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Which cables cause issues for high bandwidth amps?

As in, blow them up? I recently bought a McCormack amp and blew it up when using Goertz Alpha Core MI-2 cables. I am about to get the amp back from being repaired, and I want to make fricken sure that I don't repeat the episode. Now, I do have a feeling that there was something wrong with that amp in the first place, but I still want to be very careful.

I now know that using the Goertz was a no-no, but I am told there may be other brands of cables with the same concerns. I have been advised to stay away from "flat" cables for the McCormack. Is this true, or an over-generalization?

I am looking for moderate price options, if anybody has experience with cables that sounded great with McCormack amps. Thanks a bunch!
mtrot
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
Correction: I misread the Goertz datasheet. The capacitance of the MI-2 is 950 pf/ft, which is still very high of course.

Marakanetz, the high capacitance is a side effect of their approach to achieving their primary design goals, which were ultra-low inductance and ultra-low Characteristic Impedance.

Whether the ultra-low inductance is overkill or not, and whether the ultra-low characteristic impedance is likely to provide any benefit, are debatable and most likely system dependent, IMO.

Regards,
-- Al
bojack
630 posts
 
Man, I would not even THINK of using the same cables when you get your amp back! 12ga stranded will work fine IMO.
mtrot OP
804 posts
 
Thanks for all the replies. My cable length for this setup is 8-10 feet.
mtrot OP
804 posts
 
Bojack,

I do have on hand a set of old 12 ga Esoteric Ultra Cable Premier OFHC that I can use for the LF terminals and a set of Morrow Audio SP2 that I can use for the HF terminals. The Goertz cables ended up being used because I was trying out the McCormack amp in the bedroom system, which is where the Goertz cables were located.
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stereo5
6,254 posts
 
When I was having my Odyssey amp built, the designer warned me to stay away from the flat cables. He told me it would cause the amp to go into oscillation. I was using MIT cables at the time and have switched to Groneberg now.
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