Where to buy cables, wires, etc. NOT from an e-tailer (1 Viewer)

[Shana]

**IGNORE THE TITLE, I AM LOOKING FOR ANY RETAILER FOR DECENT COST-EFFECTIVE CABLES**

I dont see that you can edit a thread title so I will just repost this puppy. I am probably going to return most of the Monster cables the very nice salesman at Ult. Elect. sold me and have been told partsexpress.com is a good e-tailer to go through using their Dayton brand cables. Does anyone have an opinion on these? I don't want to sacrifice much quality for a few bucks. But if there is another brand to use with similar quality at a less price I would like to purchase those as I do have a lot of cables just sitting here (the installer used mostly cables supplied with the components but I want better than that).

Thanks!!!

old text: I have messed around and not ordered the cables I need in time to be delivered from one of the online retailers. Any suggestions on the best place to purchase these and best brand for the price? I understand Home Depot is a good place to order speaker wire. I live in Fort Worth so have access to all big name stores.

Thanks!
Shana

 

[Chu Gai]

GE component cables from Target. Something like 20 bucks for 10 feet. Search 'em on the web. Lowe's probably also has speaker wire. And of course, the ubiquitous Radio Shack for interconnects.

 

[Shane Martin]

You should try some of your local retailers for audio equipment. There are quite a few in the Ft Worth area.

 

[Tim Morton]

I can generally always find a online seller to get me cables FAST.even Crutchfields can get them in your hands within 48 hours
.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Shana, it might help if you list the cables you need.

The AR brand from Best Buy/Home Depot are great budget interconnects (coaxial cables with RCA plugs on the end). Use these for low-quality sources like the old VCR, CATV box, or the coaxial-digital connection from a DVD player to the receiver. (This is a digital feed so it is very insensitive to the cable. Just use a video cable.)

But if you were hooking up a high-quality video feed to a HDTV .. then you are in the area where a cable might make a visible difference. For good video feeds, hit one of the etailers. Most of them have standard sizes in stock and can ship the same day if you order early.

But even for high-quality sources, the AR/Radio Shack component cables will work great. You just wont have the satisfaction of having a cable designed for HD video frequencies.

 

[Hank_P]

The Sears store here carries AR Pro series, a step up from those at Best Buy and CC. I found this out the day after I ordered some online (accessories4less), but even with shipping.. it was a little cheaper online.

 

[Shana]

Bob, I need cables, wires, interconnectors, etc., for the following equipment, all brand new, still in their boxes.

Pan 51HX42 HDTV-ready TV
Yamaha HTR-5550 Receiver
Progressive Scan DVD player (probably will purchase the Pan CP72)
DirecTivo
CS Newton M80s front and back speakers
undetermined Center and Sub

So, everything needed to hook all this up. I have a pretty good understanding of what I will need except I have received conflicting information on what exactly needs to be connected to the TV instead of the receiver, specifically the DVD player.

Thanks!!
Shana

 

[Chu Gai]

not sure, but i think sears will still price match stuff that's on the web. not sure if it applies to wire though.

 

[Hank_P]

I've read enough stories to not even try and price match at Sears. If it were a very large differnce in money, I might, but for the difference in the price of a few cables... not worth my effort.

I can see why you are getting conflicting statement on connecting everything... there is more than one way do connect it all, and what might be best for me, may not work the best for you.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

CS Newton M80s front and back speakers
undetermined Center and Sub

The "undetermined Center" is very bad. For home theater it is very important that all 3 front speakers be nearly identical or "tone matched" (designed to sound the same). Since those Newtons are bookshelf speakers, the solution is obvious: Buy 2 more Newtons and use 1 of them for an identical center speaker.

Some people claim that having 5 identical bookshelf speakers is the superior way to go for HT and I cannot argue with their logic.

But what about that spare M80 speaker? Read on...


That Receiver: Look I love Yamaha, but that model receiver is 3-4 years old. It has some issues:

• That receiver model is 3-4 years old and not being made anymore.
• The component video jacks on that receiver are not designed for HD video signals. It will work for them, but it's not really right. All current generation Yamaha receivers have been re-designed to handle the higher frequencies for HD video.
• That receiver does not support the new "Dolby EX/ProLogic II" that adds a rear-center speaker. (Remember that spare M80?). A current generation receiver will let you add a rear-center speaker.

They basically sold you a previous-generation receiver. It's a great receiver, but just not current. I'd take it back and get one of the following current, HD and Dolby EX compatible models:

Yamaha RX-V530 $400 (75 wpc)
Yamaha RX-V630 $500 (75 wpc)
Yamaha RX-V730 $600 (75 wpc)

(If you bought all the gear at one place, grumble at them and insist on a discount for the new receiver.)

Hope this helps.

 

[Shana]

Thanks Bob for the info! I am finally settled into my house!!! and around to reading all the good recommendations from people.

I'm guessing Plan 1 will be optimal for me right now. The person who installed my new oval dish and DirecTivo is the one who hooked up all my components but I noticed that they weren't all running through the reciever. I don't know why. Will have to see exactly whats hooked up to what, just cant be in that room tonight due to grout drying in there.

I am pretty sure that he only has one s-video running right now.

Thanks,
Shana

 

[Shana]

Also, I let the UE salesperson talk me into Monster cables (most of which the installer didn't use as most of my components already came with cables) and a Monster Powerbar 1100. The installer said that the UE people must have been glad to see me come in, as I put down a lot of money. I intend on returning most of the cables but am wondering about the Powerbar.....any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[Shane Martin]

most of which the installer didn't use as most of my components already came with cables)

The installer used the pack in cables with your equipment??
Tell me this isn't so.

 

[Shana]

I guess so......should I return the Monster ones and buy some online and replace the ones that came with the components?

 

[Chu Gai]

well that depends if the cables that were packaged with your equipment are in some way defective or if you suspect that in some way the manufacturer knowingly gave you cables that would not allow the component to perform according to it's design specifications.

 

[Shana]

I don't know, I guess I was surprised that he didn't route everything through the receiver. Picture needs some work.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

I was surprised that he didn't route everything through the receiver. Picture needs some work.

I pointed out that the Yamaha HTR-5550 is NOT HD compatible and I dont think it has enough inputs to handle your equipment. So your installer may have done the right thing.

Usually, the cables that come with components are cheap, un-shielded wires.

Go take a look at all the wires behind your equipment. All the interconnects should be round and about as thick/thicker than your CATV or DSS coax cable. If the wire looks like "walkman" headphone cable (looking like 2 wires encased in plastic running side-by-side), make note of it. These need to be replaced.

For any wire that looks cheap/funny, make a note of where it flows from and to. Then tell us. We can help you make the judgement call if it needs to be replaced.

 

[Chu Gai]

If the wire looks like "walkman" headphone cable (looking like 2 wires encased in plastic running side-by-side), make note of it.

Bob, and others for that matter, understand i'm not necessarily taking issue with the various recommendations but I'd like people to consider the above quotes in light of some of the things that go on in what I consider as high-end cable mumbo-jumbo.
Now words are a funny thing. You can describe the same thing and convey a myriad of different impressions. The first quote makes mention of cheap un-shielded wires. The question comes to my mind, what if we jack the price up? Do we now have expensive and over-priced un-shielded wires? Are they now any better at least in the sense of conveying a faithful signal from point A to point B because we've jacked the price up? Well let's consider two companies that, based upon my understanding of what's written on their websites, have quite pricey un-shield interconnects: CatCables and Alpha-Goertz. I'm sure if you look around you can easily add dozens to this list. Both of their interconnects are unshielded. Cheap they aren't though. Yes, it's true that their RCA jacks belie a certain degree of class and what not, but let us keep in mind that the RCA jack is a turd of a connector. Gild it, plate it, make it locking and you've perhaps made the turd a bit less oderous.
Now let's look at the second quote. What if we didn't call them walkman style and instead called them delicate? Would that make them better? The Alpha-Goertz interconnects run side by side and they're thin. How about the ones from
MapleShade? They also run side by side. They harp on the thin thing too. I don't know, maybe they're anorexic? Pricey though! Not only that but they look like someone slipped a Trojan over some copper foil. Yet people will pay for this and then further undergo the humiliation of blowing them up. And we say Jacko is Whacko? There are other companies that pride themselves on making thin wire interconnects. Thinner than any walk-man style you're likely to see. They're called delicate...sensitive...designed to transfer the nuances and subtleties of the musical signal. Indeed they are likely made from silver, however at those thicknesses and lengths even silver is quite inexpensive.
Yes the manufacturer's wires are dirt cheap. Occasionally they have molded assemblies. If you pull on them from the wire you'll break them. Well I dare say if you pull on the wire of the examples I gave above you'll likely break them too.
It's in the manufacturer's best interest to do three things when they provide you with wire.
Keep their costs down.
Provide you with a ready means to begin enjoying their product promptly.
Provide you with a cable that will allow their equipment to meet it's quoted specifications and not degrade it's performance.
Certainly there can be unique situations where something different is warranted. It behooves you, the consumer, to determine if those situations exist. In any event, it need not be a difficult or costly proposition to find say interconnects that are twisted and shielded.
Excuse me now while I go out and enjoy the performance of my Stratus with its Vitek silver spark plug wires. It's got to perform better don't you think?

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Chu: Most of the included cables I have seen look like this:



The very-thin wires leading to the RCA connector show that the wires are simply rubber-coated and not coaxial. These type of "Patch Cords" should not be used for the very-harsh electronic environment behind your equipment.

 

[Andrew Pratt]

Chu is that to say all your equipement is connected with the OEM cables they came with?

Also I can't speak for the other cables you mentioned but since the catcables (at least the silvercats I'm using) are in a twisted pair config wouldn't they act like shielded cables?