Should I replace my speaker cables

[Love4sound]

Dear Fm’s

While doing wiring work for my atmos speakers today the tech advised me to replace the speaker cables. From outside it looks like fungus have formed due to moist and damaged the wires. So just to be sure I cut the wires and checked them side by side with a brand new wire. From outside it does look greenish but inside the copper wires seems fine. Please have a look at the image and advise. The new wire marginally shines better compared to the 2-3 year old wires

 

[Prodigy]

For HT you really don’t have to invest in a wire according to me. It does matter for stereo though. From the photo you have shared looks good to me. The wires only oxidise in the tips where you have stripped. There is no way oxygen will pass through the cable protection layer so you don’t have to worry bout that

 

[Love4sound]

For HT you really don’t have to invest in a wire according to me. It does matter for stereo though. From the photo you have shared looks good to me. The wires only oxidise in the tips where you have stripped. There is no way oxygen will pass through the cable protection layer so you don’t have to worry bout that

Not about spending on cables. I always get the cheapest that works. Don’t think even for stereo it matters. A good quality cable which isn’t expensive should be enough.Just wanted to know why from outside looks greenish. This made both me and tech believe due to moisture, fungus has formed inside

 

[Prodigy]

I have noticed for Stereo Set Up it matters and this is my personal experience. I have tried the Amazon Basics for both HT and Stereo. In HT it did not matter what cables i used but then when it comes to stereo every change I made, noticed some difference or the other. I always believed cables were like snake oil and it does not make any difference.
I changed from AB’s IC to the ones built by Mr Murthy. The difference was night and day instantly. There was a very good improvement across frequencies. Then tried the power cables on my PA and I could not make out much of a difference in SQ but then when i upgraded the cables on my pre amp, the difference was noticeable. Moved from AB’s 12 AWG to Belden 8477 and that was definitely worth it. It improved a lot in my set up. The bass turned out to be even tighter and the high frequency sounded much smooth and nice.
So I now believe cables do matter when it comes to 2 channel listening.

Regards,
Som.

 

[fLUX]

I have noticed for Stereo Set Up it matters and this is my personal experience. I have tried the Amazon Basics for both HT and Stereo. In HT it did not matter what cables i used but then when it comes to stereo every change I made, noticed some difference or the other. I always believed cables were like snake oil and it does not make any difference.
I changed from AB’s IC to the ones built by Mr Murthy. The difference was night and day instantly. There was a very good improvement across frequencies. Then tried the power cables on my PA and I could not make out much of a difference in SQ but then when i upgraded the cables on my pre amp, the difference was noticeable. Moved from AB’s 12 AWG to Belden 8477 and that was definitely worth it. It improved a lot in my set up. The bass turned out to be even tighter and the high frequency sounded much smooth and nice.
So I now believe cables do matter when it comes to 2 channel listening.

Regards,
Som.

I agree that it does make an audible difference for a stereo setup. I was at Amit's place to demo IndiQ and had requested @Prodigy to join me and get his Murthy RCA cables since i had forgotten to get mine. I was listening to the Achal with the Amazon Basics RCA and the setup sounded so lifeless without any bass, not so clear treble and when we changed the RCA it was a different setup altogether.

With speaker cables I used to have the Amazon Basics to start with after which i got a MIT terminator 3 from a FM which when paired with Crown PA & Dynaudio Emit M20 improved the presentation across the entire spectrum. For the Focal Aria 926, i recently moved from Norstone Classic 16AWG cable to Belden 8477 12 AWG cable (both short cables within 10 feet) and as Prodigy described the lows seemed tighter and high frequency translation into a smoother signature was very much noticeable. Both Norstone and Belden have a similar pricing but Belden cable seems to provide a signature which I prefer more so than the Norstone.

If you get a chance to get the belden in loose then do try to get one for fronts & center and evaluate. I procured them for 153/meter and in Chennai i got a quote of 210/meter , but i got about 70 metres in total.

 

[OM_2K19]

From outside they look okay. Chances are pretty less that air will penetrate through the cable jacket and oxidize it. That said, you can get a multimeter and check the resistance of the cable. Oxidation increases the resistance of the cable. If the cable resistance is more than 5% of the speaker impedance, then it will affect the performance and it's time to change the cable.

 

[Love4sound]

From outside they look okay. Chances are pretty less that air will penetrate through the cable jacket and oxidize it. That said, you can get a multimeter and check the resistance of the cable. Oxidation increases the resistance of the cable. If the cable resistance is more than 5% of the speaker impedance, then it will affect the performance and it's time to change the cable.

From outside only it looks greenish. Check the first image.

 

[OM_2K19]

From outside only it looks greenish. Check the first image.

It's the cable jacket thats oxidized not the cable inside right? I see the greenish but couldn't isolate if it's the jacket or cable.

In theory, if the cable jacket is oxidized, it changes the capacitance profile of the cable and thus may impact the overall performance if you are running a 50 feet or longer cable.

That said, if the cable inside is good and you are running a 20/30 feet cable, my gut feeling you should be fine. But nothing bets a measurement.

 

[Love4sound]

It's the cable jacket thats oxidized not the cable inside right? I see the greenish but couldn't isolate if it's the jacket or cable.

In theory, if the cable jacket is oxidized, it changes the capacitance profile of the cable and thus may impact the overall performance if you are running a 50 feet or longer cable.

That said, if the cable inside is good and you are running a 20/30 feet cable, my gut feeling you should be fine. But nothing bets a measurement.

Oh got it. Yeah the jacket.Well better I change the cable then. I’ll ask the dealer to re-wire once he comes to install the speakers. They highly recommended me to change the wires as it will get worse due to moisture

 

[OM_2K19]

Oh got it. Yeah the jacket.Well better I change the cable then. I’ll ask the dealer to re-wire once he comes to install the speakers. They highly recommended me to change the wires as it will get worse due to moisture

Yeah, that makes sense. Those guys have field experience and any given day can predict better than us.

 

[jls001]

From outside only it looks greenish. Check the first image.

Cut that small green portion and strip afresh. Copper oxidation will happen.

 

[jls001]

It's the cable jacket thats oxidized not the cable inside right

The insulation is PVC or something similar. Insulation don't turn green with age or usage. It's the copper that has oxidised. It's called verdigris.

 

[Love4sound]

Cut that small green portion and strip afresh. Copper oxidation will happen.

Couldn’t follow sorry. Are u suggesting to cut the outer layer alone?

 

[OM_2K19]

The insulation is PVC or something similar. Insulation don't turn green with age or usage. It's the copper that has oxidised. It's called verdigris.

Basically, the green stuff we see (within PVC layer) in the PVC cable is a product of reaction between decomposing plasticiser (required to manufacture PVC) and copper cable inside the PVC. It's called 'Cable Greening'. Technically it's not oxidation since it's not caused by a reaction between Cooper and moisture.

Generally, decomposition of plasticiser occurs due to over heating and it's usually a slow process. However high temperature caused by external factors (over loading/surrounding temperature) can expedite this process.

 

[jls001]

Couldn’t follow sorry. Are u suggesting to cut the outer layer alone?

Cut off an inch (or two) where it is green and then strip insulation freshly. Depending on the amount of moisture in your location the green thing will come back. It's nature at work.

 

[Love4sound]

Cut off an inch (or two) where it is green and then strip insulation freshly. Depending on the amount of moisture in your location the green thing will come back. It's nature at work.

Entire wire for all speakers looks greenish from the outside

 

[keith_correa]

Is the green residue moist or dry? If it's on the insulation and not on the copper, it's a reaction of the PVC with the copper. It's called cable "greening". Don't worry about it.

 

[Love4sound]

Is the green residue moist or dry? If it's on the insulation and not on the copper, it's a reaction of the PVC with the copper. It's called cable "greening". Don't worry about it.

It is dry and only on the insulation. Thanks for confirming.

 

[MaSh]

You cables are perfectly fine. Dont worry about them.

MaSh