# Different types of cables(AWG,SPC, Cryo, Jena...)



## nismohks

Sorry to bother, but i am really confused as to what all these terms mean. There are just sooo many terms, i think it would be a good idea to have a glossary or something to help people identify the difference...

 anyway i have a few questions so feel free to chime in.

 Can anyone explain the difference?

 from my understanding, the higher the AWG, the thinner it is. 
 ie. 18AWG is thicker than 22AWG.

 then we have the Jena cables such as the Jena Silver and Jena copper?
 i take it that the Silver is better than the copper.

 but then, what is the Jena Cryo? and the teflon coatings?

 vampire cryo??

 Also what is SPC wire and how does it compare to Jena wire? This is in relation to LODs. 

 Should i get SPC wire LODs or Jena LODs?


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## dreamwhisper

A little information about Jena Labs:
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f21/je...ed-r10-319613/
 (before you click that link throw some popcorn in the microwave)

 However, even though I would never send my headphones to Jena Labs I believe that their wire is most likely very good.

 Silver and copper are not better/worse but different.

 Sorry, that's the extent of my knowledge.


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## Maniac

My 2 cents about silver vs copper.

 IMHO both can be very good, and when properly alloyed with other metal, they can be even better (As seen on many cable review of gold/silver/copper/whatever alloy wires/cables).

 However there is one thing that you need to watch out for, low purity silver, thinly plated silver (a few tens of micrometer thick on copper or otherwise), will often sound thin and harsh, ambiance and decay are nowhere to be found with those kind of silver/silver plated wires. However, when plated very thick or the silver wire is of very high purity, it will sound anything but thin, and will in some way sound a little like copper while retaining the nice characteristic of silver. (often better highs and transparency)


 But YMMV, as one cable will sound different on different systems, and there are just so many different kinds of cables all around.


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## nismohks

so how about SPC wire?
 i jsut found out it means Silver Plated Copper?

 well i have a LOD with SPC (wires have an uncanny similarity to cat5 wires...) and a stevenkelby jena copper 22g LOD

 they sound very different. Jena sounds more colourful, but SPC is more neutral and has a more defined sound.

 but the thing is that the Jena kelby cable costs a LOT more than the SPC cable.

 any thoughts on the SPC vs Jena cable sounds?


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## oicdn

SPC = Silver plated copper. Meaning it's a copper wire that's been silver plated. Since electrons flow on the outside of the cable, i.e. the sleeving effect, people report it gives a different sound than copper and silver alone. Some people actually prefer SPC over just copper or silver.

 Jena Cryo = the same thing as Jena wire. All Jena Labs stuff is cryo treated. For both durability and SQ.

 The reason the Jena kelby cable costs more than the SPC cable is because the cable itself from Jena is pricier.

 I have some Vampire Cryo RCA cables made by Fallenangel and they sounds great. Basically, it's the same thing as any other cable out there, but a different brand. And likely, different cryo process, also likely attributing to a different sound. 

 I prefer cryo over non-cryo because of durability more than anything else. And in teflon, it makes for a pretty cable, lol.












 Those are also solid wires...so they bend and retain their shape like a silver wire would.


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## Lil' Knight

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nismohks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_from my understanding, the higher the AWG, the thinner it is. 
 ie. 18AWG is thicker than 22AWG.

 then we have the Jena cables such as the Jena Silver and Jena copper?
 i take it that the Silver is better than the copper.

 but then, what is the Jena Cryo? and the teflon coatings?

 vampire cryo??

 Also what is SPC wire and how does it compare to Jena wire? This is in relation to LODs. 

 Should i get SPC wire LODs or Jena LODs?_

 

The Jena wires have only copper 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 They don't have silver.
 The silver you saw is just a mixture of wires in the LOD : 2 jena wires and 2 solid-core silver wires. People say that will make the cable has both the characteristics of copper and silver.
 I've made some interconnects using this style but, to tell the truth, I can't hear any difference.
 The Vampire wire is alnost the same Jena but it's stiffer because it has difference coating.
 IMO, I like the sound of Vampire but love the flexibility of Jena.


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## nismohks

how about the sound quality of the SPC?

 i have a dock which uses SPC wire. how does that compare to a Jena cryo copper dock?


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## Maniac

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Lil' Knight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The Jena wires have only copper 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 They don't have silver.
 The silver you saw is just a mixture of wires in the LOD : 2 jena wires and 2 solid-core silver wires. People say that will make the cable has both the characteristics of copper and silver.
 I've made some interconnects using this style but, to tell the truth, I can't hear any difference.
 The Vampire wire is alnost the same Jena but it's stiffer because it has difference coating.
 IMO, I like the sound of Vampire but love the flexibility of Jena._

 

From the look of it tho, it seems that Jena is using stranded wires, instead of solid core single wire. Thus it will always be softer, coating is unlikely to contribute to the stiffness of a cable that size, bigger cables maybe, but not something that thin...


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## Lil' Knight

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Maniac* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_From the look of it tho, it seems that Jena is using stranded wires, instead of solid core single wire. Thus it will always be softer, coating is unlikely to contribute to the stiffness of a cable that size, bigger cables maybe, but not something that thin..._

 

Of course the Jena is stranded.
 But, the Vampire is also stranded but is far stiffer than the Jena.
 The sizes of Jena and Vampire are almost the same, 22g and 20g. 
 I must say that it's because the coating of polyethylene that make the Vampire stiffer.

 And I never compare the flexibility of solid and stranded. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 About the SPC wires, if you think they're good, so just keep and use them.
 I doubt one can hear the difference in such a small interconnect like LOD.
 I just love the Jena for it's eye-catching and flexibility.


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## Maniac

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Lil' Knight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Of course the Jena is stranded.
 But, the Vampire is also stranded but is far stiffer than the Jena.
 The sizes of Jena and Vampire are almost the same, 22g and 20g. 
 I must say that it's because the coating of polyethylene that make the Vampire stiffer.

 And I never compare the flexibility of solid and stranded. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 About the SPC wires, if you think they're good, so just keep and use them.
 I doubt one can hear the difference in such a small interconnect like LOD.
 I just love the Jena for it's eye-catching and flexibility._

 

Ah, my mistake, sorry.

 There are also a few things that manufacturer can do like annealing to change the stiffness of the cable. I've seen ultra soft solid core wire that seem to have been annealed to make it really easy to work with.

 Anyhow, have fun is what it matter the most IMHO.


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## Lil' Knight

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Maniac* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_
 Anyhow, have fun is what it matter the most IMHO. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Of course 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And don't feel sorry for your wallet


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## Maniac

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Lil' Knight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Of course 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And don't feel sorry for your wallet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Money changing hands and change often is the key to good economy, so I don't feel sorry either.


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## panda67

Where can one buy a spool of this cable? The jana cable


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## Lil' Knight

Just contact Jena Labs.


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