Speaker Cable

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hamisht

389 posts

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#36115 19-Jun-2009 12:51

hello,

So searching the internet provides heaps of comments that you dont need to pay for 'Monster' price speaker cables, as they all do the same thing. I am using just regular Warehouse ($10) type speaker cables for my 7 speakers. I do want to try out something a bit bigger and thicker, to see if does make a difference for me.

What type would you guys recommend without busting the bank. Its a small lounge, maybe 4m x 5m.

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#226681 19-Jun-2009 13:27

What sort of system do you have and what sort of outcome are you hoping to achieve?, (ie what's the problem with your existing setup?)

hamisht

389 posts

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#226685 19-Jun-2009 13:41

Onkyo 605 amp and Yamaha Speakers, DTS HD MA etc playback. Hoping to achieve a better, sharper sound. No problems with existing setup, but you cant tell if theres a difference untill I try it out with different cables.

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DoggNZ

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#226696 19-Jun-2009 13:59

Grab that oxygen free stuff that DSE sell

AndrewTD

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#226701 19-Jun-2009 14:10

hamisht: hello,
So searching the internet provides heaps of comments that you dont need to pay for 'Monster' price speaker cables, as they all do the same thing. ....

I wonder whether you're getting a bit confused with general opinion, expressed on "the net" & elsewehere, that you don't benefit from paying for high-price digital cables - e.g. HDMI cables.

I believe that the gereneal consensus is that there is still a great deal of quality difference between "entry-level" (cheap) & "high-end" (expensive) analog cables - such as VGA and speaker cables.

I have used a variety of mid to higher (not highest) range speaker cables over the years, and I do feel I get a fuller, crisper sound with the better cables.
Having appropriate end-connectors and well constructed cable is also important, and wiring them up with the connect polarity.

I doubt many "normal / average" people can really hear the difference between mid-range cost cables and very high-end speaker cables.
Of course it depends on many factors: av componets used, speakers, interconnect cables, room layout, your own hearing ability, etc.

I like to use nice thick oxygen-free cables.
Why not try some moderate price ones first. See if you can hear the difference. You probably will - at least to a certain extent.
Don't break the bank on it though.
AV setups are a never-ending upgrade option fest. I find a blanaced approach is the best way to go. No point in spending thousands, or even many hundreds, on speaker cables to only connect with low cost speakers; or if you have the whole lot driven by an underperforming amp. Equally, you would be loosing the benefit of mid cost-range speakers if you use thin speaker cables.

Good Luck & happy listening :)

kind regards Andrew TD

hamisht

389 posts

Ultimate Geek

#226706 19-Jun-2009 14:47

cheers thanks, ill try out that 'Oxygen-free' Cables and hear what happens

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richms

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#226776 19-Jun-2009 17:20

All cables are oxygen free - whoever came up with that name was a genius marketeer - May as well sell the cables as potato free and caffeine free since its also true. - well that is unless you are in the habit of buying cables covered in corrosion... The standard for oxygen free is so generous that any copper falls into it other then crap so bad that you couldn't make a wire out of it because it was so brittle.

Also there is no point getting cables that are too thick to terminate in your terminals, you are usually better off crimping some good ring or spade terminals on and using those then stuffing wires into the flimsy plastic binding post that most amps give you. Same for speakers with plastic binding posts. Blame europe for that crap.

Richard rich.ms

Ragnor

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#226838 19-Jun-2009 20:01

I saw a recent test where they compared a coat hanger to a monster cable and people couldn't tell the difference in blind tests lol.

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hamisht

389 posts

Ultimate Geek

#226840 19-Jun-2009 20:02

wow thats awesome if its true

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Mad Scientist
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#226844 19-Jun-2009 20:11

there are some 16 gauge speaker cables in bunnings warehouse for $2.85 a metre. or 14 gauge on trademe for $2.40 a metre.

essentially you want fat cable. all the cable does is allow electrons to flow. you want minimal resistance - the bigger the surface area (the smaller the gauge - aim between 14-16g) the better. the longer the cable the more resistance the fatter the cable you want.

use the 14g or 16g for your entire setup is fine. that's because the main speakers are your fronts and center which shouldnt need long cables. teh surrounds dont make that much important sounds, noises are all you really need so if they're long cables so what.

bazzer

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#226881 19-Jun-2009 22:18

I've used this, which seems OK. It's 4 core, so you can bi-wire/bi-amp if you want, or just double up the runs to reduce the AWG.

Disrespective

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#226883 19-Jun-2009 22:20

joker97: there are some 16 gauge speaker cables in bunnings warehouse for $2.85 a metre. or 14 gauge on trademe for $2.40 a metre.

essentially you want fat cable. all the cable does is allow electrons to flow. you want minimal resistance - the bigger the surface area (the smaller the gauge - aim between 14-16g) the better. the longer the cable the more resistance the fatter the cable you want.

use the 14g or 16g for your entire setup is fine. that's because the main speakers are your fronts and center which shouldnt need long cables. teh surrounds dont make that much important sounds, noises are all you really need so if they're long cables so what.

What he said.

jonathan18

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#226941 20-Jun-2009 04:32

Hey there

I asked a similar question here: http://audioenz.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=7932&highlight=cable+jonathan

I was kindly given some left-over of the cable recommended in that thread (Canare Starquad), so didn't have to buy any. However, I had found a source at a good price - Sandman quoted $4.65/m for 4x16 AUG or $8.65/m for 4x14 AUG. Contact there was tim@sandman.co.nz - unsure of the model number of each of those but just check out the Canare website.

This is pretty good quality cable at an excellent price - not the bargains of the long rolls from Jaycar etc, but way more reasonable than any "brand" cable. You could even consider running decent cabling to your front three speakers only, to keep prices down (the bonus being these cables are usually short-run as they're typically close to the amp) - could always go for a decent-thickness but cheaper alternative for the rears.

kiwitrc

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#226943 20-Jun-2009 06:18

Ragnor: I saw a recent test where they compared a coat hanger to a monster cable and people couldn't tell the difference in blind tests lol.

We tested some interconnect cable for a company a few years ago (the stuff between the source and the amp) and gave them the figures (freq response etc) they were selling it to the HIFI market as a top end interconnect and is well known. The lab techs then did the same tests on a piece of tru rip electrical cable and it performed better than the "high end" stuff that sold for hundreds of dollars. LOL.

smarsden

118 posts

Master Geek

#226962 20-Jun-2009 09:47

joker97: there are some 16 gauge speaker cables in bunnings warehouse for $2.85 a metre. or 14 gauge on trademe for $2.40 a metre.

essentially you want fat cable. all the cable does is allow electrons to flow. you want minimal resistance - the bigger the surface area (the smaller the gauge - aim between 14-16g) the better. the longer the cable the more resistance the fatter the cable you want.

use the 14g or 16g for your entire setup is fine. that's because the main speakers are your fronts and center which shouldnt need long cables. teh surrounds dont make that much important sounds, noises are all you really need so if they're long cables so what.

This is all you need to know, very neatly summarised.

From my research for my setup, I found the following website a very interesting read http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm, especially the table on maximum wire lengths, which tells you the gauge of wire you need depending on how long a run you're doing and the ohm rating of your speakers. Look further down the page though for details of a misleading wire demonstration that Monster did once - classic!

This article on Wikipedia explains the technical properties of cable, for those interested too.

I ended up using this from DSE, to all speakers, based on the fact that my longest speaker run is about 10m, so something reasonably thick (low gauge) was needed.

meesham

973 posts

Ultimate Geek

#226979 20-Jun-2009 11:50

Ragnor: I saw a recent test where they compared a coat hanger to a monster cable and people couldn't tell the difference in blind tests lol.

Monster are also a very unethical company who likes to sue other companies with 'Monster' in their name and fake performance tests.

But it's nice when it goes wrong for them.

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