Ah yes. The spark plug cables.
se
What do you mean by 'Spark Plug cables' ? I am a bit baffled
Gareth
Whoah,
Slow down there. I truly DO NOT believe all the psychobabble you say I imply. Not at all. I am not implying superior performance relying on marketing bull. I am an electrician (not electronics) and a lover of music and HI-FI. I base what I say on what I have experienced, and my knowledge of electrical theory.
I DO find silver cables to be a bit 'brighter' than copper, maybe it is because of the higher electron count in silver than in copper.
Carbon, unlike other conductors exhibits the opposite effect when a current is applied to it in that it's resistance decreases (maybe why us humans get electrocuted so well !!!?) so it 'likes' electric.
Please. I am no swallower of psychobabble sales-related bull. I know one thing for sure though, to me, my Van den Hul Hybrid (yes, the one with the carbon conductor !) is my favourite. Silver being my least. Psychobabble maybe but I believe my ears. Oh, and my wallet doesn't come into the equation.
Thanks
Gareth
Electron count? What does that mean?
And are you saying that the audio current passed through a carbon fiber modulates its resistance? If so, that would cause easily measurable distortion.
edit: Looked it up in Ashcroft and Mermin, copper has ~50% more free electrons per unit volume than silver.
Well, I thought that, maybe (just my own theorising here) because silver has a higher electron count than copper, 47 versus 29, added to the fact that silver is THE best electrical conductor it may have some effect on the sound coming out, to my ears 'brighter' than copper.
If I remember correctly, carbon reduces it's resistance as current is applied. Being non-metallic, again my own sort-of theory here, may go some way to explaining, to what my own ears, feels is a more neutral and natural sounding cable.
I have all three types at home, copper, silver and carbon. I find carbon the most natural, then copper and silver seems 'bright' (for want of a better term).
My original post #780 goes some way to explaining what I feel/ understand, in particular the first paragraph.
Gareth
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Electron's, neutron's and protons which make up the atomic structure of things, Silver has a count of 47 and copper 29 (in the valency shell which is kind of the orbit the electrons take around the nucleus of well, let's say silver). These electron's 'pair'off' when travelling through, well whereber, inside a cable or even through space....keep it to cables though can we ?
Myself, trying to think logically about the situation and these are some of my thoughts based on what knowledge I have and what i have heard.
Gareth
Myself, trying to think logically about the situation and these are some of my thoughts based on what knowledge I have and what i have heard.
Gareth
Well, what I have mentioned in my previous posts are some of what I think about cables. Their material (conductor), the dielectric and insulator. Resistance, conductance, capacitance, inductance, place in system, etc etc.
Personally I think it is an interesting area. I myself don't feel that a £16,000 cable will sound like £16,000 worth.
When I was in France a couple of years ago I was speaking to my partners family about wine. At the time I knew very little but I asked them about Chateau LaFitte and if it is worth what is asked for it and does it taste better than another 'normal' French wine? Their reply was if you think it is worth it then it is.
Gareth
Personally I think it is an interesting area. I myself don't feel that a £16,000 cable will sound like £16,000 worth.
When I was in France a couple of years ago I was speaking to my partners family about wine. At the time I knew very little but I asked them about Chateau LaFitte and if it is worth what is asked for it and does it taste better than another 'normal' French wine? Their reply was if you think it is worth it then it is.
Gareth
Well, wine is an absolute other thing. A complex chemical story with nature, human treatments etc...
Famous wines began famous for some reasons: The chemistry of the land on which grows the grapes, the weather, the care of people to cut the vines, to select the clusters, winemaking etc .
Famous wines are famous because all of those aspects are optimized and gives an average better wine years after years, than the others. And more famous, more care, more expensive, more famous etc.
Of course, better is a just a question of your taste ;-)
You can get an cheaper and better wine else where, one year or an other. But how to know before to taste ?
There is nothing reasonable in the prices vs quality, it is just like a Rolls Royce and an other car. Some people knows where to buy fabulous wines at affordable prices.
I cannot see any connection with electrons movements in a wire, you can measure and calculate, and witch, precisely, have no taste.
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Sure! If somebody prefers to be always healthy, fresh and smart, it is better to stay away from wine.
Long before van den Hul came out with his "hybrid" cables using carbon impregnated fiber for the conductors, the makers of spark plug cables had been using carbon impregnated fiber for the conductors.
So that's why I refer to them as "spark plug cables."
se
I'm no expert and would never suggest one cable will always sound better then another but all cables do not sound the same.
You are absolutely tight Scott. Better analogies would be food and music, audio equipment and tableware.
I like this Hi-fi:
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Time to get a textbook on solid state physics!
As I mentioned before, you have it backward- copper has more conduction electrons per unit volume than silver. I seriously doubt that, at room temperature, conduction electrons "pair off."- Status
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