never buy another speaker cable in your life...

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Ironklad Audio

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i had an amp that needed repair a few years ago, so i took it to an extremely reputable tech whose client list includes aerosmith, the stones, and tom petty to name just a few...anyways, the guy handed down an invaluable tip: instead of buying speaker cables, just get a plain-ass cheap $2 extension cord, cut off the plugs, and solder 1/4" plugs to it. low and behold, i started looking around his garage(which had to have almost 100 amps in it), and every cable coming from every amp was a plain brown ugly extension cord

just a quick little money-saving tip that i'm sure the cable manufacturers would hate for you to know
 
Ironklad Audio said:
i had an amp that needed repair a few years ago, so i took it to an extremely reputable tech whose client list includes aerosmith, the stones, and tom petty to name just a few...anyways, the guy handed down an invaluable tip: instead of buying speaker cables, just get a plain-ass cheap $2 extension cord, cut off the plugs, and solder 1/4" plugs to it. low and behold, i started looking around his garage(which had to have almost 100 amps in it), and every cable coming from every amp was a plain brown ugly extension cord

just a quick little money-saving tip that i'm sure the cable manufacturers would hate for you to know
Click to expand...


The cost of buying a cheap extension cord and 1/4" jacks will easily come almost as close to the cost of a cheap intrument cable.
 
This trick has been known for years.... :rolleyes:
But as the dude said, the cost for a nice set of connectors and some 12 gauge wiring (you should never settle for a smaller gauge than 14, but 12 tightens bass) can exceed or match the price of a pre-made cable easily.
Using 16 gauge zipcord is a recipe for thin tone in my book, you need more gauge than that!
 
The cost of buying a cheap extension cord and 1/4" jacks will easily come almost as close to the cost of a cheap intrument cable.
Click to expand...

true, but it also depends on the length you need...i'm building some 50' cables in the next few days, and will save a good $15-20 a piece on each
 
Roger that. I usually go to Radio Shack and buy a spool of their largest guage lamp cord (brown and ugly) and 4 ends. Radio shack has crap hardware, but it's nice to be able to stop off on the way to the gig and grab what you need. Plus it's cheap enough that it can be replaced regularly (although I can't remember replacing one for any reason other than someone stealing it or me leaving it at the club).

I unreel off all the wire (trying not to let it coil up. I take some time and actually pull it off while spinning the spool). Then i double it up, cut it in the middle, skin the wires and solder on the ends. I don't know how long that spool is, but the 2 cables are a good 25 feet maybe more. longer than my guitar cables. I don't think this would work for alot of applications, but it is perfect for a small club PA.

When i wrap them up (here's another tip from an old guy in the biz) I get both ends in my hand and keep doubling the cable until it's like 18"-24" long then tie a loose half hitch in it and throw it in the crate. The zip cord crap doesn't really like to be trained into a coil the way that an insulated/sheilded signal cable does.
 
Ironklad Audio said:
i had an amp that needed repair a few years ago, so i took it to an extremely reputable tech whose client list includes aerosmith, the stones, and tom petty to name just a few...anyways, the guy handed down an invaluable tip: instead of buying speaker cables, just get a plain-ass cheap $2 extension cord, cut off the plugs, and solder 1/4" plugs to it. low and behold, i started looking around his garage(which had to have almost 100 amps in it), and every cable coming from every amp was a plain brown ugly extension cord

just a quick little money-saving tip that i'm sure the cable manufacturers would hate for you to know
Click to expand...

I'll go you one better. I made some adaptors to convert three prong extension cord ends to 1/4" and banana plugs. I can make a speaker cable any length you want on the spot out of extension cords.
 
Outlaws said:
The cost of buying a cheap extension cord and 1/4" jacks will easily come almost as close to the cost of a cheap intrument cable.
Click to expand...

That's true, but I think he's talking about speaker cable, which is freaking expensive for some reason. I went to buy some speaker cable for my Hot Plate and I was amazed at how much more expensive speaker cable is than instrument cable. I got a 10' cable for $20, and that was the shortest, cheapest thing they had. I'm glad I don't own a PA and have to buy several 50' speaker cables! At $2 per foot I don't know how people afford to keep their speakers connected.

What do they use for shielding in speaker cable, spotted owl beaks and cocaine? Sheesh!
 
Tadpui said:
That's true, but I think he's talking about speaker cable, which is freaking expensive for some reason. I went to buy some speaker cable for my Hot Plate and I was amazed at how much more expensive speaker cable is than instrument cable. I got a 10' cable for $20, and that was the shortest, cheapest thing they had. I'm glad I don't own a PA and have to buy several 50' speaker cables! At $2 per foot I don't know how people afford to keep their speakers connected.

What do they use for shielding in speaker cable, spotted owl beaks and cocaine? Sheesh!
Click to expand...

I read an interesting article in Stereo Review a few years ago where they set up some "golden ears" guys in a double blind test comparing several brands of extreme high dollar speaker cable (Monster, etc.) with zipcord from a hardware store. They let the guys pick the playback system they wanted to use. Not a one of them could tell the difference between the low oxgyen, time aligned, super braided, megabux cables from the zipcord.
 
Outlaws said:
The cost of buying a cheap extension cord and 1/4" jacks will easily come almost as close to the cost of a cheap intrument cable.
Click to expand...
I'm sure you just mis-typed, but you aren't supposed to use instrument cable for speaker cable.
 
Outlaws said:
The cost of buying a cheap extension cord and 1/4" jacks will easily come almost as close to the cost of a cheap intrument cable.
Click to expand...


I dont mind the materials, it's the labor and manual dexterity that is required that kills my interest in making my own cables. I'd much rather be playing guitar!

But like someone else said, a calculus expert can tell you the point at which the length of the cable makes it more cost effective to DIY. I"m only using 20' footers. If I were looking at spending a hundred or more to run some 50 footers or longer, then I'd be in the area where DIY becomes a lot more attractive.
 
soundchaser59 said:
I dont mind the materials, it's the labor and manual dexterity that is required that kills my interest in making my own cables. I'd much rather be playing guitar!

But like someone else said, a calculus expert can tell you the point at which the length of the cable makes it more cost effective to DIY. I"m only using 20' footers. If I were looking at spending a hundred or more to run some 50 footers or longer, then I'd be in the area where DIY becomes a lot more attractive.
Click to expand...


Actually, if you buy the wire in bulk, it takes a bit of it to equal the cost of the connectors. Also, cables which are too long are much more easily dealt with than ones which are too short, so get them or make them longer than you think you'll need.

But making speaker cables is almost trivially easy if you have even rudimentary soldering skills. It's a whole lot cheaper, too; zipcord in bulk is even cheaper than extension cords.
 
Farview said:
I'm sure you just mis-typed, but you aren't supposed to use instrument cable for speaker cable.
Click to expand...

Oh you got me. I misread the whole thing. I was thinking instrument cables for some reason...but while thinking instrument cables in the back of my mind I was going, "extension cords are not shielded are they?"
 
ggunn said:
I read an interesting article in Stereo Review a few years ago where they set up some "golden ears" guys in a double blind test comparing several brands of extreme high dollar speaker cable (Monster, etc.) with zipcord from a hardware store. They let the guys pick the playback system they wanted to use. Not a one of them could tell the difference between the low oxgyen, time aligned, super braided, megabux cables from the zipcord.
Click to expand...
as long as there is

more than one person

on this planet

the cable (mic, power, speaker, interconnect)

question will forever be

discussed and tested

with nary a satisfactory

conclusion



http://recforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/mv/msg/9441/0/0/0/

http://recforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/mv/msg/4580/0/0/0/
 
cannabis said:
as long as there is

more than one person

on this planet

the cable (mic, power, speaker, interconnect)

question will forever be

discussed and tested

with nary a satisfactory

conclusion
Click to expand...

Not really. I'm satisfied. ;^)
 
Wow Thunder, those are some of the least expensive cables I've ever seen! A 25' speakon cable for $7.90

Too bad I'd have to pay some bullshit UPS brokerage fee and a bunch of $CDN weenie tax to import them...
 
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