Speaker Wires

[poppachubby]

Close up, I used poly-urethane hose for the jacket. I found an inside diameter so close that I had to use penetrating oil to slip them in.

[Geoffcin]

Close up, I used poly-urethane hose for the jacket. I found an inside diameter so close that I had to use penetrating oil to slip them in.

Neat, I've never heard solid core wires used in an audio system.

[blackraven]

Neat, I've never heard solid core wires used in an audio system.

http://www.anticables.com/technical.html

[poppachubby]

http://www.anticables.com/technical.html

Oh fantastic link. I had just bought some heat shrink big enough to fit both positive and negative into one lead. I am now re-thinking it.

Neat, I've never heard solid core wires used in an audio system.

Try it out Geoffcin. Like I've said it can be done for next to nothing. According to BR's link, no shielding or jackets are required, short of the wrap that you buy it in. I find it's a brighter and bigger sound. Quite audible, that's for sure...John Michael introduced me to solid core however the leg work and research was my own. Well worth it and thanks again JM if you're reading this.

[poppachubby]

OK, I am getting the feeling that the OP has maybe lost interest. Mingus, you still around man? Have you been looking at anything? Any thoughts on what you may do?

Hey Raven, I am going with full shielding and jacket. After a week I'll put a "naked" set in and try to sort out any differences. Here they are, bananas as required by the speakers, and bare on the amp end.

[blackraven]

You should be able to run the bare wire into the speaker depending upon the binding post's.

[frenchmon]

OK, I am getting the feeling that the OP has maybe lost interest. Mingus, you still around man? Have you been looking at anything? Any thoughts on what you may do?

Hey Raven, I am going with full shielding and jacket. After a week I'll put a "naked" set in and try to sort out any differences. Here they are, bananas as required by the speakers, and bare on the amp end.

Dog Boy!!! You look like you may be ready to sell cable on line! Good job!

pappaC solid core clear cables.

frenchmon

[poppachubby]

Thanks Frenchy! It's nothing really. Quite easy and I suggest it for you to try out. I've got them in my main system right now and they sound great.

I don't want to over do it, so I'll say that they're certainly no worse than my beloved Ultralinks.

[hermanv]

Oh fantastic link. I had just bought some heat shrink big enough to fit both positive and negative into one lead. I am now re-thinking it.

If you do a little math it will show you that the reduction in inductance from running two wires in a common sleeve easily outweighs the increase in capacitance.

Adding inductance is the equivalent of making the wire gauge smaller.

[Mingus]

Hey I am back, I had a problem with my computer. I may decide to change the other speaker wires also - some were spliced with solder and wrap in electrical tape. I am going to inspect the condition of the solder splice to see if the cable needs to be replaced. The solid wire sounds good. Is solid wire flexible enough to bent around corners. I'll be shopping for cable in the next few days and will be stopping at Home Depot.

Hey PC, those are nice photos.

[poppachubby]

If you do a little math it will show you that the reduction in inductance from running two wires in a common sleeve easily outweighs the increase in capacitance.

Adding inductance is the equivalent of making the wire gauge smaller.

I was refering to a jacket for both shielded cables, is this what your math equation is for? Or are you talking about two bare cables in one sleeve?

[poppachubby]

Hey I am back, I had a problem with my computer. I may decide to change the other speaker wires also - some were spliced with solder and wrap in electrical tape. I am going to inspect the condition of the solder splice to see if the cable needs to be replaced. The solid wire sounds good. Is solid wire flexible enough to bent around corners. I'll be shopping for cable in the next few days and will be stopping at Home Depot.

Hey PC, those are nice photos.

Not only is it flexible enough, much like coaxial, it stays in place once its shaped.

[frenchmon]

Thanks Frenchy! It's nothing really. Quite easy and I suggest it for you to try out. I've got them in my main system right now and they sound great.

I don't want to over do it, so I'll say that they're certainly no worse than my beloved Ultralinks.

Ah come on now....how do they sound? Hows the detail compared to the Ultralinks? Do they have better mids, or highs? Surely they don't sound the same. You would expect a cable company's product to have a distinctive house sound and character. Whats the bottom end like? Give us report on the two cables. Who knows I might ask you to build me some for my home-theater when I start upgrading .

frenchmon

[hermanv]

I was refering to a jacket for both shielded cables, is this what your math equation is for? Or are you talking about two bare cables in one sleeve?

The kind of insulation used and its thickness can be important for interconnects. For speaker cables, thinner, thicker, polyurethane or Teflon has a small effect because the capacitive reactance has a very high impedance and therefore the effects are very small compared to an 8 Ohm load.

Whereas twisting wires can be important for interconnects because the signals are small and the impedance is high, it is far less important for an 8 Ohm load.

I guess I don;t understand your question about two bare wires in sleeve, this just lowers the effective wire gauge.

[poppachubby]

Ah come on now....how do they sound? Hows the detail compared to the Ultralinks? Do they have better mids, or highs? Surely they don't sound the same. You would expect a cable company's product to have a distinctive house sound and character. Whats the bottom end like? Give us report on the two cables. Who knows I might ask you to build me some for my home-theater when I start upgrading .

frenchmon

OK frenchy, I was trying to be humble, but for the simplicity of these, they are impressive. I have spun only a few albums, but I tried to grab some challenging stuff. I have the cables hooked up to my Dynaco A25's.

George Benson- Good King Bad, the warmth of the highs and high mids is almost shocking. Benson's guitar can do no wrong, so I turned it up, and then turned it up some more. With the amp cranked well above moderate, there wasn't a shrill note to be heard. All the while the low end is tight and punchy. Super clear and detailed across the whole recording.

Stevie Wonder- Innervisions, I wanted to hear the harp solos from "Too High" after the Benson. I have found this track to be a good test of high mids. When Stevie blows, it's not hard for it to sound harsh. Again, everything was aces. Perfect tone.

From this I threw on Herbie Hancock's Man-Child. I stopped the critical listening but everything sounded really nice. I would say the main difference from the Ultralinks would be the bass range. The UL's seem to have a deeper bass sound whereas these solid core are alot more punchy and refined in the bass dept. I have the advantage of a pair of UL's hooked into my comp system. I can send the signal from my main system to the comp, so i switched speakers on a couple of tracks off of Innervisions.

Like i said, well worth the effort. I'm quite certain I'll make another set. I think I'll make the next with no jacket, like BR's link. Frenchy, you wouldn't need me to make these for you, although I would if you wanted me to. Way too easy to do.

Solid core gets a headbang!!

[Poultrygeist]

Sell for about $7.00 for 40 ft. Don't care much for these as interconnects but they make great speaker wires. You can read reviews of these homebrew cords all over the net.

[frenchmon]

OK frenchy, I was trying to be humble, but for the simplicity of these, they are impressive. I have spun only a few albums, but I tried to grab some challenging stuff. I have the cables hooked up to my Dynaco A25's.

George Benson- Good King Bad, the warmth of the highs and high mids is almost shocking. Benson's guitar can do no wrong, so I turned it up, and then turned it up some more. With the amp cranked well above moderate, there wasn't a shrill note to be heard. All the while the low end is tight and punchy. Super clear and detailed across the whole recording.

Stevie Wonder- Innervisions, I wanted to hear the harp solos from "Too High" after the Benson. I have found this track to be a good test of high mids. When Stevie blows, it's not hard for it to sound harsh. Again, everything was aces. Perfect tone.

From this I threw on Herbie Hancock's Man-Child. I stopped the critical listening but everything sounded really nice. I would say the main difference from the Ultralinks would be the bass range. The UL's seem to have a deeper bass sound whereas these solid core are alot more punchy and refined in the bass dept. I have the advantage of a pair of UL's hooked into my comp system. I can send the signal from my main system to the comp, so i switched speakers on a couple of tracks off of Innervisions.

Like i said, well worth the effort. I'm quite certain I'll make another set. I think I'll make the next with no jacket, like BR's link. Frenchy, you wouldn't need me to make these for you, although I would if you wanted me to. Way too easy to do.

Solid core gets a headbang!!

Thanks pappaC...you my buddy. I thank you for the critical listen report...now sit back and be moved by the sound, and continue your headbang.

frenchmon

[MartaDianne]

I just got a new Onkyo home theater system and I've yet to set it up. Before I do, should I go buy some special speaker wires? Do they really make a difference? I have always used Monster Cables for connecting components, so I'll probably stick with those for the rest.

[poppachubby]

I just got a new Onkyo home theater system and I've yet to set it up. Before I do, should I go buy some special speaker wires? Do they really make a difference? I have always used Monster Cables for connecting components, so I'll probably stick with those for the rest.

Don't be fooled by this thread, you don't have to get anything particularily "special". I would advise to buy no higher than 14 gauge wire. Your speakers and amp will probably have difficulty accepting 10 or 12 gauge wire due to its large size. If you go that low, you will need to buy some termination, speaker pins would be best.

The higher the number, the thinner the wire. Thicker wire will help with bass response and in general is a better conductor for the signal.

That;s all really. Doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg either, just have a look around before your purchase.

[hermanv]

I just got a new Onkyo home theater system and I've yet to set it up. Before I do, should I go buy some special speaker wires? Do they really make a difference? I have always used Monster Cables for connecting components, so I'll probably stick with those for the rest.

This is a repeat, but this wire sounds good on home theater systems running $10,000.00. It is cheap and being flat goes under carpets well.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2104178

Other Radio Shack products don't do as well IMHO.

[blackraven]

I just got a new Onkyo home theater system and I've yet to set it up. Before I do, should I go buy some special speaker wires? Do they really make a difference? I have always used Monster Cables for connecting components, so I'll probably stick with those for the rest.

Check out this site for cables www.bluejeanscable.com

I have some $200pr monster m1000i IC's and the $30 bluejean cables sound better and they blow my m950i's away.

Dont waste your money on overpriced monster crap!

[hermanv]

Check out this site for cables www.bluejeanscable.com

I have some $200pr monster m1000i IC's and the $30 bluejean cables sound better and they blow my m950i's away.

Dont waste your money on overpriced monster crap!

My first ever expensive cables were Monster m1000 IC's, I agree garbage!

[Mingus]

I didn't get a chance to try the different type of speaker wires. My wife got annoyed with loose wires around the living room so I just went to the hardware store and purchased a roll of 14 qauge speaker wire and connect everything back again. I am going to try different wires in the basement system.

[JoeE SP9]

PC, the system you're putting together around that SE-40 may make you feel differently about speaker cables.

[poppachubby]

PC, the system you're putting together around that SE-40 may make you feel differently about speaker cables.

OK, you're going to make me ask. How so?