User Manual

CABLE THEORY

Page 6

Reducing magnetic interaction is the primary reason speaker biwiring helps so much. Biwireable speak-

ers have separate inputs for the bass and upper frequency ranges. These speakers simply allow sepa-

rate access to the two halves of the “crossover”. A crossover is simply a low-pass lter which allows low

frequency energy to pass to the woofer, and a high-pass lter which allows higher frequency current

to pass to the tweeter, or midrange and tweeter. These lters block the undesired signal by causing

the amplier to “see” an essentially innite impedance (resistance) at the frequencies which are to be

blocked. Because there is no closed circuit at the blocked frequencies, current at these frequencies

does not travel in the cable-just like a light bulb which does not light when the electric switch is turned

off, no matter how many megawatts are available.

Taking high frequency energy out of the cable feeding the bass does not signicantly affect bass per-

formance. However, taking the bass energy out of the cable feeding the tweeter or midrange/tweeter

causes a big improvement. The magnetic elds associated with the bass notes are mostly prevented

from interacting with and distorting the elds associated with the higher

frequencies. While the fundamental bass frequency is not affected, the

bass sounds better because the bass instrument’s harmonics are in the

midrange. The harmonics dene the bass note and describe the instru-

ment which created the note. Even if we could ensure absolute me-

chanical rigidity in a stranded cable, the interaction between magnetic

elds would still be a prime source of distortion. Current within a con-

ductor is directly proportional to the magnetic eld outside the conduc-

tor. In most cables, the magnetic eld of any given strand encounters a complex and changing series

of interactions as it travels through a constantly changing magnetic environment. As the magnetic eld

is modulated, the audio signal becomes confused and distorted.

Distortion due to both magnetic interaction and from bare strands touching can be dramatically reduced

by using Semi-Solid Concentric-Packing. In such a construction the strands are applied in a layer or

layers spiraling around a central strand. Each layer is packed perfectly tight, exactly tting around the

strand or layer underneath. The strands in a given layer are uniform and never rise or fall to a different

layer. This construction mimics many of the most important attributes of a solid conductor, while main-

taining most of the exibility of a stranded cable. The complete solution is solid conductors.

Magnetic interaction between conductors is also an area of major concern. This is discussed in the sec-

tion following Material Quality.

Material Quality also dramatically affects the performance of cables and their terminations. By material

quality we mean both the intrinsic quality of the metal, such as gold, nickel, brass, aluminum, copper or

silver, and we mean the way the metal has been rened and processed. Pure silver is the very best per-

forming material for audio, video or digital. However, if silver is not carefully processed, even low grade

copper will sound better. Silver has also earned a confused reputation because sometimes the term

“silver” is used to describe silver-plated copper. When carrying an analog audio signal, silver-plated

copper causes a very irritating sound, sort of a “tweeter in your face” effect. In a different application,

such as video, RF or digital, good silver-plated copper becomes an extraordinary value, out-performing

even the highest grades of pure copper.

Why no gold wire? Because gold has neither low distortion nor low resistance. Gold is used on connec-

tors because it is a “noble” metal, it doesn’t corrode easily. Because gold is “noble” it is ideal for pro-