high quality power cables and the skin effect

[gbono]

Mmmmm, maybe you haven't dissected any consumer/computer electronics lately?

[rowdy_riemer]

Mmmmm, maybe you haven't dissected any consumer/computer electronics lately?

Well, honestly, I haven't too recently. However, I have disected quite a few consumer/computer electronics, and I've yet to run into any shielded power cables. I've seen shielding in other stuff, but not power cables.

[mandu]

Shielded mains cables are used in Industrial and hospital environments to prevent interference from mains into the equipment. These equipment usually measure in micro volts of some thing and very suseptable to mains noise. The screen does not help if teh grounding is noisy. They also use clean earth which is separate from electrical earth.
These equipment also have line filters to filter wide band noise.

The skin effect always exists, but very very negligible at mains frequencey. The higher frequency you go, the current at the center compared to the outer conductor goes towards zero. The dead area also increase with frequency. This increases the effective ac resistance (impedance) of the cable. In practice, they use tubular conductors for high frequency or use litz wire for smallar currents- many fine strands of thin wire insulated from each to improve effective current.

There is no need for these cables in guitar amps, unless it is a marketting hype.
Good grounding methods are just what is required.


regards,
mandu