Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, November 28, 1995 TAG: 9511280069
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAVID BUTLER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A: Actually, it's the connectors that are gold plated, but more on that in a minute.
High-performance cables are definitely cool. Audiophiles, and even just plain folks, claim that premium cables make an audible difference. The biggest misconception about pricey cables is that they only benefit pricey systems. Even midrange A/V systems will sound better with upgraded cables.
TYPES: High-performance cables come in several flavors: speaker wires, line-level interconnects, digital interconnects and video cables. (``Interconnects'' are shielded cables that link a cassette deck, CD player or audio source components to a preamp or integrated amplifier.) Three manufacturers produce THX-certified audio cables.
CONSTRUCTION: Most premium cables are made of very pure ``oxygen-free" copper, with gold-plated or silver-soldered end connectors. These techniques are commonly used for high-performance connections in computers and satellites. Individual conductors are twisted to reduce sound-degrading electrical interference. Several manufacturers make nearly flat (no pun intended) speaker cables for under-carpet installation.
SIZE: Wire size is perhaps the most important factor in sound quality. The larger the wire, the lower the resistance, and the more easily current flows through it. Most audio and video connoisseurs prefer 12- and even 8-gauge speaker cable (the lower the gauge, the heavier the wire). In contrast, common speaker wire comes in sizes ranging from 18 gauge down to 24 gauge.
PRICE: The price for a set of high-quality cables varies from about $25 to as much as $15,000! (For most of us, the really high end is interesting only as a curiosity.) While there's no point in buying cables that are wildly out of line with the rest of your system, a good set of cables is often the least expensive way to improve your system's sound quality. It wouldn't be unreasonable to spend a couple hundred dollars on interconnects and speaker cables to upgrade a $1,200 audio system.
APPEARANCE: No doubt, premium cables are designed to make a statement. You'd be the exception if you didn't feel compelled to show them off. However, if you'd rather be a bit more subtle, remember this: No matter what anyone tells you, brightly colored outer jackets have NO effect on sound quality!
SOUND QUALITY: Audiophile magazines talk about sound quality in terms usually reserved for fine wines: euphonic, mellowness, depth, clarity, detail, etc. But in the final analysis, listening is believing. Only you can decide whether premium cables make a difference worth paying for.
TEST DRIVE: Listening to high-performance cables in a store setting is fine, but try to find a dealer who will let you test drive prospective cables at home on your own system. Performance is highly subjective and varies depending on specific equipment. One mail-order supplier maintains a "library" of virtually every premium cable, allowing customers to "check out" samples for an in-home trial. Very cool.
To receive a list of companies that manufacture premium audio cables, please send $1.50 and a self-addressed envelope to David Butler F-540, Department TWN, 14713 Pleasant Hill Road, Charlotte, N.C. 28278-7927. The list includes toll-free phone numbers and a summary of each company's products. You'll also receive information on the mail-order cable library.
Q: Why should I use a digital interconnect for my CD player?
A: The long-established standard for hooking up audio source components is with line-level analog cables. A growing number of CD players and other digital components have digital outputs, allowing you to bypass the on-board digital-to-analog converter. The reason for doing this is to be able to use a higher quality stand-alone converter.
by CNB