Halloween, daylight saving and a crazy election all in one week. Paul comes in with a “Hold My Beer” let’s talk about speaker cables to wrap it all up. 💛
I'm an electrical engineer and was VERY skeptical about the role of speaker cables - until i swapped my Amazon 14 gauge for Micca 14 gauge AND WAS AMAZED. There was a significant difference!
Loved ‘’Readers Digest’’ grew up with it in our home, I am 73 now. Later in years, reader’s digest book of the month club. Cable wiring quality to match your system budget.
Horses for courses. Even though I'm an avid 2 channel stereo music lover, I also love the occasional movie, too, and due to lack of space, I have to optimise my setup for multi-channel listening also. However, when it came listening to my newly discovered multi-channel setup, I immediately became aware of how the room sounded different. Didn't know what it was at first, but coming from an audio black background, there was no way I was prepared to put up with it! Even after auditioning 3 separate AVR's, the same electrical ambient sound of the room was still present! That told me the extremely faint background signal noise I had been experiencing (poor description) had nothing to do with the actual units. Therefore, my attention changed to the cables. And even then It was only on the third occasion (one set of them being monoprice Amazon basics 14 awg) that I finally ended up purchasing shielded cables that the noise floor within my small room finally came down to satisfactory levels. Cables often act as antennas for attracting RF, and the longer the cable, the better the antenna. Probably explains why when I used to disconnect my heights and surrounds within 10 minutes, the faint background signal noise (RF/EMI) within my small room used to almost practically disappear/dissipate The more cables I shield, the quieter my room becomes, and the better the shielding, the more the cables are likely to disappear. In fact, the last group of cables I changed were from my HDMI's and lo and behold the room became slightly quieter yet again. If one has the same sensitivities and is looking to address this matter, but is also hoping to notice (hear) the incremental differences, I would suggest starting with analogue cables before moving on to digital and power cables (no good getting rid of the quietest when one hasn't addressed the noisiest) Trying to achieve a totally silent room sadly has turned into obsession for me. However, the results speak for themselves. There are times when pressing pause (or mute), I'm unable to differentiate whether the systems on or whether the systems actually switched off. Of course, audiophile equipment helps, but in reality, for one to have an exceptionally quiet room with a multi-channel setup, shielded cables are where it's at.
Hi Paul. I totally agree with you about speaker wire. My buddy did the same thing to me back in the 90's. I still have my AudiiQuest "crystal" wire today on my system. My speakers are even wired with AudioQuest "midnight" inside which I think was the predessor to "crystal". They still sound fantastic to this day!
There is no doubt cables makes a difference but the challenge is at what cost ? In addition, when you have the ability to do an A/B comparison then you may be able to pick up difference... But without the ability to A/B, you most likely will be content... That's my experience.
From the Wallmart😉😂🤣. $ 500,-louspeaker cable for a pair of speakers ,and when you open the speaker you will find wire thiner as a telephone cable . Believer or non believer for me it turns out that expensive loudspeaker cable was a waist of money. As manny things in the Audio /HiFi world its all about money and in my opinion lot of bullshit ,thats mine and only mine opinion and everyone is free to have his own meaning about Audio and HiFi sets or cable or whatever 😉
I just got rid of my WireWorld Silver eclipse 8 Speaker cables. I grew to hate them after a couple of years. I have now found my end game cables, Fono Acustica Legato Cables? Very romantic cable, tons of detail and very musical. Half the money of the WireWorld, and double the sound quality.
That's a great story! You guys (Paul and Stan) are obviously engineers, and expectation bias goes both ways: one might be the typical audiophile (if they exist) and believe anything may make a difference, or the typical engineer (measurements-oriented and thus caught up in the current state of science), and either mind set is going to make a person hear according to their beliefs (or what they call knowledge, same thing). I've personally done lots of blind tests, as well as fooled people with psychoacoustic tricks such as neon versus candle light (changing nothing else), and know full well that what Paul experienced can set one off on a search for truth. There is no substitute for first-hand experience.
Yep i I totally agree. One usually finds disparaging comments tend to come from those who, for whatever reason are unwilling to take the punt! Gratification or justification: Who knows
Thanks for this. Absolute Audio was my first high-end audio store. I loved Neil and Evelyn. First the Santa Ana store, then they moved to a new place. I learned a lot from them. Thanks for the memory, Paul. Jenn in SLO. (love your phono stage, btw!)
In my mid teens in the 1980s I bought a pair of JBL 18Ti speakers. These relatively small speakers were not too crazy priced but of great quality with premium drivers and real-wood veneer still working today almost 40 years later in my gym room looking like new and I recently learned they are internally using Monster Cable branded wiring. JBL put some serious American engineering behind these speakers with 8 components in this 2-way cross-over to get the frequency response to a very neutral 55Hz-20kHz ±3dB. When I compare the qualities of materials and craftsmanship with the typical China made US branded speakers, we really lost a lot of quality in the details in the effort of using overseas supply chains to save cost. PS Audio is a sort of hero in not losing some of these qualities and care for the details.
What are the engineering principles that made the difference in the cables? The cable manufacturers have to know how they are going make and improve them, and it can't just be black magic. Cross sectional area + length has to be part of it, i.e. resistance. Skin effect at audio frequencies just has to be infinitesimal. Difficult speaker load or poor amplifier damping factor across the audio band? I seem to recall that Litz had quite high (or was it low) capacitance due to the construction and that could upset some amplifiers. Do dielectrics matter, and if so, does that mean that the circuit boards in power amplifiers need to be made from particularly precise materials. I'm just thinking out aloud because there is so much that I don't understand, and so many contradictory claims.
I recall a memorable dinner in about 1987 with Neil and Evelyn Sinclair and Mike Moffat at Bob Stupak's Vegas World, the most spacey casino on the strip. Most people don't realize that Theta made tube electronics, long before they became famous for DACs as Theta Digital.
So is 12 gauge the best option for a 4ohm speaker or is a more, or less, choice better under a higher classification/ manufacture range such as Kimbre or AQ?
I used monoprice 4 wire for 10 years until I started upgrading into higher quality and then switched to canare twisted and it was a huge difference. I wouldn't have wasted money on expensive wire until I upgraded due to the AVR and crappy CD player. Monoprice says it all in the name. I guess it beats a blank.
I have heard a difference between speaker cables. I was even going to return my speakers before i got bi-wire cables. What about cable burn in time? what´s that about?
I've got my channels with three sets of cables to purchase, so I thought I could save some money and burn the cables in myself. Big mistake. The fact I live in a small little apartment I couldn't get away from the sound of the burning-in process. It was as if someone was scratching the inside of my skull with tin foil. Neither to say the remaining two sets of cables got professionally burnt in 😂 The funny thing is though, I never experienced that problem with my two previous sets of false economy cables (one of them being Amazon basics monoprice 14 awg) Strange how I never experienced the same awful burn-in sound with false economy cables.
As I have commented under other videos in the past, I have no reason to complain about the results of using 50 feet of #18 speaker wire per channel. Maybe some other wire Would sound better, but I don't care.
Oddly Enough I Was In The Readers Digest Record Club Lots of Classical Music and The Big Box Sets of Elvis To Frank Sinatra To Slim Whitman This is in The 1970’s I Was Also in The Colombia House Record Club and The RCA Record Club ….When Ever Paul Smacks His Lips…He Will Digress Into Memory Laine and This Episode was No Different…. Now We Are Back To Our Regular Schedule Program as Paul Smacks His Lips Yet Again and Burps The Breakfast 🍳 He Just Had a Few Moments Before 😮 ….i Would Love For Paul To Take a Movie 🎥 Crew On a Trip With Paul Holding a Glockenspiel and a Mai Tai Cocktail 🍹 Wearing Bermuda Shorts and a Wife Beater Tank Top with Sandals 🩴 Singing The Happy Wanderer Song Valderi - Valderah …..Paul Has So Much Untapped Potential Yet He Is Stuck In Audio Purgatory ….Paul Step Outside Your Comfort Zone At PS Audio and Live it Up or Turn Up Your Favorite Champagne 🍾 Conductor Lawrence Welk and Dance 🕺 Like No One is 👀Looking 👀 Isn’t PS Audio Close to Purgatory Colorado 😮
Oddly Enough I Was In The Readers Digest Record Club Lots of Classical Music and The Big Box Sets of Elvis To Frank Sinatra To Slim Whitman This is in The 1970’s I Was Also in The Colombia House Record Club and The RCA Record Club ….When Ever Paul Smacks His Lips…He Will Digress Into Memory Laine and This Episode was No Different…. Now We Are Back To Our Regular Schedule Program as Paul Smacks His Lips Yet Again and Burps The Breakfast 🍳 He Just Had a Few Moments Before 😮 ….i Would Love For Paul To Take a Movie 🎥 Crew On a Trip With Paul Holding a Glockenspiel and a Mai Tai Cocktail 🍹 Wearing Bermuda Shorts and a Wife Beater Tank Top with Sandals 🩴 Singing The Happy Wanderer Song Valderi - Valderah …..Paul Has So Much Untapped Potential Yet He Is Stuck In Audio Purgatory ….Paul Step Outside Your Comfort Zone At PS Audio and Live it Up or Turn Up Your Favorite Champagne 🍾 Conductor Lawrence Welk and Dance 🕺 Like No One is 👀Looking 👀 Isn’t PS Audio Close to Purgatory Colorado 😮
Halloween, daylight saving and a crazy election all in one week. Paul comes in with a “Hold My Beer” let’s talk about speaker cables to wrap it all up. 💛
I'm an electrical engineer and was VERY skeptical about the role of speaker cables - until i swapped my Amazon 14 gauge for Micca 14 gauge AND WAS AMAZED. There was a significant difference!
Was it a blind test?
Loved ‘’Readers Digest’’ grew up with it in our home, I am 73 now.
Later in years, reader’s digest book of the month club.
Cable wiring quality to match your system budget.
A good synonym is "a short succinct version" or a "brief summary".
Horses for courses.
Even though I'm an avid 2 channel stereo music lover, I also love the occasional movie, too, and due to lack of space, I have to optimise my setup for multi-channel listening also. However, when it came listening to my newly discovered multi-channel setup, I immediately became aware of how the room sounded different. Didn't know what it was at first, but coming from an audio black background, there was no way I was prepared to put up with it!
Even after auditioning 3 separate AVR's, the same electrical ambient sound of the room was still present! That told me the extremely faint background signal noise I had been experiencing (poor description) had nothing to do with the actual units. Therefore, my attention changed to the cables. And even then It was only on the third occasion (one set of them being monoprice Amazon basics 14 awg) that I finally ended up purchasing shielded cables that the noise floor within my small room finally came down to satisfactory levels.
Cables often act as antennas for attracting RF, and the longer the cable, the better the antenna. Probably explains why when I used to disconnect my heights and surrounds within 10 minutes, the faint background signal noise (RF/EMI) within my small room used to almost practically disappear/dissipate
The more cables I shield, the quieter my room becomes, and the better the shielding, the more the cables are likely to disappear. In fact, the last group of cables I changed were from my HDMI's and lo and behold the room became slightly quieter yet again.
If one has the same sensitivities and is looking to address this matter, but is also hoping to notice (hear) the incremental differences, I would suggest starting with analogue cables before moving on to digital and power cables (no good getting rid of the quietest when one hasn't addressed the noisiest)
Trying to achieve a totally silent room sadly has turned into obsession for me. However, the results speak for themselves. There are times when pressing pause (or mute), I'm unable to differentiate whether the systems on or whether the systems actually switched off. Of course, audiophile equipment helps, but in reality, for one to have an exceptionally quiet room with a multi-channel setup, shielded cables are where it's at.
Hi Paul. I totally agree with you about speaker wire. My buddy did the same thing to me back in the 90's. I still have my AudiiQuest "crystal" wire today on my system. My speakers are even wired with
AudioQuest "midnight" inside which I think was the
predessor to "crystal". They still sound fantastic to this day!
I still use my vintage "Monster Cable" for my vintage audio system.
There is no doubt cables makes a difference but the challenge is at what cost ? In addition, when you have the ability to do an A/B comparison then you may be able to pick up difference... But without the ability to A/B, you most likely will be content... That's my experience.
Sith Audio Cables
What type of wiring is used inside the Aspen series speakers?
Secret!
From the Wallmart😉😂🤣. $ 500,-louspeaker cable for a pair of speakers ,and when you open the speaker you will find wire thiner as a telephone cable . Believer or non believer for me it turns out that expensive loudspeaker cable was a waist of money. As manny things in the Audio /HiFi world its all about money and in my opinion lot of bullshit ,thats mine and only mine opinion and everyone is free to have his own meaning about Audio and HiFi sets or cable or whatever 😉
@@wj6818
What is the quality of wire used inside audio equipment carrying audio signals in and out.?
I just got rid of my WireWorld Silver eclipse 8 Speaker cables. I grew to hate them after a couple of years. I have now found my end game cables, Fono Acustica Legato Cables? Very romantic cable, tons of detail and very musical. Half the money of the WireWorld, and double the sound quality.
That's a great story! You guys (Paul and Stan) are obviously engineers, and expectation bias goes both ways: one might be the typical audiophile (if they exist) and believe anything may make a difference, or the typical engineer (measurements-oriented and thus caught up in the current state of science), and either mind set is going to make a person hear according to their beliefs (or what they call knowledge, same thing). I've personally done lots of blind tests, as well as fooled people with psychoacoustic tricks such as neon versus candle light (changing nothing else), and know full well that what Paul experienced can set one off on a search for truth. There is no substitute for first-hand experience.
Obviously engineers ? We can be anything we want if we are autodidact or self-taught and passionate? Can we ? Legally ?
Nice and polite answer paul, just from you own experience. Best way to enter the snake pit haha
💯 agree. IMHO most non-believers haven’t actually tried premium cables or can’t afford them so they’re skeptical or at times rude.
Yep i I totally agree. One usually finds disparaging comments tend to come from those who, for whatever reason are unwilling to take the punt! Gratification or justification: Who knows
Here we go again...
I said the same🤣
"RONAN" is also featured in America's Most Wanted in the Post Office
Thanks for this. Absolute Audio was my first high-end audio store. I loved Neil and Evelyn. First the Santa Ana store, then they moved to a new place. I learned a lot from them. Thanks for the memory, Paul. Jenn in SLO. (love your phono stage, btw!)
Yes cables make difference however I learned many high end cables makes sound worse.
In my mid teens in the 1980s I bought a pair of JBL 18Ti speakers. These relatively small speakers were not too crazy priced but of great quality with premium drivers and real-wood veneer still working today almost 40 years later in my gym room looking like new and I recently learned they are internally using Monster Cable branded wiring. JBL put some serious American engineering behind these speakers with 8 components in this 2-way cross-over to get the frequency response to a very neutral 55Hz-20kHz ±3dB. When I compare the qualities of materials and craftsmanship with the typical China made US branded speakers, we really lost a lot of quality in the details in the effort of using overseas supply chains to save cost. PS Audio is a sort of hero in not losing some of these qualities and care for the details.
What are the engineering principles that made the difference in the cables?
The cable manufacturers have to know how they are going make and improve them, and it can't just be black magic.
Cross sectional area + length has to be part of it, i.e. resistance.
Skin effect at audio frequencies just has to be infinitesimal.
Difficult speaker load or poor amplifier damping factor across the audio band?
I seem to recall that Litz had quite high (or was it low) capacitance due to the construction and that could upset some amplifiers.
Do dielectrics matter, and if so, does that mean that the circuit boards in power amplifiers need to be made from particularly precise materials.
I'm just thinking out aloud because there is so much that I don't understand, and so many contradictory claims.
I recall a memorable dinner in about 1987 with Neil and Evelyn Sinclair and Mike Moffat at Bob Stupak's Vegas World, the most spacey casino on the strip.
Most people don't realize that Theta made tube electronics, long before they became famous for DACs as Theta Digital.
I loved Neil and Evelyn!
You all have to buy Van den hul cables and support the Dutch economy!
Kimber Kable for the win 🏆
So is 12 gauge the best option for a 4ohm speaker or is a more, or less, choice better under a higher classification/ manufacture range such as Kimbre or AQ?
I used monoprice 4 wire for 10 years until I started upgrading into higher quality and then switched to canare twisted and it was a huge difference. I wouldn't have wasted money on expensive wire until I upgraded due to the AVR and crappy CD player. Monoprice says it all in the name. I guess it beats a blank.
is the reader's digest still going I don't think they have magazines anymore!! but maybe online I remember.
Reader's Digest
Is that your final answer?
@@renealarcon3970 well spotted robin 👻
So 12 gauge is good, but Cobra cables are staggeringly better.
GEEZER TERMS!
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Lookout Paul, cable Karens incoming 😮
ABX test, equal length, equal thickest, do it!
You 'do it'
I have heard a difference between speaker cables. I was even going to return my speakers before i got bi-wire cables. What about cable burn in time? what´s that about?
I've got my channels with three sets of cables to purchase, so I thought I could save some money and burn the cables in myself. Big mistake. The fact I live in a small little apartment I couldn't get away from the sound of the burning-in process. It was as if someone was scratching the inside of my skull with tin foil. Neither to say the remaining two sets of cables got professionally burnt in 😂
The funny thing is though, I never experienced that problem with my two previous sets of false economy cables (one of them being Amazon basics monoprice 14 awg)
Strange how I never experienced the same awful burn-in sound with false economy cables.
@@Antibackgroundnoise Well I bought my bi-wire cables used, so must have been pre-burned in. Anyway the cables I use were a huge upgrade for my setup
I'd love some top-of-the-range Wireworld speaker cable but its very pricy. I'll just carry on dreaming.
As I have commented under other videos in the past, I have no reason to complain
about the results of using 50 feet of #18 speaker wire per channel.
Maybe some other wire Would sound better, but I don't care.
Good
Sorry Folks
Mono price is bad the cable thickness is very thin better to make yourself
Monoprice sells a wide variety of cables.
You should specify the exact item number.
Oddly Enough I Was In The Readers
Digest Record Club
Lots of Classical Music and The Big Box Sets of
Elvis To Frank Sinatra To
Slim Whitman
This is in The 1970’s
I Was Also in
The Colombia House
Record Club and
The RCA Record Club
….When Ever Paul
Smacks His Lips…He Will
Digress Into
Memory Laine and
This Episode was
No Different….
Now We Are Back To
Our Regular Schedule
Program as Paul Smacks His Lips Yet Again and Burps The Breakfast 🍳 He Just Had
a Few Moments Before 😮
….i Would Love For Paul To
Take a Movie 🎥 Crew On
a Trip With Paul
Holding a Glockenspiel and a
Mai Tai Cocktail 🍹 Wearing Bermuda Shorts and a Wife Beater Tank
Top with Sandals 🩴 Singing
The Happy Wanderer Song
Valderi - Valderah
…..Paul Has So Much Untapped Potential Yet He Is Stuck In Audio Purgatory
….Paul Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
At PS Audio and Live it
Up or Turn Up Your Favorite Champagne 🍾
Conductor Lawrence Welk and Dance 🕺
Like No One is
👀Looking 👀
Isn’t PS Audio
Close to
Purgatory Colorado 😮
I’m first!
And you're Stupid too.
You must be very proud. lol
Actually I was first but don't feel the need to screech about it.
No, I'm Spartacus 💪
Oddly Enough I Was In The Readers
Digest Record Club
Lots of Classical Music and The Big Box Sets of
Elvis To Frank Sinatra To
Slim Whitman
This is in The 1970’s
I Was Also in
The Colombia House
Record Club and
The RCA Record Club
….When Ever Paul
Smacks His Lips…He Will
Digress Into
Memory Laine and
This Episode was
No Different….
Now We Are Back To
Our Regular Schedule
Program as Paul Smacks His Lips Yet Again and Burps The Breakfast 🍳 He Just Had
a Few Moments Before 😮
….i Would Love For Paul To
Take a Movie 🎥 Crew On
a Trip With Paul
Holding a Glockenspiel and a
Mai Tai Cocktail 🍹 Wearing Bermuda Shorts and a Wife Beater Tank
Top with Sandals 🩴 Singing
The Happy Wanderer Song
Valderi - Valderah
…..Paul Has So Much Untapped Potential Yet He Is Stuck In Audio Purgatory
….Paul Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
At PS Audio and Live it
Up or Turn Up Your Favorite Champagne 🍾
Conductor Lawrence Welk and Dance 🕺
Like No One is
👀Looking 👀
Isn’t PS Audio
Close to
Purgatory Colorado 😮