Help with building my own speaker cables

ft_townman

I want to bi-wire my speakers with quality speaker cables and I want to build them myself. My question is which 12awg 4 conductor speaker wire should I use? i have all the other stuff i need...heat shrink tubing, 3/8" sleeving, and the different pants. I was going to order monoprice b/c of the price and figured i would probably be better off stirring up a debate on speaker cables to find out which way i should actually go. My budget is around 100-200 bucks for around 100 feet of cable. Thanks for your help.

tonyb

ft_townman wrote: »

figured i would probably be better off stirring up a debate on speaker cables to find out which way i should actually go. My budget is around 100-200 bucks for around 100 feet of cable. Thanks for your help.

Uh...no, stirring up cable threads does nothing. Besides if you want to learn about cables we have many threads on it if you use the search button.

If you want to buy monoprice cables, why not just order what you need from them completed ? Certainly cheap enough. For regular bare wire look at Canare, good quality wire.

EndersShadow

Personally I went to a local hi-fi dealer and had them cut me specific lengths of Audioquest FLX 14/4 CL2 wire. Its quite good wire (Mantis approved), wasn't super expensive (similar cost to Dougs Furez) and I could always go get more since it was local right then and there without paying shipping costs or waiting for it to arrive.

ft_townman

I looked thru the forum to find info but maybe I didn't go back far enough and I wasn't sure if anything has changed over the last couple years. Not that I want to stir a debate but I know it will happen sadly. I'm here to soak up the knowledge so I can make a better decision. More interested in the pros and cons of any quality speaker cable.

EndersShadow

ft_townman wrote: »

I looked thru the forum to find info but maybe I didn't go back far enough and I wasn't sure if anything has changed over the last couple years. Not that I want to stir a debate but I know it will happen sadly. I'm here to soak up the knowledge so I can make a better decision. More interested in the pros and cons of any quality speaker cable.

Well if your making your own anything from BlueJeansCable, DouglassConnection, or stuff like I recommended will work and will be BETTER than the monoprice stuff. It also wont break the bank.

I used monoprice 14 gauge to start with and with the exception of my surrounds (30+ feet cord) its all outta my system, including my 2 channel).

In my house I will run in wall stuff (more than likely the same Audioquest I suggested) and be done with it.

tonyb

Pro's and cons depends on your wallet. If your looking to get 100 ft of quality wire for 30 bucks, that isn't going to happen. Like everything else in life, quality goes up the more it cost....usually, not a guarantee. Bang for your buck, Douglas connections, Signal cable, even Bluejeans cable is better than monoprice. Also the quality of the connections, build design of the cable, metallurgy, all play a role.....and all differ with price.

ft_townman

well with my budget it looks like it's between the douglas furez cable or the audioquest....both seem like quality cables

pitdogg2

thought of this? Canare is good stuff here's a link on eBay but if you google you can find many that sell it by the foot. Its cheap enough.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CANARE-4S8-13-AWG-STAR-QUAD-SPEAKER-CABLE-BULK-UNTERMINATED-10-BLACK-/130672613223

I will also recommend Signal cable Ultra good stuff and Frank give us at Polk A 5% discount..

EndersShadow

pitdogg2 wrote: »

I will also recommend Signal cable Ultra good stuff and Frank give us at Polk A 5% discount..

Yeah but I am guessing he's making a full 5 or 7 cables and his surrounds are pretty far back as he's wanting 100 feet. I think Signal Cables are probably out given the cost for bi-wire cables at that length.

ft_townman

I just finished up the Center channel wire and it looks awesome. everything I got worked out perfect. I will have to take a picture of them and post it. Beats paying 150 bucks per cable or more. Can't wait to hear the system when i'm done. I just won't spoil the outcome listening speaker to speaker lol.

ft_townman

This was the first one finished for my center channel. Everything looks and feels great to me. Plus I get the added benefit of knowing i'm using Audioquest 14/4 speaker wire. I can't wait to hear everything hooked up. I'm moving shortly so it must wait as my stuff is all packed away. I was bored so I figured I should make some good speaker cables. Setting up in the new place should be fun. I love doing this stuff.

EndersShadow

Which Audioquest did you use? Is it FLX 14/4? If so I have used that an was pretty happy with the results for the price.

ft_townman

yes I used the FLX 14/4. Very easy to work with. I can't wait to do the comparison of old stuff to new

EndersShadow

ft_townman wrote: »

yes I used the FLX 14/4. Very easy to work with. I can't wait to do the comparison of old stuff to new

Looks good. Only suggestion would be to put the techflex on the OUTSIDE of the speaker pants. Would help hold it in place better.

ft_townman

On the others I made so far I actually used a piece of heat shrink over part of the pants and the techflex. I will try what you said and bring the techflex over the pants. Always open to suggestion

ft_townman

Can someone please tell me what the silver part is called? I would like to add something like this to my cables to make them better looking but I'm not sure what it's even called. thanks for the help.

EndersShadow

ft_townman wrote: »

Can someone please tell me what the silver part is called? I would like to add something like this to my cables to make them better looking but I'm not sure what it's even called. thanks for the help.

PM Helipilotdoug. He sells those parts for his cables (he wraps his in shrinkwrap though)

EndersShadow

edit double post somehow...