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gjpham
03-28-2007, 09:43 AM
Hi ev1, please chim in and show us what you've gotten.
1/ What size is YOUR FRONT speaker cables. Many brands keep this secrete, so in your opinion, is it bigger than 18 awg? (Not counting the shielding)
2/ What brand?
3/ What lenght?
4/ what type? Floor standing or bookshelf type?

Thanks all,

GMichael
03-28-2007, 09:50 AM
Hi ev1, please chim in and show us what you've gotten.
1/ What size is YOUR FRONT speaker cables. (many brands keep this secrete, so in your opinion, is it bigger than 18 awg? (Not counting the shielding)
2/ What brand?
3/ How long?
4/ what type? Floor standing or bookshelf type?

Thanks all,

I'm just using basic double insulated 12ga wire. Nothing special.

JohnMichael
03-28-2007, 10:24 AM
I am using Alpha Core MI1 speaker cable. The wire is 13 guage and the cable consists of one copper ribbon for negative and one for positive. The cables are 8ft. long. I am using bookshelf speakers.

Resident Loser
03-28-2007, 11:01 AM
...does wire make the transition to cable? More than a pair? Is it speaker wire and interconnect or coax cable?

Anywho...10 ga. jacketed, sound re-inforcement (PA) wire...50ft/ch...and no, my speakers aren't 100 ft apart, but they are remote from my electronics...

jimHJJ(...not the frst time the question's been asked...)

gjpham
03-28-2007, 11:03 AM
Ew, I suspect mine are way too small then if consider its lenght. One is 14' and other is 20'. Both are premium auto speaker cables with a fine 112 strands on each terminal. Brand Lightings and printed as 18 awg. Too small?

GMichael
03-28-2007, 11:27 AM
Ew, I suspect mine are way too small then if consider its lenght. One is 14' and other is 20'. Both are premium auto speaker cables with a fine 112 strands on each terminal. Brand Lightings and printed as 18 awg. Too small?

Debatable. Some will say that anything 18ga or larger is all you need. Others will say that anything less than 10ga solid platinum, oxygen free wire is useless.
My take is that it depends on the rest of your system. If you have a $300 system, why spend $1000 on wire. But if you have a $50,000 system, why cheap out with $20 wire? Gotta find a balance. The chain is only as strong as it's weakest link.
I feel that 16ga is fine. But the 12ga wasn't too much more, so there you have it.
Your 18ga may be fine, but think that you may get a fuller sound with 16 or better. My 12ga was only $30 for 100 feet.

kexodusc
03-28-2007, 11:28 AM
I have 12 ga, standard insulated wire, some 14 ga, and some 16 ga in my three systems. I've used Nordost, Kimber and Monster in the past.
I use 16 gauge in my speaker projects, sometimes 14. Can't hear a difference, on small cheap projects I've even gone as low as 20 awg for short runs of less than a foot.

kexodusc
03-28-2007, 11:35 AM
Ew, I suspect mine are way too small then if consider its lenght. One is 14' and other is 20'. Both are premium auto speaker cables with a fine 112 strands on each terminal. Brand Lightings and printed as 18 awg. Too small?

Resistance of 18 awg wire exceeds 5% of system impedance at around 16 feet, for 4 ohm loads...I like 4 ohms as a guide for ballparking because in most systems, most speakers approach that at at least some frequencies.
How big an impact is 5% impedance going to make? It will have some impact, enough that I think an upgrade to thicker wire may cause some benefit improvements. Though to be honest, it may not make any audible difference on some speakers.
16 awg doesn't top 5% until 24 feet, 14 awg at 40 feet by comparison. Not a huge deal in your case, but not completely insignificant. An upgrade in thickness shouldn't be terribly costly at all.

lewburgh
03-28-2007, 12:00 PM
I use Belden 5000 series cable 10 gauge 5T00UP purchased from bluejeanscable.com.

PeruvianSkies
03-28-2007, 01:09 PM
My PS Audio Xstream cables for my fronts are the thickest dang cables I've ever seen. They are 6 guage with 9 solid core conductors that are then wrapped making the cable about 1.5. inches in thickness. At times it's almost too much as it takes some serious strength to get these rigid cables attached to your amp if you are working around other things like racks and such.

GMichael
03-28-2007, 01:12 PM
My PS Audio Xstream cables for my fronts are the thickest dang cables I've ever seen. They are 6 guage with 9 solid core conductors that are then wrapped making the cable about 1.5. inches in thickness. At times it's almost too much as it takes some serious strength to get these rigid cables attached to your amp if you are working around other things like racks and such.

A bit like a garden hose huh?

daviethek
03-28-2007, 04:24 PM
I've had Anti-Cables in my main system for about 6 months. They must be OK because I stopped fretting about cables.

Dusty Chalk
03-28-2007, 06:34 PM
Which system? I have everything from Monster XP in my vintage system to Cardas Neutral ref (which is like a skinny garden hose) in my reference system (which, admittedly, is currently discombobulated).
A bit like a garden hose huh?Think garden hose...with armor.

Mr Peabody
03-28-2007, 07:43 PM
For stereo I use Siltech MXT Pro New Yorker,I think 12', it is a coaxial style with 200 strands .of 03mm thickness each. The strands are a combo of PCOFC copper, silver and gold. Very good sounding cable

In HT I use Transparent, same length. Transparent was started by engineers who formerly worked for MIT, so they continue in the network technology. You'll have to read their story. In a thumbnail cables have an antenna effect and the networks are supposed to eliminate any sound effects by the cable. All I know is with solid state the Transparent cables sounded overall better with a dramatic improvement in bass response.

I have floorstanders

PeruvianSkies
03-28-2007, 10:16 PM
A bit like a garden hose huh?

If they were black and not a bright blue you might think a Python Snake was in your listening space.

SlumpBuster
03-29-2007, 07:12 AM
I have a perplexing front pair. 14 guage RCA brand from Home Depot in 8 foot run with pin connectors. The perplexing part? They are bi-wired. Yes, bi-wired with "El Cheapo" Home Depot wire. I did it because, well... why not? That's why. Plus I think it looks kinda cool, which is a big part of the reason many of you have garden hose cable. You can talk about the sound properties all you want, but admit... It looks cool too, doesn't it?

My back surrounds are wired with solid conductor Romex wire left over from my basement remodelling. Its concealed in the walls, of course. If you don't know what Romex is, it is the same type of wire carrying the electricity to your light bulb. I'm not going to throw out perfectly good left over wire, not when I could use it to hook up some speakers. :D

gjpham
03-29-2007, 09:12 AM
THanks all, I'm reading and analyzing each every comments of yours, including one with home electric Romex wire.
Q: On my Apr 2007 Stereophile mag, page 117, they commented on a RadioShack 18-gauge speaker wire:" You have to choose for yourself wheather space or twist a pair for best sound (or even wheather to double up the runs for less series impedance)."
Please explain what these terms mean, because high posibility that I may give it a try.
- Space:
- Twist a pair:
- Double up the runs: (I think I kinda get this one but wanna hear it from you guys.)
If your thought is diff from others, feel free to express it in your own way. I am open minded, and ev1 here too.

Feanor
03-29-2007, 10:30 AM
Hi ev1, please chim in and show us what you've gotten.
1/ What size is YOUR FRONT speaker cables. Many brands keep this secrete, so in your opinion, is it bigger than 18 awg? (Not counting the shielding)
2/ What brand?
3/ What lenght?
4/ what type? Floor standing or bookshelf type?

Thanks all,

What I use is Monster 14 ga. 4 conductor cable to bi-wire my MG 1.6's. I got the wire and the Dayton banana plugs I use from Parts Express. My cables are only 3 foot in length because I use monoblocks with longer, balanced interconnects (from Blue Jeans Cable). See the wire and bananas here ...

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=100-656
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=091-1260

Dusty Chalk
03-29-2007, 11:10 AM
Space means to keep them apart; twist means to twist them together. Double up the runs means to use two cables in parallel where normally one would suffice.

Mwalsdor_cscc_edu
04-01-2007, 07:19 PM
1/ What size is YOUR FRONT speaker cables?

24awg (5n) 99.999% pure solid silver wire with 20awg teflon bared-wired to the binding posts.

2/ What brand?

DIY

3/ What lenght?

10' runs

4/ what type? Floor standing or bookshelf type?

Floor standers: SILVERLINE AUDIO SONATINA ('Avalon' version)-dynamic three-way / soft dome tweeter&mid-range / (2) 6' bass drivers / rosewood finish (93db/simple x-over/flat 8ohm phase angle).
<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

JohnMichael
04-02-2007, 11:49 AM
THanks all, I'm reading and analyzing each every comments of yours, including one with home electric Romex wire.
Q: On my Apr 2007 Stereophile mag, page 117, they commented on a RadioShack 18-gauge speaker wire:" You have to choose for yourself wheather space or twist a pair for best sound (or even wheather to double up the runs for less series impedance)."
Please explain what these terms mean, because high posibility that I may give it a try.
- Space:
- Twist a pair:
- Double up the runs: (I think I kinda get this one but wanna hear it from you guys.)
If your thought is diff from others, feel free to express it in your own way. I am open minded, and ev1 here too.


The wire they are talking about is their 18 guage solid core hook up wire. You can buy a spool for very little money. It will not look like your average speaker wire. When last I purchased a spool the covering was a thin black plastic. I played around with it for awhile. Decide what length you want, for example 10 ft, and unroll 4 10 ft. lengths of wire. If you are going to twist the wire you will need to color the ends of the wire you will be using for the positive so after it is twisted together you will be able to hook your speakers up in phase. When I ran them spaced I just let them hang and from the back of the speakers and they stayed apart except for the occasional wire crossing. Then twist them and listen for any changes. If you liked them spaced it would be easier to buy a new spool then untwist the wires. At about $10 a spool it is cheap enough to try it many ways. As far as doubling up the runs instead of cutting four wires you cut eight. If you really want to get crazy you can buy the hookup wire in different guages. You could combine 2 18 guage wires a 20 guage and a 22 guage wire for an interesting cable.

JohnMichael
04-02-2007, 12:03 PM
I've had Anti-Cables in my main system for about 6 months. They must be OK because I stopped fretting about cables.


That is when I know I have the right cables, when I can sit and listen to the music without wondering if another cable might sound better.

Groundbeef
04-02-2007, 03:26 PM
I;m not sure of the brand of cable I have. I used several cables scavanged from old lamps to patch together a run 'bout 75'. For some reason my sound is a bit muted, but I saved a TON of money. Well, of course some of the savings were used up to buy the lead solder I used to connect each length. And the radio shack shrink wrap to make sure it was firesafe to run through the walls near my main breaker.

gjpham
04-02-2007, 09:48 PM
Space means to keep them apart; twist means to twist them together. Double up the runs means to use two cables in parallel where normally one would suffice.
Ok, you guys go bang your head in the wall if you have to, but base on your answer, it still quite unclear.
Space: means keep the left and right spks cables apart from each other. Ok, I got this one, but...
Twist: mean twist the negative and positive together like KimberKable? I assume you are not telling me to twist left and righ spk cable together, please verify Dusty.
Ok, now go bang your head if you have to, hehehe. Hey I got your point but just want to be more specific.

Resident Loser
04-03-2007, 05:00 AM
1/ What size is YOUR FRONT speaker cables?

24awg (5n) 99.999% pure solid silver wire with 20awg teflon bared-wired to the binding posts.

2/ What brand?

DIY

3/ What lenght?

10' runs

4/ what type? Floor standing or bookshelf type?

Floor standers: SILVERLINE AUDIO SONATINA ('Avalon' version)-dynamic three-way / soft dome tweeter&mid-range / (2) 6' bass drivers / rosewood finish (93db/simple x-over/flat 8ohm phase angle).
<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

...MikE...what's up? Still running the SET amp? Still running? How's the family?

jimHJJ(...hope all is well...)

JohnMichael
04-03-2007, 07:29 AM
Ok, you guys go bang your head in the wall if you have to, but base on your answer, it still quite unclear.
Space: means keep the left and right spks cables apart from each other. Ok, I got this one, but...
Twist: mean twist the negative and positive together like KimberKable? I assume you are not telling me to twist left and righ spk cable together, please verify Dusty.
Ok, now go bang your head if you have to, hehehe. Hey I got your point but just want to be more specific.



When we are speaking of spaced or twisted we are only talking about the + and - of one channel. So for example when you are running wires to the right speaker you can decide if you want to allow space between the positive and negative wire or to twist them together. If you want to double up the runs you would have two wires for the + and two wires for the -going to the right speaker. Which ever you decide to do you would do the same thing for the left speaker.

gjpham
04-03-2007, 08:44 AM
Cleared, that's a 10-4. Thanks.

Justlisten2
04-26-2007, 10:20 AM
1/ What size is YOUR FRONT speaker cables. Many brands keep this secrete, so in your opinion, is it bigger than 18 awg? (Not counting the shielding)

Yes, larger than 18 awg.


2/ What brand?

Purist Audio Design and Gabriel Gold


3/ What lenght?

33 inches and 1 meter respectively.


4/ what type? Floor standing or bookshelf type?

Floorstanding

gjpham
04-26-2007, 10:54 AM
I can get this roll brand new 500-ft for $100 from a local shop but affraid I will spend endless time again try to hear differences.
It is Jamo Orange 14 gauge with 105-strand, 500ft. = Good deal?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=4241&A=details&Q=&sku=441287&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

hermanv
04-29-2007, 04:49 AM
Bi-wired and all home made:

Tweeter/Mids are 16 strands (eight each direction) of Cardas 24 gauge solid 5 nines silver (drawn through diamond dies and anealed in an oxygen free atmosphere). Teflon sleeving. 8 number 24 gauge is equal to one 15 AWG in resistance. I'd go bigger, but I can't afford it. (Oh yeah, 15 gauge in silver is probably about 14 gauge in copper)

Woofer; 1 pair Cardas ultra pure 6 nines copper litz 9.5 AWG

All ends terminated with Cardas lugs Rhodium over silver over copper, Total cost for two 8 foot runs about $700

gjpham
04-29-2007, 08:30 AM
Bi-wired and all home made:

..."8 number 24 gauge is equal to one 15 AWG in resistance." and "(Oh yeah, 15 gauge in silver is probably about 14 gauge in copper)"...
Hi, where do you get these info, any links or a formula for me?
Thanks,

emorphien
04-29-2007, 09:39 PM
Canare 4S11 Star-Quad

so whatever that is, I believe they say it's equivalent to 11 gauge but I don't recall or care.

It's connecting my Totem Rainmakers to my C320 BEE.

hermanv
04-30-2007, 12:31 PM
Hi, where do you get these info, any links or a formula for me?
Thanks,There are wire tables on the internet, they provide mechanical size and ohms per thousand feet.

If you parallel two wires of the same gauge you get a gauge that is three sizes smaller. i.e two number 18 wires result in one number 15 wire. Works for all gauges because the gauges are proportional.

enrique
05-01-2007, 02:54 PM
using 8' lengths signal cable.Had originally ordered canares and they are enroute.Friend gave me the signal cable.When the canares arrive i may go ahead and switch them out and see if there is a difference.

DEVO
05-01-2007, 04:00 PM
My fronts are wire w/ Audioquest Type 8 straight w/ bananas. I had some left over Audioquest 14/4, so I ran them in parallel (doubled them up if you will) and they rock! If Hermanv's formula is correct, then I guess my awg for them is 11?

emorphien
05-01-2007, 08:14 PM
Canare 4S11 Star-Quad

so whatever that is, I believe they say it's equivalent to 11 gauge but I don't recall or care.

It's connecting my Totem Rainmakers to my C320 BEE.
adding on:

yep it is 4 14 gauge twisted conductors, so effectively two 11 gauge since I'm not biwiring or bi-amping.

RoyY51
05-02-2007, 04:21 PM
I have 14' runs of 12 gauge H.D. speaker wire to the fronts, and 25' runs of 14 gauge (to better fit under my base molding) to the rear. I've swapped out the fronts with more expensive wire on a few occasions and have never heard anything that I can point to as an improvement. Different, yes. Better, no.

gjpham
06-06-2007, 02:03 PM
..If you parallel two wires of the same gauge you get a gauge that is three sizes smaller. i.e two number 18 wires result in one number 15 wire. Works for all gauges because the gauges are proportional.

Thanks all, so, I purchased that Jamo 14awg but it turned out that my original speaker cables are 16awg, not 18awg as I expected. Therefore, going from 16 to 14 is not alot so I returned it and wanted something bigger. They have a bundle of Jamo 16awg of 4 wires... according to your math, if I double it up, I should have 13awg which is good enough for me. An interesting project for this weekend. I can get this 500ft roll for $120 if someone interested.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/441288-REG/Jamo_164_16_4_Green_In_Wall.html

GTF
06-07-2007, 11:06 AM
Single strand cat5.
The cat5 replaced Radio Shack Mega Cable.

GTF

hermanv
06-07-2007, 02:48 PM
Single strand cat5.
The cat5 replaced Radio Shack Mega Cable.

GTFIt only matters how it sounds to you. CAT 5 is usually 4 pairs of 24 AWG of solid wire with no metallurgy specifications. 4 Pairs of 24AWG has the same DC resistance as 1 pair of 18AWG, probably fine for shorter runs. Like I said, if it sounds good to you then it is good by any definition that matters.

CAT 5 cable is a quasi controlled impedance cable (i.e. velocity of propagation is similar for all frequecies) of around 110-130 Ohms. Usually insulated with irradiated PVC (poly vinyl chloride) a Teflon insulated version can be found. Many articles on using this as a speaker cable recommend multiple cables terminated so as to maintain the advantages of twisted pair (in other words you can't run one CAT 5 for the positive and another for the negative). Two CAT 5 cables would be 15 AWG and four would be 12 AWG which is getting quite respectable. Here is one reference http://www.venhaus1.com/diycatfivecables.html

In my personal experience larger wires or lower gauges generally sound better than higher gauges. True for a single large conductor with a small advantage for a number of small conductors paralleled, especially noticable on tweeters.

O'Shag
07-14-2007, 11:11 PM
I read some comments and see folks using lamp cord and such. I wish I were still blissfully unaware of what good cables can do, I'd have a lot more money in my pocket to buy more components. Sadly, I was exposed to what good cables can do, and so began the long journey to get all my cables to a certain standard. I do think that people using highly sensitive speakers more than 96db -e.g. horns and compression drivers - don't have to worry about high performance speaker cables quite so much.

I use two types of cable for my front channel needs. My center channel speaker, the massively brilliant Polk CS/1000p is hooked up with transparent MusicLink Ultra (15ft length) as are my front speakers (Monitor Audio GR60s) but the ultra is only 10ft for the front. When I bi-amp/tri-amp, I also have QED Genesis Silver Spiral Bi-wire.

emorphien
07-15-2007, 06:31 AM
*cough*

Florian
07-19-2007, 01:38 AM
I use a Magnan Signature speaker cable. 2x 2.4m in length. They are ribbon cables. There is a lot of technical information on the magnan website.

http://www.magnan.com/photos/products_big/signaturespeaker.jpg

GMichael
07-19-2007, 05:15 AM
I use a Magnan Signature speaker cable. 2x 2.4m in length. They are ribbon cables. There is a lot of technical information on the magnan website.

http://www.magnan.com/photos/products_big/signaturespeaker.jpg

Will they bite you if you get too close to their mouth?

Florian
07-19-2007, 06:01 AM
Well, once you pull out your wallet to buy a pair it already bites. Its agressive, even before you get close to it :cornut:

GMichael
07-19-2007, 06:06 AM
Well, once you pull out your wallet to buy a pair it already bites. Its agressive, even before you get close to it :cornut:

Hahaha, I can't get myself to pay more for cables than I've spent on the speakers. These will have to wait. And wait, and wait, and wait.

JohnMichael
07-20-2007, 09:18 AM
Flo I also like ribbons. I use the AlphaCore MI1 which are 13 guage single conductor ribbons for each polarity. They are not as big as yours but neither are my speakers.

Feanor
07-20-2007, 10:08 AM
Flo I also like ribbons. I use the AlphaCore MI1 which are 13 guage single conductor ribbons for each polarity. They are not as big as yours but neither are my speakers.

I have a pair of Nordost Flatline Gold II's currently in use in my HT system. I did use them in my stereo system before going to the short length, bi-wire Monster (probably actually Canare) 14ga. pair I described above.

I really haven't noticed any difference on account of these cable changes. :nonod: I know, I know, I should listen harder: after all, I'm no audiophile if I'm not convinced that every change makes a difference, and any difference is significant.

JohnMichael
07-20-2007, 11:10 AM
I have a pair of Nordost Flatline Gold II's currently in use in my HT system. I did use them in my stereo system before going to the short length, bi-wire Monster (probably actually Canare) 14ga. pair I described above.

I really haven't noticed any difference on account of these cable changes. :nonod: I know, I know, I should listen harder: after all, I'm no audiophile if I'm not convinced that every change makes a difference, and any difference is significant.



Feanor I do not agree that you should listen harder. I have always said that I think we are sensitive to different aspects of reproduced sound. I am sensitive to changes in cables and can not listen to stranded cables long term. Keeping in mind I have never paid more than $200 a pair for speaker cables. In the range I can afford the AlphaCores are the best for me.

LMB
07-25-2007, 07:04 PM
I have Acoustic Zen Hologram 8awg
Make sure your left & right wires are the same lengths so info reaches at same time

LMB

Feanor
07-26-2007, 05:22 AM
...
Make sure your left & right wires are the same lengths so info reaches at same time

LMB

I takes a few picoseconds for the signal to travel the length of you speaker cable. The reasult of different lengths is a few millionsth of a degree of phase difference between the speakers even at the highest frequencies. This is vastly less significant than having one speaker a inch or so closer to your ears than the other.

LMB
07-26-2007, 07:25 AM
Hi Bill,

I do hear a difference in the detail

Linda

Feanor
07-26-2007, 08:13 AM
Hi Bill,

I do hear a difference in the detail

Linda

Here's a website for tweaks that you might find useful ...

http://www.machinadynamica.com/
...

LMB
07-26-2007, 08:17 AM
Ha Ha,

Have you even tried the acoustic zen?
I

Feanor
07-26-2007, 10:02 AM
Ha Ha,

Have you even tried the acoustic zen?
I

I'd like to do so, however they'd be outside my price range.

As I mentioned above, I use Monster, (probably Canare-sourced), 4x14 ga. for bi-wiring, terminated with Parts Express banana plugs.

Curmudgeon
07-26-2007, 03:29 PM
Triwired, the xos are at the amplifer. 2 X 9.5 Cardas for the woofer. Mid, 5 X 11.5 Cardas assembled as a quasi-ribbon; -+-+-. Tweeter, 5 X 23 Cardas silver, quasi-ribbon also. Cardas Rh lugs, and the patent (less expensive) binding posts.

Gauge should not be the primary consideration; as usual, it depends. My woofer (Scanspeak 25W) "likes" a low DC Resistance, so the series lowpass inductor is a big ol' laminated low DCR unit, and the speaker wires are also low DCR. Here, gauge/DCR are about all that matters due to the restricted frequency range.

The mid (Audio Technology/Skaaning 4) also rewards low DCR, but with the slow HF rolloff, higher frequencies (to 10kHz) were a consideration, hence the quasi-ribbon for lower inductance.

For the tweeter, clean HF characteristics were much more important than resistance.

cocopeep
08-10-2007, 12:23 PM
Cardas cross, 1 meter XLR from Parasound halo A21 amp to B&K pre
Cardas cross, 1 meter RCA from B&K pre to ROKSAN Kandy CD
Cardas quadlink and twinlink speaker. 2 meters each

jcooz13@lycos.com
09-03-2007, 04:00 PM
i am using Ultimate Silver Series. i got them on ebay for a good price. 2 twisted 12 gauge per side. and a real thick silicone shield. i have heard a major diference since upgrading.

GTF
09-03-2007, 06:01 PM
[QUOTE=hermanv]It only matters how it sounds to you. CAT 5 is usually 4 pairs of 24 AWG of solid wire with no metallurgy specifications. 4 Pairs of 24AWG has the same DC resistance as 1 pair of 18AWG, probably fine for shorter runs. Like I said, if it sounds good to you then it is good by any definition that matters.

CAT 5 cable is a quasi controlled impedance cable (i.e. velocity of propagation is similar for all frequecies) of around 110-130 Ohms. Usually insulated with irradiated PVC (poly vinyl chloride) a Teflon insulated version can be found. Many articles on using this as a speaker cable recommend multiple cables terminated so as to maintain the advantages of twisted pair (in other words you can't run one CAT 5 for the positive and another for the negative). Two CAT 5 cables would be 15 AWG and four would be 12 AWG which is getting quite respectable.

I use only one single strand, not multiple strands.
But then again. I only have a 300 watt per channel amp.
I did have a pair of The Coffin subs using Peerless drivers and measured them using
a Bass Zone test cd with Radio Shack Mega cables and then switched to one single strand of a pulled apart CAT-5 cable and remeasured.
No difference. 10hz is 10hz.
With either wire I could only get 10hz to 85dbs.

dingus
09-04-2007, 07:45 PM
4 sections of 8ft DIY Canare 4s11 Starquad wire with a combination of spades, banana plugs and bare wire termination, feeding a pair of AR9's in a bi-amp configuration.

blackraven
09-08-2007, 06:26 PM
Monster Cable Z4's 15'. I got them on the NET for a good price-$150pr.. My Magnepans sound good with them but I would like to compare them to some other brands. They seem well made and are about as thick as garden hose.

jrhymeammo
09-08-2007, 08:23 PM
Monster Cable Z4's 15'. I got them on the NET for a good price-$150pr.. My Magnepans sound good with them but I would like to compare them to some other brands. They seem well made and are about as thick as garden hose.

Are there certain Banana plugs that wont fit 1.6QR?

JRA

blackraven
09-09-2007, 08:26 PM
I havent found a problem with different banana plugs fitting them. You can buy a spade plug adapter from magnepan if you would rather use spades.

Lance B
09-11-2007, 12:34 AM
The interesting thing is, how good is the cable INSIDE your speakers? Many speaker manufacturers scrimp in this area and so the resultant sound is only as good as the weakest link. I have rewired the whole lot from the amp terminals to the drivers themselves with mil spec silver plated copper with polytetrofluroethelene/PTFE/Teflon insulation.
I have rewired my speakers internally as well as externally and also put my crossovers externally in their own box. The cable from the amp to the crossover and from the crossover to the speakers is 3 pair, i.e. tri-wired to the crossover and then again tri-wired(obviously) to the speakers with 2 x 10awg stranded for the woofer, 2 x 12awg stranded for the mid and 2 x 20awg soild core for the tweeter.
Internally, the speakers themselves are wired with the same cable to each driver, i.e. 10awg stranded to the woofer, 12awg stranded to the mid and 20awg solid to the tweeter.
How does it sound? Awesome. Better dynamics, clarity, bass extension and instrument and vocal placement as if a veil had been lifted.

basite
09-11-2007, 09:22 AM
1/ How big?
2x 13 gauge

2/ What brand?
Kimber 4VS

3/ What lenght?
4x 2Meters

4/ what type? Floor standing or bookshelf type?
Advents
well, a single pair is considered to be a heavily oversized bookshelf type, if you start stacking however... :)

In-speaker wire is Kimber 4TC which was expensive, but well worth it...

btw, the kimber's are a very big improvement over my previous (and thicker) cables...

Keep them spinning
Bert.