers for the JA88D, a lot of amp for the money, the A370 from Jerry?:)

[Ali Tait]

Yes that's the one.Sold it on now.

[Tarzan]

Why if you do not mind me asking:).

[Ali Tait]

I just wanted to try a big class A SS amp,being a valve man as I am.The was good,but I'm a valve man,so the amp ended up not being used much.It was bloody big too.