But developing such a wire is a different proposition. Many audio companies do not even manufacture their own wire; packaging and marketing the products of others instead. As a primary maker of high-tech laminated conductors for industrial electronics applications, Alpha-Core was uniquely suited to transform the promising Goertz design into reality. Using the dielectrics Polyester Terapthalate and Teflon applied around each solid rectangular conductor, we achieved an extraordinarily thin profile between the two stacked wires. To provide maximum protection while maintaining thinness, the cable sandwich is then sheathed in tough, high grade polymer.

The result is a wire with a characteristic impedance that closely matches the impedance of loudspeakers. Alpha-Core's Goertz MI wire presents 2 to 4 ohms characteristic impedance as opposed to the 50 to 200 ohms presented by even the most expensive speaker cables. This correct electrical matching results in improved stereo imaging, better clarity, less high-frequency roll off and better low frequency definition.

Goertz Improves all Frequency Ranges:
LOW . . . MIDRANGE . . . HIGH
The degree of distortion along a loudspeaker cable depends on its resistance ( R ), inductance ( L ) and capacitance ( C ). Resistance is dependent on length and conductor cross section. A low resistance provides superior damping between the amplifier and the speaker diaphragm, governing its ability to convey a true, powerful bass and lower mid-range. A high cable inductance causes loss of signal strength towards the high end of the audible range (roll-off). It also causes frequency dependent phase-shift which disturbs true stereo imaging. The square root of the ratio L/C is termed Characteristic Impedance, and is a quality inherent in a cable, dependent on its geometry and materials, but not dependent on its length.

Goertz Virtually Eliminates Mismatch
The characteristic impedance of the Goertz MI cables in the order of 2 to 4 ohms closely matches the impedance of loudspeakers. Almost all other speaker cables have characteristic impedance ranging from 50 to 200 ohms, a mismatch which causes distortion due to signal reflections. Impedance matching primarily improves the clarity of the highs and upper mid-range, but many users have also experienced improvements in the lower mid-range. The cause seems to be that signal reflections caused by impedance mismatch enter the feedback loop of many amplifiers and disturb their ability to reproduce faithfully even lower frequency signals.

Thick on Benefits, Thin as a Penny
The low inductance and characteristic impedance of Goertz cables are due to their flat construction and the nature of their insulation and jacketing material. The configuration places the heavy, solid conductors only 0.003 inches apart. The cables are 0.4 or 0.8 inches wide, and only 0.04 inches thick. As thin as a penny.

Figure 4 illustrates comparative measurements using a 12 kHz square wave transmitted via (I) a 25 foot Goertz cable, and (II) a 25 foot speaker cable of conventional bi-wire construction, both driving a 4 ohms loudspeaker. The characteristic impedance of the two cables are (I) 4 ohms and (II) 100 ohms. (A) is the signal at the amplifier, and (S) is the signal at the speaker.