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echo: audio
to: PHIL QUINTON
from: THOM KOUWENHOVEN
date: 1997-03-12 23:11:00
subject: Speaker Cable

Hello Phil
On 28 Feb 97 09:21 You had something to say about *Speaker Cable*...
TK>> Yes....Perhaps he was running a high impedance input on this
TK>> cables or no load at all... :)
PQ>     Sounds like it. I actually tested my Dad's old system with Mains 
Cable.
PQ> The really thick stuff.
---------8<---------
PQ> I recon that the best cable is highly insulated with a large surface area
PQ> and low resistance.
Yes, it is... :)
PQ>  As some of the signal could be converted into magnetic fields the
PQ> instulation probably keeps the signal from escaping and being influenced
PQ> from outside sources.
Almost right....the high current in the cable from amp to speaker could 
generate a good magnetic field...the current from speaker to amp will 
generate a field also but reverse in direction...these two summed will result 
in (almost) no resulting magnetic field...this is more ore less the idea 
behind twisted-pairs cable (the twist makes this theoretical statement really 
work better in real life)
There is another important thing about it: Because of the low-impedance of a 
speaker system, it's sensitivity to outside (magnetic) sources is very low.
Maybe you've heard about 'current-loop' connections in data 
communications...it's the same principle...
Ehrm...If your neighbour is a radio-amateur transmitting with 150W power on 
his antenna.....you might run into trouble...if you don't mind, I like to 
think you don't have a neighbour like that ;)
PQ>  I'm not sure what difference the high surface area would do but I've
PQ> been told that this is the best.
It has something to do with what is called 'skin effect' i.e. high 
frequencies tends to travel more easily on the surface of a conductor....
A high surface area would result in a better performance of high frequencies.
Nevertheless....I'm very sceptic about this because skin-effect should only 
show-up far far far above the audio-frequency range....and, for what I 
experienced, I never noticed any difference...
Greetingzetcetera, Thom
*----*
... All the world's an analog stage, and digital circuits play only bit 
arts.
--- GEcho 1.00
---------------
* Origin: Aargh! BBS Amsterdam (31-20-6732585) (2:280/606.19)

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