Cable Lifters

[Bigfish8]

Okay guys, do you use Cable Lifters and if so whose lifters do you use?  Of course the next question is if you use them did you hear a difference in sound or do they make you feel better having them there because they are suppose to make a difference?

Ken

[richidoo]

Nope. Can't go there... too far out for me.  But I have no problem believing that they do something. Everything has an effect in audio never-neverland.  Someday someone will demonstrate before and after and I might get em.   I change speakers and amps too often, they would be a nuisance to replace each time.

I think you could use anything that is dielectric, maybe tupperware or corelle or wood blocks. Not blessed by some audio priest, but same physics apply.
-Rich

[Carlman]

Cable Risers are the single most important part of any audio system.   
OK, no, really....    Seriously... 

Joking aside...
It's just another place to obsess.. and there is a market for every obsession. 

I have YET to hear any difference in cable riser vs. no cable riser in any system, even when I've tried.  It doesn't make any sense (common, technical, or logical) that I have found.  I investigated them briefly when I was researching all tweaks a few years ago... and this one went into the 'no way, no how' category for me. I'm open to a lot in this hobby but this is one I've shut the door on for a long time.  Maybe once the new room is built, we can try it. 

I can actually understand cable risers for a functional purpose more than a tweak/sound improvement purpose... they can take some strain off the speaker and amp posts if you have really heavy wire...

[miklorsmith]

I operate on triage principle - most important things first.  When I get really really really really sure I'm not changing anything for a long time I might try them.  Heck, I don't really even change wires.

[Bigfish8]

Guys, cable lifters are not on my must have list and I started this thread to learn if many people actually use them.  I have learned that many (a hell of a lot) of things in this hobby are subjective and I know that cable lifters definitely fit into that category.  My HT Pro 9s fit into the category of being big and heavy and definitely lay on the floor.  My audio ear is not sufficient for me to hear a difference if cable lifters make a difference but I am curious to learn if any of you long term audiphiles use them.  So far we have 3 nos.

Ken

[Black Sand Cable]

I use them as a method of organization. I don't think they offer up any sonic benefits at all but like I said, I like them when it comes to organizing where everything goes.

Email Ryan at www.cableisolators.com and tell him I sent you. If you want to try a few, he will look after you.

[miklorsmith]

If you pose this question on Audiogon I'm guessing the composition of answers would be different.

[Black Sand Cable]

If you pose this question on Audiogon I'm guessing the composition of answers would be different.

I think this would be the case just about anywhere on just about anything when it comes to audio related things! 

One person believes, the next one doesn't and thus the pissing match starts! lol 

[_Scotty_]

I have heard a difference between having the entire length (13ft.) of speaker cable (unshielded design) laying on the carpet and how it sounds off the carpet about 3 to 6in. on top of cardboard boxes. The effect is subtle,of course, but if all of the rest of your ducks are in a row it might be worth making cable elevators
out of chopsticks and nylon ties. My current setup precludes the use of any form cable elevator and I have not obsessed about their absence in my system. Any tweak I use has to pass a single blind test. The cable
elevators just squeaked by the threshold of perception in my system. I generally go fishing for bigger fish than this so I don't mind tossing it back in the stream. For my self I wouldn't put any money into this tweak
beyond the DIY chopstick level.
Scotty

[hometheaterdoc]

I have some cable isolators, including a whole box of them unopened.  They work great with the Aluminata stuff by taking off some strain.  Minor differences sonically.  I'll be curious to see if there is any change now with the hardwood instead of the carpet.

If you want to try them and see if they make any difference, just let me know.  You're welcome to give a box or two of them a go and see what they do or don't do for your system.

[mgalusha]

I use some I made from conductive foam. I use them not so much for sonic reasons as for safety... WTF you say, safety?

I live in StaticVille  USA, otherwise known as Colorado. We have very low humidity, so much so that it's every easy to generate enormous static charges if there is any carpet around. Enough that I replaced all the opamps in a friends SACD player last night because when he touched the case a couple of weeks ago a spark large enough to partially kill them jumped from his finger... Ouch. I also managed to blow up the volume control chip in my DCX by moving the cables on the floor.

I first noticed this a couple of years ago finding that when I moved the power cord feeding my BPT I got a nasty crackling from the speakers. I used to use some tied up Chinese skewers but after seeing the new Shunyata product I ordered up a chunk of conductive foam and made some. The nice thing about conductive foam is that one can connect them all together via small wire and ground them. I did notice a small sonic improvement but mostly I enjoy piece of mind that I won't zap the life out of my gear from a 10,000V static charge. The big sonic improvement is the sound of my wallet not flopping open to repair and replace stuff. 

mike

[JBryan]

I bought a bunch of ceramic power line isolators at a yard sale a while back and found 5 or 6 that looked like upside-down mushrooms that fit my garden hose variety speaker cables well. I try to keep everything off the floor to prevent any static from getting to the system and I didn't listen for nor notice any sonic improvement (or harm). I suppose anything that keeps the static away from the cables (or disperses it away) would protect the system just as well. -Bryan

[djbnh]

I use corks (not the plastic kind, but the real cork) to keep my ICs, SCs, and PCs off the carpet and apart from each other. The price is right and I haven't heard any downside. I hope by keeping them off the carpet, esp. in the dry New England winter months, that I keep them from carpet static charges.

Also, drinking the wine has some nice benefits / side effects.

YMMV.

[rosconey]

lighting was bad -this is what i use for cable lifters-been told its over kill but wtf i had these avaiable

and no comments about the dust please -its audio dust,i got it from the guy who sells those rocks and clocks-but this is a beta dust bunny thing so keep this on the down low

[bpape]