Anyone recognize these speaker cables? Flat, braided . . .

[JoeESP9]

That "capacitor thing" was probably a Zobel network. It's used when cables have a high capacitance that can cause high frequency oscillation in some amplifiers. It's composed of a resistor and capacitor in series wired in parallel with the speaker at the speaker's terminals.

I made some CAT-5 speaker cables some years back. Mine were composed of 27 twisted pairs braided in three's. The cables worked fine with a Hafler amp but were not friendly to an Adcom causing high frequency oscillation. I've since been told that part of the reason the Adcom was susceptible was because of the Adcom's very wide power bandwidth.

Some of the very expensive flat speaker cables out there may cause the same problem. I remember reading a Stereophile cable review where they had the same problem with a high zoot amp and the cables (Nordost?).

 

[Lesterbest]

I fail to see the attraction for 35 yr old cables which have a rep for damaging amps. If these "epiphany" cables were the audiophiles meow, why did the co abandon them so swiftly?
AKIK, Polk has never returned to the cable biz. Some cos catch on & smarten up.

 

[Blue Shadow]

If these are so great and some say they are, I wouldn't subject my amps to the potential problems and would capitalize on these and let those that must have them, get them and take the funds and put them somewhere else, even if it is a different speaker cable.

 

[Lesterbest]

If these are so great and some say they are, I wouldn't subject my amps to the potential problems and would capitalize on these and let those that must have them, get them and take the funds and put them somewhere else, even if it is a different speaker cable.

Unfortunately some must learn the hard way.

 

[Pio1980]

I know for a fact that Adcom GFA-545's will produce high frequency oscillation when driving highly capacitive speaker cables. It was very easy to see on a scope.

The Adcom amps didn't have the series output inductors as normally common in most solid state amps.

 

[Pio1980]

I have two 16' runs of factory terminated (I think) cable and a third run that is only terminated on one end. I don't think I want to cut them up to go massively parallel but I suppose I could parallel all three on one channel just to see . . . err, I mean hear. I bet a propane torch would make quick work of stripping the insulation.

Not sure if my 62 year old ears will hear any difference, either. I'll try them with a tube amp to be on the safe side. It's always fun playing around with stuff like this!

View attachment 733743

Age related hf loss may make you more sensitive to differences in hf balance re detailing and intelligibility. It may also lead to balancing a system toward the "zippy" end to compensate.

 

[Tim D]

As odd as this sounds, I just picked up a set of Polk 7B's from CL and it came with the original paperwork and a 2-sided sheet on the Polk cables from something called "The Audio Advisor AUDIOGRAM". The sheet has a Polk Audio footer and seems to be a reprint of a magazine or journal article. I can't find any reference to this journal. Perhaps someone can comment. Anyway, I'm traveling for the next couple of days. When I get back I'll scan it in.

 

[Tim D]

Ok. Here are the two sides of that sheet about the Polk cables.

 

[Lesterbest]

The Caveat Emptor Cable that Polk abandoned in short order.

 

[seanrr]

I have a quick question about these cables. Would they be dangerous to use on a recently made (Chinese clone) solid state Class A amp using a modification of the JLH 1969 circuit? I ask because I have several pairs of these, and I love them on tube amps. However, I would love to try them with my solid state amp, but I am worried about the whole "amp killer" thing.

 

[twiiii]

Why would you want highly capacitive cables with high resistance. That's an RC network. Amps have enough trouble handling complex impedance of speakers and crossovers and now you want to add more issues. No wonder I prefer my speakers try-amped with just good old fashioned Monster cable. Get rid of all that junk between the drivers and the amplifiers and obtain the best performance you can. I mean if you need a filter to change the response of your system, thats what tone controls on your pre-amp or HT processor are for. You don't want to compromise the performance of the entire system by inserting an unnecessary distortion network.

 

[Tim D]

Why would you want highly capacitive cables with high resistance. That's an RC network. Amps have enough trouble handling complex impedance of speakers and crossovers and now you want to add more issues. No wonder I prefer my speakers try-amped with just good old fashioned Monster cable. Get rid of all that junk between the drivers and the amplifiers and obtain the best performance you can. I mean if you need a filter to change the response of your system, thats what tone controls on your pre-amp or HT processor are for. You don't want to compromise the performance of the entire system by inserting an unnecessary distortion network.

Right. Polk and some other tried with braided cables back in the 70's and 80's and had all kinds of problems with the inherent capacitance. That's probably why that tech didn't stick around. Personally I just use standard speaker wire cut to equal lengths between right and left sides. Not trying to get that last 0.5% of sound out because my old ears can't hear the difference. I put my money into the components without going wild.

 

[pfcs49]

If someone was feeble minded enough to leave the Garden State for God's Waiting Room, then these cables should be marvelous!

Man, this guy just continues to live in confusion.

 

[BattleBrat]

Why would you want highly capacitive cables with high resistance. That's an RC network. Amps have enough trouble handling complex impedance of speakers and crossovers and now you want to add more issues. No wonder I prefer my speakers try-amped with just good old fashioned Monster cable. Get rid of all that junk between the drivers and the amplifiers and obtain the best performance you can. I mean if you need a filter to change the response of your system, thats what tone controls on your pre-amp or HT processor are for. You don't want to compromise the performance of the entire system by inserting an unnecessary distortion network.

12 gauge Copper goodness, all you need and $0.50 a foot *laughs*

 

[DaveVoorhis]

12 gauge Copper goodness, all you need and $0.50 a foot laughs

What's a "foot laughs"?

 

[BattleBrat]

What's a "foot laughs"?

Hey, keep it on topic buddy!
I have these MIT Terminator 4 Bi wires I'm using with my 590's. I heard they have capacitors in them, would this cause issues?

 

[DaveVoorhis]

Hey, keep it on topic buddy!

It is. I didn't understand your post, though I see you've revised it to add punctuation. It makes sense now.

Punctuation is good.

I have these MIT Terminator 4 Bi wires I'm using with my 590's. I heard they have capacitors in them, would this cause issues?

It's unlikely. If there's anything at all in the boxes, it's probably a capacitor and inductor of low enough value to have a small effect akin to tweaking a tone control, but not enough capacitance or inductance to cause the amplifier go into oscillation. If it did, you'd almost certainly know it: distorted sound, overheating amp, blown tweeters...

 

[motorstereo]

Hey, keep it on topic buddy!
I have these MIT Terminator 4 Bi wires I'm using with my 590's. I heard they have capacitors in them, would this cause issues?

Great intro to better wiring (I have a couple pairs of T4's bi-wires to) and it sure will cause problems; it'll cause you to not go back to ".50 a foot" wiring and flimsy pin connectors. Even if you can't hear a difference there's a lot to be said for using a quality product with securely fitting spades or bananas

 

[BattleBrat]

Great intro to better wiring (I have a couple pairs of T4's bi-wires to) and it sure will cause problems; it'll cause you to not go back to ".50 a foot" wiring and flimsy pin connectors. Even if you can't hear a difference there's a lot to be said for using a quality product with securely fitting spades or bananas

https://imgur.com/a/URZj6
Oh they have bananas, dang good ones, were a pain to get into the receiver. And they're on the cable well, soldered em myself. I normally use spades on the speaker end but the JBL Control ones have spring clips so lock pins, those lock pins are on premade monster Cable speaker cables I use with the Control ones. The lock pins I bought and installed on the receiver subwoofer cables are much nicer (the SB-1 sub has spring clips as well and I HATE bare wire) STRONG too once those clips are in theyre locked good until you release them. https://imgur.com/a/jVmYC

 

[nj pheonix]

Disadvantages are high capacitance, high resistance and potential for shorts

Maybe it's just me but at the word "shorts"
I'm out