Liquid-filled power cables?

Nicholas Bedworth

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There's a designer in Colorado, Jeremy Walsh (a.k.a. Jerry) who has spent the past few years developing a liquid-filled cable technology. www.audio-magic.com. Apart from high-grade connectors that fit snugly and securely, these cables are exceptionally flexible which is a pleasant change from too-stiff designes that have to be wrestled into position, or lift equipment into the air :)

Basically Jerry has experimented with various conductive gels and termination techniques and come up with a combination that sounds very well to my ears. Or more accurately, the cable seems to be quite free of any particular sound of its own.

That this could be so, with a design approach that has little to do with the more usual approach of metal conductors, insulators, air-tubes, returns and the like, is surprising and encouraging. It also points out that there may yet be news ways of doing what we do in audio that deliver excellent results.
 
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Johnny Vinyl

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What an interesting post Nicholas....thank you. I just got back from work, but I will definitely pay a visit to the site you linked. I really like my VALAB/King Cables, but tjey are heavy, thick and offer little flexibility, so news of something like this (provided it truly does work) is most encouraging.

John
 

Gregadd

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Does not Purist make a ferrous filled cable?
 

FrantzM

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FrantzM

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MylesBAstor

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Nicholas Bedworth

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Liquid polymer cable electrical specifications

Regarding specs for the Audio Magic liquid polymer cables, the manufacturer shows 0.17 pf per ft, and 0.18 Ohm for an 8 ft length. What other specifications do you have in mind?

The assertions by the manufacturer is that this approach is less affected by EMI, vibration, etc. They certainly are competitive in terms of sound quality with high-end, conventional cables, in my experience.

I personally would like to see a collection of interconnects, especially power cords, in the form of lava lamps. Might as well be able to enjoy watching the cables do their work.

Bluuuurrrp!
 

DonH50

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Jun 22, 2010
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No idea. Inductance arises from skin effect, magnetic coupling, and other frequency-dependent impedance variations in wires (PCB traces, etc.) I don't know anything (or almost nothing, anyway) about liquid polymer conductors. I asked because the capacitance is so very low I wondered if there was some offsetting distributed inductance. Could just be space (distance between conductors), but since as far as I know the lowest capacitance is from a vacuum and I assume the liquid is not, I am curious how such low capacitance was achieved. I admit I have not looked at the cables to see if there's any way to run some numbers and make a guess using normal field equations, but that low usually implies some sort of coupling to reduce one reactance at the expense of another.

I also wonder if the 0.17 pF/ft is a typo...

As I said, I do not know, but am very curious. About durn near everything. ;) - Don
 

Nicholas Bedworth

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Being curious and learning all the time is a very good way to enjoy life and stay young!

Inquiries have been made back to Jeremy Ramsey at Audio Magic to see if he will provide more insight into how this all works. The numbers came from a reseller Web site, so it's a good suggestion you made about checking to make sure the units are correct. They certainly sound well, this being the power cords. Haven't tried any of their interconnect or speakers cables yet.
 

The Smokester

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Jun 7, 2010
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Those are indeed impressive numbers. I couldn't find them on the manufacturers web site which is why I asked. So now the question is, are they correct?
 

Nicholas Bedworth

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May 7, 2010
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Yes, they're posted in the individual product listings on reseller's Web sites... have queried the designer and expect to hear back shortly.
 

FrantzM

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Apr 20, 2010
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Hi

I, also, do have my doubts about such low capacitance figure for a pair of wire in relative proximity ... ... as for inductance I am not sure liquid polymer have a lot to do with that, especially at such low frequencies .. Patiently waiting for proofs... Looks again marketing is fighting with science and ..winning ...
 

audioguy

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Looks again marketing is fighting with science and ..winning ...

And you would expect any thing different with a liquid filled cable manufacturer? ---- or a couple of dozen other high end audio doo-hickie manufacturers I won't name! My college education was in math, mechanical and electrical engineering. Apparently they must have forgotten to teach me some pretty important stuff.

I continue to be amazed. I think I'll go downstairs and sit on my Jello filled cushions which sit on my Styrofoam filled sofa which in turn sits on my peanut butter coated carpeting and listen deeper into the sound-stage.

Sorry guys. This just gets more and more ridiculous to me. Take the money and go spend it on room treatment!!!

Or go buy your wife a nice dinner.

WOW!
 

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