[AlliumPorrum]

I have few questions regarding the wiring of UCD/NCore:

- Which one is better; short speaker wires (amps in the speakers) or short line level wires (amps near the preamp)?
- From sound quality point of view, would it be a good idea to solder line level and/or speaker wires to the Hypexes, instead of using connectors? How about power cables?

Also, all suggestions for good value wires for a) speaker level b) line level and c) power cable are highly appreciated!

[cab]

If you are using the balanced inputs, you would stand to gain more by using shorter speaker cables.

As far as sound quality is concerned with soldered versus clamped connections, it depends. I would try clamping first and if it doesn't meet your standards, try soldering. I personally doubt it will make a difference worth the potential problems.


By value, do you mean gauge? If so, these are fairly standard: speaker leads: 12-16 gauge  line level leads:  24-28 gauge  mains power: 12-16 gauge

[AlliumPorrum]

I meant good value for the price; which wires would be a good purchase, without a overhelming price tag?

[cab]

You need so little inside the amp that even something exotic and expensive, like occ silver won't add up to that much. I used occ silver for my line level inputs and occ copper for the power and speakers. Try partsconnection....they had a sale on occ wire recently, 40% off....

[Julf]

I meant good value for the price; which wires would be a good purchase, without a overhelming price tag?

Blue Jeans Cable

[AlliumPorrum]

If you are using the balanced inputs, you would stand to gain more by using shorter speaker cables.

Can you give any reason for this? I would have thought that since live level signal has much lower voltage, cables would have more effect on it.

[AlliumPorrum]

You need so little inside the amp that even something exotic and expensive, like occ silver won't add up to that much.

I did not actually mean *inside* the amp, I meant all cables between the pre amp -> Hypex -> speaker. Sorry for my vague description...

Soldering speaker wires and/or line level cables directly to the Hypexes would also save some money, since any connectors would not be needed. Is there any reason why NOT to do this? If I ever would want to change cables for some reason, it is not so big issue to re-solder them anyway.

[Speedskater]

Balanced interconnects are often used to make serious recording  at lengths of 300 feet and more.  A 300 foot speaker cable would be expensive and most likely sound different than a short speaker cable. I would guess that the decision point might be near 30 feet.

[AlliumPorrum]

Balanced interconnects are often used to make serious recording  at lengths of 300 feet and more.  A 300 foot speaker cable would be expensive and most likely sound different than a short speaker cable. I would guess that the decision point might be near 30 feet.

What do you mean with "decision point"? If other cable is 1 feet, and another is 10 feet, which should be the longer one?

[Speedskater]

At 1 and 10 feet it just doesn't matter!  Only with long cables do differences start to show up.

[cab]

Speaker cables is usually more expensive and can be prone to picking up emi, etc., so keeping them short is good. Balanced inputs are good at rejecting noise and interference and are usually a much smaller gauge and thus, cheaper.

I would not solder my speaker cables and inputs to the ncore. If some how they get tugged, there go your amps. If you ever want to change them (you will), you will have to unsolder and resolder. The less you do that the better and you run the risk of messing up the ncore boards. The benefits just don't justify the risks, to me. But go ahead if you are set on it...

[AlliumPorrum]

But I have understood that many Hypex users are hearing differences between different kind of speaker cables, and also between different kind of live level cables. I would think that difference between 10 feets of speaker cable OR 10 feets of line level cable in the signal path is bigger than the difference between two 10 feet speaker cables?

[EuroDriver]

I have a dual mono NC400.  If I were to start again from scratch, I would build 2 mono blocs and then go with short speaker cables and long balanced XLR IC's.  There are a lot of good microphone cable choices out there which you can use for the XLR IC's

The speaker cables carry high current and the effects of the electro magnetic field generated in the cables is significant. Expensive speaker cables are a usually succesful attempt to tame these influences, as well as provide high quality conductors with good crystal structure

In a system with single ended RCA's my advice would be for shorter IC's and longer speaker cables, but going single ended you would be crippling the potential of your NC400's

Just my 2 cents

[cab]

But I have understood that many Hypex users are hearing differences between different kind of speaker cables, and also between different kind of live level cables. I would think that difference between 10 feets of speaker cable OR 10 feets of line level cable in the signal path is bigger than the difference between two 10 feet speaker cables?

Guess you won't really know until you try it for yourself.

[Julf]

But I have understood that many Hypex users are hearing differences between different kind of speaker cables, and also between different kind of live level cables. I would think that difference between 10 feets of speaker cable OR 10 feets of line level cable in the signal path is bigger than the difference between two 10 feet speaker cables?

Some users have reported hearing differences. I have not seen anyone post either measurements or controlled double-blind listening results showing any results.