Longer Speaker Cable or RCA: Which is Better?

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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,065
    Man, cable debates are bad enough, now we have to debate the meanings of words and phrases ? Does anyone just say wtf they mean anymore.....and does anyone understand simple words anymore ? Sheesh.....talk about splitting hairs.....
    HT SYSTEM-
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    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
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    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    You guys are night and day in your hearing abilities. :)
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,065
    nbrowser wrote: »
    I dunno, I've had some morning and afternoon differences in Beer....just sayin...

    Fixed that for ya pal.

    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,545
    edited May 2015
    It's a self-fixing dilemma if you have enough audio experience. I know if someone says their $600 DAC is a "HUGE IMPROVEMENT" over their $400 DAC, they are either full of sht, just overly excited, or have a broken $400 DAC. I have compared $120 CD players to $1800 DAC's and indeed heard "significant" improvements---they weren't "huge" by any stretch of the imagination. Again, context, experience, and the author of the review all need to be taken into account.

    Having said all that, I believe speakers may qualify for the "huge improvement" observation; but not much else when speaking in relative terms.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Source: Rotel CD14MkII CD Player - Speakers: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • PSOVLSK
    PSOVLSK Posts: 5,371
    kevintomb wrote: »
    So when I read about the DB840 woofer change in the Lsi15 for instance ((which I happen to own a pair)) I see descriptions ranging from ....

    Barely sure is was different at all.....
    a very small differerence......
    It was far better sounding......
    A day and night difference.......
    I described the change in the db upgrade as "subtly significant." And I think that can describe a lot of changes we're talking about here. It's not something that my wife will notice, but its significant to my ears and increases my enjoyment level.
    Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.-John Wooden
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  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,499
    ...a little subtle this and little subtle that, it can all add up to a dream system
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
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  • PSOVLSK
    PSOVLSK Posts: 5,371
    txcoastal1 wrote: »
    ...a little subtle this and little subtle that, it can all add up to a dream system

    Amen! That's part of what makes this such a fun hobby. I've made mostly subtle improvements to my system over the past 5-6 years and I've enjoyed the thrill of each improvement. Few, if any, of my changes were jaw dropping, but to compare the system I have now to the one I had 6 years ago would be no contest.
    Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.-John Wooden
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 9,077
    When my cables are a little short, I use a cable stretcher.

    Poole%20Wire%20Stretcher.jpg
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,065
    txcoastal1 wrote: »
    ...a little subtle this and little subtle that, it can all add up to a dream system

    Bingo....add them up and you could have a totally different system on your hands. Audio is so personal to each of us, it's more of a journey than just plopping down a set of speakers and hooking up any xyz receiver.

    Only by way of personal exploration can you arrive at those "ah ha " moments. When you stick your hand in your pants and only count one instead of 2.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,545
    txcoastal1 wrote: »
    ...a little subtle this and little subtle that, it can all add up to a dream system

    Absolutely, good point.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Source: Rotel CD14MkII CD Player - Speakers: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 9,077
    Keiko wrote: »
    Rich, I have this high end cable stretcher that's extremely effective. ;)

    gsvu8x608hv2.jpg

    Damn, your cable stretcher is much better than mine!
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,545
    Back on topic; this is really a question of potential interference---not cable differences. It's much better to have shorter low-level signal cables, which are more prone to interference. So I would opt for longer speaker cables, shorter IC's.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Source: Rotel CD14MkII CD Player - Speakers: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 9,077
    edited May 2015
    I'll repeat my actual experience with long RCA IC's. They were in close proximity to one 20 amp power cable run from wall on right to the two amps in center between speakers. Pre amp was single ended ModWright SWLP 9.0SE pre amp.

    Longer speaker cables would not be a solution in my old setup. IF I put the gear between speakers on that south wall, digital or vinyl wouldn't sound good due to the bass loading that occurred when speakers are boxed by corners. Talk about vibes, bad vibrations. Gear, except for amps, had to be on west wall. I could not play anything above 75dB with gear between speakers on that south wall. Had tube CD/SACD player, tube pre amp with tube phono.

    "If you want advice based on actual experience, long RCA's works just fine. I used shielded coax, stranded center conductor for flexibility. They are 18 or 20 feet long and still in use connected to R and L subs as I have since went balanced to amp with different gear.

    The system was dead quiet and as dynamic as shorter RCA's. Period. "

    I can supply names of folks that heard this setup. Jay (agfrost) Doug (DKG999) Aaron (ALL212) to name three.

    room_3.jpg
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 51,667
    ^ Listen to the man, he knows what he's talking about. ^
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,065
    I've never had a problem with long runs of either. I think as long as you buy a halfway decent cable, it isn't going to matter much unless we are talking the extreme in distances. Most decent cables are pretty good at noise rejection these days, it's the cheap stuff that I'd worry about.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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