ferrite cores on analogue cables

[DECKY999]

What is your opinion on this. I understand that ferrites will attenuate RF freq. - but is that going to make any improvement (in theory) to analogue signal in stereo interconnects?

 

[gareth]

What is your opinion on this. I understand that ferrites will attenuate RF freq. - but is that going to make any improvement (in theory) to analogue signal in stereo interconnects?

Ferrites present a rising impedance to Radio Frequency
at or above a level (frequency usually in MHz) specified by the manufacturer of a particular ferrite. The ferrite then 'stores' this RF as an electromagnetic field around the ferrite itself.

Personally I have found that carefully selected ferrites do offer benefits in terms of sound quality.

Thanks
Gareth

 

[richie00boy]

It's done mainly to help with EMC.

 

[earl of sodbury]

My experience, for what little it's worth, is completely counter-intuitive, and derives from tinkering with clip-on ferrites of the type intended for computer power cables:

On analogue cabling, and on anything but the earth cable in power cabling, I found the effect universally deleterious. The effect is slight, only really noticable over extended listening sessions where it manifests subjectively as a loss of dynamics and realism. I'm at a loss to explain it.

Correspondingly, the one place I DO find them useful is on the aerial lead for my DAB tuner, where they help to reduce the effects of radiated EMI/RFI from other components without noticably attenuating the (already weak) signal!

Anyway, in this case these things are cheap enough for you to buy a couple and experiment - don't rely on anecdote: see for yourself!

churz, sod