Cable Controversy – Part 1

I am shocked that there are audiophiles out there who still claim that cables do not make a difference to the sound. Such profanity!

Blasphemy!

Sacrilege!

As I relaxed on my psychologist’s couch, she looked up at me over the top of the frames of her glasses with a concerned expression and asked “Ooookaaaay, so when did your obsession with audio cables begin?”

I’m not sure why, but over the years I became fascinated with the role cables played in audio systems. While studying Physics at Monash University many years ago, I studied the propagation of electrons through a conductor. Maybe my issues started then. Or maybe it’s that I have a particular sensitivity to how the sound changes when I move different cables in and out of my system. Perhaps it’s because I read so much conflicting information about audio cables over the years that I had to find out for myself.

Either way, I really enjoy regular cable comparisons in my home system and I am ridiculed known for unplugging from society every once in a while and holding epic cable shootouts. So I thought to address some common cable-related questions that we are asked at Nirvana Sound and share some of my personal findings and opinions in case this information can assist you to improve your sound.

Do new cables need burn-in time?

Although most manufacturers do a degree of cable burn-in as part of their manufacturing process, I have found that virtually all new cables need some operation time before they sound their best. This varies between brands, types and conductor materials. When I look at the system logs we keep at Nirvana Sound, generally speaking for interconnects and speaker cables we perceive substantial sonic changes in the first 100 hours, reasonable changes in the next 200 hours, more subtle but still obvious changes in the next 200 hours and then negligible or no changes after that. Some cables with silver (or silver alloy) conductors can exhibit discernible differences well after 600 hours of use. We have also experimented with some cable types that didn’t change much over time, although those examples are rarer.

How does the sound of a cable improve over the burn-in period? Most new cables have a relatively hard, brittle, slightly bright and closed-in sound when compared to how they sound after a couple hundred hours of use. Over time, the detail and depth improve and the sound ‘relaxes’, opens up and flows more.

Should speaker cable pairs be the same length?

I used to believe that speaker cables needed to be the same length. I assumed that the electrical environment between the power amps and each of the speakers had to be identical for a symmetrical performance. This still seems very logical to me.

However, during my experiments, I tried replacing one speaker cable with another one of the same brand and series but of a different length. I was shocked that I could not tell any discernible difference. I have demonstrated this to some audiophile friends of mine from time to time and all have been very surprised that they could not hear a difference.

Bye the way, I always set up systems with equal length cables because (1) they are packaged & sold that way, and (2) I have OCD. But truth be told, my experiments have not indicated that it makes a difference. Go figure…..

Is the shortest cable length always preferable?

In a high-end audio system, cables have a very difficult job to do. They have to transfer very fragile information (in the form of voltages) from one point to another while at the same time doing their best to protect the integrity of that information from a myriad of interferences and try to keep any losses (of which there can be many types) to an absolute minimum. In fact, losses occur with every signal transmission and no cable is capable of completely stopping this process. It can be argued that the better engineered the cable, the less losses occur.

So given that the cable environment is so challenging, when it comes to cable length, my general rule is the shortest length possible is always better.

When long runs (of either interconnects or speaker cables) are used, cable quality becomes extra important. Due to the additional signal losses longer runs impose, the better the cable is at ‘protecting’ the signal integrity, the better will be the sound. If you have to use longer cable runs, try to push the cable budget a bit to minimise the negative impact of signal loss.

However, there are some cases where shorter cable lengths may not always be better. For example, some manufacturers of digital cables (USB, SPDIF and AES/EBU) suggest 1.5m as being preferable to shorter lengths. The reason for this has to do with reflections that occur between the two connected components and with longer digital cables those reflections are less detrimental. My own experiments confirm this finding as I have found that a 1.5m length USB cable sounds better than a 1.0m length of the identical cable. Please note that there are also many manufacturers that do not agree with this concept, but this is what I have experienced.

Another exception to “shorter is better rule” is when a cable manufacturer has designed the cable with a minimum length in mind. This can be true for some cables that utilise in-line networks or certain power cords that are optimised for certain lengths.

Long interconnect cables vs long speaker cables

I have conducted this experiment a few times. To do so, I had two sets of cables of the same series from the same manufacturer. One set had long interconnect cables and short speaker cables and the other set had short interconnects and long speaker cables.

My perceptions on all occasions were that the sonic performance was very similar between the two set ups. They both exhibited slightly different virtues and on all occasions, I slightly preferred the sound of the long interconnects, short speaker cable set up.

However, personally I would approach my system layout with a different focus. If it was possible for me to locate my source components and amplifiers on one of my side walls instead of in between my speakers, I would do that. If my power amps were mono blocks, I would place them next to the speakers but everything else I would move to a side wall. Reasons:

1. Having no equipment & stands between the speakers will result in a much better stereo image and soundstage.
2. Placing my source components in a part of the room with less bass energy results in less acoustic feedback.

This arrangement with the associated long cable runs sounds better to me than the equipment between the speakers with shorter cable runs. However, this arrangement may be not practical for you and in this event, position your equipment where it fits best and apply the general shorter is better rule.

What is the best cable type or brand to use for best sound quality?

I’m afraid I have to bring up the ‘S’ word again (apologies). Your cable loom is an important part of your audio system but it has to work in partnership with your electronics, sources and speakers. So the best cable for your system is the one that will work with the best synergy with the rest of your system. I find that cable that synergises well with a particular amplifier often has a conductor material and geometry similar to the internal wiring of that amplifier. When a signal has to move through radically different conductor materials, geometries, dielectrics and connector configurations, the system’s tonal, timing and timbral qualities tend to deteriorate.

So take your time and find out about the types of cable systems that are achieving great results in systems like yours and cables that have a strong reputation for synergising well with the rest of your components. Get them right and they will unlock the potential of your system.

Some general tips

Note that usually balanced cables (when interfacing true differentially balanced components) provide better results over very long runs than can be expected with single ended cabling. Longer unbalanced cables may be more apt to pick up noise (all cables are essentially antennae and subject to RF interference).

Some preamps (especially those with a high output impedance or passive designs) may be sensitive to the additional load imposed by the cable, so a long run of interconnects may not be the best result in those circumstances.

If you are contemplating using long speaker cable runs, be aware that some styles can add a lot of impedance and the increased resistance can, in more extreme cases, lead to power loss. In my experience, there tends to be more loss of signal though speaker cables than through interconnects of equivalent lengths.

When connecting and reconnecting cables to compare their sound, be aware that cables need to settle down after being connected or moved around. Be gentle when moving from one connection to another and do not do any critical listening until the new connection has been running for a few minutes.

Keep cable connections clean. Remove any dust and occasionally rinse the connectors in 99% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) to remove any impurities that may have built up on the connector surfaces. This will optimise the performance of your cables.

Have you had similar experiences? We’d love you to share them with us. Email us your questions and we’ll answer them in the upcoming Part II post.