Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems SpeakerLink cables advice

I have a few of these cables from the same vendor in my network. I have not tried them for Speakerlink.

Worth a try. Can't fault the price/sound quality ratio.

Although previous posts requested that readers refrain from commenting on the merits of claims of sound quality improvements resulting from expensive SpeakerLink cables, there's the real possibility that people will be misled by the silence.

When dealing with error corrected digital communications networks, data is either transferred or it is not. Poor cables will result in no sound or some sort of digital calamity that will be immediately apparent. Expensive SpeakerLink cables might look nice, last longer, and coordinate with the drapes, but they will not sound different.

One does not have to be an MIT rocket scientist to know this, but since I am I leave you with these thoughts.

Cheers,
Roger

As a matter of interest, when the wiring is specified for a rocket, is the performance tested under a range of temperature and pressure conditions, and other variables, to ensure that the electrical responses remain within a defined range?

Does that process not implicitly recognise that the wiring's performance may range outside the specification envelope as a result of the extremes of those environmental conditions? Are the costs incurred in order to test that variability acceptable given the cost of such a failure? Does that not raise the cost of the wiring?

Or do you just drag the cheapest stuff available off the reel?

The audio signal over SpeakerLink is based on AES/EBU ... it is not a network protocol.

Quality of screening in important ... for the digital signal ... but more so to prevent the cable channeling any RF into the analogue sections of the DAC.

It’s not Rocket science

Regards,
Carl

Look, no one is listening to their speakers in outer space, for a variety of very good reasons, so yes, ordinary ethernet cables are just as fine for your speakers as they are for your home network - where not a bit or byte was ever lost by a cable. And yes, while SpeakerLink digital connections may not operate on a network protocol per se, the data is error corrected so there is no opportunity whatsoever for subtle corruption.

As for significant RF frequencies being transmitted via the SpeakerLink cables to analogue components, it is extremely unlikely to occur in any sort of properly designed piece of equipment. If someone were able to prove our beloved Meridian equipment lacks the requisite (and utterly simplistic) RF isolation between the digital ports and the D/A converters, I'll be the first to sell mine!

However, I don't want to rain on your parade any further and will avert my eyes from this thread.

Cheers,
Roger

I Think this topic has been discussed Before. After that discussion I made a test using different Ethernet-Cables.

1 A standard UTP-Cable
2 A standard STP-Cable
3 Audioquest Vodka
4 Chord Anthem

I used a 7200HCSE for the test
I found that there was a difference between The UTP-Cable and all the others.
I couldn't hear any difference between 2, 3 and 4.

I, for one, am glad to hear from a rocket scientist. Perhaps he can persuade colleagues to contribute to this forum.

Locus

It is? Where can I read about this?

Just the opposite, VPI's aren't expensive cables.

Following up on my earlier post, Chord loaned me 4 pairs of their lower price range streaming cables to compare, and I report on my listening “observations”.

With all their cables there was a noticeable difference to M’s Speakerlinks, with the sound being “sweeter” - less harsh or grainy. With the cheapest cable, cost-wise on a par with Speakerlink, I considered the sound quality was a bit flat - lacked dynamics.

Comparing the rest, instrument timbre, stereo imagery, preciseness of transients and bass extension were all better, subtlety improving up the price range.

I have some knowledge of what happens to electrical voltage pulses as they bounce around circuits, but do not understand what may actually happening here. But never mind - it’s the music that matters.

I can only fully recommend that if you can borrow a similar range of interconnects, made by your favoured manufacturer, then just do it. If it works for you and your system and you have the dosh, it could be a relatively low cost upgrade option.

I was just about to post about that cable, as I ended up replacing my flat Meridian cable with the exact same one you're referring to (Universal Networks Datwyler Uninet 7702 CAT 7 cable (Cat 6a Terminated) Custom Cables ). Sounds considerably better to me, but again was replacing a longer run of Meridian flat.

I currently considering DIYing a pair of Audioquest DIY. (mainly due to the impedance matched Telegartner connectors) to see if it offers any upgrade.