By nature, audiophiles are always in search of ways to improve the quality of sound that they experience. They often invest surprisingly large amounts of money into their equipment in an attempt to produce the highest audio quality possible. Of course this means that the components of the system must be excellent as well. One aspect of this is the wires that connect the speakers to the rest of the system. Some believe that using audiophile speaker cable is a worthwhile investment in this regard but others dispute this claim.
Where there is a general consensus is in the fact that the most vital characteristic of speaker cables in regards to audio quality is the level of resistance. Higher resistance leads to distorted sounds while lower resistance will lead to clearer, crisper sounds.
The resistance of the speaker wires can be reduced in three different manners. One can shorten the length of the cable, increase the thickness or combine both of these methods. In short, shorter, thicker cables will result in higher quality audio. Another factor is the conducting ability of the material used to make the wire. Copper is used nearly universally for its low resistance and cost effectiveness but others such as silver are claimed to be better.
Beyond silver cables in both purported quality and cost are audiophile speaker cables. It can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars to purchase such wires for an audio system. This will not even be a consideration for the vast majority of those purchasing speaker wire, but for a true audiophile it's certainly worth at least considering.
There are those that argue that the difference is minimal and not worth the investment of such sums of money even when the budget would allow for such an expenditure. Those who fall on this side of the argument claim that high quality, high cost cables will not make a detectable difference in the audio quality. Some even go as far as to say that coat hanger wire will work just as acceptably. This may simply be a case of using hyperbole to make a point, but it shows that there are strong opinions against the use of such products.
On the other side of the argument are those that state that they can indeed detect an audible difference and that this difference is significant enough to warrant the added expense. For them, it may be difficult to even consider having a system without this particular component.
True to the nature of debates, those of both sides can be unyielding in their opinions and firm in their beliefs. Some will rely on scientific evidence to show that their views are valid while others will opine that listening is a subjective experience that cannot truly be measured by science.
The answer to whether audiophile speaker cable is a good value and are worth considering is an elusive one. Both sides have valid points to make and thus it becomes simply a matter of each person needing to decide individually what the answer is for them.
Where there is a general consensus is in the fact that the most vital characteristic of speaker cables in regards to audio quality is the level of resistance. Higher resistance leads to distorted sounds while lower resistance will lead to clearer, crisper sounds.
The resistance of the speaker wires can be reduced in three different manners. One can shorten the length of the cable, increase the thickness or combine both of these methods. In short, shorter, thicker cables will result in higher quality audio. Another factor is the conducting ability of the material used to make the wire. Copper is used nearly universally for its low resistance and cost effectiveness but others such as silver are claimed to be better.
Beyond silver cables in both purported quality and cost are audiophile speaker cables. It can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars to purchase such wires for an audio system. This will not even be a consideration for the vast majority of those purchasing speaker wire, but for a true audiophile it's certainly worth at least considering.
There are those that argue that the difference is minimal and not worth the investment of such sums of money even when the budget would allow for such an expenditure. Those who fall on this side of the argument claim that high quality, high cost cables will not make a detectable difference in the audio quality. Some even go as far as to say that coat hanger wire will work just as acceptably. This may simply be a case of using hyperbole to make a point, but it shows that there are strong opinions against the use of such products.
On the other side of the argument are those that state that they can indeed detect an audible difference and that this difference is significant enough to warrant the added expense. For them, it may be difficult to even consider having a system without this particular component.
True to the nature of debates, those of both sides can be unyielding in their opinions and firm in their beliefs. Some will rely on scientific evidence to show that their views are valid while others will opine that listening is a subjective experience that cannot truly be measured by science.
The answer to whether audiophile speaker cable is a good value and are worth considering is an elusive one. Both sides have valid points to make and thus it becomes simply a matter of each person needing to decide individually what the answer is for them.
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