I'm putting this into a new thread since the other has become yet another thread about blind testing. I had mentioned in that thread that one of the rocket scientist at TRW had given me an explanation as to why there was a possibility that it could have some benifit. Now he is back from vacation and here is the email he sent me:
Bob,
Here is my explanation, for what it is worth.
First, picture looking directly at the end of a straight single strand of
wire, carrying a single AC frequency, and having no dielectric covering.
The current varying in this wire generates an electromagnetic field (EMF)
that surrounds the wire. If you could see this EMF, it would appear like a
perfectly concentric circle representing the value of the EMF at each moment
in time, expanding and contracting as the amplitude of the signal increases
and decreases. Now imagine that the wire is carrying many AC frequencies
simultaneously, and there would be many of these concentric circles varying
at the same time.
If we add a dielectric to this wire, it might reduce the EMF, but assuming
its properties are uniform, it would not change the concentric EMF circles.
Now, imagine placing this wire and dielectric next to a floor. The floor
influences the EMF depending on its own dielectric properties, and distorts
the shape of the EMF to something like a flattened ellipse. This in turn
affects the shape of the AC current propagating through the wire, through
something called back EMF. It is as if the wire is now resisting the
current slightly differently than the ideal.
Imagine a cable with many conductors. As you know, the manufacturers try
very hard use very low dielectric shielding (Teflon and air), and to get
extremely consistent wire wrapping geometry in order to preserve the net sum
of the EMF to be as symmetric as possible.
The goal of the cable is to transfer all frequencies with no change in
amplitude and no change in timing. If there is distorted EMF, it starts to
delay some of the higher frequencies their amplitude very slightly. Whether
this effect is measurable at audio frequencies and whether it can be heard
is subject to debate. There are audiophiles in both camps, as you might
expect. Like many tweaks, if there is a physical explanation to back them
up, many people use them whether they can hear them or not. I am
sympathetic to that philosophy.
So, a cable elevator should be of low dielectric (connectivity), and raise
the cable at least 10 diameters or so above the floor. Wood, ceramics, clay
pots, are good examples. A possible by product of elevators is to minimize
mechanical vibration of the cable that propagates back into the amp or
source. I am using plastic cups (not the best dielectric, but mostly
invisible and high WAF), and a marble support at the end next to the amp for
vibration reduction. Does it work? Who knows, but I no longer worry about
the possibility that it doesn't.
Larry
Bob,
Here is my explanation, for what it is worth.
First, picture looking directly at the end of a straight single strand of
wire, carrying a single AC frequency, and having no dielectric covering.
The current varying in this wire generates an electromagnetic field (EMF)
that surrounds the wire. If you could see this EMF, it would appear like a
perfectly concentric circle representing the value of the EMF at each moment
in time, expanding and contracting as the amplitude of the signal increases
and decreases. Now imagine that the wire is carrying many AC frequencies
simultaneously, and there would be many of these concentric circles varying
at the same time.
If we add a dielectric to this wire, it might reduce the EMF, but assuming
its properties are uniform, it would not change the concentric EMF circles.
Now, imagine placing this wire and dielectric next to a floor. The floor
influences the EMF depending on its own dielectric properties, and distorts
the shape of the EMF to something like a flattened ellipse. This in turn
affects the shape of the AC current propagating through the wire, through
something called back EMF. It is as if the wire is now resisting the
current slightly differently than the ideal.
Imagine a cable with many conductors. As you know, the manufacturers try
very hard use very low dielectric shielding (Teflon and air), and to get
extremely consistent wire wrapping geometry in order to preserve the net sum
of the EMF to be as symmetric as possible.
The goal of the cable is to transfer all frequencies with no change in
amplitude and no change in timing. If there is distorted EMF, it starts to
delay some of the higher frequencies their amplitude very slightly. Whether
this effect is measurable at audio frequencies and whether it can be heard
is subject to debate. There are audiophiles in both camps, as you might
expect. Like many tweaks, if there is a physical explanation to back them
up, many people use them whether they can hear them or not. I am
sympathetic to that philosophy.
So, a cable elevator should be of low dielectric (connectivity), and raise
the cable at least 10 diameters or so above the floor. Wood, ceramics, clay
pots, are good examples. A possible by product of elevators is to minimize
mechanical vibration of the cable that propagates back into the amp or
source. I am using plastic cups (not the best dielectric, but mostly
invisible and high WAF), and a marble support at the end next to the amp for
vibration reduction. Does it work? Who knows, but I no longer worry about
the possibility that it doesn't.
Larry
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