Budgeting for a Mid-Fi Home Theater speaker wire and cable set-up

DonnerUndBlitzen

How much should be spent on speaker wire and cables for a mid-fi, 5.1 channel home theater set-up? This was a question I asked on another thread. I researched various options and here is what I plan on doing.

I’m in the process of putting together a 5.1 home theater set-up. Many active members at this forum are pursuing ultimate audiophile sound. That is not my pursuit. Instead, I am pursuing a great sounding mid-fi system within a limited budget. I’m hoping that my home theater will also be able to do great sounding mid-fi two channel stereo. There is quite a difference in sound and performance between an audiophile set-up and mid-fi. I am much more familiar with mid-fi gear and options than with audiophile level components. That said, over the last 40 years, mid-fi has gotten much better.

BTW, mid-fi is, by far, the main focus of Polk Audio products. I was attracted to Polk because they offer superior value, great sounding, mid-fi speakers. The mid-fi pursuit is interesting and challenging. The challenge is: “How good can I get for X amount of money?” By way of analogy and comparison, Nascar is a mid-fi pursuit while Formula 1 is an audiophile pursuit. Nascar vehicles are not Formula 1, but they still go as fast as a bat out of hell and then some.

My speakers are: Polk Audio RTI A5s, two front speakers (msrp about $800, actually paid including shipping $416), RTI A1s, two surrounds (msrp about $300, actually paid including shipping $166) and CSI A6 center channel (msrp about $400, actually paid $255). Polk Audio PSW10 (price for this sub varies! I saw it on sale on Black Friday at Amazon for $77) I paid $105 including shipping. All my speakers I bought through Amazon. The PSW10 is not a monster sub, but it is a very good fit for my apartment, in deference to my downstairs neighbors, and my persistent, acute issues with vertigo.

Total spent on speakers and sub: $932.

I bought a Mediabridge sub cable for around $13 and may upgrade that cable in the future. I am now aware of other smaller sub options so the PSW10 may be upgraded in the next couple of years. But for now, the PSW10 nicely fills the void.

The receiver I am saving for is the Yamaha RX-A Aventage 1060. It is a 7.2 channel receiver. It sells brand new at Amazon for about $1,200 including tax, s/h. It has 110 watts rms, two channels driven. I’m hoping it has enough power for my speakers, but it does have 7 channel pre-outs so a power amp can be added.

I plan on initially using my present 32" TV. I’m undecided about the level of Blu-Ray player to buy. I have looked at some Sony players and the Oppo player.

So, the total for speakers and the Yamaha AVR receiver is $2,132.

If I add a larger TV (a lower end TV in the $450 to $750 range) and the Oppo BD player (model 203, about $550) the most I plan on spending is about $3,400.

For a $3,400 home theater set-up, how much should be reasonably be spent for speaker wire and cables? It is very possible to cheap out and easily keep this cost below $100. It is also possible to spend way more on wire and cables than $3,400! But remember, my aim is not audiophile level products, it is mid-fi. Fortunately, there are companies such as Monoprice and Blue Jeans Cables that cater to the value orientated mid-fi buyer.

The biggest danger I saw with digital cable involves industry standards. There are performance standards for HDMI, coax, optical, USB, and ethernet cables. The audio equipment may have poor performance if quality, industry standard compliant cables are not used. Blue Jeans Cable (BJC) has certified HDMI cables and claims compliance with the standards for the other digital cables. They are much more pricey than the low end, run of the mill stuff found at Amazon but the extra cost is more than justified. For RCA cables, these cables should be properly shielded for RF interference and made with quality materials. Blue Jeans Cables also sells such cables.

Speaker wire: My longest speaker wire run will be about 40 feet. I will be using 12 gauge, Oxygen Free Multistrand Copper speaker wire (OFMC). Audioholics recommends 12 gauge wire for wire runs up to 50 feet.

Here are the initial cables and wire I plan on buying to get the home theater up and running (costs rounded to nearest dollar):

• 100 foot roll of 12 gauge OFMC wire by Mediabridge $43
• 12 pairs of Banana plugs by Mediabridge $25
• HDMI cables - two 3 foot cables by BJC $30
• HDMI cable - one 12 foot cable by BJC $35
• Ethernet Cables - two 15 foot cables by BJC $25
• Ethernet Cables - two 8 foot cables by BJC $19

So, cables and wire should initially cost about $175 plus s/h. This is about 7% (with s/h) of the $3,400 home theater cost tallied above.

In the future, I plan on buying coax, optical, RCA, and mini-plug RCA cables. They will cost about $150 plus s/h from Blue Jeans Cable.

Please note that the cable and wire I’m buying are not a life sentence! I’m hoping the above will result in a quality mid-fi 5.1 home theater and 2.1 stereo experience. I will need find out how it sounds and then consider options for future improvements. But I do not suffer from upgrade itis! I am not insatiable.

Do you have any mid-fi suggestions? Maybe you have tried other products and got stellar results.

rpf65

Think I would look at Audioquest Forrest for HDMI cables. Not a budget buster by any means.

https://www.thecableco.com/Product/Forest-HDMI

As far as Mediabridge products, my advice is look elsewhere.

Personally think you should consider spending more money on the front 3 cables than surrounds. Maybe the Canare 4S11, from Blue Jeans cable for those, and maybe one of the Beldons for surrounds.

Connectors aren't all maybe the same. There is a reason there are various price points. In the case of Bannanas, many of the cheap ones will have very poor connections, and just aren't worth the time it takes to throw them away.

Look at better quality connectors, and remember you can mix those guys up. Personally I like Bannanas for my AVR side, but prefer Spades for the speakers. Just simply think spades offer a superior connection, while Bannanas are easier to use in confined spaces, provided you have adequate room to use them.

Probably about double your budget or so, but I think you'll be much more satisfied.

vmaxer

Agreed, Mediabridge is better off in the trash can.

mikeyb128

Just put some belden 12 gauge in there and call it a day. Buy some audio quest pearls, great quality, great price, and great entry level performance.

You won't break the bank, and it will be perfect for
Your system. I haven't been able to notice a huge jump in performance using expensive speaker wire and interconnects in home theater. I use audioquest carbon hdmi, and military grade solid core copper, silver plated, twisted and double shielded (foil and braid) speaker wire for my
Front theee. Maybe cost me 75 bucks. Belden goes to the rears.

nooshinjohn

I budget 15 to 20 percent of my total for cables...

rpf65

You can use bare wire to connect speaker wire to both your AVR and speakers.

Nightfall

DonnerUndBlitzen wrote: »

Does anyone know if banana plugs are merely a convenience over connecting to the terminals with bare wire?

No, bare wire gets oxidized. Tin the ends at least.

motorhead43026

Tinning the ends also insures stray stands don't cause a short.

BlueFox

Always wrap bare wire to the right on any connections. This will insure it tightens as the connector is tightened. Wrapping to the left will result in it coming off as the connector is tightened.

ken brydson

BlueFox wrote: »

Always wrap bare wire to the right on any connections. This will insure it tightens as the connector is tightened. Wrapping to the left will result in it coming off as the connector is tightened.

And don't cross the streams, very bad...

Mikey081057

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=AQFLXSLIP

CoolJazz

Tinning the ends should only mean to solder together the very most end, no more! And if you do so, then you have to have the wire stripped such that the soldered point can insert and go all the way through the connector so that the tension is applied to the NON-TINNED area.

To say it another way you should NEVER attempt to have a soldered wire under a crimp down style of connector like a typical speaker binding post. It will come loose and never be tight to begin with. A common well intentioned MISTAKE.

And it's general folklore that you worry about copper and air anyway. When you crimp down a connector onto a copper wire, the area is able to remain clean and shiny for years when done properly.

The wire turning green isn't from air, it's from the nasty corrosive chemicals in the cheap-a$$ clear coat insulator that's typically used on spkr wire for amateur's. You know...those that think gauge is all that matters. That's why the first step up in quality is to get away from that clear stuff.

CJ

Mikey081057

I agree on the ac14's and keep a 1m ac9 along side the bed in case of an intruder. getting smacked across the lips with an ac9 will definitely ruin your smile.

BlueFox

DSkip wrote: »

I would also recommend seeking out a Pangea AC-14SE or two for your power cables to the source and receiver. Given their age, these should be relatively cheap on the used market and are excellent starting cables. The AC-14 is OK, but by all means stay away from the AC-9. It's a complete PITA to install and isn't worth the effort IMO.

Good point about the power cords. I don't believe he has given any thought to that. While Pangea cables are good, I started with them, I would suggest also trying some used Shunyata Venom power cables. There must be a lot on the used market now. Once I added a Venom it was a jaw dropping, WTF, moment. I replaced all my Pangea cables, and have been on the Shunyata train since.

Yes, the AC9 is a true PITA. You can use one as a club for home defense.