To me, cable lifters belong in the lunatic fringe of hifi tweakery. They just look so utterly ridiculous. It’s completely irrational of course, as they are no different from other tweaks, maybe it’s just that they are so visible and therefore look so silly.
I use bits of packing foam that came free with my curtain poles. As i have a concrete floor i believe it has made a subtle but significant difference. I don’t mind being called a bit of a ‘loon’ neither
P.S. i have found the mains cables benefit also, and yes it can look totally ridiculous.
The are very effective conversation items though. At some point nearly everybody asks “what are those for?” Question is, do you really want that to get into that conversation.
That’s exactly how I viewed them until I actually tried them. Firstly home made, and then Audioquest and Cardas. I agree that they look faintly ridiculous, but then the average ‘normal’ person would probably think the same about most equipment racks - or indeed most multi-box systems! (what do all those boxes do?!)
Hi Jono
I seem to recall that Danny makes exactly that point in the above video.
Jim
I simply wouldn’t try them even if I knew that they could improve things, just like I wouldn’t go out wearing a top hat. Some things are just wrong.
Crikey, my speaker cables just sit in trunking along skirting board along with Toslink cables connecting telly to hifi… domestic harmony would be lost if trailed across the floor on little bits of wood etc…
For me, the lifting of cables off the floor adds to the sum of parts for the system’s sonics.
Sir, on the nail for me too. It’s not an immediately discernible night and day difference, but a part which when added to other parts, brings the overall sound to another level. Most of my friends couldn’t be bothered in the least, so to each his own. I was just grinning from ear to ear when things suddenly took off.
It’s an incredulous thought, but a little tweak here, and there, where cable dressing’s concerned, made a collective world of difference for my olive system many moons ago.
Aye, Sir. Therein the fun when we discover what works, and doesn’t.
Effort and patience. Also the knowledge that I need to know when to take a break from tuning the system and just get back to the music, wait some for things to settle, and when I felt good again, I’d tinker a little more. My expectations on “night and day” differences maimed me some and I realised after some time, these improvements are oft incremental instead of night and day, and would culminate towards nirvana only after all the sum of parts added up. Sometimes, I would be frustrated because something sounded just off despite my efforts. Learnt to chill. Then come back again when rested and re-tweak. Different times of day affect the electrical flow to the system in my apartment block, something I had to live with, and the sound correspondingly.
Eventually… the arm hairs stood some in resolute attention. When it sounds great… don’t touch a thing!
As long as we’re happy with what we got, anything goes!
Maybe better hang from the ceiling with fine (invisible) fishing line. Possibly better sound quality (anyone tried?), and an apparently levitated cable surely looks better…
Alternatively such a stiff cable that it can go direct from amp output terminals to speaker terminals without sag. (I once contemplated constructing a cable using copper pipe, but never pursued it…)
What about a tiled floor - is not tile a good insulator?
I liked the comment on the video
“If you aren’t single and start using cable risers, you will be soon.”
LOL… The importance of that man den… a goal for any music buff but yes we don’t live alone most of us.
Got vision of forum members bribing the sprogs or grand-sprogs to put tinker toys or Scalextric bridge supports (there - shows I am thinking about it) under their speaker cables.
What is the going pocket money rate?
My speaker cables also run in trunking with shielding (mainly from other cables) so that may be good. So just small run (1.5m) on tile floor out to each speaker. Problem I perceive is that like many I have a coils of speaker cable by the amps - one longer than the other to maintain equal cable length - what do I do about that?
Each to his own of course. As far as appearance goes I feel that the line has been crossed already by having a system in the room in the first place. There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that I would much prefer our lounge sans hi-fi equipment. Part of me says just to junk the lot and just have the TV with perhaps a Muso beneath as a sound bar. That would look so much nicer.
Given that the system is here to stay though, my reasoning is to get the best from it. If cable risers move me closer to that goal then so be it.
My philosophy exactly. Unfortunately it never seems to stay like that for very long. Then comes the next round of experimentation, tweaking and expensive purchases. Until we reach that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Which of course will be never!
LOL Pete… please would you stop poisoning my mind further with upgraditis… I have enough as it is… ha ha At some point the threats of crucifixion then murder from the other half will reign… a good thing for me at least… I’m so glad she has no access to the forum being unaware of its existence.
I agree on that. I can feel the vibrations or bass in my feet when listening to music. So in my case rising the cables seems logical.
Maybe in another cases, if the floor is very hard and dense, the rising is not useful.
I use a mix of cable lifters in my system (Shunyata, Audioquest and some custom made). As crazy as it sounds, they do provide an easy to hear improvement in sound. I also prefer the appearance of the cabling with cable risers. It just looks better organised and neat.
Im glad I have a humble system that is not impacted by such tomfoolery. RF emiited from the floor affecting SQ I have heard it all now. The only cable lifter in my system is me when I want to place them in a better arrangement for aesthetic reasons only.