Basic Questions on Speaker Wires

[Hipper]

You can also buy flat cables that can go under carpet.

 

[MZKM]

I'm not seeing that, unless you're talking for a few feet. Looks like 14 gauge OFC is ~40c/ft vs ~15c/ft CCA. For 100 feet an equivalent one of the same brand but OFC is $40, vs $15 for the CCA.

I see one on Amazon for $26, but it’s got no PVC jacket.

 

[Sal1950]

This is what I'm running here in 12g OFC, some very nice pure copper heavy dual strand wire.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/25-feet-OF...185185?hash=item41f854dc21:g:KOEAAOSwxCxT6loD

If your going really long or just want the piece of mind they now offer their TRUE 10g wire and even 8g, if I was doing mine over I'd get this now.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/25-ft-TRUE...279385?hash=item3f6a6a1f59:g:LzwAAOSwMgdX0H8a

https://www.ebay.com/itm/25-feet-OF...318859?hash=item3f7d7d898b:g:5tIAAOSwwNVTsfQv

Check around the Sky High store on ebay for the best pricing on the gauge and length you need.

 

[zelig]

I see one on Amazon for $26, but it’s got no PVC jacket.

This is the cheapest I can find...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07BBS561C

 

[bigjacko]

For copper and CCA, regarding sound quality, isn't resistance the only difference? So given that CCA wire is wider than copper result in same resistance, would there be no any change in sound quality?

 

[SKBubba]

Having refurbed a couple of pairs of speaker and seeing the hookup wire inside, it makes me wonder about the need for my 12 ga. and 14 ga. speaker wire.

 

[Sal1950]

Having refurbed a couple of pairs of speaker and seeing the hookup wire inside, it makes me wonder about the need for my 12 ga. and 14 ga. speaker wire.

It's all a matter of distance. that 12" of thin wire inside your speaker won't change anything, but if you used another 20' of it, it would. The wire inside the voice coil is hair thin, but if you ran 20' of it to the amp and drove the speaker hard, it would turn red and melt!

 

[Wes]

distance & amps

BTW, if you put an amplifier close to each speaker, you solve some problems...

 

[zelig]

distance & amps

BTW, if you put an amplifier close to each speaker, you solve some problems...

... but add a bucket load of new ones.

Here is what I ended up buying based on the good information I got from you guys:
14 AWG x 100' copper wire $26
1/2" x 25' split loom sleeve $13

I started off wanting black cable because it was going to be visible, but discovered that I could get a much better deal on non-black cable. Using a single black sleeve I can "conceal" multiple cables, even though the final cost is about the same.

 

[AudioStudies]

Here is what I ended up buying based on the good information I got from you guys

So glad you went with copper.

 

[k3ejjgo7jpl]

I hope it's not a problem if I revive this thread because I also have beginner questions about cables.
My question is what is the best way to treat the ends of the speaker cables, because pure copper may tend to oxidize. Here a user writes that banana plugs would be good:

Bare wires work well but are more subject to corrosion than banana plugs and therefore may need to be snipped and pushed back to clean copper every so often.

But I had read elsewhere that these banana plugs are not necessary if you do not want to change frequently the connected loudspeakers. Furthermore, banana plugs would mean another electrical transition that could lead to interference.

In other forums I have read that the copper cable ends are sometimes treated with corrosion inhibitor (similar to that war is used in a car) or even manually tinned so that the individual strands of copper are bundled. This would be, according to my understanding, but again disadvantageous because you would then have another electrical transition. (copper -> tin -> loudspeaker)

Is there a consensus here in the forum or possibly even a scientific study what is the best way to:
1. prevent corrosion at the copper cable ends of the speaker cables?
2. if banana plugs are necessary or if it is sufficient to connect the cables directly?

 

[RayDunzl]

Is there a consensus here in the forum or possibly even a scientific study what is the best way to:
1. prevent corrosion at the copper cable ends of the speaker cables?

Grease. a little dab'll do ya.

Or, if you want to use an industrial standard:

NO-OX-ID-A

 

[Spkrdctr]

I wonder how much resistance a 1 or 2 mm coating has vs the bare wire?

 

[Jbrunwa]

I use Belden wire but does it really matter much as long as it’s the right gauge and you have made a good connection at the binding posts?

https://www.soundguys.com/cable-myths-reviving-the-coathanger-test-23553/

 

[Wes]

I wonder how much resistance a 1 or 2 mm coating has vs the bare wire?

the wire won't remain bare, but will corrode - that is what Tweek and the other polymeric conductive liquids prevent

 

[Sal1950]

Is there a consensus here in the forum or possibly even a scientific study what is the best way to:
1. prevent corrosion at the copper cable ends of the speaker cables?
2. if banana plugs are necessary or if it is sufficient to connect the cables directly?

I've had some early Monster cable turn completely green underneath the jacketing.
I think it had some interaction with the jacketing material or some outgassing of it?

 

[Jbrunwa]

the wire won't remain bare, but will corrode - that is what Tweek and the other polymeric conductive liquids prevent

I suspect that when you tighten down the wire with the banana plug or binding post that it gets squeezed to molecule layer thin. That’s my understanding for crimped or compressed connections, correct me if I’m wrong. I use Pro Gold G100L. One tiny bottle will last me a lifetime.

 

[mhardy6647]

I've had some early Monster cable turn completely green underneath the jacketing.
I think it had some interaction with the jacketing material or some outgassing of it?

Hydrochloric acid from the PVC is the villain in your little set piece.

 

[k3ejjgo7jpl]

Grease. a little dab'll do ya.

Or, if you want to use an industrial standard:

NO-OX-ID-A

Thanks for the hint.

I could not find the linked contact grease in my country. Maybe for someone else still interesting, I ordered this one:
"Electrolube CG60"
see: https://electrolube.com/product/cg60-contact-grease/
Or here page 6 a comparison of contact greases from this company: https://res.cloudinary.com/electrol...35/ELCAT_PRODSELECTOR_GB_mrobnv_4322b4a35.pdf