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which speaker cable design is better and why?

70.68.48.138
Posted on February 9, 2015 at 13:20:20
bouncy ball
Audiophile

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Location: British Columbia
Joined: July 26, 2003






same awg but one has multiple insulated conductors,second one is just two thick conductors. It is for speaker cable use.

Thanks

 

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Much more complex question than you can imagine., posted on February 9, 2015 at 20:06:22
Jon Risch
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  Since: March 1, 1999
 IF all other things were equal (dielectric materials, quality of conductors, freedom from conductor crystalline stress, physical and mechanical damping, etc., etc., then theory would tend to support the multiple insulated conductors as a more accurate signal transfer component.

But seldom are all other things equal.

The reasoning for the above answer (again, with all other things being equal), is that the inductance of the multiple insulated conductors type cable would be lower (especially if the wires were connected so that the reds were all one polarity, and the blacks were all the other).

Inductance has proven to be a more critical speaker cable parameter than capacitance (as long as the capacitance is not high enough to trigger amplifier instability, etc., such as with NAIM power amps), thus lowering it provides more benefit than keeping the capacitance low.


Jon Risch

 

one more question................., posted on February 9, 2015 at 21:45:35
bouncy ball
Audiophile

Posts: 1221
Location: British Columbia
Joined: July 26, 2003
 Hi Jon,
thank you for taking time to answer my question. I am interested to DIY a pair of UPOCC cable, the choice is between Neotech and Furutech. Since I won't able to test listen both, so i wonder which construction make more sense to you.
Thanks

 

RE: which speaker cable design is better and why?, posted on February 10, 2015 at 03:33:20
fantja
Audiophile

Posts: 15518
Location: Alabama
Joined: September 11, 2010
 I was thinking that there are more parts that contirbute to the over-all design. Exotic materials are used as well.

 

RE: Much more complex question than you can imagine., posted on February 10, 2015 at 10:31:52
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 Hi Jon,

I think NAIM uses parallel gaped conductors to create a low capacitance, high inductance cable that works because their amps lack Zobel filters.

Dave

 

RE: which speaker cable design is better and why?, posted on February 10, 2015 at 13:25:26
mitch2
Audiophile

Posts: 1521
Location: Great Lakes
Joined: August 28, 2001
 You have shown Neotech NES-3004 and Furutech u-2T.
Of these two, it is a coin toss but, while I would choose neither, if pushed, I would probably pick the Furutech.
The Neotech cable is constructed using OCC copper while the Furutech cable shown is constructed from OFC.
However, this particular Neotech cable uses PVC insulation while the Furutech uses polyethylene insulation, which I like much better. For SC, the use of OCC copper vs. very good OFC is not as important to me as the insulation. Also, the Furutech cable is treated with their alpha process.

I would find a solid core wire such as the Furutech FS-15S, although still OFC copper; or better yet, Neotech NES-3002 which has 19 individually sheathed UP-OCC copper solid core stands and is on sale right now at Sonic Craft. This is very similar to Harmonic Technology speaker cable, which is also made from individual OCC solid core strands that are insulated with foamed polyetheylene, a very good combination. You can probably find used HT wire at a good price. Get at least the "Plus" models. I think Pro 9+ sounds better than Pro 11+ but both are good.

I use DIY high purity (but not OCC), individually insulated in cotton, solid core wire in a star quad configuration. These are biwired with the LF wire being heavier gauge and the MF/HF run being made from specially constructed wire with each leg having multiple small gauge strands. Unfortunately, I can no longer get that wire. These DIY cables have excellent tonality and in my system I like them better than many cables made from the best bulk wire as well as manufactured cables. I also have on hand HT 9+ and 11+, Homegrown Audio X-32, and Furutech FS Alpha, all in a bi-wired configuration, and I occasionally switch them out and compare.

 

thanks for the information. (nt), posted on February 10, 2015 at 15:39:34
bouncy ball
Audiophile

Posts: 1221
Location: British Columbia
Joined: July 26, 2003
 .

 

RE: one more question................., posted on February 10, 2015 at 20:02:11
Duster
Manufacturer

Posts: 17117
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: August 25, 2002
 I agree with Jon regarding the importance of lowered inductance speaker cable designs. The ability to better optimize the magnetic fields is provided by the multi-conductor geometry with the central core acting as a former, as well as potentially providing a level of resonance control. RFI is likely better cancelled by the multi-conductor geometry vs. a simple twisted pair, as well. I would expect the Neotech NES-3004 to be more refined sounding, but I can't predict such since I've not directly compared the two specific cables. The use of OCC is a big plus in terms of the often more relaxed clarity vs. OFC, but it might not be a deal-breaker if other design factors were problematic.

 

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