My sub cables are aluminum

afterburnt

I got some Mediabridge sub cables and splitters from Amazon turns out the center conductor is copper clad aluminum and the braided shield is aluminum with Mylar aluminum foil. Is this really cheezy material for a sub cable?

Speedskater

It's a very poor choice for a long RCA interconnect, like most sub cables are.
For long RCA interconnects (let's say over 10 feet), you want a coax with a heavy braided copper shield. One of the best examples is the Blue Jeans Cable LC-1.

We are seeing more and more CCA (Copper Clad Aluminum) speaker and interconnect cables.

afterburnt

Monoprice cables look like they are made of better materials than these. I have some BJC interconnects for my amps however, I read that the subwoofer cable is not as critical as it only carries low frequency signals. I dont really want to spring for BJC's because I dont know what lengths I will end up needing once I move. Do you think I should bother with the Monoprice cables or will I be replacing junk with junk?

teekay0007

afterburnt wrote: »

Do you think I should bother with the Monoprice cables or will I be replacing junk with junk?

Uh......why don't you plug it in and "listen"?

Speedskater

Sub woofer cables are extra critical because the noise in poor interconnects is mostly power line harmonics.

tonyb

afterburnt wrote: »

Monoprice cables look like they are made of better materials than these. I have some BJC interconnects for my amps however, I read that the subwoofer cable is not as critical as it only carries low frequency signals. I dont really want to spring for BJC's because I dont know what lengths I will end up needing once I move. Do you think I should bother with the Monoprice cables or will I be replacing junk with junk?

BJC are not expensive, but I believe are a step up from Monoprice cables. Why replace junk with junk as you say ?

Sub cables do make a difference too, so buy the best you can afford at the moment. You can also buy a better cable used and get better quality.

afterburnt

I have hundreds of dollars worth of misfit and not so good cables hanging on the wall already I did not want to add to the collection dollar wise. I could get Monoprice and spend $16 or Blue Jeans for $96. I guess there is a chance to sell the Blue Jeans down the road and recoup some of the money if I can no longer use them. All this nickle and dime stuff is putting a dent in my "new speakers, second sub, new amp fund" lol

tonyb

Granted, the nickel and dime stuff does add up, but it's the nature of the beast. What....you gonna buy a new amp, new speakers, and another sub and connect it all up with monoprice garbage ?

Buy quality but buy used, that way you can resell and not lose hardly anything.

afterburnt

If I buy a new amp, new speakers, and another sub I will have to connect it all up with monoprice garbage unless I take my kid out of college lol! I better buy the BJC's or else you wont stop yelling at me.

rpf65

Budget? I'd probably go AQ black lab

Speedskater

If you don't hear any hum, buzz or noise with the present aluminum cables, then good cables will have nothing to improve.

tonyb

Speedskater wrote: »

If you don't hear any hum, buzz or noise with the present aluminum cables, then good cables will have nothing to improve.

Can't agree with that pal. Different sub cables offer different degree's of bass performance much like speaker and IC cables do.

Afterburnt,

Not yelling at ya pal, just trying to inject some common sense. Better cables doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg or force your kid into community college. We just had a bunch of MIT cables sold in the FM for cheaper than a night out with the wife.

westmassguy

If you're handy, and know how to use a soldering iron, make your own. I use Belden # 1505F Cable. Pick up a pair of quality RCA Plugs, solder it up and your done. If you don't know how to solder, they also make RCA Plugs that can be Crimped or have some type of Compression Fitting. Either way, it's less expensive than retail cable, and you can re-use the cable if your needs change.
http://www.amazon.com/BARGAIN-LOCKING-SOLDERLESS-CONNECTOR-Instruments/dp/B00JFC2SV8/ref=sr_1_4/181-8297034-1377136?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1429701241&sr=1-4&keywords=solderless+rca+plug

dpowell

Went with bluejeans cable for my 30 foot run. Works just fine. Don't settle for garbage cables. I think anyone who has been in this hobby awhile has a box of unloved cables sitting around that aren't worth selling. Maybe wait until you move and then order what you need.

afterburnt

dp I have like four boxes lol. I did order some BJC's and I ordered them a little longer than what I actually need right now.

dpowell

Very nice. You should be happy with them.

teekay0007

afterburnt, did you listen to the sub with the Mediabridge cable in use? If so, how did it sound?

I just looked at the Mediabridge Ultra cables on Amazon (ten bucks for a fifteen footer) and with 2619 reviews, it received 4.8 out of 5 stars and is their "#1 Best Seller" in subwoofer cables. Where's the disconnect?

Ha! See what I did right there?

http://www.amazon.com/Mediabridge-ULTRA-Subwoofer-Cable-Feet/dp/B003FVYXY0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429802279&sr=8-1&keywords=mediabridge+subwoofer+cable

afterburnt

tee I have been using that cable for a while now with no apparent issues. I have since added one of their splitters to bump up the gain (a left over from the PB 1000 that I had). I installed the BJC last night with no splitter so it seems that the gain is lower now. I have to run the YAPO again and see where it sets the sub with only one connection and then see if I can hear any difference.

No, what did you do right there?

mrloren

I have the Monoprice ultra sub cable and BJC-LC1. For a movie there is no difference but put on some music with some nice bass rips and kick drums you will hear a little more detail. The BJC has more detail than the Monoprice.