How's life John
Op 15 Mar 97 13:29 you wrote something about *Cables & Skin Effect*...
JA> Ref: Skin Effect & Audio Cables
JA> Hello Thom,   Tara Labs has designed an entire series of new audio cables
JA> around the "skin effect". The "RSC" series of cables have oblong 
lements,
JA> each individually insulated. The number of elements varies and the price
JA> rises as the number of elements goes up.
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etc...
Thanks for the article.....yes I do believe that the magnetic and HF 
parameters of this cable are far more better than those of regular wire over 
long distances....but I don't go along with the statement that 'skin effect' 
is audiable because it comes only in effect far above any frequency that any 
speaker can deliver....there are good cables and there are poor cables and a 
mechanically strong cable is much better in the long run than: 
'gold-plated-high-end-99,9%-copper-super-multistranded-4-wire-bullshit'.
The main reason why multistranded wire is used is not to reduce the 'skin 
effect' by enhancing the surface but multistranded wire does not break easily 
(like solid core wires) so it's stronger and therefore keeps in better shape 
over the years....the same with oxygen free cable....OFC is better than 
normal cable....does it sound better because of the purity of the material?? 
No, OFC is better because it does not corrode as fast as other cables...so 
over the years it will keep it's high quality (low resistance, no little 
cracks, etc.)
Anyway....the cable you described is very interesting for HF and Audio 
purposes...I'll explain later.. :)
JA>  I do not believe they are "wound"
JA> as in twisted pair. Spacing between elements is kept semi-constant by the
JA> layered insulating materials for the length of the cables.
Sounds good...don't know what the benefit is for audio, probably less 
inductance, but i am convinced that it is a very good quality....just one 
little drawback: How do you get rid of all those insulation layers if you 
want to strip the wire and want to make a good soldering job ? :)
JA>  I do not know
JA> enough about the topic to address magnetic effects, but they must be
JA> minimal.        To date, they have received exceptionally good reviews in
JA> the legion of audio magazines.
Yeah....Audio-magazines... :))
What 'High-end Audio' Magazines write makes me sometimes grinn....those guys 
can display such ignorance from time to time....it's amazing... :)
I tell you honestly....the moment that people say that they can actually 
'hear' things like 'skin effect' I frown, turn, laugh and walk the other way. 
If you are that deep into audio you should talk far more about acoustics and 
active systems (those things really make a difference) than nozzeling about 
inaudiable things...most people seem to forget this....
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One of the funniest stories I've heard of:
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A well known amplifier-manufacturer decided to invite some audio-journalists 
to come and listen to two new amps they designed. One with valves, one 
without valves. That was visually obvious.
All of the High-end-Audio journalists agreed that the sound of the valve-amp 
was much 'warmer' than the sound of the other one.....
How unlucky they were...the manufacturer opened the amps and it proved they 
were identical transistor amps...the valves were only in it for the show and 
only the filament was connected to a seperate-feeded-6Volts to give it a nice 
warm glow....
Unbelievable how deep psychology works through in what you 'think' you hear.
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JA>  I solicited comments from RSC cable users in
JA> the RAHE (Internet-Audio, High End) news group and got more than thirty
JA> responses, all of which were very positive and many which were glowing.
I believe you when you say that it's a good quality cable....I still do not 
believe that it has something to do with Reduced Skineffect. :)
JA> I also listened to a pair in comparison with a top of the line
JA> Audioquest pair at a local dealer. I was very pleased with the demo and
JA> purchased a pair. There is a night and day difference between my Tara
JA> Labs and my old Monster Cable.
Hmmm............^^^...corroded?
JA> I noticed an immediate difference in all frequencies, not just higher
JA> frequencies.
JA> So whether it is due to the RSC "skin effect" design, the insulation or
JA> the type of copper being utilized....it works, and it covers the audio
JA> spectrum...high to low. Cheers, John
The reason that the manufacturer calls it RSC is IMHO just because he wants 
to sell a good cable. He makes use of the skin effect fairy-tale because 
there is a lot of humdrum about it....anyway, his cable wil absolutely reduce 
skin effect, I'm sure. But the audiable difference will be in the low 
resistance, by superb quality of materials and low inductance by it's 
construction (probably oxygen free also)...these things will do a hell of a 
lot more than most people think....
I definitly love a good product... :)
P.S. Did you know that heavy gauge speaker-cables only are needed over 
greater distances or for handling big-power and that you won't hear cable 
differences (at home) if you only make use of short (3ft. or less) cables ? 

Greetingzetcetera, Thom
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... TARDIS Express - When it absolutely must be there BEFORE you send it!
--- GEcho 1.00
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