Question about upgrading an all-in-one HT's speaker wire (1 Viewer)

[BrentJ]

Hello I have a sony dream system all in one home theater. I was wondering if upgrading the speaker wire would make much of an improvement over the speaker wire that came with the unit?
Also, On back of the unit the speaker wire connects using these color coded connectors. I'm wondering If they even make speaker wire that can be plugged in like this? Or am I stuck with the wires that came with the unit. If someone with more knowledge than I have could please help me with this it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mark Hedges]

There was a blurb in the latest home theater magazine about HTIB upgrade kits by monster cable. It said that there were adapters included to fit sony dream system products.


Mark

 

[Cam S]

I couldn't see it making any difference at all. There has always been a hot debate over whether or not there is a sound difference between the various kinds of wire, and most tend to agree that there is no difference between Home Depot 12ga wire and the uber expensive offerings from Monster Cable and the like.

 

[Shane Martin]

Monster Cable is uber expensive? /boggle

In The case of using the standard HTIB wire, Yes it will be an improvement. Nobody ever should use pack-in cables. Last I checked, Sony wasn't in the cable business

Now I wouldn't go overboard either.

 

[Mark Hedges]

What I was getting at in my post is that these sony dream systems use a proprietary connector to the speakers, not standard binding posts. So you have to do a little more legwork if you want to upgrade. There may be other 3rd party companies besides monster that sell cables with the right connecter though. I would suggest going to www.agoraquest.com - that is a sony board. Someone there may be able to help you better.


Mark

 

[BrentJ]

Thanks guys.

 

[Miklsan K]

Brent,
As has been stated above, Monster makes upgrade wires for the Sony Dreamsystems. I think they might even make just the connectors, so you can roll your own. I have heard an aquaintance's Sony Dreamsystem that was upgraded with the Monster kit, and it did sound a little better. Not dramatic, but noticeable. Good luck!

 

[Cam S]

Monster Cable is uber expensive?

Compared to Home Depot wire, and similiar wire Monster Cable is VERY expensive. I myself would never buy their stuff, but that's just me.

 

[David King]

I couldn't see it making any difference at all

 

[steven pm]

If you can find just the connectors, I'd go withthem and some 12 or 14 gauge wire. That might make an audible difference. (How thin are the stock wires? In other systems they are 18 gauge or so, but I'm not familiar with the SOny.) You can get the actual wire for about 25-30 cents per foot; I'm sure the connectors will be the expensive part!

 

[Cam S]

I don't HEAR how cables can make that much of a difference with a system pushing that little power. I've always come to think of bigger wire only being needed when more amps/power is being drawn, like in car audio with huge/multiple amplifiers. There has ALWAYS been a HUGE debate about wires, and whether or not going from 18 guage to 12/14 guage even makes a difference. To my ears, it didn't, but to someone else's it might. It's all a matter of personal opinion.

 

[Brett DiMichele]

Uber Expensive is relative...

For instance.. Monster Z3 Reference wires will set you back
$300-$600.00 for 1-3 meter lenghts and that's damn near the
cost of a complete DAV System from Sony.

But that's hardly the Upper Echelon of expensive. If I am
not mistaken I believe the MOST expensive would go to Tara
Labs for thier "The One" Reference speaker wires at $8000.00
per meter (single, not pair..)

16K for speaker wire... LOL but it uses "proprietary" technology
I am sure...


If it were me, I would just buy the connectors from monster
(if they are specialized connectors, and Monster offers them)
and then I would buy a 100' spool of SoundKing 12Awg from
Parts Express for $30.00 and make my own cables.

 

[Mark Hedges]

My Sony system came with very thin wire - I am guessing 20 or 22 gauge. Are the speakers on a dream system full range? I think with satellite speakers severly limited in bass 20 gauge might be OK, and I am not sure how much improvement you would see with heavier wire.

Mark