With my system sounding very good nowadays, I thought I'd try cable risers for the first time. Definitely for the speaker cables and I'm open to trying them for power cords too. I am not interested in paying $100 for 3, that type of pricing. Whatever I use, it needs to be reasonably presentable as my system is in the living room. If I need to add a thin later of rubber or another product on the bottom, I would gladly do that.
Suggestions welcome
Nick
Quote from: Nick B on May 16, 2025, 09:16:12 PMWith my system sounding very good nowadays, I thought I'd try cable risers for the first time. Definitely for the speaker cables and I'm open to trying them for power cords too. I am not interested in paying $100 for 3, that type of pricing. Whatever I use, it needs to be reasonably presentable as my system is in the living room. If I need to add a thin later of rubber or another product on the bottom, I would gladly do that.
Suggestions welcome
Nick
Here you go. I use rebar chairs from home depot for power cords and headphone stands for my speaker cables. The rebar chairs can be bought at Home Depot, you can by singles also. Link for headphone stands on Amazon
https://a.co/d/gtyZtts
These are old pics. I have neatened it up since
This is before the headphone stands
Quote from: ejk on May 17, 2025, 02:47:42 AMThis is before the headphone stands
Thanks. I have saved both. Might take a drive to Home Depot today. Any perceived differences....less noise, wider soundstage etc??
Quote from: Nick B on May 17, 2025, 10:03:11 AMQuote from: ejk on May 17, 2025, 02:47:42 AMThis is before the headphone stands
Thanks. I have saved both. Might take a drive to Home Depot today. Any perceived differences....less noise, wider soundstage etc??
None at all. I just use them to keep the cables away from eachother to prevent noise
OK...
Start watching @: 7:50
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaSpc7GOjxA
FWIW, here are some observations. Hardwood floor over a crawlspace can do with risers 3" or taller. Nylon and polyester carpets laid on a slab need at least 6" or more.
If plastic risers are used spray them with Static Guard or very dilute fabric softener.
Thanks, Dave. I like the video and the idea of a wooden product a little bit better than plastic. I have engineered (fake) flooring throughout much of the house and it has a thin, cushioned material in between. In the heavy traffic areas of the house, that has been compressed. But not in the area of the living room where the stereo system resides. There is a small 5 x 7 area rug in front of the system. As I tend to crank the system up quite a bit, I was more concerned about micro vibrations than static electricity. And I just plain curious as I've never messed with cable risers.
I found these on AliExpress and I like the fact that they're cheap and wooden. See the top left on the screen. I think the smallest size might work well on its side
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807150358309.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.13.599chuO4huO41S&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3Apc_back_same_best&algo_pvid=ac55e5a0-88de-4cf6-bc6e-d045ffd654b6&algo_exp_id=ac55e5a0-88de-4cf6-bc6e-d045ffd654b6&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%224%22%7D&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%2115.58%215.30%21%21%21111.51%2137.92%21%402101c5b217475208046176551e5479%2112000040316739487%21sea%21US%210%21ABX&gatewayAdapt=4itemAdapt
Static charges can be an issue. Back in the day when appearance meant nothing I used string to hang every signal cable. Used a wire loop at end of string to hold cable. An old Harvey Rosenberg tweak. For power cords, kept them from wiring in wall and all other cables where possible. Definitely heard less noise which gave more musical info. Looked weird but worked. Today I use Ceramic risers for speaker cables. No cable touches any other. Power cords cross at 90 degrees and away from signal cables. Worth the effort IMHO.
charles
Quote from: rollo on May 18, 2025, 09:16:42 AMStatic charges can be an issue. Back in the day when appearance meant nothing I used string to hang every signal cable. Used a wire loop at end of string to hold cable. An old Harvey Rosenberg tweak. For power cords, kept them from wiring in wall and all other cables where possible. Definitely heard less noise which gave more musical info. Looked weird but worked. Today I use Ceramic risers for speaker cables. No cable touches any other. Power cords cross at 90 degrees and away from signal cables. Worth the effort IMHO.
charles
Thanks for the tip about the ceramic risers. I'm still collecting information about all the different options. I am trying to imagine what your string and wire loop system looked like.
Not sure they actually do anything, so I wouldn't spend real $ on them. I just cut some squares from foam packing material and used that. You could try almost anything, like toilet paper cores, or essentially anything benigne.
Quote from: BobM on May 19, 2025, 03:47:08 PMNot sure they actually do anything, so I wouldn't spend real $ on them. I just cut some squares from foam packing material and used that. You could try almost anything, like toilet paper cores, or essentially anything benigne.
Thanks, Bob. I remember watching a Danny Ritchie video where he mentioned cable risers. I think it can be very system dependent, whether there are carpets, lots of static electricity, is the system resolving enough etc. I am willing to try it and am accumulating more ideas. Not sure about the toilet paper cores though...
The simple and cheap solution, and yes I used them for a while myself, are the cable risers from HD that Evan referenced. If you don't hear anything on your would floor just call it a cheap experiment and move one. My systems are all on carpet so I use wood risers in the two main systems.