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Would You Buy Speaker Cables If LCR Testing Was An Option, I Did

snapsc

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One of my first introductions to ASR was Amir’s article/review titled “when 12 gauge wire isn’t 12gauge”. Ok, I knew that “Reduced Dislocation Density” was probably just cable marketing...but various 12 gauge wires having different measured properties. Yikes!

A few months after reading this article, I decided that it was time to replace my home made star quad speaker cables with something that didn’t look like it was born in a dark basement.

My initial specs were simple... good looks, heavy gauge and affordable. Shortly after my search began, I remembered the 12 gauge article and wondered if I could also find cables that were tested.

After looking high and low I came to realize that very few cable makers talk about how their cables measure. And then I happened upon a small company called Pine Tree Audio on an eBay site and on Facebook and Reverb .

Not only did they make a wide variety of beautiful audio cables but the craftsmanship looked to be quite high and for $25, test results for DC Resistance, AC Resistance, capacitance and inductance were provided.

I began a dialogue with the company; Jesse answered my endless barrage of questions quickly and adequately. Subsequently, I asked if they could make a hex braid speaker cable from 14 awg wire resulting in 9 awg legs. They said yes, the order was placed and shortly thereafter a beautiful pair of hex braided cables showed up at my door... very well packaged... with 2 pages of test reports included.

If you check out the links above, they show a wide variety of Pine Tree Audio's various products and capability. Below I've included some photos of my cables and the test reports. As Amir proved, wire isn't always the wire you think it is. It's great to be able to get quality made and good looking cables to your own design if you want them that way and with test reports so you know what you actually purchased!

Ok, how do they sound? Well, probably not a surprise, they sound pretty much exactly like the cables they replaced. I say pretty much because every now and then it seems that the clarity is just ever so slightly improved…and maybe it is, who knows. All I can say is that these are beautiful cables, well made and great sounding that didn’t cost a mortgage payment…or anything close.

Pine Tree Audio.... very highly recommended.



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NTomokawa

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Here's what I buy. I make my own cables so I just multiply their specs.

Their marketing spiel on their website uses typical audiophile weasel words like "clarity" and "imaging". I guess at least their cables aren't as expensive as some of the others out there.
 

Doodski

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Is there a advantage with braiding? Is it for aesthetics or is there some sort of positive effect?
 

Doodski

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Here's what I buy. I make my own cables so I just multiply their specs.

Their marketing spiel on their website uses typical audiophile weasel words like "clarity" and "imaging". I guess at least their cables aren't as expensive as some of the others out there.
I don't see Canadian dealers listed for Mogami. Where do you purchase it in Canada?
 

ob1

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Hi Doodski,
I bought mine from Take Five Audio :
https://www.takefiveaudio.com/categories/87-mogami-cryo-treated-interconnect-speaker-cable
That was before I had heard of ASR...

I do like the looks and flexibillty of the Mogami, yet I find that the Belkin speaker cables are much cheaper, if you can accept their somewhat ugly grey color and stiffness. If I recall correctly, I think they have similar specs.

Just to make it clear, I am not impliying one should base their purchase on looks alone, but the Belkin are so stiff that I have a hard time placing them where I want to. Last time I had checked, Takefiveaudio carried those two brands.
 
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FrantzM

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I'll give you that: They're pretty!! I tend to be put off by audiophile-speak such as "Rich, smooth tonal qualities " but the prices are reasonable and to repeat: they're pretty!!
I don't know .. Guess one can splurge on Audio Jewelry once in a while ... knowing they'll make no difference in sound ...
 
OP
snapsc

snapsc

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If your cables are in the main living area and very visible then the aesthetics may be more important. I know that hexbraid isn’t for everyone but it is unique and pretty cool looking in person.

Pine Tree can build lots of other configurations and looks and all with testing.

I vote no on the glitter though.
 

mhardy6647

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One of my first introductions to ASR was Amir’s article/review titled “when 12 gauge wire isn’t 12gauge”. Ok, I knew that “Reduced Dislocation Density” was probably just cable marketing...but various 12 gauge wires having different measured properties. Yikes!

A few months after reading this article, I decided that it was time to replace my home made star quad speaker cables with something that didn’t look like it was born in a dark basement.

My initial specs were simple... good looks, heavy gauge and affordable. Shortly after my search began, I remembered the 12 gauge article and wondered if I could also find cables that were tested.

After looking high and low I came to realize that very few cable makers talk about how their cables measure. And then I happened upon a small company called Pine Tree Audio on an eBay site and on Facebook and Reverb .

Not only did they make a wide variety of beautiful audio cables but the craftsmanship looked to be quite high and for $25, test results for DC Resistance, AC Resistance, capacitance and inductance were provided.

I began a dialogue with the company; Jesse answered my endless barrage of questions quickly and adequately. Subsequently, I asked if they could make a hex braid speaker cable from 14 awg wire resulting in 9 awg legs. They said yes, the order was placed and shortly thereafter a beautiful pair of hex braided cables showed up at my door... very well packaged... with 2 pages of test reports included.

If you check out the links above, they show a wide variety of Pine Tree Audio's various products and capability. Below I've included some photos of my cables and the test reports. As Amir proved, wire isn't always the wire you think it is. It's great to be able to get quality made and good looking cables to your own design if you want them that way and with test reports so you know what you actually purchased!

Ok, how do they sound? Well, probably not a surprise, they sound pretty much exactly like the cables they replaced. I say pretty much because every now and then it seems that the clarity is just ever so slightly improved…and maybe it is, who knows. All I can say is that these are beautiful cables, well made and great sounding that didn’t cost a mortgage payment…or anything close.

Pine Tree Audio.... very highly recommended.



View attachment 44862View attachment 44864View attachment 44865View attachment 44866View attachment 44867
In Fitchburg!?!

cool!

:)
 

MZKM

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Thanks, I probably will consider them next time I need some speaker cables.

I need some short RCA cables right now and looked at their offerings, too bad they only have that one style of RCA connector (the real thin kind for embedded sockets), I want some nice looking connectors and it seems like Ghent and Worlds Best are the main contenders without spending >$50 for 1ft lengths or less.
 

Speedskater

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For reasonable, conventional loudspeakers, the 'L' & 'C' don't matter much.
Only the total end-to-end Resistance matters and then it's no big deal.
 

Speedskater

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For some nonconventional loudspeakers (think Apogee) the total end-to-end 'L' can have a small impact on high frequency response.
For this a twisted Star Quad will be better (lower 'L') than a braided quad.
 

mhardy6647

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FWIW (and I do, strictly, mean FWIW) -- I decided to 'invest' in fabricating a bunch of cables using shielded two-conductor Mogami cable* and inexpensive but not too cheesy REAN Neutrik plugs. :) The cost per cable is most reasonable, I connected the shield at one end so they're fashionably directional :) , they were reasonably easy to fabricate (the plugs aren't the easiest in the world to wire up) and they look pretty good.

DSC_4280 (2) by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

They work fine, too.
______________
* I used a phenomenally scientific and objective (indeed, quantitative) criterion to select the cable I used. I went with the cheapest relevant cable per foot from PartsExpress! :) https://www.parts-express.com/mogami-w2552-superflexible-microphone-signal-cable-1-ft--103-1016
 
OP
snapsc

snapsc

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One thing I forgot to mention is that Pine Tree has other connectors available than what you might see on eBay or reverb... and they are willing to work with you if you have a preferred connector... just drop them an email.

[email protected]
 
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