Most enthusiasts who move into high end audio for the first time are shocked by the sort of money real "high end" gear can cost. It's not surprising to see why - some outliers can easily be asking 4 and often into 5 figures for what is essentially two runs of wire. Even the connectors for some of these cables can fetch hundreds of dollars each. One needs to ask, are these prices justifiable? Moreover, is it possible to achieve similar levels of performance if you're just a common man on a modest income with a genuine love for music rather than a want for super expensive gear?
The answer to the above is a satisfying "yes".
As with many designs be it hi-fi, cars or even wine, once we approach the top of the pyramid, the returns per dollar dramatically decreases. I.e. you need to spend many times more money for only a small improvement. But most of us don't realise how easy it is to get some of these small improvements by buying smart.
Firstly, let's start with some facts. Speaker cable technology has not had any significant improvements since the dawn of the electronic age. There have been no real breakthrough in design or materials to make a significant impact on performance. This is not to say that all speaker cables are the same. Some are clearly better than others. But many cable companies have been so caught up in fancy marketing that they have missed the most important aspects of cable performance. This involves using the best of what we already know, and applying this to their products - the use of good materials.
Let's face it, the twisted pair design of speaker cable and in fact any communication cable, is second to none for superior noise rejection for both EM and RF induced noise. This is why all computer cables use twisted pair. It's simple, cheap and highly effective. What is left then is the fundamental building blocks of a cable - its materials. Only the use of good materials will mitigate problems relating to the most influential aspects of a cable's performance - its electrical properties.
So what are the best materials to use for speaker cable? There are two great value solutions. Pure silver and Teflon for those with still reasonably high budgets, or silver plating and PE for the less budget constrained.
Let's start with silver. Silver is a superior electrical conductor to copper. Most people don't even realise this simple fact. Superior conductance translates not only to lower resistance, but increased frequency response, reduced loss, and improved noise. Unfortunately, silver is an extremely expensive material compared to copper, which brings me to the point of dishonest manufacturers. Many companies too concerned about the impact on their profit margins (if they were to switch to silver) have spread myths about silver sounding bright. However something tells me that this is hardly truthful given the number of truly high end cables which inevitably use silver anyway. The best cables would be using a solid silver core, however a very close (and much cheaper) compromise would be to use silver plated copper.
The next thing to consider is the dielectric (or the insulation) around the conductor. The dielectric has direct impact on the physics of the electrons travelling in a wire. Increased dielectric strength is good for improved conducting qualities. The best and most practical dielectric is without doubt Teflon. However, for those of us with a budget, PE is a close second. Vinyl, however, is used in most cheap cable jackets and is not recommended.
Combine these two factors, and you have a truly great value cable with excellent sound and response. Silver is really great at extending the frequency range and improving clarity. And if you look around, you can pick these cables up on the internet for less than $15-20 a meter.
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