Chord Odyssey 2 speaker cable

[robgil]

Any thoughts on this cable guys?

[WAPFU]

I use it as a bi-amp to tannoy 637's from audiolab 8000s and 8000p. Two lengths together for one speaker etc. The 8000S taking treble the 8000P the bass. Depending on what else is in the system you may or may not hear any difference. That being said I love them. Heavy suckers in the respect that they are a solid mass, do not flex much and makes running them to position an exercise.

[robgil]

I just took delivery of a terminated pair today , later, after a few beers I shall give them a side by side test against my old gale cable.
They are quite a nice package, a good heavy cable finished quite nicely, I shall see if there is any difference in my system later on tonight.

[robgil]

Right then , first impressions were Oh no , highs and mid have become very bright and thin and the bass has dropped out altogether on some records.
If I could get the bass back I may be able to live with them but I am certian I like the sound of the cheapo Gale cables better , at least on my system.

I only have a TT as my source so cannot test with anything other than records. I think these cables may be more suited to a digital source in my system, or something with a bit more bass.

I may try adjusting the VTA.

[aardvarkash10]

how in dogs name is the source going to have any effect on the characteristics of speaker cable???

ffs...

[robgil]

how in dogs name is the source going to have any effect on the characteristics of speaker cable???

ffs...

More to do with what comes out of it?

[aardvarkash10]

think about this. You changed the speaker cables and think you heard a difference (we'll leave aside the reality of this for the moment...).

What was it that you changed?

The speaker cable (and possibly speaker location, your seating position etc, but again, we'll leave that alone for the moment and just stick with logic)

Sole attributable cause of the changed sonics then?

Anyone? Anyone? Beuller?

Ah yes - you at the back... the speaker cable or something in the amp/cable/speaker chain? Well done!

Source equipment? Ahhhh, no. We didn't change any of that and it was performing ok before... And in any case it is completely isolated and buffered from the speakers by the amplifier.

Answer then? You don't like the new sonics created by the amp/cable/speaker combination. Although the symptoms sound suspiciously like an out of phase speaker connection...

[aardvarkash10]

sorry if that all sounds a bit superior and cynical. I'm in a bit of pain and not in the best mood (no excuse really)...

However, it does pay to follow a reasonable train of logic when looking at these things.

Hifi is not black magic or a religious experience (despite what the audiophool magazines imply). If you change one thing and it changes the performance of the system, then simple logic dictates the change you detect is because of the new item and nothing else.

Hope that was more helpful!

[robgil]

It was , but the point I was trying to make was my source carries 20 + year old internal wiring that I know to be deteriorated, my system was not all right before the change hence the prompt to change something. The speaker cable being something I thought was responsible for the lack of decent imaging etc, dull sounding.

Perhaps the speaker cable being (apparently) capable of revealing a lot more detail is also revealing the poor quality wiring in my tonearm?

I'm not part of the ''expencive cables sound better'' frame of mind,I believe cables are simply filters, what goes in one end of a cable may not be the same when it emerges out the other.
However I am no expert on this subject so pleaswe dont get too technical as I wont understand.

[aardvarkash10]

It was , but the point I was trying to make was my source carries 20 + year old internal wiring that I know to be deteriorated, my system was not all right before the change hence the prompt to change something.

So, if your primary concern was the condition of your tt wiring, why did you change the speaker cables?

The speaker cable being something I thought was responsible for the lack of decent imaging etc, dull sounding.

Only if you are using string as a speaker cable would change bring dramatic results. Within the bounds of reasonable application, there is no repeatably identifiable difference between speaker cables, so changing the cables in your case has EITHER inadvertently changed something more fundamental in your system (my concern about polarity) OR has changed the way you listen to your system (most likely).

Perhaps the speaker cable being (apparently) capable of revealing a lot more detail is also revealing the poor quality wiring in my tonearm?

No. See above

I'm not part of the ''expencive cables sound better'' frame of mind,I believe cables are simply filters, what goes in one end of a cable may not be the same when it emerges out the other.

Within the capability to measure, perhaps. Within the capacity to perceive audibly, no.

[robgil]

So you are saying that the difference I am hearing between the copper and silver cables isnt down to the cables them selves but either a polarity problem or a placebo effect?

Edit - speaker phasing , red to red , black to black , right?
So is that the same as polarity?
Just to clear it up, I'm no expert in these matters.

[aardvarkash10]

So you are saying that the difference I am hearing between the copper and silver cables isnt down to the cables them selves but either a polarity problem or a placebo effect?

Well, thats bold! I'm saying that the science and research indicates that, all else being equal, it is most likely the perceived difference is the result of an expectation bias, yes. Placebo is different, but related.

I added that the description you gave of the qualitative audible change indicated a possibility of speaker phasing error - see below.

Edit - speaker phasing , red to red , black to black , right?
So is that the same as polarity?
Just to clear it up, I'm no expert in these matters.

You got it!

[robgil]

You may have been right, I changed black to red etc on one speaker and the difference was subtle but there all the same.
I will have another listen tonight and report back, as I said it's very subtle but the speakers may well have been out of phase.

[awkwardbydesign]

Can you put the speakers face to face and close together? That would show if the speakers bass units are in or out of phase from speaker to speaker; more bass is correct phase. It probably won't tell you if the treble units are out of phase with each other, the wavelength is too short. Mind you, probably know all this anyway.