People are not always ready to spend impressive amounts of money on purchasing an audio system. But is this so critical? Unfortunately, many users of audio equipment do not know that sound quality largely depends not on its cost and brand, but on the connecting devices. Despite the popularity of the theory to the contrary, the facts prove the following: the better the audio cable, the more sound it transmits, and the higher its quality will be.
Cable cost.
There is a simple formula: a good cable should cost about 10% of the total cost of the audio system. That is, if your audio equipment costs 20,000 rubles, then it is recommended to select cables for it for about 2,000. This amount includes the cost of both acoustic and interconnect cables.
How to choose
Choosing an interconnect wire is not as complicated a process as it might seem at first. Any cable of the shortest length that you can find based on your budget will suit you. The shorter the distance between the acoustics and the amplifier, the less chance there will be problems with sound in the future. In addition, the speaker wire must be of equal length in all its sections, this will ensure an even load on the amplifier. To maintain sound quality, it is recommended to avoid loops and other twisting elements along the entire length of the cable.
Some electronics manufacturers recommend certain brands of wires for their equipment when purchasing. It is assumed that these cables will give the best results with a specific set of components. In this case, you can rely on the opinion of specialists and not bother yourself with a lengthy selection of wires.
Sound difference.
It is quite possible that when you use a particular speaker cable, you will be able to detect a certain tonal character in it. This will allow you to customize your system as you see fit. There are a number of theories about the relationship between cable material and sound: for example, it is believed that wires with a high silver content will give the effect of the greatest tonal richness, while cables with a solid core will produce a more powerful sound. But there are no clear rules and guidelines in this, so it is better to evaluate the sound obtained with one or another audio cable yourself, so that you can then choose the ideal option for yourself.
The cables that became the subject of our test partly fall into the budget segment, but there are also quite expensive models. Therefore, the purpose of the test was not primarily a comparison, but an overview of the market situation.
Criteria for evaluation
This test was intended as a test of budget interconnect cables, but during the selection process the range expanded a little - now it is increasingly difficult to correlate the price of a cable with what it will turn out to be like in practice. This applies to both expensive models and models with a moderate price tag. Therefore, it was more interesting not to compare the cables, but to find out what they are in general. And the test methodology itself is the same as in the case of much more expensive models - break-in, blind testing and testing in different paths in order to find out the individual characteristics of each test subject as accurately as possible (as much as possible).
Straight Wire Musicable 2 (2100 RUR/1 m)
Design
A thin, soft cable, cut into very small, but tight, spring-loaded connectors, plated with gold. The direction is indicated on the cables themselves; the channel markings are quite normal. Inside, the cable has a symmetrical design, the conductors are made of copper, plus there is a screen.
Sound
Slightly light, quite light sound, but the sound is melodic, united and melodious. The dynamics are generally very good, the detail is not the highest, but against an overall balanced background this is not so noticeable - the sound is just a little simpler than we would like. In terms of the sound of different parts of the range, there is a slight emphasis on the upper frequencies, but there is no sharpness as such.
A cable with a somewhat simplified sound, but quite honest
The midrange is smooth, the bass itself is small, but with good control. The stage is not entirely proportional - wide and shallow. The air feels moderate. The sound does not change much on different recordings, but the handwriting remains recognizable. In general, it is a cable with a somewhat simplified sound, but quite honest, without pronounced distortions or a bright character of its own. And although there are shortcomings, they are distributed more or less evenly among the components. For its segment it is a good and quite versatile option.
Audioquest Golden Gate (2600 RUR/1 m)
Design
Thin, moderately stiff and slightly springy cable. The connectors are very miniature and lightweight, the contact surfaces are gold-plated. The cable is braided into a single unit and only bifurcates at the ends, so you can only connect those devices where the right and left channel connectors are located next to each other. There are markings, although they are not very noticeable. conductors - solid copper core, dielectric - polyethylene foam.
Sound
Expressive, slightly bright sound. Emotionality, dynamics and richness are clearly present. The detail is low, and the dynamics are a little smoothed out, but there is enough richness in the sound, and the scale is not at all intimate. There is some smoothing at the frequencies at the edges of the range, but otherwise the result is more or less smooth and confident. Complex recordings may lack dynamics; with small and medium-sized compositions, the result is more confident and cohesive.
Expressive, slightly bright sound
The stage is of medium width, deep, airy, but the images are rather dense and contrasting. Considering the character and features, perhaps a good result will be obtained when used in a path with a harsh but formal sound in the case when you want to add emotional richness to the sound. and genre preferences should be taken into account. The option is not the most suitable for orchestral classical music, but there should be no problems with most other genres.
Black Rhodium Twist (2700 RUR/1 m)
Design
A thin and very flexible cable, cut into small connectors with gold-plated contacts. Channel markings and connection direction markings are available. Structurally, the cable is a little unusual - the conductors are made of tinned copper and each is insulated with rubberized silicone. Thus, two independent and unrelated conductors come out of each connector. And just for convenience, they are all connected by a pair of heat shrink rings. The design does not have a screen.
Sound
Neat, light and melodic sound with very good detail and legibility of aftertones. And the dynamics are at a decent level. At the same time, the sound is quite smooth throughout the entire range, with virtually no noticeable distortions. The upper frequencies are neat and legible, the mids are open and uncolored. And the bass is not bad both quantitatively and qualitatively. In general, the picture turns out to be full-bodied, but not heavy. On the contrary - dynamic, musical, detailed.
High frequencies are neat and legible, the mids are open
The scene is proportionally correct with good drawing of contours, images and plans, airy and light-moving. on complex recordings everything is almost as good, there is no loss of harmony or detail, except that the sound sometimes becomes a little distant. Of course, the result may vary in different systems, but in general it is much higher than expected.
Back Rhodium Opus (3500 RUR/1 m)
Design
Not thick and very flexible cable. The connectors with gold-plated contacts are small, tight, but comfortable. All markings are present. the conductors are made of tinned copper, the dielectric is rubberized silicone. The cable is unshielded.
Sound
Airy sound with a slight emphasis on the upper mids and treble. Solid, melodic, but a little less detailed and not as solid as the Black Rhodium Twist model. The character is similar, but everything is not so proportionally adjusted. There is a little less detail and readability of after-sounds, due to this the presentation is more emotional, but at the same time more self-absorbed.
Airy sound with slight emphasis on the upper mids and treble
The frequency range is more or less correct, but sometimes it seems that there is a little more bass than we would like, and this makes the overall picture heavier. The scene is quite correct, but not very airy and dense. On complex recordings, the result remains more or less stable, except that sometimes the sharpness of the mid-upper range appears. In terms of use, there can be many options, but you should be careful both in the case of an overly sharp and in the case of an overly bassy system.
Oehlbach NF 14 Master Set (3900 RUR/1 m)
Design
Medium thick, flexible and slightly springy cable. The connectors are massive, spring-loaded, gold-plated. All markings are present, but they are poorly visible. The design is symmetrical. The conductors are made of copper, there is no more detailed information about the design and materials.
Sound
A dull, almost uncolored sound with a neat, but somewhat simplified presentation. Dynamics and detail are not the highest. In terms of frequencies, the result is the following: there is not much bass, it is rounded and softened. The middle is slightly raised. The upper frequencies are calm, even slightly smoothed. the presentation is moderately emotional. The scene is quite correct in proportions, but not airy. Although the density as such is not felt. Just such a calm, modest character in general.
Such a calm, modest character
On complex recordings, the sound may become a little sharper, but no more - the results are smooth, the behavior is quite predictable. The main use case seems to be paths with excessively harsh, bright or emotionally overloaded sound. those cases when you want some tranquility, when you need to tone down the bright colors a little. and the fact that the cable behaves predictably and similarly under different conditions, to some extent simplifies the task and makes the result more predictable.
Straight Wire Encore 2 (4400 RUR/1 m)
Design
The cable is of medium thickness, rigid and moderately springy. The connectors are branded, with square ribbed housings and gold-plated contact surfaces. But the form does not interfere at all when connecting, quite the contrary. The connectors are spring-loaded and moderately tight. Connection direction markings are on the cables themselves, channel markings are on the connectors. The design is symmetrical, the conductors are made of copper. Shielded cable.
Sound
Emotional, thick and leisurely sound. there is some quantitative emphasis on the mid-upper part of the range. At the same time, the bass is impressive in scale, iridescent and voluminous. In general, the sound is rich, with an emphasis on emotions, but not tiring. The stage is wide, deep, with enlarged, clearly defined images. with all this, the detail is quite good. The dynamics are sometimes a little lacking, yes - the attraction to recordings by small and medium-sized lineups is obvious.
The sound is rich, with an emphasis on emotion
This style can be used in systems with a sharp or rough sound, if there is a tendency to sound cold and reduce images. You can try to correct the coldness and intimacy with the help of such a cable. Also, good results can be obtained in paths with a hurried sound.
Atlas Equator Integra Asymmetrical (4700 RUR/1 m)
Design
Moderately thick, not so much hard as springy cable. The connectors are small, with gold-plated contacts and a clear plastic outer casing. The cable was cut without soldering, only by crimping. The conductors are made of 6N OFC copper. The cable design, as the name suggests, is asymmetrical. Channel-by-channel markings are applied to the connectors, and the direction of connection is indicated by the inscription. There are also serial numbers on the connectors, and a passport is included in the kit.
Sound
Accurate, accurate, full and detailed sound. Slightly cool, with a barely noticeable emphasis on the upper frequencies. Detail, dynamics, ability to convey nuances and textures - everything is there. The upper frequencies are detailed, the midrange is smooth, the bass is not the largest, but overall it looks very proportionate to all other components of the frequency range. The stage is of medium width and depth, with good airiness and accurate depiction of plans and images.
Slightly cool, with a subtle emphasis on the high frequencies
There is enough detail and dynamics even for complex musical material - the sound is practically not lost under any conditions. The only thing worth considering when choosing a cable for a system is a certain emotional detachment and coolness in the sound. But these qualities are suitable when you need to “collect” sound.
Audioquest Big Sur (5000 RUR/1 m)
Design
The cable is a little thicker and stiffer than the younger Golden Gate model, but looks very similar in appearance - the same design of braided conductors, miniature gold-plated connectors, a similar marking principle. The color and internal design are different. Although the conductors are also copper cores, the dielectric is foamed polyethylene.
Sound
Slightly light, spacious sound with very good fullness. The detail is not bad, but there are some minor complaints about the dynamics - some recordings feel smooth. There is a certain amount of warmth in the character. The bass is rather large-scale, with a slight accent in the lower mids. Although the mid and high frequencies are also felt elevated, it’s just the nature of the sound itself - sweeping, emotionally rich. The stage is clearly wide, but not very deep.
Expansive, emotionally rich
Due to the handwriting, there is some inclination towards small and medium compositions, but formally on complex recordings the sound changes little. It’s just that one’s character predisposes one to such perception. For a dynamic, but cold or emotionally distant system, such a cable may work well. Only in paths with these features, but also with a sharp sound, the result is difficult to predict.
Van den Hul Combination Hybrid (5600 RUR/0.8 m)
Design
The cable is a little thicker than The Surf Hybrid model, and is also quite stiff, but less springy. And the matte golden color does not look as extravagant as pink. The connectors are similar, gold-plated, but whereas in the previous case they had a matte finish, this cable has a shiny finish. They are also not tight and do not slip out of your hands when connected. Direction marking is according to the inscription, channel marking is convenient and noticeable. The design is coaxial. The conductors are made of oxygen-free copper with additives, and carbon is also used in the design.
Sound
At the same time soft, delicate and bright, emotional sound. The detail is very good, there is a lot of air and light in the sound. With some emphasis on the main tones, the aftersounds are heard well. There is a slight emphasis on the upper frequencies, and there is a little less bass and lower mids than we would like. The stage is wide, of medium depth, with a clearly drawn picture.
At the same time soft, delicate and bright, emotional sound
On complex recordings, practically nothing changes, the result is quite smooth, there are no difficulties with the dynamics. The likely application is a slightly lazy path with too much low frequencies and a lack of highs with reduced dynamics and detail.
Real Cable Cheverny II-RCA (7000 RUR/1 m)
Design
The cable is medium thick, but the cable is flexible and has almost no spring. The connectors are massive, gold-plated, and quite tight. Channel and direction markings are present. The design is represented by two copper conductors made of OSS copper, a double screen of asymmetrical design. In addition to all this, there is an indication that the cable was cut in France, and there is also a passport with a serial number.
Sound
A soft, melodic sound with a smooth, open midrange, soft highs and fairly fast deep bass. The character is neat and precise. The dynamics and detail are quite good. There is a certain slowness and thoroughness in the sound, but there is neither slowness nor heaviness. The stage is wide but shallow, lacking a little three-dimensionality and airiness, which can sometimes feel cramped. This is mainly heard on complex dynamic recordings, such as orchestral classics.
Character neat, precise
In all other cases, the cable is quite predictable, smooth, without any obvious imbalance between any components of the sound. Therefore, you can find many options for use, but in paths with slow and compressed sound, the result may not be the best. But if you need, on the contrary, to calm the sound, this will probably work out well.
Real Cable CA-Reflex (7500 RUR/1 m)
Design
The cable is thick, and due to the ferrite rings in metal casings (this is how the filtering system was added) it is very heavy. The connectors are massive, collet-type, with contact surfaces coated with rhodium. The conductors are made from OCC copper cores of different sections; polyethylene is used as a dielectric. The cable design is coaxial, there is a screen. Channel and directional markings are present, but they are not very clear. The cable was cut in France, there is a serial number on the box.
Sound
A neat and at the same time emotional, expressively rich sound. The midrange is slightly raised, the high frequencies are emphasized. But not to the point of harshness. Although there is some coldness in the sound. The bass is not the deepest, but fast and agile. The detail is not bad, there is no lack of dynamics. The stage is wide, deep, multifaceted and airy.
There is some coldness in the sound
Up to a certain limit in terms of the complexity of the recording, the sound almost does not change, however, in some fragments, it happens that confidence and harmony of presentation are lost, and the punchiness, but not intelligibility, becomes more noticeable. however, no obvious harshness is heard under any circumstances. In slow paths, you can use this cable to slightly revive the sound.
Oehlbach XXL Series 1 (8300 RUR/0.75 m)
Design
Thick, not very flexible, moderately springy cable. The connectors are massive, gold-plated and moderately tight. They are so massive that some devices, especially vintage ones, may have difficulty connecting. The direction is indicated by arrows on the cable, but the channel markings are not very clear - the inscriptions on the connectors are almost entirely covered by heat shrink, and the rubber rings are black - you still have to guess that this is the marking. Internal cable design is symmetrical, with triple shielding. The conductors are made of silver-plated copper, Teflon is used as a dielectric.
Sound
A little light, smoothed, leisurely, detailed and full sound with good detail and dynamics. High frequencies are transparent, soft and unsharp. The middle is open, smooth and uncolored. The bass is both quantitatively and qualitatively quite good. The stage is wide, deep, with good proportions and accurate images.
Slowly detailed and full sound
When listening to complex recordings, there is no feeling of failure in any components; the result is smooth and confident. Only sometimes the transparency and precision of the scene is lost a little. A good, smooth result, and the cable has a place in a system with smooth sound.
Van den Hul The Surf Hybrid (8400 RUR/1 m)
Design
Not thick, but quite stiff and springy cable of a funny pink color. The cable is cut with tight and quite comfortable branded gold-plated connectors. the direction is not indicated, you can only navigate by the inscription on the cable. The design is coaxial, the conductors are made of copper with additives, in addition, carbon and several shielding layers are used.
Sound
Melodic, moving and airy sound with good detail and dynamics, a lot of air. There is a slight accent in the upper frequencies, but it doesn’t come to the point of being particularly harsh. The character is rather light, but not harsh and definitely not rude. The after-sounds and all sorts of subtle nuances and emotional shades are especially audible. The bass is shallow, slightly smoothed, and accurate. Sometimes the lower middle is not quantitatively enough.
Melodious, moving and airy sound
The stage is of medium width and depth, precise, with precise proportions, airy. In terms of genre preferences and different recordings, there is no noticeable difference; the result is equal both with small compositions and with orchestral works. When choosing, first of all, you should take into account the tendency towards emotional (but not rude) presentation with high dynamics. therefore, for sharp and bright paths this option will not always be preferable.
results
The first thing I would like to note is the tendency of many of the tested cables to highlight and emphasize the mid-upper range in one way or another. In different cases this turns out and sounds differently, but the fact remains a fact. However, imagining the sound of many components from a more or less budget segment, one can note a similar trend. The same, unfortunately, is the case with bass delivery. Most of the test subjects have less bass than they would like in one way or another. qualitatively - yes, everything is not so bad, but quantitatively this is already a certain trend.
As is the case with more expensive cables, when choosing a specific model, proportionality (including cost) and consonance are important.
After all, it is not so much important whether this or that model is good, but whether it fits into the right place or not.
Otherwise, our subjects showed completely different properties, sometimes surprising with the result as a whole or with some of their individual qualities. Fortunately, there is no situation where all cables would be similar, like twin brothers, even in the entry-level price segment, which was the focus of the test. Of course, there are a lot of budget cables produced (however, there are even more expensive ones), and it is absolutely impossible to cover everything on the market. But for statistics and conclusions this is already something, and my main task was not so much comparison as identifying the individual characteristics and properties of each model.
What was upsetting was that there were practically no revelations. Yes, all the test winners showed very decent results, but only decent for their segment, sometimes only higher than expected. But not a single model included in the test (and there were also specimens that were not included) gave any clearly superior result, a result that could be compared with cables two to three times more expensive. Apparently, the cable segment has already become significantly established, all the niches and shelves are occupied, and discoveries happen extremely rarely. However, there is also no crazy variation in quality, as is found in the more expensive segment, and this should be encouraging.
In terms of measurements, design and materials, everything turned out to be less clear than usual. The relationship between design, materials, physical parameters and sound in the results of this test is so implicit that there is nothing to generalize.
But in practice, it is always worth remembering that this topic is more subjective than acoustics or amplification, and less predictable, so there is always a possibility (even if all testing conditions are met) to obtain a result under some other conditions that is significantly different from the test results .
*The approximate retail price of the models at the time of the test is indicated everywhere.
In modern audio technology, the number of digital connections is constantly growing, but this does not mean that the role of traditional analog cables is weakening. Yes, they do not influence the final sound quality as much as the rest of the system; the difference is sometimes difficult to discern, but it is precisely because of an incorrectly selected cable that sophisticated and expensive audio equipment does not bring the desired pleasure from listening to music. Today we will test RCA interconnects costing up to 14,000 rubles per stereo pair.
- Equator MkII
- NEI-3002
- Diamondback
- Prelude
- RC-10
- CA Reflex
- Equinox 6
- Hyper
- Cadenza
- Eclipse 6
- Columbia
COMPONENTS
- CD player Bryston BCD-1 (RUB 134,000)
- Integrated stereo amplifier Bryston B-100 SST (RUB 217,000)
- Mini monitors Harbeth HL-P3ES-2 (RUB 75,000)
- Interconnect cables RCA Accuphase Super Refined SL-10G (RUB 22,000)
- Speaker cables Kimber Kable 12TC (RUB 20,000)
- Power cables Physics Style PW-Reference (RUB 38,000)
- Power supply distributor Supra LoRad MD-06-EU Mk II/LoRad CS-EU 1.5 (RUB 7,000/3,600)
- (Prices of tested wires are given everywhere for meter-long stereo couples)
Six years have passed since the last time we tested interconnects, for which we developed a rather complex technique - first we tested them with a mono signal for neutrality, and then, in the usual comparative mode, we assessed the effect on the sound of the audio system. After all, when choosing a cable, the most important thing is to describe not so much the sound of the system with it, but to grasp the patterns in the resulting changes. Will they be repeated in other conditions? Will the placebo effect affect the results, when just because the wire looks solid, bears a prestigious mark or is very expensive, you begin to think that the equipment with it sounds much better?
In hi-fi forums there is still a heated debate about whether it is worth spending on interconnects and other cables amounts comparable to the cost of some not-so-primitive integrated amplifier or player. And where, it would seem, would these changes come from, if so far no one has explained their nature in simple and understandable words, much less the transition from an insignificant physical quantity to a subjectively tangible quality. And when the debate goes into the realm of whether a piece of wire can improve the sound where it can no longer be improved - for example, when installed instead of a jumper, there is no time for philosophy at all. Those who have not heard the difference begin to call those who have felt it crazy. Even the term “snurkovschina” appeared - they say, in this area everything is from the evil one.
As you understand, not a single cable sounds by itself. It only passes the signal through itself, and at the output it is no longer the same as at the input. But one should not conclude from this that the wire will never be able to improve the sound beyond what is considered the standard. This formulation is only permissible for an ideal system with an ideal jumper - here any cable is really doomed to fail. But we are all dealing with real technology, which has its drawbacks. And the fact that some piece of wire can work as a filter, make roughness less noticeable, and express useful qualities more fully, is as clear to experienced audiophiles as to a schoolchild that two and two make four.
It is on comparison with a jumper, and in fact - in the “cable present - no cable” mode, that the entire methodology for evaluating interconnects this time is built. It is the most reliable, but also the most difficult. After all, the difference with this approach manifests itself in a tiny dose, and with the slightest lack of sound resolution in the path, it can simply not be noticed.
However, there is a way to increase this difference many times over. To do this, you need to listen in the near field with professional components, which allows you to analyze the sound as if you were placing it under a microscope. That's why today we've put aside our floor-standing reference speakers and armed ourselves with small, enclosed mini-monitors from twenty years ago that meet BBC standards and were designed to work with master tracks. When installed correctly, they provide the strongest scaling effect. That is, the acoustics actually stand at a distance of almost an outstretched arm, and the reproduced musical material materializes far beyond the base line in the form of a clear, stable three-dimensional scene. Believe me, if any cable installed instead of a jumper interferes with this idyll, even the deaf will hear it.
Keep in touch
In the next issue we will continue testing and get acquainted with 14 more interconnects of higher price categories. And here we will summarize the intermediate results.
In the segment up to 7000 rubles. The most affordable model, the Atlas Equator MkII, evoked the greatest confidence (but not delight - these are two different things). We will not call it a standard and claim that your audio system with it will sound divine, but in its group it was the one that showed minimal differences from the jumper. Grand Prix for accuracy.
You can expect interesting results with Physics Style RC-10 and Audioquest Diamondback interconnects. They have a somewhat similar harsh sound character, which some will not like, but they receive a “Recommendation” from us. And that's why. Audio systems, which are made up of top-end hi-fi components priced somewhere between 50-80 thousand rubles, often lack nothing to reach the next class level - a kind of confidence in the “voice”. Everything seems to be in order with the sound, it is accurate and polished, devoid of “budget” touch-ups and other defects. But you turn it on and realize that the playback is somehow timid, the music lacks scale, dynamics - fullness, timbres - luxury. All the time there is a feeling of some kind of understatement. So with these cables there is a chance to eliminate it and bring the system closer to High End.
The rest of the cables in this price niche are good in cases where the sound of the system needs some special adjustment. Here you just need to choose the interconnect that will most fully correct or mask some problems in the sound.
In the next price segment 7,000 - 14,000 rubles. Audioquest Columbia wins the Grand Prix. When you don't lose anything, that's already a lot.
Among the “Recommended” we include Bluenote LS 3 for its ability to highlight the main thing and The Chord Cadenza for its effect of improving articulation. These interconnects are not yet ideal and, in addition, are not suitable for all systems, but listening to music with them is much more interesting, while the other tested samples only give a feeling of euphony.
The article discusses the impact that interconnects and speaker cables have on sound quality, and also provides design options for such cables.
Until recently, interconnect cables were not given much importance in consumer audio equipment, since household audio amplifiers and speaker systems did not have a sufficiently wide dynamic range (high resolution). In addition, in the path of each amplifier there was a tone control, which extended the playback path and thereby reduced the resolution of the system, and also made it possible to correct path flaws (frequency response blockages at the edges of the sound range) to the listener’s taste.
Today it is considered a sign of good taste to use amplifiers without tone controls in an audio system. This implies that the entire acoustic path, starting from the signal source, audio amplifier (AF), acoustic systems (AS) and ending with the connecting cables between them, is flawless and does not introduce any frequency and phase distortions, not to mention nonlinear distortions. The contribution to the sound quality of each 16 of the listed components can be distributed approximately as follows: signal source - 23%, ultrasonic frequency - 50%, speaker systems - 25% and cables - 2%. Perhaps some people will have different numbers. Of course, it is assumed that you are feeding the signal to the speakers through copper wires of sufficient cross-section (for household systems, 2.5...4 mm2 is usually enough), and are not trying to get high-quality sound by feeding the signal through thin copper-plated steel wires.
And if the quality of your ultrasound, speaker and signal source in total is only 40%, then do not expect that you will be able to get the remaining 60% through cables, in this case even “golden” cables, in a figurative sense, will not help, they you simply won’t feel the impact on the tract. At the same time, if your path as a whole is well balanced, then replacing one of the cables with a cable with a “gag” will certainly change the character of the sound, not for the better.
Features of human hearing
The work of Martin Lenhard proved that humans have two auditory canals: the ear and the skin-bone-fluid one. If on the first channel the audible frequencies lie within the range of 16 Hz...20 kHz, then on the second it is much higher - up to 40...100 kHz. The frequencies perceived through the second channel are not perceived as sound in the normal sense, but noticeably affect the perception of the picture of the surrounding space. Humans hear harmonics up to 100 kHz in the skin, bones and body fluids. The method of prosthetics for hearing loss in the deaf has been working on this principle for many years. The sound is transferred by a special device from the audible region to the ultrasonic region and is transmitted through the skin and bones. After some training, deaf people begin to hear. Obviously, those with a less developed second channel are less sensitive to subtle changes in sound caused by changing cables. Therefore, each listener has his own feelings, which he cannot always correctly evaluate and convey in words.
So it turns out that in high-resolution systems, the slightest influences of cables become audible, which almost do not appear in the audio frequency. In systems with a slight block in the HF region, cables with composite conductors (silver-plated, van den Hoole cables with hydrocarbon inclusions, etc.) can be useful, although in a balanced audio system such cables most often lead to a negative result. And, conversely, in an audio system in which there is a rise in the HF region, cables with increased linear capacitance can be useful, which can make a slight correction in the frequency response and phase response, which is pleasant for the ear.
Thus, today many audiophiles are trying to deal with the problems of their audio systems by selecting cables, as was previously done with the help of a tone block or equalizer.
All this fuss with cables is somewhat reminiscent of the joke about the villagers who covered the barn with poorly threshed straw, and the summer turned out to be rainy, and the rye sprang up. Instead of taking a scythe and mowing it, the peasants began dragging the cow onto the roof so that it would eat the grass.
Microphone cables
In addition to electrical parameters such as resistance, linear capacitance and inductance, the cable parameters are actually influenced by its design features, both purely geometric and the properties of the materials used: conductor material, dielectrics. The degree of manifestation of the skin effect, susceptibility to the microphone effect, protection from external electromagnetic fields, etc. largely depends on this.
Instrument and microphone cables were developed for use in professional equipment and are still used today in recording studios and by all professionals. The most famous manufacturers of professional cables are P r oe l , Sa n a r e , S o mm e r , Ex tr o n , K lotz and others.
The length of microphone cables is usually from 15 to 30 m or more. The length of multicore (multi-pair microphone cables) from the stage to the sound engineer's console is usually from 50 to 150 m or more. In total, the length of microphone cables with weak signals alone, which are most susceptible to interference and cable properties, reaches almost 200 m. As is known, the longer the cable length, the greater its parameters such as capacitance, inductance and direct current resistance, which are given usually as linear per meter length for a specific cable. In addition, as the length of the cables increases, the negative influence of the dielectric increases, introducing electrical turbulence into the signal associated with the absorption of the energy of the transmitted signal, its partial conversion into heat and its partial return with some delay back to the conductor. The asymmetry of a dielectric's charge and attenuation causes waveform distortion, DC offsets, crosstalk, and loss of low-level information.
However, even with such long cables, when transmitting weak signals, professionals do not notice their noticeable negative impact on the sound and do not think about replacing them with super-fashionable modern audiophile cables costing from several hundred to several thousand dollars per meter.
Audiophile cable tests
Cable tests are usually carried out by comparing the sound of the system with the cable and with the jumper. Here are some excerpts from a test of audiophile interconnect cables in the 1500-3000 price category USD (price of a used car in good condition).
“It’s very difficult to distinguish this cable from a jumper by its sound. It doesn’t bring anything of its own into the musical picture,” as a result, such a cable is given a low rating, well, since it doesn’t change anything in the system for the better.
“Anti-bridge gives the sound a sharp edge. The trail of after-sounds is not perceived as detailed and deep - the sound seems superficial,” and this is a cable in the specified high price category.
“The distant shots are slightly zoomed in and the scene is less deep,” but this cable still gets high marks from the reviewer.
“In the upper register, the coloring of the trebles is even better developed than in the bridge. The only “but” is a slight clouding of the finest microdynamic pattern.” As a result, the cable receives high marks.
“Reproduction becomes much more substantial and clear in the bass region. The stability and echeloning of the stage is a little lacking...” The cable also gets good reviews.
The objects of our current test were interconnect analog cables of a very serious price category. Of course, we were able to cover only a very small part of what is currently being produced, but in this selection there were many interesting items.
CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION
Comparing cables is a difficult and often thankless task due to the high probability of scattering of results depending on conditions. In this test, we tried to minimize possible errors - all cables went through the same lengthy running-in procedure, and then were tested in turn in two equivalent systems of a very high level. In both cases, the cables were installed between a digital signal source - a CD player or digital-to-analog converter - and a preamplifier or integrated amplifier. The result obtained in the process of attentive listening consisted, first of all, in the search and description of the distinctive features and character of the sound heard.
results
XLO UNLIMITED EDITION
RUB 50,500
*****
Detail
*****
Dynamics
*****
Tonal balance
****
Convenience
Given the overall high level of cables in the test, all of them, even models from the same manufacturer, noticeably change the sound character in different ways. One can argue about who is the best cable - the most neutral and least interfering with the sound, but in practice there are different systems and components, not all of them are themselves neutral in sound. There are almost as many tastes and preferences as there are listeners. In some places, the most neutral cable will be optimal, in others it may turn out that the shortcomings of the system will be offset by the advantages or even by the shortcomings of the cable, and somewhere the specific character of the path will be enhanced by an unusual cable feed. The only question is who wants to hear the sound in their musical path. Therefore, each of the tested cables will find its own system where it will be most suitable. In addition, the test did not include many cables, but only a small part of everything that is produced in the world.
Summing up the results, it remains to highlight those points that seemed the most interesting, and also try to correlate what we heard with the measurement results.
Furutech Evolution and Nordost Frey turned out to be actually the most dynamic cables in the test; this style can successfully correct the sound of a system that is slow and lazy, or, if the system has a dynamic sound, bring this indicator to an even higher level - the main thing is not to overdo it. At the same time, these cables have the lowest capacitance, while cables with high capacitance for the most part, but not without exceptions, cannot boast of special dynamics. The resistance and inductance indicators turned out to be not so clear in the case of our test. Cardas Golden Reference and Audioquest Niagara - both cables can hardly be called linear; rather, they have a pronounced individual character. But this character is in many ways so unusual and interesting that there will undoubtedly be an application point for it, and more than one. Cardas can add life and emotion to almost any cold and unemotional system, Audioquest has a balanced style and at the same time is able to correct the sound of hesitant or soft, adding scale and pressure to it. The Silent Wire NF32 can be partly included in this group - despite all its versatility and “thoroughbred” sound, there is a tendency towards a forceful, albeit high-quality presentation, which can be well implemented in a high-level system, built mainly for rock music.
Ortofon Premium AIC-X7 is an unusual cable that stands out from the overall picture. If it weren’t for the tendency towards small and medium-sized trains and the lack of dynamics, this model could well have been among the best in the test. Presentation with such an attentive attitude to every nuance of sound, to every after-sound, combined with the naturalness of timbres, is rare.
In terms of the totality of qualities, XLO Unlimited almost definitely stands out from all the tested samples - it is almost impossible to find fault with the presentation as such, everything is as it should be. At the same time, there is a very careful attitude towards the authenticity of the sound of music and the exclusively natural sound of musical instruments, be it an acoustic guitar, cello, double bass or human voice. True, it is possible to reveal all the available potential in a system that initially has a reliable, detailed and at the same time musical sound - in other cases it is possible that the shortcomings of the original path, if any, will become more noticeable.
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