Polk Cobra - Amplifier Compatibity

Polk Cobra-Amplifier Compatibility

This table lists amplifiers by Technology/Brand based on compatibility with Polk Cobra speaker cables.

No

Type/Brand

Yes/No

Comments

1

Tube OTL

Yes

 

2

Tube Single Ended

Yes

 

3

Tube Push-Pull

Yes

 

4

Solid State Class A (NFB)

Yes

5

Solid State Class A

Yes

 Krell & Firstwatt

6

Solid State Class AB (80's onwards)

Yes

Tread carefully!

7

Solid State Class AB (pre 80)

?

Tread carefully!

8

Early Naim, Threshold Stasis, LFD, NVA and similar designs without adequate output protection.

No

High capacitance or low inductance may cause HF oscillations

Table 1: Amplifier Compatibility

This is a partial list of amplifiers that my friends and customers have used safely with excellent results with Polk Cobra Cables . Please refer to the post titled “Amplifiers I have used with Polk Cobra” for complete list of my own amplifiers.

Technology

Brand/model

Speakers

Tube OTL

Berning ZOTL

Tekton

 

Atmas-fera OTL

Apogee Grand Duetta Sig

 

Luxman MQ 36

Rogers LS3/5-15 Ω (6 Parallel)

Tube SE

Melody (EL34)

Signet 280

 

Custom 300B

 

 

Line Magnetic 518-IA

 

 

Decware SE84 UFO

Spatial M3 Turbo (6 parallel)

Tube PP

McIntosh MC30

Spatial M3 Turbo (6 parallel)

 

Quicksilver Mono

 

Solid State

Plinius Power (125)

 

 

Krell Power (350MC)

Revel Ultima Salon 2

Solid State

Symphonic Line RG7 power amp

Viking Acoustics Tube Master

 



 



Table 2 Partial list of amplifiers used by my friends and customers.

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Thank you for taking time to share your experience and comments. Appreciate it.

Popular posts from this blog

Polk Cobra Speaker Cable User Guide (Updated August 2021)

Introduction: These cables are rather special because of the design and manufacturing method that is unlikely to be replicated. ·          So called ‘Litz” speaker cables are easy to find. But unlike some so-called ‘Litz’ cables, Cobra is a true ‘Litz cable’ (not just Litz woven cable). The positive and negative strands are braided together without any Teflon (or similar) insulators. The individual strands are electrically isolated only by enamel (magnet wire or Litz wire). ·          The enameling process is world-class. There is no oxidation almost 40 years after manufacture! ·          A single run of Cobra contains 144 woven strands, 72 strands each for positive and negative! ·          The strands are made of extremely thin high purity copper. This seems contrary to what a speaker cable should be (more suitable for interconnects if one really thinks about it). They look thick due to the enamel. ·          One of the weaknesses (in my humble opinion) of the Cobra desi
Read more

Three Types of Cobra Cables (that I know of) updated 4/Sep/2021

Image
Three versions of Polk/Monitor Cobra cables The following table summarizes physical and electrical properties of the three versions of Polk Audio, Monitor Audio branded and non-branded (SHF-SP/Super Speaker Cables). Photo 1 : At the Top Monitor Audio (flat ribbon), middle Oval (like USB type C) and bottom Round (Polk Audio) versions.    Names/Labels Polk Audio Cobra or None Monitor Audio Super or None SHF SP Super Speaker or None Picture Photo 1- bottom Photo 1-top Photo 1- middle Cross section Round Flat ribbon Oval (like USB Type C) Sectional diagram Fig 1 Fig 2 Fig 3 Dimensions (mm) (Outer) Diameter 7.3 mm 11 x 2.2 mm 9.8 x 3.2 mm No of strands 12x6 (72) Copper and 12x6 (72) Green Damper Black foam or Clear Silicone rubber
Read more

Polk Cobra, the amplifier killer? Part 1 (updated Mar 2022)

Image
 Oh my, these Cobras can kill! I just typed 'Polk Cobra Speaker cables' in my google search (31/1/2021) and the got the following results in order of ranking. Arthur Salvatore's high-endaudio blog followed by two (eBay/hifishark) ads and the fourth result was "I hooked up the dreade d Polk Cobra Cables" (my emphasis). Forum comments on Polk Cobra cables are replete with phrases like "amplifier killer", "only suitable for Tube amplifier", "fries your SS amplifier", "be warned", "high capacitance" etc. I will try to debunk this myth that the high capacitance of these cables caused all those failures. I write this post with a foreboding that I am going to get flamed by some 'Polk Cobra experts' and past users. Well, bring it on, my Hifi-Brothers. Cobras did not kill my SS amplifiers, even six of them together! When I got my first 25ft pair of Monitor Audio Super Speaker cables (Polk Cobra, UK version), I was
Read more