New to This..

Kenoskater
Kenoskater Posts: 7
edited January 2013 in Basic Hookup/Wiring Questions
I have the Polk Audio Monitor60 Series II i just got two of them with my Yamaha RX-V371BL 5.1-Channel A/V Receiver. So i connected my speakers with RCA AH16100SN 100 Ft. 16-Gauge Speaker Wire and it just sounds terrible. It sounds flat and staticy. Do i need a higher cable then 16 gauge? I can record and upload if that helps. :sad:
Post edited by Kenoskater on
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited December 2012
    Hopefully, you didn't use 50 feet for either side. The easiest way to answer your question is to go to the hardware store and buy 'x' feet of 12 gauge, twisted, stranded, low voltage copper wire. Just use enough wire to connect the speaker to the amp. If it sounds the same then wire is not the problem, and you are only out a few dollars.

    If it sounds better then you are in trouble. :smile:
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • Kenoskater
    Kenoskater Posts: 7
    edited December 2012
    BlueFox wrote: »
    Hopefully, you didn't use 50 feet for either side. The easiest way to answer your question is to go to the hardware store and buy 'x' feet of 12 gauge, twisted, stranded, low voltage copper wire. Just use enough wire to connect the speaker to the amp. If it sounds the same then wire is not the problem, and you are only out a few dollars.

    If it sounds better then you are in trouble. :smile:

    Well i just found out it was the conductor. It wasn't tight enough so it was only playing half the speaker. Thanks for the help thorough, new to this stuff :eek:
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited December 2012
    Great. Starting the new year with new gear. Have a good year, and enjoy.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • Speedskater
    Speedskater Posts: 495
    edited January 2013
    I think that the "RCA" brand cable sold in some big box stores is aluminum wire! (and it may be undersized, as well). This is not the old well respected RCA that was the leader in electronics for decades.
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  • michael1947
    michael1947 Posts: 775
    edited January 2013
    If they use up all the aluminum for krappy speaker cables then what will be make beer cans out of:loneranger:
    Main Family Room: Sony 46 LCD, Sony Blue Ray, Sony DVD/VCR combo,Onkyo TXNR 708, Parasound 5250,
    Polk SDS-SRS with mods, CSI 5 center + Klipsch SC2, Polk RT2000P rears, Klipsch KG 1.5's sides, Polk Micro Pro 1000, Polk Micro Pro 2000, Polk SW505, Belkin PF60, Signal Cable Classics,Monster IC's, 2 15 amp circuits & 1 20 amp circuit.

    Living Room: Belkin PF60, Parasound HCA2200, MIT ProlineEXP balanced IC's,Emotiva XDA-1 DAC/Pre,Emotiva ERC2 transport,MIT AVT2, Polk LSI 9's.
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  • Speedskater
    Speedskater Posts: 495
    edited January 2013
    Do a search for:
    RCA aluminum speaker cable

    This is just on thread:
    http://www.amazon.com/AH16100N-feet-16-Gauge-Speaker-Wire/product-reviews/B000N7DY9Y
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  • seabeerob213
    seabeerob213 Posts: 1,843
    edited January 2013
    i believ the rca cable i have is aluminum, sadly, the 14 AWG stranded copper stuff i have isnt enough, so i have my center and right surround on copper and surround left on the rca, as surrounds i dont hear much difference, but the volume is a bit lower on the rca cable, i noticed it was aluminum when i set up my new avr, i pulled it out of the spring clip on the old one and it came out silver in color
    2 Channel(work in progress):DAC: Schiit modi 2 uberAmp:Parasound 1200 MK IISub:RBH 1010-SEP Speakers: Monitor 5A peerlesscurrently running some krk rokit 3g since the HK pre outs died and i need to start breaking everything down to move in a couple monthsHeadphones:Source: tidalDAC: schiit modius epre: schiit sysAmp: AQ dragonfly black/ schiit magni2 Cans: Velodyne V-True, Grado SR225i, sennheiser x drop gaming headsetPC:DAC: schiit modius e(over spdif)pre: schiit sysspeakers: prenous eris 5 xtSub: Earthquake Sound MiniMe-P63most of my comments are passing on of info, im a noob, im just trying to help how i can, if im wrong or out of place to comment, dont hesitate to let me know :)"WITH WILLING HEARTS AND SKILLFUL HANDS, THE DIFFICULT WE DO AT ONCE, THE IMPOSSIBLE TAKES A BIT LONGER, WITH COMPASSION FOR OTHERS. WE BUILD - WE FIGHT FOR PEACE WITH FREEDOM"Seabee Memorial, Arlington, VA
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  • astar13656
    astar13656 Posts: 164
    edited January 2013
    michael1947 wrote: »
    If they use up all the aluminum for krappy speaker cables then what will be make beer cans out of:loneranger:

    Maybe the wire is recycled beer cans....
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  • Phil17108
    Phil17108 Posts: 2
    edited January 2013
    I like the idea of the low voltage outer lighting wire as in malibu. have used it for years and have never found it green bet it's 99.99 % oxygen free but not much less then monoprice.
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  • qenssal
    qenssal Posts: 1
    edited January 2013
    Great post and interesting comments! Looks like people have a strong opinion about both sides of the coin!
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  • goofyGAguy
    goofyGAguy Posts: 545
    edited January 2013
    qenssal wrote: »
    Great post and interesting comments! Looks like people have a strong opinion about both sides of the coin!

    You forgot the link to your spam.
    My humble setup...

    ...is no more. :cry:
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  • decal
    decal Posts: 3,205
    edited January 2013
    goofyGAguy wrote: »
    You forgot the link to your spam.

    He's trying to get his foot in the door first!!!!!
    If you can't hear a difference, don't waste your money.
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  • hochpt21
    hochpt21 Posts: 5,423
    edited January 2013
    goofyGAguy wrote: »
    You forgot the link to your spam.

    Which is super innoying, because today is the one day I wanted to click on some.
    2 ChannelTurntable - VPI Classic 2/Ortofon 2M BlueAmplification - Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II, Parks Audio Budgie PhonoSpeakers - GoldenEar Triton 17.2 Home TheaterDenon AVR-X3300W; Rotel RMB-1066; Klipsch RP-280F's, Klipsch RP-450C, Polk FXi3's, Polk RC60i; Dual SVS PB 2000's; BenQ HT2050; Elite Screens 120"Man CaveTurntable - Pro-Ject 2.9 Wood/Grado GoldAmplification - Dared SL2000a, McCormack DNA 0.5 DeluxeCD: Cambridge AudioSpeakers - Wharfedale Linton 85th Anniversary; LSiM 703; SDA 2A
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  • Mikey081057
    Mikey081057 Posts: 7,127
    edited January 2013
    You can get a 100 foot roll of decent copper cable for about $50 on ebay or amazon 12 ga. would be best.
    My New Year's resolution is 3840 × 2160

    Family Room| Marantz AV7704| Usher Dancer Mini - 2 DMD Mains |Usher Dancer Mini-x DMD's Surrounds | Usher BE-616 DMD Center | SVS Ultra Rear Surrounds | Parasound Halo A21 | Parsound Halo A52+ | MIT Shotgun S3's | Dual SVS SB 4000 Ultras | Oppo UDP 203 | Directv Genie HD DVR | Samsung 75" Q8 QLED | PSAudio Stellar GCD | Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ | Lumin U1 Mini | HP Elite Slice PC | ROON'd for life |

    ManCave: HT:Polk LSiM 706VR3 LSiM 703's LSiM 702's|| Marantz AV7002 AV PrePro Sunfire TGA-7401| Sony PS4 Pro| Sony PS4 Pro|SVS PB13 Ultra| Oppo UDP 203 | Music Hall MMF 5.3se TT w/ Soundsmith Carmen | Samsung 55" SUHD TV | Sony PS4

    Patio | Polk Atrium 8's | Yamaha R-N303BL |

    Office BlueSound Node| KEF LS50 | Peactree Nova 125SE |

    Bedroom | Focal 905's | Chromecast Audio |

    Garage | Polk Monitor 5B's

    Closet Yamaha M80 | 2 Polk MP3K subs| Yaqin MC100B with Shuguang Treasures KT 88's & CV181Z's | Tesla E83CC's | Marantz 2252B | Marantz 2385 |Polk SDA SRS 2.3 | LSiM 705's |
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  • oleon621
    oleon621 Posts: 178
    edited January 2013
    You can always go the blue jeans cable route. Affordable and well built.
    Front- RTI A7,(powered by ADCOM GFA 5500)
    Center- CSI5,
    Surrounds- RTI 6 and Rear Surrounds- TS 15.
    TV-Panasonic P55ST50
    SUB-SVS PB10-NSD and PSW505
    Receiver- Yamaha Aventage RX-A2000
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