using special speaker cables

  • Thread starter Thread starter mcr
  • Start date Start date
Re: Cables

sjjohnston said:
If you really, truly believe two cables made of the same material in the same gauge from different manufacturers are really different, go ahead and buy the expensive one if it makes you happy. Or, if you believe cryogenically treated high-oxygen multi-stranded silver is good, you're free to believe in that too.
Click to expand...

Well, I don't know about the rest of that stuff, but if you know where I can get silver wire instead of copper, show me the way - silver is a better conductor than copper.

I don't believe that identical gauge from different manufacturers is anything but identical. I don't know how many times I have to say this, but 14-2 construction-grade electrical wire would do you just as well as 14 gauge Monster cable. The only potential difference would be how finely stranded the 14-2 was.
 
Minor clarification

In my post above, the word "you" was meant to be general (you, whoever you may happen to be, who is reading this), rather than to be directed at anybody in particular.
 
Re: Re: Cables

Griffinator said:
...but if you know where I can get silver wire instead of copper, show me the way - silver is a better conductor than copper.
Click to expand...
I can give you a source, but silver is has only 6% higher conductivity than copper - hardly worth the exorbitantly higher price.

It's far cheaper and actually much more of a conductivity gain to just move to the next heavier gauge of copper wire. And if you want to get that nitpicky, you might argue that silver wire is a bad idea since the wire inside your speakers and amplifier is copper and the difference in conductivity will create a reflective transmission line interface.

Of course that transmission line argument is complete bullshit for audio signals, but then this whole subject is bullshit. The only advantage in buying expensive wire is that it provides a big fat placebo effect for those who believe it makes a difference.

barefoot
 
ya put your fat cord in, you take your thin cord out, you put your fat cord in and you shake it all about...

ya do the cordy pokey and you shake it all around....

that's what it's all about...

:D
 
36 cents a foot for 12 guage stranded speakerwire at the home depot. like 7.00 for 20ft. should be as good as you will ever need.
 
Griff
I also meant insulated wire on a spool when I said "raw wire". I checked the markings on my monster speaker cable with 1/4" jacks and the gauge IS NOT LISTED!There was a model # (I think model 100) and it was a typical 12-15' cord otherwise.
 
Tom Hicks said:
Griff
I also meant insulated wire on a spool when I said "raw wire". I checked the markings on my monster speaker cable with 1/4" jacks and the gauge IS NOT LISTED!There was a model # (I think model 100) and it was a typical 12-15' cord otherwise.
Click to expand...

Monster XP is 16 gauge, XPHP is 14 gauge. (I sell the stuff all day, I know)
 
Griff, Did I just read that you are the enemy... a salespig!?!?


I guess You know the cables, a good friend of mine is the monster cable rep here in KC. Now I can see getting something that extravigent to go from a microphone to the pre, but I dont see one difference between the .36 cent speaker cable and the stuff Monster sells for 2.00 a foot.
 
darrin_h2000 said:
Griff, Did I just read that you are the enemy... a salespig!?!?


I guess You know the cables, a good friend of mine is the monster cable rep here in KC. Now I can see getting something that extravigent to go from a microphone to the pre, but I dont see one difference between the .36 cent speaker cable and the stuff Monster sells for 2.00 a foot.
Click to expand...

No, I'm not a salespig - I'm not on comission. I'm just as happy to see you buy my cheap Acoustic Research RCA and Toslink cables as I am to see you buy the Monsters. The only thing that makes me shudder is when someone walks out of my department with a $900 home theater package (DVD, Receiver, 6-piece surround system) and says "I'll just use what came in the box"

Why? Because in the box is 22-gauge speaker wire, same gauge flimsy-ass Toslink cable, and cheap-as-possible subwoofer cable. All I can think to myself is "you're going to be SOOOOOO disappointed when you get that thing home"

I can't say it enough. If I didn't get the deep discounts from Monster (sometimes it's really cool being a sales rep :)) I'd buy heavy gauge generic stuff.
 
Unfortunately, as everyday consumers we don't see the deep discounts that you see Griff. That's why earlier everyone was recommending following the wire gauge and staying away from Monster. To the average person, Monster does rape the customer on the markup value of their cable. Is it good? Yes. Can you find the same cable with out the Monster logo on it for cheaper? Yes.

This isn't a slam on you Griff, just a clarification. Monster does not manufacture there own cable, they buy it, attach connectors and sell it under their name at an insane price.
 
Evildick said:
Unfortunately, as everyday consumers we don't see the deep discounts that you see Griff.
Click to expand...

I agree. However, the whole rigamaro started when someone suggested using lamp cord, which is 18-gauge thick-strand wire - not a good thing to be delivering top-quality audio to your speakers with.
 
I'm sorry - I made a rather looming mistake.

Monster XP cable is 14 gauge, not 16.

Monster XPHP-CI (designed for in-wall use) is 12 gauge.

Monster XPHP (for auto applications) is 10 gauge.

Sorry for confusion that may have caused.
 
a question about cable width.
Say I have a Sony kind of stereo, which has very small cable connectors in the speakers.

Will it improve it if I use big cable up to the connector, and then an adapter to the smaller gauge? Or given that the connector accepts a small gauge then it is useless to have better and bigger cable?
Cheers, Andrés
 
One great tip from Craig Anderton

"Audiophile speaker cables are effective but costly. Alternatively, run several wires in parallel for both the hot and ground to minimize resistance. Example: connect the two leads of AC zip cord together; use this to connect the speaker + to the power amp +. Use a similar wire to connect the speaker and amp ground.
Also, connect cables to your amps and speakers using screw terminal or banana plugs, if available. These make a better connection than phone jacks."
 
Re: One great tip from Craig Anderton

cordura21 said:
"...run several wires in parallel for both the hot and ground to minimize resistance...."
Click to expand...
Who said minimizing resistance was even the right thing to do anyway?

I use 3 meters of 12 gauge OFHC as my standard wire for designing and testing loudspeakers. Not that I think it really matters, but you could say my speakers are "optimized" for that gauge and length of cable. Running my speakers with either a higher or lower resistance cable wouldn't be "optimal" - not to mention using an amp with a different damping factor than mine.

Do you know what wires were used when your speakers were designed? Of course you don't. Does it matter much. Of course it doesn't, unless you're using very long or very thin wire.

barefoot
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top