Speaker Cables

[TheBatsEar]

You appear to be suggesting that I can reduce the amount of cables used in my system, and I'm telling you that number of cables used is what is required.

Nope, the cable comment was for OP.

I merely joked about your nekkid speakers, sorry for the confusion.

 

[freemansteve]

I always have my cables 1" too short, and then a huge step-up transformer working over a spark-gap to the terminals on the speaker box. No need for graphics on a PC.

 

[egellings]

Good ol' lamp cord of adequate gauge works for me.

 

[Katji]

One doesn't decide not to comment and then post a comment about no comment... as in the end you have made a comment.

It's to be expected.

Good ol' lamp cord of adequate gauge works for me.

Yeah but you haven't developed Golden Ears by going to audiophile shows.

......And if you increasingly find things sounding too "bright", you might be in the Silver Ears phase.

 

[freemansteve]

Good ol' lamp cord of adequate gauge works for me.

In the US maybe, but not the UK and most of the rest of the world, as UK mains is about double the voltage, so the X-sectional area of typical lamp cords is about half.

 

[TheBatsEar]

In the US maybe, but not the UK and most of the rest of the world, as UK mains is about double the voltage, so the X-sectional area of typical lamp cords is about half.

Doesn't matter for the typical 3m length i would say.

 

[egellings]

So then in the UK, buy a thicker appliance cord, then. Likely, the thinner cords used there will work just as well, too.

 

[Holmz]

In the US maybe, but not the UK and most of the rest of the world, as UK mains is about double the voltage, so the X-sectional area of typical lamp cords is about half.

Yeah…
And that gives the BBC curve

 

[Madjalapeno]

n the US maybe, but not the UK and most of the rest of the world, as UK mains is about double the voltage, so the X-sectional area of typical lamp cords is about half.

Maybe enough watts to get a decent output from a Carver amp.

 

[dlaloum]

6moons audio reviews: DIY Cables - The White Lightning Moonshine

 

[bkdc]

Bulk spools of 14 gauge copper cable from Monoprice for me. It's just a conductor. No bi-wiring or other foo foo either. Use whatever fits and looks pretty to you. It will all sound the same.

 

[Madjalapeno]

I've ordered the Clark cable. As I said, it's not so much any improvement in sound I was after, I've been here long enough to know that lamp cable is as good as 'Audio-Snakest Titanium Plated Oxygen Free Pure Copper'. It was more to make sure that there would not be any problem with an 8 core cable.

Lamp cable is appealing, and I understand it's just as good as more expensive options, but I don't think it is the right solution in my situation. Each speaker would need 4 cables (tweeter, upper mid, lower mid and woofer) and I'm trying to make everything neater. If I can do that with a single cable and a SpeakOn connector without any negatives then it's what I will do.

I could have gone with lamp cable and a sleeve for it, but I've done that before with longer cables, and it's a complete PITA. I also think it would have been stiffer than the Clark.

I guess I should have titled the poll 'What should I make my 4-channel speaker cables from?'

 

[Holmz]

…
I guess I should have titled the poll 'What should I make my 4-channel speaker cables from?'

Magomi 3104 (I think… might be 3103).
It works well with SpeakOn.

 

[freemansteve]

Just saying that places with 230-240v mains use thinner cables, not saying they are too thin to use for speakers!
Some people just like a robust cable.

I've happily used all sorts of cables, depending on what was handy in my shed....

 

[CinDyment]

Does speaker wire affect sound quality? No Myths, Just Facts - Sound Certified

Does speaker wire affect sound quality? You may be happy to find out it's not a complicated as you think - or is it? Read more to find out...

soundcertified.com

JSmith

Coiling speaker wire does not create an inductor. That would only happen with a single conductor. 2 conductors so fields cancel. No additional inductance.

 

[JSmith]

Coiling speaker wire does not create an inductor.

Any inductance would be extremely minuscule in single wire speaker cable and absolutely of no concern... I don't agree with Marty on that one point at all.

2 conductors so fields cancel.

Like 2 wire zip cord/figure-8 cable, yep for sure.


JSmith

 

[CinDyment]

Any inductance would be extremely minuscule in single wire speaker cable and absolutely of no concern... I don't agree with Marty on that one point at all.

Like 2 wire zip cord/figure-8 cable, yep for sure.


JSmith

There is mutual inductance from the parallel conductors, just no more from coiling. At typical cable spacing makes no difference .. maybe a bit of phase shift at frequencies you can't hear

 

[JSmith]

maybe a bit of phase shift at frequencies you can't hear

That is why I use these expensive cable lifters...

... was quite an upgrade for me, angels were singing as my magnets were not in flux. This was the old setup before I spent a small fortune;

JSmith

 

[Bob from Florida]

That is why I use these expensive cable lifters...

... was quite an upgrade for me, angels were singing as my magnets were not in flux. This was the old setup before I spent a small fortune;

JSmith

Sparkly gold textured spray paint from WalMart for the toilet paper roll leftovers would have been cheaper!

 

[Bob from Florida]

General speaker cable guidelines - AKA how to save money for something else more important.
1. Use large enough gauge wire - hint, if your speaker wire gets warm in use get a larger wire.
2. Use a suitable termination that stays connected to the terminals.
3. Keep the runs short.

Aesthetics may be important and will certainly add to the cost - your call if that’s important.