What you use for hook-up wire

Mariusz · « **on:** 29 Dec 2008, 06:55 pm »

What brand are you guys using to wire your SD speakers??
Do you use binding posts or hardwire?

Thanks
Mariusz

macrojack · « **Reply #1 on:** 29 Dec 2008, 07:39 pm »

I am not SD by strict definition but all four of my drivers have their own dedicated amplifier channel in a bi-amp setup. I use this wire: http://www.madisound.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=117_122&products_id=1252 .......and like it very much.

richidoo · « **Reply #2 on:** 29 Dec 2008, 08:19 pm »

I have been using this RCA 14ga OFC on midfi and diy projects for years with good results. It feeds my Feastrex single driver very well, I feel no need to look for something better. It is cheap by has great clarity and strong bass. I used to buy it at Home Depot on 100ft spool, not sure if they still sell it, but it's at Amazon now:
http://www.amazon.com/RCA-DT50SW4-Digital-Speaker-14AWG/dp/B00008X5E5

I would like to compare it to JPS' cheapest Ultraconductor2.

My single driver speakers have finger lugs right on the driver so I run the SC in thru a port. Otherwise I use DIYCable Exodus posts or WBT midline for fancy stuff.

DaveC113 · « **Reply #3 on:** 29 Dec 2008, 10:05 pm »

I use 18g stranded mil spec (silver plated copper w/ teflon dialectric) wire, and twist it into a star quad with a drill. A pair of speaker wires costs about $15 using eight 10' lengths of wire. I used this wire to wire up my tube amp as well. I see the main advantages (over standard copper/pvc) being the silver will keep the copper from corroding, and you don't have to worry about the soldering iron melting the teflon. It also twists into a star quad easily, it's bendable but retains its shape when bent, which is nice. Check ebay or google to find a vendor, I used ebay.

zybar · « **Reply #4 on:** 29 Dec 2008, 10:10 pm »

Quote from: Mariusz on 29 Dec 2008, 06:55 pm

What brand are you guys using to wire your SD speakers??
Do you use binding posts or hardwire?

Thanks
Mariusz

Gregg Straley Reality speaker cables.

If you want to go even cheaper, Bluejeancable Belden 10 gauge wire.

George

face · « **Reply #5 on:** 29 Dec 2008, 10:16 pm »

Neotech solid core with Teflon jacket.

rodge827 · « **Reply #6 on:** 30 Dec 2008, 02:04 am »

Crimson Music Link with Eichman Bullet Plugs from Austin Hifi. A Great cable

http://www.austinhifi.com/navigation%20page.html

Mariusz · « **Reply #7 on:** 30 Dec 2008, 02:43 am »

Interesting cooking recipes.............anyone used LAT before?Link here

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #8 on:** 30 Dec 2008, 02:56 am »

Solid core single stranded Plenum coated CAT 5.

Chops · « **Reply #9 on:** 30 Dec 2008, 04:26 am »

Twisted pair of 19awg solid core. Oh yeah, and alligator test leads from the BSC circuit to the drivers.

Mariusz · « **Reply #10 on:** 30 Dec 2008, 06:27 pm »

I see that no two members use the same wire..................so what made you decide to choose wire A instead of wire B?
..............and I see that few.....very few, hard wire drivers directly to amp.
IMPO - why bother with any wire brand or specific metals (cooper, silver, hybrids, gold) if you are going to use cheap binding post made out of completely different metals, which add nothing to the performance/quality............
Doesn't the direct connection between drivers and amps provide the simplest, cleaner and the most logical way?
I mean for DIY-ers it is no brainer.........I guess. But you still see few odd balls from time to time.
Personally, I do not get it.

P.S
Thanks for your recommendations.

Few of those however are very, very pricey.

Did anyone compare different speaker-hook-up wires? If so, what are your thoughts?

Mariusz

SET Man · « **Reply #11 on:** 30 Dec 2008, 07:09 pm »

Hey!

I used simple Kimber Kable 16ga hook up wire lightly twisted together in my speaker.

Why? Well, I was using Kimber speaker cable back than and it was cheap and easy to get back than in '02 when I was building my speaker.

But if I had to do it again I might try some good long crystal solid core 21g-18ga wire instead. Pretty much like what I'm using now for my homemade speaker cable of which are 4 conductors of 21ga per polarity (about 15ga total) in teflon tubes braided together.

Sadly these raw wire I'm using right now are now hard to get and cost a lot more now these days

Also, yes I've been toying about solder speaker cable directly to my speaker but when I think about moving them it could be a pain so I haven't done so yet.

Take care,
Buddy

planet10 · « **Reply #12 on:** 30 Dec 2008, 08:35 pm »

Quote from: Wind Chaser on 30 Dec 2008, 02:56 am

Solid core single stranded Plenum coated CAT 5.

A pair of single strands as above. Cryo-treated.

dave

JLM · « **Reply #13 on:** 9 Jan 2009, 04:58 pm »

Over the past 10 years I've gone from Kimber Kable PBJ ($70) to single pair multi-strand CAT5 ($10 + sweat, better resolution) to cyro'd single pair single-strand plenum rated CAT5 ($20 group buy, better resolution, more bass), to Element Cable Twisted Pair ($140, slightly better resolution and significantly more bass) in my main system. The improved bass response was important as I moved to speakers with more bass extension and away from a separate subwoofer.

The Kimble Kables are now used in my living room audio system (that has decent bass) and the cyro'd single pair single-strand plenum rated CAT5 is used in my HT system in the family room.

The heavier gauge supports more deeper bass.

I'm too old school to spend much more on wiring, supports, etc.

Mariusz · « **Reply #14 on:** 9 Jan 2009, 05:27 pm »

Now - how does this sound: 3 twisted 24ga (same brand LAT) wires for 8" full range driver. I know someone who use single 20ga wire for the same driver. I was also told that 20ga wire is not best suited for this driver ( Planet10 hifi modified Fostex).
Any thoughts??????

Thanks
Mariusz

boead · « **Reply #15 on:** 16 Jan 2009, 02:54 am »

Quote from: Wind Chaser on 30 Dec 2008, 02:56 am

Solid core single stranded Plenum coated CAT 5.

I had good luck with Cat5e too. I went on a year long wire buying journey some time ago on the internet. I bought all sorts of wire to go between a Decware Custom Select SET and pair of Klipsch and Parker Audio 95 sigs.

One thing I learned was that no two pieces of wire sound the same regardless how similar they are constructed. Belden sounded good, Cat5 Plenum was good in braids. I settled on some nice magnetic Litz Type4 nylon served in a light Dielectric. Bested retail cables in the $750 range but still the wire wasn't cheap even as old NASA surplus.

The sold silver stuff I tried was too hard sounding for my taste.
The regular copper zip cord was the worst (Monster Cable, Home Depot wire, RadioShack, wherever), muddy, slurry, tubby.

These are some old photos.

Litz Wire

http://1n34a.com/wire.htm

http://www.litz-wire.com/applications.html

boead · « **Reply #16 on:** 16 Jan 2009, 04:05 am »

.. OK my mistake so now how can I delete this empty post?

What you use for hook-up wire

Mariusz

What you use for hook-up wire

macrojack

Re: What you use for hook-up wire

richidoo

Re: What you use for hook-up wire

DaveC113

Re: What you use for hook-up wire

zybar

Re: What you use for hook-up wire

face

Re: What you use for hook-up wire

rodge827

Re: What you use for hook-up wire

Mariusz

Re: What you use for hook-up wire

Wind Chaser

Re: What you use for hook-up wire

Chops

Re: What you use for hook-up wire

Mariusz

Re: What you use for hook-up wire

SET Man

Re: What you use for hook-up wire

planet10

Re: What you use for hook-up wire

JLM

Re: What you use for hook-up wire

Mariusz

Re: What you use for hook-up wire

boead

Re: What you use for hook-up wire

boead

Re: What you use for hook-up wire