DIY Speaker Cables

EARGASM · « **on:** 12 Nov 2008, 08:23 pm »

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Voncarlos · « **Reply #1 on:** 12 Nov 2008, 08:47 pm »

I think this is indeed what the Paul Speltz Anti-Cables are. http://anticables.com/products.html
Your idea is much more easier on the audio budget! aa

EARGASM · « **Reply #2 on:** 12 Nov 2008, 09:09 pm »

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KS · « **Reply #3 on:** 12 Nov 2008, 09:26 pm »

One source for magnet wire
http://www.planetengineers.com/default.asp?cat=Wire%2C+Magnet

Nick77 · « **Reply #4 on:** 12 Nov 2008, 09:38 pm »

I am using Anti-cable speaker wire with my OB/7's and I also swear by them. I have found they yielded better bass and detail than my Canaire quad cables.

Danny Richie · « **Reply #5 on:** 12 Nov 2008, 09:38 pm »

I had some of the Mapleshade speaker cables in her once that were made this way. It was worse than anything I had in here at the time. Then again I didn't have any Home Depot zip cord in here either.

Okay Eric, I'll send you some real wire to play with.

EARGASM · « **Reply #6 on:** 12 Nov 2008, 11:59 pm »

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Voncarlos · « **Reply #7 on:** 13 Nov 2008, 02:10 am »

I've actually heard some very good things about the Anti-Cables. Speaker cables are very system dependent.
I think the best easy-tweek change one can do is at the source, and I will assume that most are using CDs, so I wonder how many folks are darkening the edges of their CDs. This tweek alone is like a big upgrade in power cables and it only costs the price of a "Black Sharpie"
We have a very small Audio Group here in Salt Lake that met at a "Home Dealer" to hear the new Focals, well, I ended up asking them if they did this to their CDs, I could tell the answer was "no" by the look on their faces. So the dealer went and got a Sharpie marker and blackened the edges of a Rickie Lee CD and popped it into the player; on the very first notes, their jaws literally dropped.
I find that I cannot listen to a CD without this treatment.
Just blacken the very outside edge and the inside area around the spindle. Here's a couple of pics to make it clear.

Now look, I definitely don't want to hijack this thread so if people want to reply, maybe we should start a new thread.

Midnite Mick · « **Reply #8 on:** 13 Nov 2008, 02:15 am »

Tried the magnet wire before. Didn't get what people liked about it....just seemed very plain and boring. To me it seemed to narrow the frequency response.

Regards,
Mike

Danny Richie · « **Reply #9 on:** 13 Nov 2008, 02:44 am »

I tried the Black pen thing and swore I could hear some differences, but couldn't go back and A/B it after the fact.

pbrstreetgang · « **Reply #10 on:** 13 Nov 2008, 03:43 am »

Green pens from michaels work best

Hank · « **Reply #11 on:** 13 Nov 2008, 05:46 pm »

Quote

I feel so... truncated....
I told you Danny would make fun of me.

Yep, I could have warned you: don't tell Danny that simple wire sounds good. He says he can hear the difference between copper and silver wire, no matter what configuration, and he hates the "sound" of silver.

Quote

Green pens from michaels work best

NO, not the Green Pen thing!! ARRRGGHH!! I thought it was dead, but here we are right after halloween and it has risen from the sinister snake oil grave!

mfsoa · « **Reply #12 on:** 13 Nov 2008, 05:50 pm »

Burn 2 discs and green/black pen one.

Big difference each time I've tried.

EARGASM · « **Reply #13 on:** 13 Nov 2008, 06:09 pm »

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Voncarlos · « **Reply #14 on:** 13 Nov 2008, 06:40 pm »

Quote from: Hank on 13 Nov 2008, 05:46 pm

Quote
I feel so... truncated....
I told you Danny would make fun of me.
Yep, I could have warned you: don't tell Danny that simple wire sounds good. He says he can hear the difference between copper and silver wire, no matter what configuration, and he hates the "sound" of silver.
Quote
Green pens from michaels work best
NO, not the Green Pen thing!! ARRRGGHH!! I thought it was dead, but here we are right after halloween and it has risen from the sinister snake oil grave!

I've been into higher end audio since 1973, and I grew up with my Dad being into Heathkit. I can remember people saying there's no difference between speaker cables, "just buy some lamp cord"; "why would you want to keep that old tube stuff". Oh, and lets not even mention power cords!

EARGASM · « **Reply #15 on:** 13 Nov 2008, 06:49 pm »

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corndog71 · « **Reply #16 on:** 13 Nov 2008, 09:24 pm »

I've been using homegrownaudio copper and silver for interconnects for years. I have never felt their silver to be too bright or dry sounding. My favorite speaker cables have been the copper Kimber 4TC and 8TC. I tweaked my 8TC a bit to improve it even more.

There may be better cables out there. But these have been my reference for years.

nrenter · « **Reply #17 on:** 13 Nov 2008, 11:14 pm »

My favorite DIY speaker cables are twisted (not braided) teflon CAT-5 cable. I have an old thread about this over at AudioAsylum.

Make a set of these, then have them cryo'ed. and you'll be in for a treat.

Voncarlos · « **Reply #18 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 02:46 am »

Quote from: corndog71 on 13 Nov 2008, 09:24 pm

I've been using homegrownaudio copper and silver for interconnects for years. I have never felt their silver to be too bright or dry sounding. My favorite speaker cables have been the copper Kimber 4TC and 8TC. I tweaked my 8TC a bit to improve it even more.

There may be better cables out there. But these have been my reference for years.

I have some Anniversary 8TC unused and was thinking about auditioning them with the OB-5s. What is the tweak?

S Clark · « **Reply #19 on:** 14 Nov 2008, 02:59 am »

Quote from: EARGASM on 13 Nov 2008, 06:49 pm

Here's the thing, GR speakers are near dead flat, which is cool. If Danny says these cables are the way, who am I to argue? To hear his version is why we buy, no?

The thing is, Danny's hearing is waaaayyyyyy better than mine. What makes sense for him, doesn't necessarily make sense for me. I've been listening to several types of wires, and really can't say that I prefer one over another.