Articles

How to connect jumpers and speaker cables

hifi jumpers how to connect them
17 Set

When we buy a speaker on its back we will have, in most cases, four binding posts, in pairs of two, to which we connect our speaker cable, supported by standard jumpers. But how to connect jumpers and speaker cables?

And what are the double clamps for? To connect our speaker in bi-amplification or bi-wiring.

These alternative ways of connection, almost always for use and consumption by a small circle of enthusiasts, if they are not used, provide that the HF (high frequency) and LF (low frequency) terminals remain jumpered to each other. The goal is to make the crossover work in unison.

Why do loudspeaker manufacturers, given the low use of bi-amping/bi-wiring, produce speakers with double connections? Well, it is difficult to give a precise answer, but you can assume that it is to offer a more versatile and complete product. Or because they make "more scene" and attract more attention from buyers. What is certain is that they are there on almost all the speakers and therefore must be understood and handled properly, to avoid a possible advantage becoming a disadvantage.

Immediately after we have purchased our new crates, we will assemble them and we will be caught in a doubt. The speaker cable that goes from the amplifier to the speakers will it be good to connect it to the pair at the bottom or at the top? You mean the input for bass or high frequencies? And above all, will the jumpers provided by the manufacturer of the loudspeakers be adequate for the task they have to perform or will they blow our efforts to improve the quality of the audio emitted by the system?

How to connect the jumpers. Up or down?

The fundamental importance of jumpers stems from the fact that, over time, speaker manufacturers have decided to make speakers with two pairs of connectors and, therefore, a split crossover. The jumper is necessary to bring the signal to both high and low frequencies. But, in mono-wiring, where is it better to connect your speaker cable? Under or over? This is a question that many people ask and to which we will try to give an answer.

Some people say that the cable starting from the amplifier must reach the tweeter (or better the mid-high ones) terminals and not the bass ones, leaving to the "clips" or jumpers the task of bringing the signal to the woofer terminals. High frequencies are the most delicate and sensitive portion of the audio spectrum, also because of the low voltages involved. Always according to these opinions, for this reason it is better that the signal from the amplifier reaches the tweeter binding posts without any other wire or metal bars in between (in short: the contact resistance is minimized).

hifi jumpers how to connect them
hifi jumpers how to connect them

Others, instead, believe it is better to do the opposite, that is to privilege the woofer, the component that requires more power. In reality the differences are minimal, and only rarely does anything really change. What we recommend is first of all to make sure that the jumper does not act as a bottleneck in your implant (see below how) and then make attempts based on your ear and your implant to see if something changes.

There is nothing qualitatively better than what we like best, even according to our suggestions or habits. You can also refer to the instructions that accompany the product. It is true that it is about ten centimetres of cable and, unless the quality is particularly low, the problem does not arise. Except that, sometimes, the standard jumpers are actually of inferior quality: a small plate of brass.

How to find out if the jumpers are good and at the height of our system

As for the jumpers, to verify their goodness, it will only be possible to try to move the speaker cables from the clamps at the bottom to those at the top, and vice versa, but there will be many deductions that we could draw from them. So let's make all possible assumptions and draw all imaginable conclusions about how to connect the jumpers and speaker cables. Here is the list of possibilities, presented schematically but exhaustively:

  • Let's move the position of the jumpers; if the sound changes, the jumpers probably act as a bottleneck and we recommend changing them for optimal performance;
  • if the sound doesn't change, maybe the jumpers do their job excellently and are suitable for the system.

Careful, though. If the sound does not change, the following aspects should also be considered:

  • if the sound doesn't change, it may be that the speaker cables are so low level that they can't transmit enough detail to make us perceive differences;
  • another hypothesis, if the sound does not change, may be that the system is not sufficiently revealing and the jumper does not act adequately on the sound.

Once the necessary tests have been carried out, you find yourself in the need to replace the jumpers on your loudspeakers. Keep in mind that these should be of equal or better quality than the conductors that make up your cables - Speaker brass is no good.

For an uncompromising choice, Ricable proposes his jumpers Dedalus e Invictuswith the first optimized also for the Magnus series or other less valuable speaker cables. These are available in fork/fork as well as fork/banana version. It is also possible request a custom length. As for the speaker cables, however, the choice is more varied and takes the four, now classic, seriesRicable, namely Primus, Magnus, Dedalus e Invictus.

Our jumpers
Our speaker cables
Tag:
, , , , , ,
Newer Differences between Hi-Fi cables: standard vs Hi-End
Back to list
Previous What is DAC and how it works

Related Articles

black white speakers
15 Ott
Articles

How to choose the best Hi-Fi cable: the series Ricable

The functionality of a cable, even in a particular context such as Hi-Fi, is under everyone's eyes. A cable connects electronics to each other, and does so better or worse depending on the quality of materials, construction and many other aspects. Whether it is power, Speaker or signal, with a valid support that connects them, the electronics of our Hi-Fi system will work better themselves than with a poor or standard cable. A clarification that we have made in more than one of our articles(repeat iuvant): a Hi-Fi cable will never improve the sound emitted by your system. All it will do is deteriorate it as little as possible - which is no small thing, in fact, it is important to choose the best Hi-Fi cable for your electronic specifications. The cables Ricable, in this respect, are born to give back to the listener the maximum possible neutrality.

Invictus Speaker Power Cable Hi-Fi

Choose the best Hi-Fi cable

Imagine spending an eye in the sky to get an amplifier and level speakers, and then having a connection between them that compromises sound quality. It would have been better to do thirty-one instead of thirty, wouldn't it? An audiophile knows very well that the choice of an electronics is not only the result of an economic effort, but also of time, if we consider how long it takes to get the documentation and the related tests. So here comes a feature that is often underestimated: balance.

Let's be clear: the day is yet to come when we will recommend one of our top-of-the-range cables to an audiophile who owns a Hi-Fi system that meets the norm. An exceptional cable in a discreet system would not produce any damage, we would not need anything else; but the same system would probably not be so detectable to make you notice any difference compared to a less performing support, however good. The opposite could be far more detrimental - and that's what we were saying. A poor cable in a respectable hi-fi system will destroy all the efforts we've made to set it up.

Key word: balance. How much to spend on Hi-Fi cables?

Balance, then, really does play a key role. Maybe even more than the amount spent to assemble our whole Hi-Fi system, between cables and electronics. Imagine a racing car with a superb engine and an absolutely non aerodynamic chassis. Or, still on the subject of High Fidelity, a system with a fine amplifier and poor quality speakers. A lot of effort for nothing.

As far as hi-fi cables are concerned, it's the same thing. It is not optimal to have good cables Speaker and bad signal cables, for example, just as it is important that the value of the system goes hand in hand with that of the cables used for the same. This is an unwritten rule, so you have to take the one we are going to write with pliers, but a good cost ratio between cable and electronics should be 10-15% of the list value. For example: a 1,000 euro amplifier should have 100-150 euro worth of wiring. We would like to point out once again that the list price should be taken as a reference, in the sense that if we go on second-hand and buy an amplifier for 1,000 euros whose original value, however, was 5,000 euros...The cost of the cables will in any case be EUR 500-750.

Four sets of Hi-Fi cables, for each wallet

Taking all these considerations into account, the production of wiring Ricable is divided into four different series, so as to meet any need both qualitative and economic. The four series of Hi-Fi cables Ricable, with the exception of HDMI cables, are the following:

  • Primus for Entry Level systems (all Hi-Fi equipment should have at least one Primus cabling)
  • Magnus for high level hi-fi systems
  • Dedalus for Hi-End installations
  • Invictus for high-end Hi-End installations

Let us repeat here a concept already expressed: it's not a bad thing to wire your electronics with a higher level of cablebecause some variables are not calculable with numbers, but it could be that with a lower level of product you get the same result, because the electronics itself, in that case, can not reveal more than that.

Hi-Fi cables balance and synergy

A certain balance must be preserved not only in the relationship between cables and electronics, but also between the Hi-Fi cables themselves. The first thing we recommend is a leveling of the wiring. Rather than taking a very good interconnect and a bad one Speaker , it is better to have both of them of medium level. The best thing would be to have the most even wiring possible, with the same series and brand for all connections. You have to start somewhere; in this regard, to choose the best Hi-Fi cable, we suggest you to have a look at our catalogue, including the whole offer Ricable.

Discover the catalogue Ricable
Vinyl Turntable Listening System
19 Needle
Articles

All separate components of a Hi-Fi system

Let's make a few simple considerations before we begin. First of all, it is important to say that the number of setups according to which you can structure your Hi-Fi system is not infinite... but almost. The vast majority of systems, in any case, have a structure that includes a source, an amplifier and loudspeakers. These three columns can be segmented, however, exploiting a DAC not integrated, for example, or by splitting the integrated amplifier into the pre + power amp pair. Another curious consideration that we can make in this regard is the following: a banal object that we always have with us and that is overwhelmingly part of our routine, like the smartphone, contains within it the entire audio chain. Certainly with other performances, but our mobile phones contain speakers, DACs, amplifiers and everything that is necessary for a sound to be emitted. But what are the separate components of a Hi-Fi system?

The source

The source can correspond to several elements. It can be a turntable, a CD player or even a network player or PC, if you listen to liquid music. That's what the signal from the song we want to hear. Precisely for this reason the source will always be upstream of our Hi-Fi system, except for the mains air conditioner, which is positioned between the source and the power socket. A CD player reads data stored on a Compact Disc. CD players are able to read, in addition to the physical formats of the CD such as CD-R and CD-RW, the many logical formats of the CD (Audio CD, Video CD and so on) according to the software available on the CD player itself or the computer that hosts it. The sound of a CD is digital.

vinyl with orange, blue and white centre

The turntable, on the other hand, is an electric sound reproduction device consisting of a turntable, on which a vinyl record is placed, which will be read by an arm equipped with cartridge and stylus, sliding on the appropriate grooves. It is also the evolution of the gramophone, invented in the second half of the 19th century by Emile Berliner. The sound of a vinyl is analogue. Let's now move on to the last frontier of audio sources: Personal Computers and network players. These devices read digital files, be they locally saved or Played by streaming. Technically they are the most performing solution, but they are less immediate to configure than CD players or turntables.

The amplifier

high-end standard differences

The amplifier is, in no uncertain terms, among all the separate components of a hi-fi system, the beating heart of the audio chain. A bit because of its position, as it is in the middle, between source and speakers. A little bit because it is the point where information, whether it comes from a CD player, turntable, network player or even television, is conveyed, converted and finally transmitted to the speakers in the form of enhanced electrical impulses. We can divide amplifiers into two main categories: tube and transistor. The former are characterized by being the only ones on the market until a few decades ago - today they address a niche - as well as... valves.

Thanks to these the input voltage increases and, according to many audiophiles, this leads to more musicality, more "warmth". Heat, however, is not just figurative. Tube amps heat up a lot and consume a lot of power, so much so that it takes a few minutes before the tubes reach the correct temperature. Last but not least, the purchase price is on average much higher than a transistor amplifier.

Different is the discourse about amplifiers with transistor structure. These tend to have a high current, not voltage, at the input. Transistor amplifiers today make up the vast majority of those on the market. Another subdivision we can make regarding amplifiers is that they can be integrated or separated into the preamp and power amp pair. In this case, it is the integrated ones that saturate the market. The purchase of an amplifier, however, should always go hand in hand with that of loudspeakers, which we discuss in the next paragraph.

But let's first say a few words about amplifier classes as well. These have nothing to do with the ones we find when we talk about appliances. The classes, when it comes to amplifiers, do not denote either the consumption or the quality of the amplifier. Rather, they represent the internal functioning, the structure of the amplifier; but it is possible that a class D amplifier sounds better than a class A amplifier. Quality really depends on many factors.

The acoustic speakers

How to choose the amplifier and loudspeakers? One aspect to consider, but not calculable, is our taste. Nothing will sound better than what we like in terms of dynamics, projection and intensity in the high or low frequencies. But luckily there are also more objective parameters that we can calculate to clear our heads. The output power of an amplifier should in fact be equal, or slightly higher, than the two speakers added together. On the instructions there are often indications in this sense. In the case of loudspeakers that receive too little power, the sound output will be below expectations; in the case of loudspeakers that receive too much power, the risk of ruining them will be concrete.

loudspeakers speakers Hi-Fi system better

The loudspeakers are therefore the device that, finally, transforms the electrical signal coming from an audio amplifier into sound to reach the listener. Although they can be divided into active (i.e. with integrated amplifier) or passive loudspeakers, you will hardly find anything that really has anything to do with high fidelity, in the first case. More interesting is the doubt that arises between bookshelf and floorstanding speakers. Here the discriminating factor is the size of the room; in the case where the listening room, of which we will never stop emphasizing the importance, both contained, it will be better to decline on the bookshelf speakers, supported by a good subwoofer.

Let's underline once again how the layout of a Hi-Fi system is absolutely changeable according to the context, to the audiophile who listens to it, to the economic availability, to the use you want to make of it (musical or multimedia) and to many other factors. In other location we had a chance to talk about bi-wiring and bi-amping.

What about the cables?

The separate components of a Hi-Fi system, if reduced to the essential, are therefore: source, amplifier and loudspeakers. The higher the quality of the electronics, the more revealing they become, the more it will count what unites them. Hi-Fi cabling at the height of the rest of the system, at certain levels, is no longer a negligible factor. Take a look at our catalogue and start honoring your passion step by step.

Discover the cables to improve your Hi-Fi system
Measure Length
18 Jun
Articles

The length of the Hi-Fi cables Speaker

What should be the length of the Hi-Fi Speaker cables ? Banally: the one you need. Before making a purchase in this sense, therefore, measure with a string or a wire what is your real need in terms of speaker cable length. Thanks to the fact that we produce our cables by hand and in Italy, we can follow your directions to the centimeter. If you buy one too long, it would be unsightly and, even worse, it would end up rolling up; if, on the other hand, it was too short... you would have to buy another one. Or you may need to change the positioning of your electronics, perhaps optimized in countless tests. There are some directions to follow and some things to know before making any decision.

The cables Speaker in the Hi-Fi system

The premise to any talk about the length of Hi-Fi cables Speaker is that often it is not just a question of aesthetic values or pertinent to the individual cable. Each system is composed of a series of elements, more or less numerous, which are called to play a team game. On the one hand there are the electronics, which emit magnetic fields, noise and vibrations, on the other hand there are the cables, which carry disturbances if they are not well shielded. Most of the time electronics and cables are also located in rather small spaces.

dedalus speaker cable hi-fi power cable

This synergy leads yes to the sound that nourishes our passion for music and high fidelity, but at the same time has contraindications to monitor: interference. A well shielded quality cable, such as thoseRicable, not only stops interference from the outside, but does the same with those coming from the inside. So as not to influence "teammates" negatively. Some audiophiles claim that the benefits of not having electronics too close to the speakers will always outweigh the disadvantages of having very long cablesSpeaker , for example. That said, when planning your Hi-Fi system setup, it is good to keep in mind that the cable Speaker runs are not parallel to others, especially the power supply cables. If you have to cross them, you should run them perpendicularly. Having a custom-made cable, in this sense, can make life a lot easier.

But let's cut to the chase. The longer the length, the greater the stamina. Starting from this unquestionable assumption of electronics, we deduce that the shorter a cable is, the better. Always. This is what is not subject to objection in an academic context. Coming to the real world, however, we can estimate that before the length of a cable worsens (sensitively to the human ear) the sound, we must reach the length of 15 m. Often, therefore, there are no problems. It must be said that in this case, however, the quality of the overall system also comes into play. A very high level Hi-Fi system, extremely revealing, could be influenced by the length of the cable even at shorter distances; an entry level system, instead, will have the "advantage" - much in quotes - of being less subject to this kind of variations.

Invictus Speaker Power Cable Hi-Fi

Different length of Hi-Fi cables Speaker

The discussion about the length of the Hi-Fi cables applied to the cables Speaker is interesting for another reason. The speaker cables have the particularity of starting, except bi-ampingfrom the same device, and then terminate at a distance of meters when the speaker cables are connected to the respective speakers. Usually, and this is the best solution, the length of the cables going to the two speakers is identical. It happens, however, that some audiophiles, for relative requirements to the listening room...have to arrange their speakers asymmetrically.

Various tests have shown that, in reality, a maximum difference of 40% between one cable Speaker and another does not actually make any tangible difference to our hearing. A 10 m cable and a 7 m cable are fine, for example; so is a 6 m cable and a 4 m cable. Going beyond this difference in length, the speakers start to sound differently in an obvious way. The more revealing your hi-fi system is, the more it will present this problem in a tangible way even with a small difference compared to the 40% mentioned earlier.

An exception to this is some amplifiers that use the speaker cable as part of the circuit; in this case, the cable lengths should always be the same. Ultimately, if you want to use different cable lengths, it is always best to ask the electronics manufacturer for additional advice. One last consideration should be made when talking about Home Cinema. Speakers designed for this purpose are less prone to sound differences when the cables Speaker have two different lengths.

Conclusions

Coming to conclusions. The longer the cable, the more the quality of the cable counts. In particular it is good to consider that the more the length of the Hi-Fi cable increases, the more the section of the cable itself will have to be taken into account, which will become more and more important in not deteriorating the sound. Ricable is characterized by a handmade production; since we make our Hi-Fi cables by hand, we can build them exactly of the length you expect. Just fill in the form below.

Choose your custom length
Discover our cables Speaker
speaker
30 Gen
Articles

Monowiring, bi-wiring or bi-amping in Hi-Fi. What's that?

What's bi-wiring and bi-amping? Bi-wiring is one of the means to connect a speaker to an audio amplifier. Usually, a single cable runs from the amplifier output to the speaker housing terminals (this connection is called monowiring, however expedient). When bi-wiring, however, each speaker has two pairs of connectors and two cables are carried from the amplifier output to the speaker cabinet. One corresponds to high frequencies, one to low frequencies (through two separate crossovers).

Bi-wiring versus monowiring

Bi-wiring is a dual cable Speaker connection between the amplifier and the speakers. With only one bipolar cable, all audio frequencies pass through it and the crossover of the speaker cuts and sends it to the drivers. Many loudspeakers are built with a crossover that allows the low frequencies (Low) and high frequencies (High) to be accepted separately. In this cable the speaker will have four binding posts instead of two (LOW+/LOW- and HIGH+/HIGH-).

bi wiring

In the case of a loudspeaker with double connections that is connected with a single cable, there will be a jumper made with a metal lamella connecting the LOW+ with the LOW- and the HIGH+ with the HIGH-. Therefore, to use the bi-wiring connection, this jumper must be removed so that two independent inputs are created. One goes to the woofer (LF: Low Frequency) and the other to the midrange + tweeter (HF: High Frequency). If, on the other hand, you use the classic single cable connection, the jumper must be left so that the signal goes to both terminals.

One of the advantages of using a double cable is that it should reduce magnetic interference. Another is in obtaining a bigger overall section than you would get with a single cable and also in the fact that, in this way, the current absorption caused by the woofer does not affect the signal, of a smaller entity, which goes to the high ways. However, a technical analysis suggests that although adopting a two-wired solution may offer differences, these are so subtle that they do not represent something tangible.

However, some audiophiles have found a significant difference in reducing treble hardness and improving bass control. However, detractors of bi-wiring claim that, electronically, nothing changes. In a play on words, they refer to this practice as "buy-wiring", claiming that it's all just a marketing invention to sell more speaker cables.

bi amping

Bi-wiring versus bi-amping

Ricable has always maintained that bi-amping ("bi-amping") is certainly effective, while as far as bi-wiring is concerned some extra caution is needed, because everything depends on the design behind the amplifier. If this has been developed and optimized for bi-wiring, it makes sense to use it, otherwise it is better to save space and money on double speaker cables and rather buy one, but higher level.

What's the difference between bi-wiring and bi-amping? The main difference, as you can see, is that the bi-amping is made with two amplifiers, which gives a completely different meaning to this type of connection. Just to make a hint, the bi-amplification can be vertical or horizontal. The first one foresees to use two identical amplifiers and to use one of them to amplify each speaker individually; the second one foresees to use one amplifier for the low frequencies and another one (same or different) for the high frequencies.

It is the best but also the most expensive solution, to be adopted for installations of the highest level. In bi-amplification we start from the concept that each amplifier acts on a specific frequency range to directly drive the loudspeaker responsible for the reproduction of that specific range. This avoids intermodulation and other undesirable effects as much as possible; for example, the amp handling the higher frequencies does not have to work with the lower frequencies, with benefits for the power supply and performance.

Bi-wiring cables. Do you need them?

There are cables Speaker on the market specifically designed for bi-wiring, i.e. with two connectors on the amplifier side and four connectors on the speaker side. According to the philosophyRicable, after some technical tests, this type of cable has no effect compared to the use of a standard cable with the addition of valid jumpers (do not leave the manufacturers' metal plates). On a technical level, there is no reason to prefer them to a monowiring cable connected to the other pair of terminals by means of jumpers of the same conductor. If not the negligible fact that, with jumpers, the length of the cable is extended by ten centimetres.

In one case or another, the cable itself is not an active crossover and does not have the tools to separate the high frequencies from the low frequencies, so the only effect of bi-wiring cables is a complication in itself in the connection from the amplifier to the speakers, often with a deterioration in signal transmission quality.

In conclusion, we always recommend that you simplify and, if you only have one amplifier with bi-wireable speakers, buy a standard cable with jumpers. You'll spend less and get the same, if not better, result.

Discover our Speaker Cables
Discover our Jumpers
loudspeakers speakers Hi-Fi system better
14 Gen
Articles

How to improve your Hi-Fi system for free (or almost)

You don't always have to put your wallet to work to improve the performance of your hi-fi system. Sometimes, in fact, even if only having good electronics, even if not excellent, invoice, it is possible to make them express a remarkable performance. What? By simply taking a few basic precautions or by making valuable, but not expensive, daily practices become valuable routines. We invite you to follow the advice that we will give by rehearsing with a record that you know for sure has a good recording, but especially not recorded in the studio. The best recordings are live or live, giving preference to orchestral music, choirs or jazz sessions. This is as long as you are familiar with the reference tracks.

Ordered cables and Hi-Fi

The first precaution that we can have for our Hi-Fi system, especially if this hand by hand is enriched with more components, is to keep the wiring tidy (by means of clamps) and clean. Wiring that, we take it a bit for granted, is of a level directly proportional to the system in your possession. Otherwise an even more urgent intervention is to immediately replace the cables, which may still be those supplied with the electronics. As far as possible, try to separate at least power and signal, especially if no balanced seconds and/or quality power cables are used. that offer valid shielding. It would be good to avoid even cables Speaker of different lengths, as well as buying cables of the shortest possible length, both to reduce costs and to have better performance. The latter, however, is more academic, the human ear can hardly distinguish the difference in sound emitted with cables two meters long instead of three, especially if the quality of the latter is high.

Call off interference

The second "rule" is not to place (other) interference where it is not needed. Especially nowadays, when smartphones and tablets sometimes become part of the system itself, it is good to avoid that there is a mobile phone charger constantly connected together with the other power cables of the system. It's better to connect it to separate sockets and multisockets, if we have to recharge our device.

The position of the speakers in the Hi-Fi system

The third measure we can take, perhaps the most important to improve your Hi-Fi system, is to position the speakers correctly - assuming that each of us has personal tastes and preferences. This is something we will go into more detail about in a separate article. For now, let's just imagine a hypothetical equilateral triangle whose points are formed by the two speakers and the listener's head (not the sofa!). Also to be taken into account is the height from the floor of the speakers for the mid-high range, as it determines the height of the sound stage. Other tricks are removing reflective surfaces between you and the speakers (just use a blanket) and don't place the Hi-Fi cabinet between the speakers, but to the side.

smartphone samsung

Jumpers are essential to improve sound performance

A fourth measure is related to bi-wiring jumpers. This type of connection is useless in products that are not Hi-End, so in most installations opting for jumpers is the best choice. A 100 euro cable is, above all, better than two 50 euro cables. But investing your budget in good speakers and cables and then running the signal through a piece of brass used as a jumper will not help the final performance. In case the speakers are equipped with double connectors, one of the first things to do is to replace the brass jumpers with a piece of cable equal to or better than the one you used between amplifier and speakers.

The management of the electronics of the Hi-Fi system

Number five: level (i.e. bubble) and separate the electronics. As far as the first action is concerned, it mainly concerns analogue sources, but it can also be extended to digital sources. This article was created to highlight all those tricks that, at zero budget, can refine what we listen to. And such a measure costs nothing at all. More or less the same applies to the separation of electronics. An amplifier because of the transformer vibrates, just as a CD player vibrates for its transport or a turntable for its motor. Separating each individual component reduces the disturbance that each of these vibrations brings to other electronics.

detail shucko invictus

The polarity of schuko sockets

Last but not least advice is to be careful of polarity of schuko sockets. The polarity, however, is almost always not reported, even if we are talking about products designed for Hi-Fi. The search for the phase is done by ear, therefore, or by means of a phase finder. There are also some extremely cheap ones. Reverse the source plug and check if there is a change to see if this last tip to improve the system can also bring benefits.

Well, that's six small steps forward to improve your hi-fi system. But certainly it is impossible to exhaust in one article all the cases that can be presented in the audiophile field. Let's just think about all the variables that can be obtained by crossing different electronics, salt and cables. For this reason, please do not hesitate to contact us for a customized type of support by clicking the button below. Chat on the site, phone, Facebook or a visit to the headquarters ... you choose the means of transport you prefer!

Contact us to ask us anything you want
27 Needle
Articles

The leather effect in cables Speaker

What it is and who discovered it. Not only electromagnetic waves

What is the skin effect and why is it so important for cables Speaker ? This was explained for the first time in 1887 by Lord Kelvin (at the registry office of the William Thomson), British physicist and engineer, developer of the Kelvin scale, as well as engineer and inventor of the electric telegraph, with the latter ensuring his fame and wealth.

By skin effect we mean the tendency of an alternating current to distribute itself unevenly within a conductor. Its density is higher on the surface and lower on the inside. This leads to an increase in the conductor's electrical resistance, particularly at high frequencies. In other words, a part of the conductor is not used. This means more dissipation Speaker with the same applied current or less current with the same applied voltage, according to Ohm's law.

Why is it important for cables Speaker

The skin effect is crucial because it not only affects the electric current, but any kind of signal, including audio. The skin effect means, in summary, a decrease in the flow density of the current as the distance from the surface inwards increases.

There is some disagreement about the skin effect and its practical consequences on audio frequencies, i.e. whether it causes damage other than a simple lossSpeaker . The problems are due to the fact that, even before the lossSpeaker , the skin effect causes variations in resistance and inductance values. These values will tend to change continuously depending on the distance from the conductor surface. If the cross-section of a cable is too large, the skin effect will also affect the reproduced audio frequencies. The delicate high-frequency information will be flattened with a dull, truncated detail sound.

speaker cables invictus

The consequences of the skin effect

The cable "plays" less at the reproduced high frequencies, reducing them. This problem is most noticeable in cablesSpeaker , where the conductors are larger in size and the connection lengths are longer. In signal cables the skin effect is less influential, because it acts outside the audio band. The consequences can be many, but the most common are the following:

  1. Dark and gloomy
  2. Swollen and unnatural bass (Loudness effect)
  3. Loss of tonal balance
  4. Worsening in dynamics
  5. Loss of three-dimensionality

The skin effect affects the quality of the cables and how much they affect the transmission of sound, especially when it comes to cablesSpeaker , ranging from the amplifier to the speakers.

One possible solution is to coat the silver threads. This metal has, in fact, a lower resistivity than copper, but the silver-plated cables artificially colour the sound, which tends to emphasize the higher frequencies, not giving the listener a neutral sound.

The solution Ricablefor the skin effect

Our tests have shown that by increasing the number of wires in the conductor, reducing the grains of the processed copper, a substantial reduction in the skin effect is achieved. In other words, the technology Ricableuses a single conductor small enough to eject the audible distortion induced by the skin effect out of the audio range.

Years ago Ricablehe introduced AM-RCC conductors into power cables with extraordinary results. Since then, research has moved towards further improvement of the conductors. This has developed on several points.

performance marc cooper skin effect

The first is the multi-wire conductor, with very thin strands down to 0.08 mm in the Invictus series (and a significant reduction in the skin effect compared to the single-wire, also called solid core). The second point consists of large cross-section conductors. This allows you to always have a larger conductive surface area and lower resistance.

The third feature designed to reduce the skin effect is given byRicable by RCCP connectors (Ricable Copper Connector Project ) By using copper instead of brass in the connectors, the skin effect in the terminations is also reduced. Finally, from the studies carried out and the research activity, was born the new conductor MARC©, acronym for Multicore Annealed RicableConductor, which characterizes the entire production Primus, Magnus, Dedalus e Invictus.

The improvements made have made it possible to produce a copper conductor with 7N purity (99.99999%) more malleable than the previous one, thanks to the reduction of grains per meter of 25% compared to AM-RCC. This production implementation has resulted in smoother, more ductile and smaller diameter strands on the surface.

We, as enthusiasts, have worked to find a solution to the skin effect that would really satisfy us 100%. The differences between the cables of the entire production knock down the skin effect in a unique way. Whatever your system needs, you can look through our cablesSpeaker .

Our cables Speaker

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *