Have you experiences of setups that utilized, for example, monoblocks right behind the speakers, with virtually no cables between, just minimal jumpers at most?
We’re obviously approaching an active speaker this way, but when it comes to actual active speakers, they rarely do have insides comparable to top discrete power amps and if they do, they must be big and expensive. (I guess top Class-D is still kind of not that light and small yet)
If you’ve done and/or heard such configurations with certain cabling absolutely minimized, please describe what a difference it made compared to having any substantial cable.
I read this post, but cannot say anything about it, since I did not make any comparison. I just follow Ask Paul video that he recommended short speaker cable / long balanced interconnect XLR. So I put M700 right behind the speaker. Not to mention, it also saves me few bucks, since speaker cable (by meter) is more expensive then the interconnect.
You could (if it interests you) compare cheaply by getting some cheap (but not absolute crap) speaker wire and try it in 3 meter (10 ft) length and jumper length.
A comparison like this would be extremely interesting.
Better yet, having custom placed terminals on the amp/speaker at proper distanve so they “lock in” without any cable
Thanks for the suggestion. However, I have a pair of old and cheap speakers, might not have the audiophile level of resolution to hear the difference. Also, I don’t think my system is highend enough to let me start to think about audiophile level of cable tuning/upgrade.
Maybe some audiophiles out there have already tested those you have suggested. Hope they will share their findings/experience.
There are always cables within the cabinets. My large speakers probably have about 4’ of ordinary cable for each driver. Internal crossovers have been bypassed because it’s a 3-way active system. I have heavy cables to the bass terminals, medium for mid and light silver plated for treble. I can hear the difference between 8’ and 10’ of the treble cable (I’m presuming there’s nothing wrong with either cable).
Ah, yes.
We get to the point of entirely dipolar speakers with just a relatively thin panel as a baffle. Here I’d guess we could keep the crossover wiring very minimal…
Also. A speaker utilizing only a broadband driver… No crossover. Would be interesting to hear something like that with… No cable.
My experience is that speakers without crossovers sound more realistic than those with crossovers. However, you can’t seem to get really large fullscale drivers.
For my TV sound I used to use stacked HK Soundsticks per side - I’m now using Anthony Gallo Strada 2s (plus a 10" subwoofer).
In essence doesn’t Steinway-Lyngdorf minimize (lossy analog) cabling in their speakers by first of all keeping the signal digital all the way up until DACs right before (“at”) the output stage(s), which following this no-loss strategy should essentially be soldered to the drivers, save for decoupling the electronics from vibration.
I don’t know if this is the case but following the Lyngdorf philosophy it should be.
