It must be rolled on an open gatefold with a stylized electrocardiogram.
Breathe in the air.
But technically, you'd connect the two diagonally opposite wires (which conveniently have the same color) together to make each conductor, thus the currents would be in a symmetrical pattern and the generated magnetic fields would (theoretically) cancel. External fields that would enter the cable would likewise cancel, thus the "Star Quad" name.
IMHO it's more useful for line-level balanced connections, and especially for phono and microphones, but audiophiles will spend extra for things like fancy speaker cables while still using single-ended RCA connectors and cables for interconnections that are more vulnerable to interference and ground loops.
To the OP, I recommend 12 gauge 2-conductor low-voltage landscape lighting cable (essentially thick "zip cord"), available at remarkably low cost (thus it's NOT marketed for this purpose). For lengths of 50 feet or more and 4-ohm speakers, you might want to go to 10 or even 8 gauge. Actually you could use two lengths, tape them together to make a squarish cable and wire them as above for a poor man's star quad.
Here's an example. You won't get this low a price at Lowe's or Home Depot, but it'll still be less than a dollar per foot.
https://www.amazon.com/Wirefy-Voltage-Landscape-Lighting-Wire/dp/B0BPYBWMML
Breathe in the air.
But technically, you'd connect the two diagonally opposite wires (which conveniently have the same color) together to make each conductor, thus the currents would be in a symmetrical pattern and the generated magnetic fields would (theoretically) cancel. External fields that would enter the cable would likewise cancel, thus the "Star Quad" name.
IMHO it's more useful for line-level balanced connections, and especially for phono and microphones, but audiophiles will spend extra for things like fancy speaker cables while still using single-ended RCA connectors and cables for interconnections that are more vulnerable to interference and ground loops.
To the OP, I recommend 12 gauge 2-conductor low-voltage landscape lighting cable (essentially thick "zip cord"), available at remarkably low cost (thus it's NOT marketed for this purpose). For lengths of 50 feet or more and 4-ohm speakers, you might want to go to 10 or even 8 gauge. Actually you could use two lengths, tape them together to make a squarish cable and wire them as above for a poor man's star quad.
Here's an example. You won't get this low a price at Lowe's or Home Depot, but it'll still be less than a dollar per foot.
https://www.amazon.com/Wirefy-Voltage-Landscape-Lighting-Wire/dp/B0BPYBWMML
Except there is more to it than picking up interference. Star quad is lower inductance, and a better match to the speakers. There is a thread, "Zip Cord for Speaker Test." Maybe try reading some of the posts at: https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...hread]=371099&c[users]=Hans+Polak&o=relevance
@Hans Polak was exactly on the right track. Then if you look up how lump compensated zip-cord compares to better designed cable, the answer is that zip cord used correctly can sound pretty good. Not the way most people use it though.
Star quad can be even better, especially if you know the trick I asked about.
@Hans Polak was exactly on the right track. Then if you look up how lump compensated zip-cord compares to better designed cable, the answer is that zip cord used correctly can sound pretty good. Not the way most people use it though.
Star quad can be even better, especially if you know the trick I asked about.
Last edited:
Well, it can be. Probably, in most cases, but depends on exactly how it's been made, and what it's being compared to. Not all zip cords (or [hopefully] twisted 4-conductor) are created equal. And I'm not referring to audiophile drivel there, just gauge, insulation thickness, spacing, twist where relevant etc.
Not necessarily a given, although all other things being equal [rare] lower inductance is no bad thing. Depends on how much lower than what though; a typical closely-spaced parallel feeder lead has fairly low inductance to start off with -F3 through inductance is far above the audio frequency (let alone my 17KHz-on-a-very-good-day HF hearing limit 😉 ).
I hope it doesn't sound at all, but I know what you mean. Agreed: it (or equivalent gauge romex) can, because electrically speaking at audio frequencies a suitable gauge for load & run length doesn't have a great deal of effect in the first place. No harm in unzipping either & twisting them together per Bell's 1881 patent to drop inductance a bit of course.
I use it as-is. Nothing wrong with it, as Greiner & others proved decades ago. Could I electrically speaking do a touch better? Yes, of course. Enough for me to care? No, although that's just me of course -I don't pretend to speak for anybody else.
Even the 12ga speaker wire from Amazon basics is not bad. It’s pure copper with an outer jacket. When you get up to 12 gauge or bigger the resistance is so low that different lengths don’t make a significant difference in real life use. The significance of a .01 ohm on an 8 ohm load is a rounding error! You can spend thousands on wire and all you get is poorer!
I have learned that lower inductance works best with a tube amp.
I've braided cables so my fingers bled. Cat5. Took many hours.
The cables are still in the closet.
tnt-audio.com
https://www.venhaus1.com/diycatfivecables.html
30mm cables.
I've braided cables so my fingers bled. Cat5. Took many hours.
The cables are still in the closet.
tnt-audio.com
https://www.venhaus1.com/diycatfivecables.html
30mm cables.
Last edited:
Agreed. Especially the "etc." part. However, the Canare cable is cheap and good. IME its better than zip cord if used with a very high resolution system (assuming 14-gauge is good enough). Even tried the 22-gauge version with Planar headphones. Anyone can hear the plain difference between that and the cable that came with the LCD-X cans. My daughter is no audiophile, however she is a musician and voice actor. When visiting us here in Auburn, she took an A/B comparison between the two headphone cables. I gave her no clue about what to expect. Only asked to describe what she heard. She was surprised at the improved bass and dynamics with the star-quad. Its a pretty interesting effect simply due to cables. The best HP cables I had heard prior to that were made from some engineering prototype cable made for Grado some years ago (back when Joe Grado will still around).
Plus there is still a trick with the Canare star quad nobody seems to remember.
Last edited:
Stripping off the rubber jacket, but leaving everything inside perfectly intact. Any strings, etc., wrapped with the conductors should stay. The wires should stay tightly twisted as they are. IOW, we want to preserve the internal geometry and construction. A braided plastic wire sleeve can be slipped over the stripped cable to protect it.
Here is how to braid these cables. I used many more cat5 cables in each cable.
Last edited:
Most speaker wire definitely has lousy dielectric material.
It does, and the shunt losses with even PVC are minimal at audio frequencies. Which isn't to say PE or PTFE (latter preferably not in contact with silver unless you're sure they aren't subject to any vibration) aren't better. But the differences are not exactly large:
https://www.audioholics.com/audio-video-cables/dielectric-absorption-in-cables-debunked
No point in having unnecessary extras of course, especially in a home environment where wire isn't usually subject to the demands of a studio or stage. Plus, if you strip the extra from a piece of romex (or loose outer cover from a parallel feeder lead) you can twist it if you feel so inclined.
https://www.audioholics.com/audio-video-cables/dielectric-absorption-in-cables-debunked
No point in having unnecessary extras of course, especially in a home environment where wire isn't usually subject to the demands of a studio or stage. Plus, if you strip the extra from a piece of romex (or loose outer cover from a parallel feeder lead) you can twist it if you feel so inclined.
I missed this earlier, but many valve amps have an output impedance sufficiently high that it completely swamps the electrical characteristics of speaker wire. While it's fairly easy to see the effects on response with a typical solid state (usually minor except in extreme cases -which is what many of the high-priced 'hi-fi' wires tend to employ), as output impedance rises, there's less and less impact. No harm in it other than either emptying your bank account, or leaving you cross-eyed, with your tongue hanging out, after hours of braiding / similar if you make them yourself, obviously. 😉
Last edited:
I see , Joe Grado was offering 3 types of cables. The Signature Standard cable for phono or line connection , the Signature Standard and the Signature Reference for headphones . This prototype cable seems to have Signature Standard wire terminated in neutrik plugs
Sounded better to the folks here than the stock woven cable that comes with Audeze LCD-X and whatever cable comes with LCD-4.
I recommend using the same length for both speakers. I am not concerned with resistance so much, as I mix 100 foot 12 awg with 6 foot lengths, and hear no difference w/r to imaging (granted, in not very well controlled acoustic environments.)
Normal dielectrics nowadays have a relative permittivity in the 2.7 to 3 range, so I do not care about actual insulation type. (note, I do not recommend teflon as it tends to creep over time). Anyone who braids teflon to make a line cord btw is looking for a darwin award IMHO.
I've made cables using cat5e in the 4 ohm characteristic impedance range and it worked perfectly for 40 volt 5 usec rise time 50 usec duration square wave pulses driving a 4 ohm load. (granted, that 4 ohm load was in a liquid helium dewar but that was the fun part..)
For speakers, I would be concerned with the settling time (an artifact of the L/C characteristic of any cable), and how the speaker impedance varies with frequency, possibly altering the imaging characteristics.
If anybody is really concerned with this stuff, I recommend using 4 twisted zips in parallel (#14awg), to drop the cable rf impedance to around 25 ohms, a really good settling time compromise.
Or, just do what I do...use the #24 that came with the system, or drop to #12 and be happier.
John
Normal dielectrics nowadays have a relative permittivity in the 2.7 to 3 range, so I do not care about actual insulation type. (note, I do not recommend teflon as it tends to creep over time). Anyone who braids teflon to make a line cord btw is looking for a darwin award IMHO.
I've made cables using cat5e in the 4 ohm characteristic impedance range and it worked perfectly for 40 volt 5 usec rise time 50 usec duration square wave pulses driving a 4 ohm load. (granted, that 4 ohm load was in a liquid helium dewar but that was the fun part..)
For speakers, I would be concerned with the settling time (an artifact of the L/C characteristic of any cable), and how the speaker impedance varies with frequency, possibly altering the imaging characteristics.
If anybody is really concerned with this stuff, I recommend using 4 twisted zips in parallel (#14awg), to drop the cable rf impedance to around 25 ohms, a really good settling time compromise.
Or, just do what I do...use the #24 that came with the system, or drop to #12 and be happier.
John
Electrical waves travel a bit under 186,000 miles per second. 10 feet of cable won't make much difference unless you have crappy cable. Don't coil up your cable you just make an inductor.My setup requires 15 feet of speaker cable for the right side speaker to amp and the left side needs about 25 feet. I've read that speaker cables should be the same length, but don't know if coiling 10 feet of cable, on itself, in the bottom of a cabinet, might have its own problems. What would be the best, trouble free, setup?
Thanks
