[arjo_reich]

I first became aware of how ferrite cores work and what they do after moving into my current home, where the LCDTV was hung on the common wall with the garage - which also was the same wall where the 100 AMP service panel was located.


I've since moved to a projection based setup which means even though all my video cables still have ferrite cores on them, they now enjoy updates of 10' of distance from the panel.


The speaker wires, however, do not. As stupid as it may sound, I was wondering if a high-frequency trap such as a ferrite core would distort the quality of the signal? The cable's already run and I didn't think of shielded cable until two seconds ago. I'm just barely getting started in the realm of audiophelia

so I just don't know...


LOL, anecdotally, there were several times while holding one of those hdmi cables by the male fitting I would touch some other piece of metal and could feel the current as I grounded out via the tender flesh under my arm.

 

[Paul Scarpelli]

Please do not let this thread die...

 

[ccotenj]

posting to subscribe...

 

[Warpdrv]

Not sure about the ferrite cores, but you got me thinking again about something.


I do like the idea and have searched for shielded speaker cable in the past, for 1 reason and 1 reason only.... I lived right on a interstate hwy, and when the semi's would roll by with their uber high gained CB Radios, my speakers would literally broadcast their signal over my speakers in a manor that would wake the dead. As I was in an townhouse and wasn't planning on staying long, I ended up running my speaker wires in steel conduit for the small length of run to eliminate this annoyance.


My speaker wires would act as an antenna - the most ridiculous thing, but interesting none the less... Let the ferrite core discussion continue ~~~~~

 

[Paul Scarpelli]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ccotenj /forum/post/19505144


posting to subscribe...

I am always here to help.

 

[ccotenj]

y'know paul, i always know i can count on you...

i am RATHER disappointed this thread hasn't drawn the attention of some of our more, ummm, contentious members...

@warp... makes sense... correct length wire to pick up correct frequency... i like the steel conduit idea though, necessity is the mother of invention...

 

[arjo_reich]

lol, sometimes I think I'm on perma-plonk b/c this is the typical response to most of my posts... :shrug:

 

[Chu Gai]

Breaker, breaker, callin' the heavenly maker. Got your ears on Warp?

 

[ccotenj]

^^^


no pic chu? i'm disappointed...

 

[Bookworm370]

I'm an EE by degree (not trade) and I've been thinking about this. The choke cores (as they are referred to) work by blocking EMI and RF that is traveling 'along' the cable.


Would it hurt in my opinion, no. Would it help? Maybe.


This question is sort of like 'should I use Marvels Mystery Oil in my car'. Will it hurt, no. Will it help, who knows, no one has ever shown either way.


Considering the very low frequencies (up to 22khz) that you are using for audio (remember, that's in the basement of the frequency band) and that these cores are designed to trap stuff in the EMI and RF, MHZ range) I can't see where filtering out anything other than an AM radio station that happens to have it's transmitting antenna in your back yard!


But on the other hand, if those speakers are powered speakers that may have integrated sub-woofers there could be an application. The power supplies in those speakers are specifically designed to not couple any EMI to the audio, but that's not saying that the amps could not be amplifying any junk coming into then via the speaker wire or LFE channel. In that specific case, I think you might get something by adding a core or two.


The nice thing is that these puppies are dirt cheap (about $2 at Radio Shack) and are generally stuffed in about every high end piece of audio gear anyway, but for a good reason there. Try not using the core on my Samsung 63" PN590 Plasma TV and you can literally see the difference right on the screen!


Oh and yes, the core should be placed in one of two positions. As close to any equipment that might be creating EMI/RF to choke it at the source or as close to the input of anything taking input to choke off anything traveling on the wire.


So in power cords, right at the entry to the gear. Chokes anything coming in and anything coming out.


For USB, line level, etc, the choke should be at the device (hard drive, LL input) to clean the signal before it gets used.


Ok, does this keep the thread going?

 

[Warpdrv]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Chu Gai /forum/post/19507062


Breaker, breaker, callin' the heavenly maker. Got your ears on Warp?

LOL !!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bookworm370 /forum/post/19507207


I'm an EE by degree (not trade) and I've been thinking about this. The choke cores (as they are referred to) work by blocking EMI and RF that is traveling 'along' the cable.


Would it hurt in my opinion, no. Would it help? Maybe.



Ok, does this keep the thread going?

Excellent response Bookworm - I always wondered about those things and was curious if they truly had any impact, but I see them everywhere on tons of different cables, so they must make some sort of diff if implemented so often...

 

[swgiust]

I have found stringing all my cables through empty beer cans quite effective.


The special linning in the Keystone cans really seams to filter all sorts of stuff out.....

 

[Chu Gai]

Great idea. And something for your kids to do for the holidays to create that festive mood.

 

[Tack]



Quote:
Originally Posted by swgiust /forum/post/19508293


I have found stringing all my cables through empty beer cans quite effective.


The special lining in the Keystone cans really seams to filter all sorts of stuff out.....

I did that and my speakers got harsh, fatiguing and took on a metallic sound in the highs.


I traded the cans for tennis balls with holes in them and the sound got much softer, almost fuzzy, with much more "bounce" to the beat.

 

[Frohlich]

You guys are going about this all wrong. Any cable will influence the sound as I have proven with my fluxor capacitor. I actually have trained my hamsters to decipher the signal output from my pre/pro and to run really fast to the back of my speaker and yell the appropriate sounds into the back of each speaker. NO OUTSIDE INFLUENCE IN MY CABLES TO ALTER THE SOUND. One of my hamsters does have a slight lisp but I bought him on the cheap so I really have no issue with it

 

[arjo_reich]

LOL, I was just worried because, especially in the case of the center channel, the two phase, 100 AMP service panel is about two feet above the speaker and cable. Seemed like a potential epicenter of RFI...

 

[swgiust]

Quote:

Originally Posted by arjo_reich LOL, I was just worried because, especially in the case of the center channel, the two phase, 100 AMP service panel is about two feet above the speaker and cable. Seemed like a potential epicenter of RFI...

OK, seriously. The simplest way is to try it. Set up your system. If you can hear RFI then you need a fix. If you can't, (and I bet you won't) then you don't have a problem and don't need a fix.

 

[drdarrow]

I acquired some used, discarded Toshiba PSS501 speakers today. They are vertical "bar-style" speakers that optionally mount on the sides of a 50" Plasma TV (also Toshiba). Link: www[dot]hdtvreview[dot]com/pdf/toshiba-50hp81-manual.pdf -- The PDF manual for the TV -- mentions briefly in the speaker-mounting section that the user "Use only the supplied ferrite core speaker cables to connect the speakers" and that other speaker wire is unsuitable.


So, I conclude it does have an effect, but presumably the close proximity of the plasma TV is the issue?

 

[flyingcornflake]

had a really annoying RFI problem with my system when I moved it to a different house, no constant buzz but in bursts, finally added some ferrite cores to the speaker wire close to the speakers and the problem is solved, no apparent loss in audio quality