Gold-plated connectors resist oxidation and rust, and can be found even on mid-priced cables. But if you connect a gold cable to a non-gold connector (like on the back of your receiver), oxidation can still occur on the non-gold surface. Unplugging and re-plugging your cables once a year can help keep them clean.
Construction improvements (“oxygen-free”, special materials, foam jackets, etc.), may result in a more durable cable, but unless your cables are exposed to the elements or constant handling, it’s doubtful you will see any return on the investment. In-wall cables have to meet code requirements, but otherwise need be no more “special” than your A/C wires (would you pay an electrician extra to run “premium” power cabling?)
Bottom line: If a digital cable can correctly convey 1s and 0s, further improvements have no benefit. For analog signals, regular cables have only a negligible effect on the quality of the signal, so even though an exotic cable may reduce that effect, it’s unlikely that the difference would be audible.
Bad cables do exist, but that doesn’t mean you need a high-end replacement. If you’ve set up a new system and are unhappy with what you hear or see, try replacing the cables one-at-a-time, or swap them around and see if the problem follows the cable. For example, if your left speaker sounds bad, swap the left and right connection at the receiver. If the bad sound moved, the problem is in your receiver. If the same speaker still sounds bad, swap the receiver connections back, and swap the cables (first between components, and then to your speakers). When the bad sound moves, you’ve found your weak link.
Like automobiles, A/V equipment is often sold on price, with the winning vendor making precious little profit. One way vendors compensate is to sell high-margin cables. However, just because they’re selling doesn’t mean you need to buy. Try using some reasonably priced cables (or the ones shipped with the unit) first. If you don’t detect a problem, there probably isn’t one.
Oh please Mr. Williams, I would soooo much like to learn from you! Can you please tell me where in aerospace we’re using copper wire of “high purity (99.999% pure) and free of oxygen crystals”? I’ve been asking all of my aerospace engineering buddies and they all simply laugh at me, but I’m simply very sure you know soooo much more about aerospace than they do! I would really like to show them a real example, especially since aerospace has done soooo much work in this area and nobody seems to know about it.
There is considerable confusion about the performance of cable. It should not be about price. It should be about value.
Quality cable is not recycled copper. It is high purity (99.999% pure) and free of oxygen crystals or barriers within the wire.
One of the biggest advances (primarily by the military and aerospace industries) in recent years has been in material science.
The performance of superior purity, oxygen free wire is
scientifically verifiable.
Perhaps; rather than rant or give an opinion, one may wish to LEARN.
Please go to: http://www.analysis-plus.com
A most revealing element of home theater (video) is that
in place of audiophiles claiming they can hear a difference,you can see it.
@Errol:
We’re not in denial, we just don’t want to be ripped off! Go ahead, conduct a double blind study comparing a $1.98 1 meter HDMI cable to a $100(?) 1 meter Monster cable. Prove there’s any repeatable results that show the $100 cable visibly (or audibly) superior to the $2 cable.
John - I suppose on one hand it depends on the speaker, on the other - the length is only maybe .5-1 foot for all but the biggest speakers. The issues are less for short lengths. (I know, a very simplistic statement).
I would expect HTIB system to have wire the thickness of a rat hair. And high quality speakers maybe 12 gauge - but at that, probably not with a thick plastic jacket - no real need - it is protected in the box so there is no physical damage worry.
Home theater, automated lights and a high-tech fish tank.
Home theater, automated lights and a high-tech fish tank.
A new CEA study says that more builders are offering all types of technology.
It’s hard to imagine life without remote controls, but it’s been a long, strange path to the modern incarnation we know and love today.
this article doesn’t do anybody justice. if you are talking about lo-fi or mid-fi equipment (which this is what it sounds like), then the weakest link isn’t the cable but the other equipment. if you are talking hi-fi equipment, then the weakest link could be the cable. there are all types of wire that is used by hi end cable manufacturers, thin/thick, solid/multi strand, silver/copper/hybrid, etc… there is a difference between cables at the hi-end. go to a hi-end store and have them demo them for you on a nice hi-fi system. i have, my wife has, my friends have and they all have been able to hear the difference. maybe not all are better sounding, this isn’t what the article talks about, but there is a difference. ask yourself, why do so many vendors make 2-way speakers? are you saying that a $4000 pair of 2-ways is a rip-off compared to a $200 2-way with the same size individual speakers? how about different preamps? amps? digital sources? why would a $30k cd player sound any better than a $60 wal-mart special cd player? they both read 0’s and 1’s don’t they?
most people can hear the difference but do they want to pay the difference? that is the real question.
i’m waiting for your next article on comparing a porsche gt2 to a toyota prius: why the big difference in price? they both have 4 tires,motor, seats,etc… there is a difference but most people don’t or can’t spend that much $$$ on a porsche gt2.