Interconnect BS vs Science - Graham Slee Audio Forum

Pre-warning: this is a rant.

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There are all kinds of shields:

• Medieval
• Viking
• Roman
• Riot shields
• Face shields

Cable Shields: A Critical Component

When discussing cable shields, we often think of materials like heavy rubber, plastics, or metal braids. Primarily, these are mechanical shields. However, the confusion arises when non-electrical, unconnected metallic shields are used, showing a lack of understanding of interference or a misguided belief that it may add sound effects.

The Role of Twisted Pairs

There's a misconception that twisted pairs effectively eliminate interference. While this is true for systems designed for interference cancellation, like telephone wires, it isn't applicable when connecting single-sided inputs and outputs. In those cases, a proper electrical shield is imperative, yet many cable makers don't grasp why.

Importance of Proper Electrical Shielding

The necessity for at least 100% shielding becomes evident when we consider that the shield holds the grounds of both sending and receiving equipment at the same potential. This minimizes any electrical disparity, ensuring the signal remains unchanged and free from interference. Much like how we don’t notice Earth’s movements because everything within the atmosphere moves similarly, low impedance shields function seamlessly.

Without a shield, converting it into a simple wire, interference significantly impacts the signal. For instance, with a CD player, you might not hear interference due to signal-to-noise ratios. But introduce a DECT phone near these "bell wire pairs," and the reason for proper shielding becomes crystal clear.

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Interconnects and Phono Stages

Different audio devices handle interference differently. A phono stage, unlike a CD player, has a high impedance input and creates significant gain. Any introduced interference is fed back into the input, magnified by high-quality stages with fast negative feedback loops, leading to noticeable noise without narrow-band filtering. This results in unexpected complaints about noise from phono stages.

Public Perception and Advertising

This brings us to a critical point: the significant gap in education provided by glossy magazines, often more focused on fanciful descriptions rather than real measurement and science. This misrepresentation extends to reviewers who claim expertise yet contribute little to genuine understanding.

For instance, claims about carbon fiber shielding are laughable. Carbon fiber, being highly resistive, is inadequate for shielding, similar to using plastic braid.

The Science of Conductors and Insulators

Let’s revisit basic science: good conductors like copper, steel, and aluminum make effective shields. Poor conductors, such as wood, plastics, and carbon fibers, do not. Even air can conduct electricity under sufficient potential, as evident with phenomena like lightning. Hence, these materials have no real use in shielding.

Some assume that placing a ground conductor next to a signal conductor provides enough shielding. While it might offer partial protection, interference comes from all angles. This misconception has been around for decades, sometimes described with pseudo-scientific justifications over casual discussions.

The Value of Tested Solutions

Properly low-impedance shielded coaxial cables are considered standard because they consistently work. Accusations of being copycats for using these solutions miss the point: these methods provenly function effectively. However, producing such cables involves significant cost, underscoring their value and reliability.

By the way, we now have to have it made at great expense in 10km (6 mile) minimum orders. If only the BS worked, it would be much more profitable.

Edited by Graham Slee - 05 Mar 2022 at 6:12pm

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