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From: mat@hou5d.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: Speaker wire: reader reactions - (nf)
Message-ID: <698@hou5d.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 14-Oct-83 13:59:48 EDT
Article-I.D.: hou5d.698
Posted: Fri Oct 14 13:59:48 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 16-Oct-83 07:06:43 EDT
References: <947@rocksvax.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Laboratories, Holmdel, NJ
Lines: 32

Regarding the tin vs no tin speaker wires -- is it possible that
corrosion or lack thereof on the surface of the wires is contributing
to a nonlinear current/voltage relationship which could result in
harmonic distortion at low signal levels?

Listining at moderate levels with reasonably sensitive speakers often
requires 0.1 watt or less.  0.1 watt through 8 ohms means about .28 volts.
Junction effects at these levels seem quite plausable, especially when
there are at least 4 connections in each circuit.


Does anyone know of any studies?  Is anyone in a position to measure such
things?

The sort of test I have in mind is this:

	Get a dual-channel scope of reasonable quality.  Put a sine wave
	of, say, 4 kHz into the input of a high quality amp like the Hafler
	at a level that will result in a .4 volt rms output.  With the
	scope, compare the signals entering the amp, the signals leaving the
	amp, and the signals across a load.  The load should be a pure
	resistor of 8 ohms.

	What you are looking for is any kind of nonlinearity around the
	zero-crossing.  The output signal should have a peak of .56 volts
	and the nonlinearities, if any, would probably be worst around
	the zero-crossing.

Anyone set up to do this?  Anyone care to loan me a decent scope?

					Mark Terribile
					Duke of deNet