Cable & Interconnect F.A.Q.

You can see and hear an improvement in your system with a better cable. Simply put, better cables are like cleaning your windows. You realize afterward that images are clearer and sound more precise. Below are many commonly asked cable questions of both a general/observed and technical/specific nature.

Below are some answers to frequently asked questions.

Q: “Cables are accessories, why do I need to consider upgrading them?”

A: Cables are actually not an accessory, but rather another component. Your system will not function without some form of cabling. They are necessary in the operation of your system. If the other components in your system have been carefully selected due to their sonic characteristics, why wouldn’t the cables connecting them be as well?

Q: “What benefits will I gain from upgrading my cables?”

A: Upgrading your audio interconnects will offer a sonic improvement that rivals a major component upgrade, at generally a fraction of the cost. When upgrading your speaker cables, you can allow your system to handle all the musical detail the components are capable of delivering. In addition, upgrading video cables minimizes color bleed, increases picture depth, and distinguishes shades of black and grey.

Q: “Do cables act as filters – do they change the signal that is passing through them?”

A: All cables act as complex passive filters with elements of capacitance, inductance, and resistance. Cables are reactionary and can therefore have complimentary, neutral, or derogatory effects on the overall sound of your system. In longer lengths of cabling these tendencies are exaggerated.

Q: “Do advancements in technology necessitate better cabling?”

A: Major advancements over the past decade in audio/video equipment include advanced digital processing, modern surface mount circuit design, polymer speaker cabinets, and digital video capabilities that were previously reserved for movie studios. Because of these examples of evolution, consumers can see and hear a difference more than ever before. Much like the nuance of different vacuum tubes, certain specs on cabling can accommodate a desired end result. 

Q: “What simple analogy can help me visualize the benefits of upgraded cabling?”

A: Adding better cabling to your system is like cleaning the lenses on a pair of glasses. Utilizing low quality cables will mask & Veil the sonic and visual brilliance of your chosen media. Metaphorically, higher quality cabling is like wiping away fingerprints on glasses. Only after the changes are made, can someone truly appreciate the difference.

Q: “What benefits can I expect as I ascend the different tiers of high end cabling?”

A: Generally speaking, moving up the hierarchy of a cables series provides more conductor groups for lower electromagnetic effects and increased quality of insulation capacitive storage/greater speed of propagation (speed). Better conductor quality grants purer, more accurate transmission.

If you have any questions not covered in this article, please feel free to reach out to us directly at our Wilson Audio retail location in Metairie, LA.