Copper Foil Speaker Cable - advice?

[Rotellian]

I plan on making some of these if i can make it relatively cost effective. Ive seen some stuff in the UK rfi/emi copper tape that is 19mm wide (roughly 3/4 inch) and 0.08mm thick. Is this sufficient? My guess is that it should be. I can then seal the runs using some translucent tape. Is there a problem for some amps using this stuff? Cheers

 

[Peter Daniel]

Works fine for me, tried in few different systems, no problem.

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17631&highlight=copper+foil

 

[Rotellian]

OK, sounds good to me, thanks. I notice that you used an unrolled inductor - cant find them in uk - im assuming that the adhesive copper shileding stuf would be near enough the same?

 

[Peter Daniel]

I've heard people having good results with shielding tape as well.

 

[Brett]

I see no reason why it won't work. However a word of caution. Some amplifiers don't like the capacitance that this configuration of cable brings, with some becoming unstable, going into oscillation either completely or intermittently. I know a few people that have had amplifiers cook themselves when using Goertz (and the 9 plait versions of Cat5). I find these cables can have a very distinctive signature, one I don't like, but you might.

 

[Rotellian]

Yes i had something about some amps not liking the cable. Just out of interest what type of sonic signature is it? Or what is it you dont like? Cheers

 

[Brett]

It's always sounded hard and bright to me, incl on my non NFB amps (definitely not oscillating), the sort of sound favoured by the detail uber alles brigade.

 

[Rotellian]

hmm. Ive spent a lot of time trying to avoid hard and bright. Might need a bit more thought.

 

[Holger Barske]

The capacitance problem only occurs if you put the two conductors one on each other.
I'd suggest to try mounting them side by side, like madrigal did on their famous "CPC" speaker cable.
Had some very good experience with this setup some years ago.

 

[Brett]

Just IMO/IME. My hard and bright might be your airy and detailed. I definitely don't like my system to sound soft, but strident I hate (so I'll never be a mainstream audiophile again).