On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 01:05:33 +0000 (GMT), Dave Plowman
wrote:

In article ,
Richard Savage wrote:
All I know is that if I use the naff phono cables thrown in free with
the hifi components and replace them with some unreasonably expensive
Cambridge Audio items the reproduction is clearer and distortion doesn't
appear until much higher amplification.

While it's possible to make an interconnect that would affect the
performance adversely, I'd say it would cost *more* than one which didn't.
And by the nature of an interconnect, it works *before* the amplification
you have control over, so how it can have an effect on distortion when you
change that level, I'm not sure.

Basically, you're amplifying the noise with the audio source. It
becomes more noticable at higher levels of amplification. I know this
is right, I've done it when installing ICE, you can tell easily that
the volume is the same but the background noise is louder when the
source volume is turned up.

Cable parameters consist of three things - resistance, inductance and
capacitance. If the output and input of two devices were a 'perfect' match
these might have some effect under some circumstances. But on domestic
gear, they aren't. You have a low impedance output feeding a high
impedance input. The amounts of the three cable parameters would have to
be *far* higher than any normal cable to have any audible effect on
performance.



SJW
A.C.S. Ltd.