The world's longest high-voltage cable. Wire and cable: interesting facts
We've written more than once that overly expensive HDMI, USB, optical and speaker cables, not to mention DisplayPort, DVI, Ethernet and VGA, are not worth the investment. But are there exceptions to this? general rule?
Debunking audiophile myths
For example, HDMI cables of the same length can cost anywhere from $1 to over $1000, but with digital signal transmission the user will not notice any difference, except in the very extreme case of buffer overflow in simultaneous streaming, where there will be a slight lag (but only with simultaneous playback - during normal file copying there will be no distortion and the user will not notice the 0.001 second delay due to multiple packet retransmissions). The same applies to USB cables, as well as all other connecting cables for digital signal transfer. Of course, cables for analog signals (for example, for connecting speakers) are more sensitive to quality, but even here there are samples with exorbitant prices, but with real characteristics at the level of middle-class models (in the analog world you can no longer get by with the cheapest products).
All this has been known for a long time and is applicable in 99% of cases, but there remains one more percentage, which we are going to discuss in this publication.
HDMI Note: Any HDMI cable will do the job, but to transfer 1080p moving images (such as from a Blu-ray player) or UltraHD 4K video, you need an HDMI cable labeled “High Speed.” There are no standard "4K HDMI" or "HDMI 2.0" cables, and if you find them on a store shelf, they are no better than regular High Speed HDMI cables. Likewise, there is no point in choosing the most expensive High Speed cable - they all have the same characteristics, regardless of price. The first exception to the general rule: in “gray” retail outlets There are common counterfeits on sale that simply do not correspond to their markings, so it is better to buy HDMI cables, as well as all other connecting cables, from well-known retail networks who must control the quality of goods sold. The second exception: there are so-called “active” cables on sale with a signal amplification chip before transmission. Such cables allow you to increase the length to 6 m or more, but require power supply from a connector (at least at one end). Sometimes, for installation in cavities with limited dimensions, “thin” or “flat” HDMI cables are required, which will cost a little more than usual, but here we can see with the naked eye what we are paying extra for.
USB(and equally cables Lightning): as in the case of HDMI, USB cables are ordinary conductors, the quality of which must meet the declared and expected characteristics of the cable. Believe me, a USB cable of any type is absolutely indifferent to what signal is transmitted - ordinary files Word documents or digital signals DAC (Digital Audio Converter, digital audio converter) with high resolution sound sampling. The exception for these cables will be the charging capability (function). Not all USB cables charge connected gadgets at the same speed (in technology they talk about the amount of charging current). As a rule, the manufacturer indicates the maximum charging current in amperes, the name and version of the specification, or otherwise, so you can always compare cables and choose the more expensive one for charging a tablet, although any of the “standard” USB cables will do for charging a smartphone. Let's repeat again: a more expensive USB to Lightning cable will not improve the sound quality, sharpen the image, or sharpen the sent photos.
Speaker cables(aka audio cables or analog cables): among audiophiles there is an opinion about a radical change in sound quality when replacing cables connecting sound speakers (speakers). Indeed, such cables are designed for transmitting analog signals, and this transmission to some extent depends on their quality.
The speakers, amplifier and cable form a single electrical circuit, the change in resistance and capacitance of which partly affects the interaction and consistency of the amplifier and speakers. Moreover, compliance with the manufacturer's requirements for the connecting cable will allow you to achieve the best sound. There is no point in spending hundreds of dollars on super-pupper audio cables when it is enough to accurately observe the linear impedance and linear capacitance. And there is no need to talk about the frequency range, pushing high-frequency components onto the surface of the conductor and other audiophile arguments, because in this case we are transmitting audio signals with a cutoff frequency of 20 kHz, so there is no point in providing here what is really necessary when transmitting HF signals and microwave.
The characteristics of the amplifier and speaker, along with their relative position, have a much greater impact on the quality of playback. However, let's not forget about the transmission of analog signals and choose an audio cable to connect the speakers, and not any other.
Optical cables: In our case, they will usually be used to send digital signals, such as PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) or Dolby Digital audio. Dolby Digital decoders (receivers) have an interesting design feature– they completely block (stop) data exchange if the communication quality is insufficient. The reason is simple: if one of the bits is incorrect or missing, the connection stops, since no one knows what will happen when the distorted digital signal and whether the equipment will be damaged. Conclusion: if a Dolby Digital signal is received at the other end of the communication line, then the optical cable is OK.
Some believe that the PCM signal is transmitted differently by different optical cables due to jitter, but here the digital-to-analog converter on the receiving side makes a much larger contribution.
Ethernet: Definitely Category 6/6a cables are better and more expensive than Category 5/5e cables. However, the cable category must correspond to the network category and network devices, although additional shielding of Category 6/6a cables does not affect the price too much, but it will make installation in premises somewhat more complicated.
DVI and DisplayPort: The digital portion of DVI is almost exactly the same as the HDMI cables discussed above. The same applies to DisplayPort cables that replace DVI.
VGA (RGB-15): no longer used in new devices, but still occurs when connecting ancient monitors. The analog nature of the transmitted signals imposes certain restrictions on the length of the cable, although the practical need to move the monitor at home very far from the computer system unit arises very rarely, if at all.
Power (electrical) power cables: must be suitable for the supplied current. All. There is not a single truly confirmed evidence of any influence of power cables on the operation of audio or video equipment in terms of the quality of reception and playback, including the transmission of signals between nodes.
So why buy an expensive cable, really? More expensive cables usually have a longer lifespan - it's hard to argue with that, so using cables with high protection from mechanical and electrical influence factors is mandatory for severe operating conditions: concert sound equipment, radio communication systems in industrial workshops, communication with street CCTV cameras, etc. At home, increasing the level of protection is not required; and cats that chew cables should be punished.
Using content from Cnet
It would seem that there is nothing interesting you can learn about a cable or wire, but don’t rush to talk like that. The interesting facts presented below may be of interest not only to industrialists or government officials. New technologies open up new opportunities in everyday life. So let's see what we have achieved in the field of production and application and wires.
The thickest cable in the world
Created by a corporation nkt cables marine three-core cable with a diameter of 0.27 meters. This thickness is not without reason: inside it there is a voltage of over two hundred and forty kilovolts. A wire laid on the seabed connects the power plant and the transformer unit. The cable length is more than twenty-four kilometers. It was developed and designed individually, since there was nothing like this in world energy practice before.
Quite far from the coast, in the open sea, there is a block of wind power plants. The electricity they generate can only be delivered to consumers in this way. For a number of reasons, it was impossible to locate a transformer step-down substation at the power plant itself or next to it.
Longest high voltage cable
The 580 km long cable route between Eemshaven (Netherlands) and Feda (Norway) is the longest of all. By cable " NorNed» it is possible to transmit electricity with a capacity of up to 700 MW. It is worth noting that this cable is also the longest underwater high voltage cable in the world. Cables and electrical converter substations located at the ends of the route were developed and supplied well-known company ABB Group.
NorNed is a high voltage (direct current) cable with paper insulation impregnated with a viscous non-drip compound. The complex design of twisted conductors, covered with conductive paper to smooth out irregularities and eliminate any local increase in field strength, is covered with a second layer of carbon metallized paper. The sealed lead plus polyethylene outer sheath provides reliable protection of the cable insulation from water and moisture. Two layers of steel wire armor and a layer of steel tape provide mechanical strength. To protect the cable from torque steel wires form a counter-spiral (overlapping in opposite directions). The outer layer is a polypropylene thread with bitumen filling - protecting the cable from corrosion.
This cable is manufactured in the form of six continuous (!) sections with a length of up to 154 km (in a single-core version) and up to 75 km (in a two-core flat version).
Longest superconducting cable
The LS Cable company (South Korea) is ready to produce a superconducting power cable that provides power transmission with a fivefold increase in its volume and a significant reduction in installation costs. 500 meters - this is the declared length of the line in the distribution high voltage system at 22.9 kV, 50 MVA. The owner is the electric power corporation KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation).
Heating cable
Although heating cables were produced individually earlier, however, in 1926, the Norwegian company Alcatel, now called Nexans, began serial production of heating cables. It is noteworthy that such a cable heating system for the main cathedral in Oslo served trouble-free for 62 years ( this is quality!). The cable was dismantled only because of the major renovation of the cathedral and the complete reconstruction of the floor, but then laboratory tests showed that the removed cable could last another 30-35 years!
The highest voltage line
One of the areas of unique high voltage line power transmission lines, called "Siberia-Center", - the Ekibastuz-Kokchetav route with a design voltage of 1150 kV. Although the current operating voltage of the line is 500 kV, the design value is not available to “competitors”. On a 432-kilometer-long section, there are supports approximately 45 meters high. The weight of line conductors reaches about 50 tons!
The throughput capacity of this power line reaches 5500 MW, which makes it a super-powerful energy bridge between the Ekibastuz energy hub and Siberian power plants to the industrial Urals. The total length of this power line (Barnaul - Ekibastuz - Kokchetav - Kustanai - Chelyabinsk) is 1900 km, a significant part is on the territory of Kazakhstan - 1400 km.
The thinnest UTP cable
A representative of the Nexans group of companies, the American Berk-Tek (in partnership with Ortronics/Legrand) announced the development of a new cable with unshielded twisted pairs, with an outer diameter of 0.3 inches or, in our opinion, 7.62 mm. Up to 100 meters in length, this cable (four twisted pairs and three monofilament elements creating a perfectly circular cross-section) will support the IEEE 10GBASE-T protocol. When reducing dimensions, they remain unchanged, as low level cross distortion from adjacent cables, as well as other characteristics characteristic of its predecessor - the LANmark-10G cable.
Saving space and simplifying installation are the main goals achieved by this cable - which is important for the data center, where 10 Gb cables are most often required. According to company representatives, a system with this cable will support 10 Gbit traffic for at least 25 years.
The thinnest conductor
It’s hard to even call it thick, because the diameter of this metal wire is less than 2 nanometers! Since 2003, Professor Yeom Han Won's team has been successfully working on the creation of ultra-thin wires. New technology will help create chips for processing data at high speeds.
The thinnestRF cable
So far in our country this champion is the RK 50-0.3-21 cable, which has an insulation diameter of 0.3 mm. It was developed in 1983 for computers at the OKB KP.
The lightest cable
The world leaders for their dimensions in the category of heat-resistant radio frequency coaxial cables are space cables RK50-3.7-41 with a weight of 40.3 g/m and RK-50-7-47, whose weight is 105 g/m. They were developed specifically for the Mir station, also at the KP Design Bureau. They also have other, also “champion” indicators - a range of operating temperatures (from -200 to +200C) and the lowest level of losses.
The most expensive Ethernet cable for 10 thousand dollars
As you know, hi-end equipment is very expensive big money. If we talk about devices for audiophiles, then the prices here are extremely high. And all because the developers of such devices play on the feelings of music lovers, creating very expensive super-quality gold-plated audio cables, glass speakers, “warm tube” amplifiers, and so on.
In some cases, the high price of such equipment is justified, but there are options where manufacturers are not entirely honest with the buyer, trying to sell at a high price something that simply cannot be worth that kind of money. An example is an Ethernet cable that costs $10,000 and is only 12 meters long. This cable, in particular, has both connectors and wire cores made of silver.
According to the developers, the high cost is due to the very high quality cable “tailored” for sound transmission.
- The advantages of the cable are the following:LED markers indicating the correct connection direction. It is clear that many music lovers may simply not be aware that Ethernet cables are bidirectional;
- The cable is protected from interference and uses a special shielded coating;
- This cable has very high-quality latches, as a result of which the wire will not fall out of the connector at the wrong time;
- Shielded cable protection protects against "slowing down parts of the signal that cause problems with multi-octave audio."
The most expensive HDMI cable
Wireworld has introduced the most expensive and at the same time the most advanced HDMI cable. The solution is a specially made wire, inside which there are special silver conductors, which are twice as many as in conventional solutions (24).
Platinum Starlight will support the highest possible data transfer rates without distortion or interference at speeds up to 21 Gbps. The cost of a 1-metro cable will be $1,000.
And of course, let’s not ignore cables for mobile devices. Among them you can now find very unusual options. Which many people may not have even heard of.
Auto Backup Cable
Innovator Kelly Sumner came up with the ingenious MEEM memory cable. This unique device is a charging cable that automatically backs up your device every time you plug it in to charge. While most charging cables provide the required amount of power to your device, the Mim memory cable solves the problem of saving all your data.
MEEM is designed with USB port and Apple or MicroUSB connector. Once connected to your device, this memory cable will start backing up data whether it is connected to a car charger, PC port, power adapter or power bank. This device gives peace of mind, because you know that all your data is safe, even if you are not connected to a computer.
Indestructible cable
These amazing cables will not only withstand being tied over and over again, but will even withstand a car or a saw. Titan Lightning Cable is manufactured using flexible, industrial-grade steel that is strong enough to win the title of "Earth's Strongest Cable."
The cable comes with a lifetime warranty, which means you'll never have to buy another cord to charge your mobile device. There will be no more situations when your pet chewed it, your child tore it, or it got worn out from use. Clad in two layers of unbreakable steel, these cables will never let you down. Quite a good option for long-term use.
UniversalUSBcable for connecting any devices -GoldX
Today, the USB interface supports two data transfer standards, as well as several types of connectors, which has led to the need to have a lot of wires on the table, and, accordingly, ports in the system. The universal GoldX cable will once and for all get rid of the problem of a lack of USB ports on the motherboard, as well as a tangle of wires on the desktop.
The main feature of the GoldX cable is the use of a special gold-plated Quickconnet connector on both ends of the wire, which can be connected to any of the five USB adapters included in the package, allowing you to create four basic cable configurations.
So, for example, you can connect one end of the wire to a standard USB port on a computer, and connect only the type of connector required for this device to the other, while all other connectors can be neatly stored in the miniature leather case included in the package. Or, you can connect the cable to two independent devices, the so-called USB Host. For example, you can connect a pocket computer to a telephone, digital camera or printer. Or, connect a digital photo or video camera to a printer, external hard drive, phone or PDA. In other words, you can connect a variety of devices with one cable.
Since progress does not stand still, we can say with confidence that we will soon see even more interesting things in cable products in various areas.
©Today we will tell you about the most expensive Hi-End audio equipment in the world. When we're talking about about a home sound system, many simply have simple combo speakers in their home, and with a poor sound quality flat screen TV, people feel rich spending about $200 on their modest upgrades. However, there are people in the world - billionaire audiophiles and audiophiles - who are willing to spend exorbitant sums on their home sound systems. Many of them claim that this good sound is priceless, but the rest of the people often scoff and wonder at these beautiful, expensive, and carefully designed audio masterpieces.
Without further ado, I present the TOP 13 most expensive audio equipment in the world!
Dynamikks Ultima! $350,000
This “epoch-of-cool” system has a unique shape, occupying an entire square meter and outputs between 150 hertz and 23 kilohertz.
Dynamikks was founded in 1993 in Germany, but the company continues to develop in accordance with new methods. This speaker has a slightly more classic look than some of the other speakers in this one!
ACAPELLA Audio Arts ‘Sphäron “Excalibur”: $380,000
Another German audio company, ACAPELLA Audio Arts has been offering its audio solutions since 1997. The Sphäron "Excalibur" speaker combines one complex system sound. 
This is a classic, horn speaker system that should be placed in a room over 40 square meters so that it properly creates a sound stage.
Player: AV Designhaus Derenville VPM 2010-1 - $600,000
This is a vinyl record player. Moreover, the best in the world. In 2011, at the Analog Forum, they announced that they had made the world's best turntable. However, it is difficult to disagree with them. The turntable has VPM 2010-1, by the way,
2 motors with a belt drive and frequency control, as well as a powerful Corian chassis, which weighs 60 kg on 4 support legs with air suspension, has laser adjustment of the toe angle and digital indicators. That's not all - the world's best turntable has an HD camera and screen to make sure everything is working perfectly, and a powerful remote control with a cool touch screen.
California Audio Technology (CAT) MBX with a $500,000 price tag
is world renowned for its ability to customize sound systems for any space, creating and designing sound system solutions for businesses and homes.
For this reason, it takes high place on our list, this custom system can be very expensive, over $14 million depending on. This system can include more than 100 subwoofers, 21 channels and more than 10 speakers per channel.
Cartridge: Koetsu Coralstone Platinum - $22,000
Any audiophile knows for sure that no matter how good and cool your vinyl player is, it needs to replace the complete pickup head.
And the Koetsu Coralstone Platinum is the best stylus for a record player. Its body is made entirely of coral, the needle holder is made of diamond, but the magnet is generally made of.
Kipnis’ Outer Limits Theater Priced at just $6 million
There are music lovers who love music, and there are those who love music, and there are audiophiles who love sound in movies.
Jeremy Kipnis is the creator of the world's most expensive home theater system. He made an 8.8 channel audio system and added shockers that create a realism effect on your buttocks and spine. This cinema will be cooler than the cinema in your city. Priced at only $6 million, this is the world's most expensive home system!
Amplifier: Pivetta Opera Only - $2,200,000
World-renowned industrial designer Andrea Pivetta set out to design the world's most ideal amplifier. The result was the Pivetta Opera Only amplifier.
Inside this monster, which by the way weighs one and a half tons, there are 6 transformers, the total power of which is 30 kW. However, as much as 12 is used as a cooling system. The output power of the Pivetta Opera Only amplifier is 80,000 watts per channel with the possibility of 2- and 6-channel connection. The use of aircraft aluminum, gold, and hand assembly was estimated at $2,200,000.
Moon Audio, Dark Star Opulence price $1,100,000
Only 10 pairs of this incredible system were made in an extremely limited edition in Florida by Moon Audio, putting them out of reach for music lovers. The system weighs about a ton.
Acoustics: Shape Audio Organic Harmony with a price of $7,000,000
Five-way active speakers with an omnidirectional pattern have a body plated with 18-karat gold, although they weigh only 215 kilograms.
These are not just expensive acoustics, these are true musical sculptures. By the way, the gold version is made in one!
Transmission Audio Ultimate - $2 Million
Moon Audio has excelled in the use of group driver acoustics, and these speakers have received numerous awards and recognition for their design and sound. Each column contains 40 speakers.
The system can produce very powerful sound with an output power of 31,000 watts. They also come with a 10-year . For all of you who are interested, the speaker system only costs $2 million.
Cables: Siltech Emperor Double Crown - $57,000
Siltech offers a definitive solution - the Emperor Double Crown cable, 2.5 meters long. Inside, the conductor material is pure single crystal + silver-gold alloy G7 + they control the structure of the conductor alloy, you won't believe it...at the atomic level.
As a result, the manufacturer Siltech claims that the level of distortion in these cables is reduced by as much as 30 times compared to cables from other companies. And over time, after warming up, the parameters of the Siltech Emperor Double Crown cable become noticeable.
Headphones Sennheiser Orpheus HE-1 -$66,000
The most expensive headphones in the world are Sennheiser Orpheus HE-1. New headphones that replaced their predecessors are the legendary HE90 model.
By the way, it took almost 10 years to develop new headphones. The Sennheiser Orpheus HE-1 design uses special gold-plated electrodes, a platinum diaphragm, and the headphone amplifier housing itself is finished.
Portable player: Astell&Kern AK240 - $2,000
Astell&Kern AK240 is not just a portable player, it is an excellent Hi-End audio system in a compact aluminum box.
This expensive player uses a dual mono circuit, as well as a separate one for each channel. You may ask, why all this? For wider range and soundstage.
For any questions, write to me by email. mail: [email protected] or VK
