Speaker cable

goodsguys · 7th November 2012, 06:20 AM

Hi. And thanks for reading this post.

I have owned quite a few different speaker cables in my time and have always noticed the copper strands of wire within the cable run straight and parallel to each other I.e. they are not twisted. In fact the same is true of mains cable.

Can anyone tell me why this is I was told the electricity has trouble flowing through twisted strands, if each strand was insulated you might get an inductance effect but obviously it is not so the electricity should take the straightest path.

Can anyone tell me why the copper strands are never twisted.

Thank you in advance. John.

Tony · 7th November 2012, 06:39 AM

zipcords and lampcords are not ussually twisted, the copper cores are, but you can twist them using a battery drill if that is what you desire....don't just believe everything you have been told, they can be just pulling your leg.....

DF96 · 7th November 2012, 10:05 AM

In this context 'twisted' could mean two different things:
1. the individual copper strands making up a flexible wire are usually lightly twisted in order to aid flexibility.
2. the pair (or more) cables making up a return signal circuit are tightly twisted together in order to reduce magnetic coupling to/from surrounding stuff.

When mains only had 50/60Hz plus some harmonics twisting was not needed as magnetic coupling is proportional to frequency. Now we have accidental (SMPS) and deliberate (PLT etc.) pollution of the mains with much higher frequencies it would be better if mains cable was twisted to reduce radiation of all this junk.

Speaker cables often receive informal twisting as few people ensure that the cable maintains the same orientation all the way. This will reduce, to some extent, pickup of external fields. This pickup will have little direct effect on the speaker, but may cause problems via the amplifier - so the amplifier is the right place to deal with it.

7th November 2012, 06:20 AM	#1
goodsguys diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2011	Speaker cable Hi. And thanks for reading this post. I have owned quite a few different speaker cables in my time and have always noticed the copper strands of wire within the cable run straight and parallel to each other I.e. they are not twisted. In fact the same is true of mains cable. Can anyone tell me why this is I was told the electricity has trouble flowing through twisted strands, if each strand was insulated you might get an inductance effect but obviously it is not so the electricity should take the straightest path. Can anyone tell me why the copper strands are never twisted. Thank you in advance. John.

7th November 2012, 06:39 AM	#2
Tony diyAudio Moderator Join Date: May 2003 Location: Palatiw, Pasig City	zipcords and lampcords are not ussually twisted, the copper cores are, but you can twist them using a battery drill if that is what you desire....don't just believe everything you have been told, they can be just pulling your leg..... __________________ http://www.elab.ph/forum/index.php?topic=32688.0

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7th November 2012, 10:05 AM	#3
DF96 diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2007	In this context 'twisted' could mean two different things: 1. the individual copper strands making up a flexible wire are usually lightly twisted in order to aid flexibility. 2. the pair (or more) cables making up a return signal circuit are tightly twisted together in order to reduce magnetic coupling to/from surrounding stuff. When mains only had 50/60Hz plus some harmonics twisting was not needed as magnetic coupling is proportional to frequency. Now we have accidental (SMPS) and deliberate (PLT etc.) pollution of the mains with much higher frequencies it would be better if mains cable was twisted to reduce radiation of all this junk. Speaker cables often receive informal twisting as few people ensure that the cable maintains the same orientation all the way. This will reduce, to some extent, pickup of external fields. This pickup will have little direct effect on the speaker, but may cause problems via the amplifier - so the amplifier is the right place to deal with it.