Speaker Cable Fanatics: Post your speaker cables (1 Viewer)

[Brian_C]

Steve, definitely wrong thread. This one's about how people bought expensive cables and you want to tell them they all got ripped off.
Steve's post was a bit strong, but I don't see that as thread crapping. If someone were to post they bought some new $1500 Bose speakers, would the replies be also considered "thread crapping"?
I think the most effective way of silencing Steve is to prove him wrong. Have a friend SECRETLY switch between your cable and standard 12 gauge cable. Play 5 different audio tracks. If you nailed it 5 out of 5 times, post it up and let us all know. If you got it less then that, then I'm sorry but I think Steve may be getting at something...

 

[Brett DiMichele]

Chip E,
I think your response about some people not having a job was
completly uncalled for. Some of us CHOOSE not to use ready
made cables. For varying reasons we make such decisions. For
me I have to say that I enjoy experimenting with diffrent
designs and when the finished product looks as good as any
cable a so-called pro can produce and sell it makes me very
happy.
To insinuate that we can not afford to just buy premade cables
is purely a load of B.S.
My next pair of home brewed D.I.Y Cables will end in all WBT
Terminations. Just these Terminations alone cost MORE than
most people paid for thier cables and that includes Nordost,
Audio-Q,Kimber,Better-C and others. So don't ASSUME anything as it only makes an ASS out of U and ME.

 

[Donald Shrum]

I have sat in a room with Cary tube amps, Cary Tube CD player and a pair of Tannoy bookshelf speakers. ( one of the nicest system I have heard ). My friend kept switching from cable to cable and ask me if I heard any differance and what I heard. Let me tell you, without knowing which cable was which, I right away heard the differance, the bass, with the same song would get sloppy and loose. The sound soundstage would get less detailed and the depth was not all there. Yes, I was listening to 12guage monster cables and interconnects. He was switching from Monster to Kimber select series cables. I have, just to see if I could hear the differance, tried this same test with a Denon 5700 receiver, Sony DVD player and mirage OM-6 speakers, and switching from cable to cable was not noticeble, if it was it was so slightly that it wasn't a big deal. Personaly, I hear a huge differance in my system. But, to each their own. just my .02 cents.

 

[Chip E]

I figured you'd chime in Brett... I only wasted one sentence worth of server space (now two) deviating from the original topic...

 

[Adil M]

I have been looking to get in to the cable testing. I'm going to test them myself and if I hear or don't hear a difference I will proclaim so and not give a flying fu what everyone else says.

Anyway I was looking for cheap cable. I'm looking at Audioquest Type 4 and Tara Labs Prism and Omni which John Risch rec'd to me in the under 3 dollar price range (yeah, cheap). I will compare these to Original Monster Cable, Home Depot and Radio Shack. Anyone have better suggestions for the higher-end cables then the AQ and TL ones? Thanks.

 

[EarlR]

Adil

If you have a Cardas dealer near you try the Cardas CrossLink. This is a relative inexpensive cable and sounds very good. I think the CrossLink sounds better than anything in its price range.

Earl

 

[John Morris]

First, I am currently using Sound King 10ga all around. I can detect no noticable difference when I used(for my front two channels)Tara, Cardas, and AQ mid/high line cables from the Sound King. The only time I noticed a difference, and an improvement was when I switched from copper based to silver based cables. In that case, I preferred the D. Hovasian(sp)cables. I also noticed an immediate difference when I switched to the MIT cables, but didn't always prefer what I heard with these megabuck cables, so back they went back to the store. If I could afford to bi-amp my speakers with DH Labs Silver Sonic, or an equivalent Silver based speaker cable, I would. Otherwise, I'd just recommend a good big copper cable with a solid connector or connection.

 

[Jose S.]

Analysis Plus Oval 9s biwire for LCR.
Analysis Plus Oval 12s for surrounds.
Definately an improvement over previous cables (AQ crystals).
And if some don't believe cables sound different, THEN DON'T!!!

 

[JerryW]

I hear ya John. I noticed a big difference, for the better, when I went from OFC to a quality SPC/FEP cable. The other reson I changed is because I wouldn't have to worry as much about oxidation. Copper Oxide is a horrible conductor whereas Silver Oxide is quite good.

 

[Larry B]

I use Nordost Blue Heaven speaker wire, and Nordost Quattro Fil interconnects. (Note that this is for stereo, not for HT).

I most definitely do not want to spend the last day of the year involved in another wire war, but I will take a moment to reiterate something I've mentioned in the past. First and foremost, if a particular individual is unable to hear a difference between wires, IT IS SCIENTIFICALLY UNSOUND TO STATE THAT NO DIFFERENCE EXISTS. Rather, all one can meaningfully state is that he/she did not hear a difference. Since we all differ in our ability to resolve sounds, the fact that one individual can not hear a difference does not, I repeat, does not mean that others can't.

Second, since the sonic differences between wires tend to be more subtle that those associated with other components in the audio chain, the ability to discern these differences depends a great deal on the associated equipment. Simply put, the higher the resolution of the system, the more likely it is that one will be able to hear a difference.

(My guess is that the differences will be more apparent for music, than for HT.)

I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year.

Larry

 

[Mark C.]

I'm a big fan of DH Labs. I use DH Labs T-14 Silver Sonic biwires for my HT front mains (B&W CDM1SEs) and a single Silver Sonic T-14 for my center channel. I use plain old Home Depot 14 gauge flat wire for the rears.

On my audio only setup (B&W Nautilus 804s), I use DH Labs Q10 biwires. My speaker wire investment is somewhere around $500 for both systems.

 

[Elbert Lee]

custom bi-wire pair of Monster Sigma Retro speaker cables.

Elbert

 

[Mike Knapp]

If you cant hear the difference, all the tests in the world arent going to make you hear it.
If you can hear a difference, all the tests in the world arent going to make it go away.
No need for any tests.
BTW,
Speaker Cables: I use an IXOS gamma weave (custom made for me by IXOS's R&D VP) with bananas on each end.
Interconnects: I use Better Cables Silver Serpent line exclusively.
Mike

 

[Richard_T]

AudioQuest Type 4 front. AudioQuest F-14 (flat) rear. I like it. I hear a difference so that's why I bought them.

 

[Mike-W]

WireWorld Oasis III+ Biwire for all three fronts and AR 12 Gauge for surrounds.