Speaker Cables

Antman27 · « **on:** 5 Jul 2006, 02:15 am »

Hello all ,I know there is much debate on speaker cables but I will ask again .
I now have a Denon 3805 AVR with Paradigm 40s V.3 speakers & I want to bring the lows to life.I now use SJ(power cord) as speaker cable.
I am looking into trying
VooDoo Opus 2
Kimber 8VS
Alpha Core MI-2 Veracity
Any thoughts or experience with thees cables ?
Where can I buy Kimber 8VS online in US ?

arthurs · « **Reply #1 on:** 5 Jul 2006, 03:29 am »

gregg straley reality cables will get you what you need.....

kfr01 · « **Reply #2 on:** 5 Jul 2006, 03:53 am »

You want to bring low's to life with new speaker cables?

I don't get it.

If your goal is to increase your low frequency response why not:
a) try some room treatment
b) try some new speakers
c) try a subwoofer
d) try some eq in the bass region.

All and any of these will actually have a measured effect on your low frequency sounds. Using new speaker cables in an attempt to "bring low's to life" - I can't even think of a good analogy here... maybe fixing a broken leg by purchasing a new pair of pants.

Danny Richie · « **Reply #3 on:** 5 Jul 2006, 05:24 pm »

I can't tell you what will be best for your application and ears, but I am now using Gregg Straley's Reality speaker cables in my system too, and I like them.

Frihed91 · « **Reply #4 on:** 8 Jul 2006, 08:20 am »

I have used it. For the money, it is a great cable. Neutral and detailed. You can buy it at www.fatwyre.com.

If you want to make a more serious investment and get a warmer sounding cable, too, the Audio Note Lexus LX is a beautiful sounding cable that you can buy in the US for $750 for 3 M, but costs twice that in the EU. The best cable I have heard for the money, period, is the Audience AU-24, although it is more neutral than warm. I have heard others that cost much more, but i can't hear the sonic bnefits from them. Many can.

marvda1 · « **Reply #5 on:** 8 Jul 2006, 09:12 am »

at a small gathering we compared audience au-24 to straley reality cables and could not discern much of a difference. so figure $225 (straley) vs. ($800+), which cable do you think won out.

JLM · « **Reply #6 on:** 8 Jul 2006, 10:24 am »

You guys need to do a reality check. I'm sure those cables are good, but way out of line price/quality wise compared to the receiver/speakers Antman27 referenced.

Antman27, you'll get maximum bass with speaker cables of at least 18 gauge (standard way to measure wire size, the smaller the number, the bigger the wire). There's not much else cables can do for you in regards to bass output. Other design or materials won't help.

For your equipment I'd look at something like Signal Cable or Element Cable. They both simply follow Audio Aslym's John Risch's DIY recipe. I own Element Cable interconnects and speaker cables and they're plenty good for your stuff (not a slam, I'm just not a wire/tweak nut). Look at ecoustics.com for reviews. Check audiogon.com for used. Can't recall the site(s), but there's at least one place that specializes in used audio wire. Cables are pretty a safe to buy used.

There's a lot of snake oil in audio wire. Yes, I've heard the difference in thousand dollar speaker cables and I'll never go back to zip cord (yeah I'm that old

), but it's mostly a matter of trade-offs and until you reach the pinnacle of audiodom the money is better invested in room treatments and better equipment.

Gordy · « **Reply #7 on:** 8 Jul 2006, 01:03 pm »

Quote from: Frihed91 on 8 Jul 2006, 08:20 am

You can buy it at www.fatwyre.com.

Fatwyre/The Cable Co. is a great source for cables, as is A'gon! Buy used!!! One thing to keep in mind with both the Kimber and the Alpha Cores is that they're both very high capacitance and will not play well with amps that are chip based and possibly others as well.

kfr01 · « **Reply #8 on:** 8 Jul 2006, 04:04 pm »

Quote from: JLM on 8 Jul 2006, 10:24 am

You guys need to do a reality check. I'm sure those cables are good, but way out of line price/quality wise compared to the receiver/speakers Antman27 referenced.

Antman27, you'll get maximum bass with speaker cables of at least 18 gauge (standard way to measure wire size, the smaller the number, the bigger the wire). There's not much else cables can do for you in regards to bass output. Other design or materials won't help.

...

There's a lot of snake oil in audio wire. Yes, I've heard the difference in thousand dollar speaker cables and I'll never go back to zip cord (yeah I'm that old ), but it's mostly a matter of trade-offs and until you reach the pinnacle of audiodom the money is better invested in room treatments and better equipment.

Well said, JLM.

Antman: Have you tried some raw / diy cable from bluejeanscable.com or diycable.com...?

eric the red · « **Reply #9 on:** 8 Jul 2006, 04:12 pm »

Second the unterminated Belden Blue Jean Cable wire. You can pick up an 16 feet of 10 gauge Belden unterminated wire for $13 bucks including shipping. http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/speaker/index.htm

Stick on some of DIY's expanding bananas on sale for $4.48 a pair and you've got a nice set of speaker cables for about $30.00
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=28592.0

Antman27 · « **Reply #10 on:** 12 Jul 2006, 08:23 pm »

Thanks all - I am torn
I now use SJ 12 gauge power cord .
I was leaning twards the Kimber Kables Or the Goertz MI 2 Veracity
I was told by a salesman " If I do not upgrade I will not hear all of the music"
Now I am just more confused
Also Will a True Bi-wire help
Dont know if I should take the plunge But I do feal I am not getting the most out of my moradite system

markC · « **Reply #11 on:** 12 Jul 2006, 08:49 pm »

Try some teflon coated silver over copper wire, (about 75 cents a foot for 14 gauge). Buy enough to run 2 pair to each speak to bi-wire. Twist each pair of pos. and neg. together and run the bi-wire pair separately to your speaks. If you like the sound, buy some more and double up on the bass wire. When your satisfied with the results cover them with tech flex and terminate them, (or not), and you'll have a decent set of speaker cables at a moderate cost. I have had this set up in my rig for over 2 years now and have no desire to change them. There are a lot more tweaks/changes/upgrades that will have a greater impact on your system than speaker cable in my opinion.

mca · « **Reply #12 on:** 12 Jul 2006, 10:15 pm »

Quote

Try some teflon coated silver over copper wire

Where do you get this?

warnerwh · « **Reply #13 on:** 12 Jul 2006, 11:07 pm »

I got mine from Ebay. He has various colors of insulation and gauge. He'll also sell you just what you want.

When you twist it just use a drill while keeping it tight.

Gordy · « **Reply #14 on:** 12 Jul 2006, 11:23 pm »

Apexjr. carries the teflon jacketed silver plated copper wire at various AWG's and twisted pairs. http://www.apexjr.com/wire.html

95bcwh · « **Reply #15 on:** 13 Jul 2006, 02:10 am »

Folks,
Sorry to ask this ignorance question. If I take two wires and twist them together. Will it sound better than zipcord, where the two wires are simply glued together parallelly?

Thanks
barry

JLM · « **Reply #16 on:** 13 Jul 2006, 08:55 am »

Barry,

That's a two part question:

1. There is a difference in sound qualities between different wires used for speaker cables. Certainly zip cord is one of the cheapest, but for all but the most basic systems you should move up. CAT5 computer cables are remarkably good, CAT6 is better. For best bass performance though use at least 18 gauge (smaller the gauge the bigger) wire. There's much snake oil in audio wiring. I've heard the differences in $1000 speaker cables, but IMO most of that money would be better invested elsewhere.

2. Twisting the cables reducing the inductance (the phenomemon of electrical signal bleeding over from one nearby conducting object to another) between parallel wires. This same concept is recommended between any two wires. Best to have them cross at 90 degree angles.

Antman27 · « **Reply #17 on:** 13 Jul 2006, 03:31 pm »

Whatever choice I make in cables -should I Bi-wire ? Will a true Bi-wire have much benifits over a internal Bi-wire Or just just use single cables with the speakers jumpers ?
Thanks again All~

Antman27 · « **Reply #18 on:** 13 Jul 2006, 03:48 pm »

Hey any thoughts on Better cables Silver Serpent spkr cables ?

jneutron · « **Reply #19 on:** 13 Jul 2006, 06:00 pm »

Quote from: JLM on 13 Jul 2006, 08:55 am

Barry,
Twisting the cables reducing the inductance (the phenomemon of electrical signal bleeding over from one nearby conducting object to another) between parallel wires.

No. The only way to reduce the inductance is to reduce the distance between the wires. If twisting does not accomplish this, it will not reduce the inductance.

John