Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!cmcl2!rutgers!rochester!PT!speech1.cs.cmu.edu!phd
From: phd@speech1.cs.cmu.edu (Paul Dietz)
Newsgroups: rec.audio,sci.physics,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Mercury Filled Speaker Wire
Message-ID: <1018@speech1.cs.cmu.edu>
Date: Mon, 14-Sep-87 19:30:22 EDT
Article-I.D.: speech1.1018
Posted: Mon Sep 14 19:30:22 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 19-Sep-87 15:26:04 EDT
References: <3816@watdcsu.waterloo.edu> <578@uthub.toronto.edu> <1700@crash.CTS.COM> <1854@ucbcad.berkeley.edu>
Distribution: rec
Organization: Carnegie-Mellon University, CS/RI
Lines: 43
Xref: mnetor rec.audio:3302 sci.physics:2196 sci.electronics:1335

In article <1854@ucbcad.berkeley.edu> max@eros.UUCP (Max Hauser) writes:
Lot's of good stuff about Speaker wires...

Here's my 2 cents worth:

For those of you who claim to hear a difference between reasonable cables,
here's a possible explanation: it's not the wire per say; it's the amp.

	Yes, some amplifiers are rather finiky about the load they see.
Different cables will significantly alter the impedance, especially at
low frequencies. (i.e. a cable's resistance is often a reasonable
fraction of 4/8 ohms) And it is quite concievable that this shift
in the 'operating point' of your amp can change the frequency response.
The important question is: Do you really care? 
	From the speakers I've measured,
the input impedance varies quite a bit, even in a
matched pair. Much more so than a piece of heavy zip cord will
change it. So, if the speakers are much more inconsistent than
the wire, why worry about the wire. Another way to look at this
is from an acoustical point of view. Unless you're listening to
your speakers in a perfectly symmetrical environment, the differences
will probably be mostly due to the room, and your position in it.
(Go read Beranek's book "Acoustics" reprinted by the Acoustical
Society, and you'll see how bad this problem really is...")
	The point? With an A/B test, you might actually be able
to distinguish between cables, though I know I can't. But you
certainly will be able to distinguish between different speaker
placements, and quite possibly between different speakers, even
when placed in the same position. (By different speakers, I mean
in a matched set.) If you're really picky, go buy a good
equalizer. It will probably help. But don't waste your time/money
on cables more exotic than zip cord. 
	I don't read rec.audio either, so please feel free to
post there...


-- 
Paul H. Dietz                                        ____          ____
Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering        / oo \        <_<\\\
Carnegie Mellon University                        /|  \/  |\        \\ \\
--------------------------------------------     | | (  ) | |       | ||\\
"If God had meant for penguins to fly,             -->--<--        / / |\\\  /
he would have given them wings."            _________^__^_________/ / / \\\\-