Best speaker wire

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Comments

  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    I know that. :)
    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.
  • msg
    msg Posts: 10,067
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    K_M wrote: »
    My last venture trying to strip wires....I am not the most coordinated doing this kinda stuff, but I try!

    next time try a radial arm saw geesh

    OUCH! bet that hurt more 3 day later than it did the day of :*

    ACK! Takin' lessons from @voltz?!?
    Man that musta hurt. Definitely cringe-worthy.

    Lol, radial arm saw...
    Seriously though, what were you using, Kelly? You're not supposed to have to swing any chopping tools to strip wire.
    I disabled signatures.
  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 3,153
    Toughen-up, buttercups. I've got pics of my fingertips after a table saw didn't recognize the difference between a piece of wood and my fingers. Not for the faint of heart.
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
  • Hermitism
    Hermitism Posts: 4,262
    I can't quite put my finger on it, but...
  • Hermitism
    Hermitism Posts: 4,262
    A gorgeous young redhead goes into the doctor's office and said that her body hurt wherever she touched it.

    "Impossible!" says the doctor. "Show me."

    The redhead took her finger, pushed on her left breast and screamed, then she pushed her elbow and screamed in even more. She pushed her knee and screamed; likewise she pushed her ankle and screamed. Everywhere she touched made her scream.

    The doctor said, "You're not really a redhead, are you?

    "Well, no" she said, "I'm actually a blonde."

    "I thought so", the doctor said. "Your finger is broken."
  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    LOL. Poor blondes. :)
    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.
  • Hermitism
    Hermitism Posts: 4,262
    K_M, that joke wasn't directed at you. I just felt this thread was deserving of a finger joke or two. The next time I tear my knee, which seems to happen often, you all can pile on the knee jokes!

    Pull my finger...
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,973
    Wire is like any other component in your system, has to have synergy with it's playmates.

    "BEST"....is subjective, best in a certain price class may narrow it down some, but still subjective. So really there is no such thing as the best wire, only the wire that fits in your budget , has synergy with it's playmates,and pleases your ears.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • gdphoto
    gdphoto Posts: 182
    Thanks everyone! Lots of good information. I am not looking to spend upwards to $600.00 for speaker cables, it would be nice, but not possible for me. I am considering this cable from Cable Matters.
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BWS34RU?ref_=pfb_ameflcdd5bgjhe9fbje06l67bgjm&tag=hydfbook0e-20&ascsubtag=pfb-P01-V01-O3-X98-HI-JL0SES&fbclid=IwAR3jMl2zV6Qg-lG7IZeeb0dfzBKSBrCrR3eA6jE4HtD4SW3Kp5AVfT6B0PE. It will give me an 11AWG cable when 2 conductors are combined. I only have an 8 to 10 foot run on
    each side. From what I gather by your comments, this should be an improvement over my 30 year old Monster cables. If you have suggestions for other cables in the lower price range let me know. I am also considering this one. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JZKNSKC/ref=gno_cart_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1N62ANATP10CZ.

    Thanks for your help!
    Hafler DH220 Power amp Recapped
    Hafler DH110 Preamp Recapped
    Hafler Digital FM Tuner
    Virtue Audio M1 Piano CD Player
    Technics SL-1210-MK5 with a Rega Exact Cartridge
    Polk SDA1c's(Rebuilt XO's by Ben) RDO194 Tweeters
  • Go to eBay, Zu cables. Get a set of Mission speaker cables for next to nothing
    The best way to predict the future is to invent it.

    It is imperative that we recognize that an opinion is not a fact.
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,485
    gdphoto wrote: »
    If you have suggestions for other cables in the lower price range let me know. I am also considering this one. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JZKNSKC/ref=gno_cart_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1N62ANATP10CZ.

    Thanks for your help!

    If you decide on this go to douglas connection @helipilotdoug who is a very good member here and will treat you right.

    Those Zu that motorhead suggested are another very good option and very very reasonably priced as suggested.

  • Faustin
    Faustin Posts: 1,149
    Any thoughts out there on Mogami W3103 bulk wire? Parts Express has it for $3.88 a foot.
  • tonyp063
    tonyp063 Posts: 1,085
    I'm also going to suggest Douglas Connection.

    Just made *my* first cable move to them from something similar to what you have & the difference was very noticeable.
  • rpf65
    rpf65 Posts: 2,127
    Some excellent cable deals on this forum.
  • dromunds
    dromunds Posts: 10,010
    I think Douglas Connection can give you a better deal on the Furez you are considering and we gives member discounts not to mention a great guy and super straight shooter with tons of knowledge. Go to his website and shoot him an email.
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,973
    gdphoto wrote: »
    Thanks everyone! Lots of good information. I am not looking to spend upwards to $600.00 for speaker cables, it would be nice, but not possible for me. I am considering this cable from Cable Matters.
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BWS34RU?ref_=pfb_ameflcdd5bgjhe9fbje06l67bgjm&tag=hydfbook0e-20&ascsubtag=pfb-P01-V01-O3-X98-HI-JL0SES&fbclid=IwAR3jMl2zV6Qg-lG7IZeeb0dfzBKSBrCrR3eA6jE4HtD4SW3Kp5AVfT6B0PE. It will give me an 11AWG cable when 2 conductors are combined. I only have an 8 to 10 foot run on
    each side. From what I gather by your comments, this should be an improvement over my 30 year old Monster cables. If you have suggestions for other cables in the lower price range let me know. I am also considering this one. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JZKNSKC/ref=gno_cart_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1N62ANATP10CZ.

    Thanks for your help!

    Imho....you'd be wasting your money chasing those cables. Why ? Because they aren't much different than what you have already. Maybe slightly better, at best.

    Look for OCC copper cable, Like Wireworld or Acoustic Zen or Analysis Plus cables use. The AP cables in the FM here are a good value. While gauge is important, it's not the only thing to look at.

    Tells us what your looking for, sound wise, in terms of improvement over the sound you have right now and we can better help you.

    Also, don't hesitate to buy used cables. They don't go bad ya know. :) Plus you can get more cable for your buck buying used. Most times half of retail.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • delkal
    delkal Posts: 764
    edited December 2018
    halo wrote: »

    Audioquest cables are available from Audio Advisor at deep discounts:

    Type 4,

    Halo already mentioned my pick got the best bang for the buck cable (that you WILL hear a difference on your system). The Audioquest Type 4 "no frills" from Audio Advisor. The Type 4 cable is a classic with 4 strands of solid (OCC?) copper. The design had been kept the same since the 80's because it works. If you like tight, extended, bass this is one of the cables you should try.

    These no frills cables have the same Audioquest wire inside but have plain sheathing and are hand terminated. They don't have the pretty woven sheath and don't look as fancy as the current type 4 that Audioquest sells. But a 10 foot 'no frills' pair runs about $120. The "pretty" cable from Audioquest is about $300.

    Just buying the bare wire costs $6 a foot but you can get these finished cables for basically the same price.

    https://audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=AQT4NF
  • gdphoto
    gdphoto Posts: 182
    Thanks Tony! My system sounds really good. I rebuilt the amp and preamp back in 2010. Then I upgraded the XO's and tweeters in my SDA 1c's. About 3 years ago I bought a Rega Exact cartridge. All of these moves improved the sound. Recently I made a pair of interconnects using Mogami 20 AWG instrument cable and I swear there's a bit more clarity. This got me thinking about my speaker cables. Like I stated, they are 30 year old 12 AWG Monster cable. I have often read that a lot people don't like Monster cables, so I am thinking this is another area for improvement. Building a pair of quality cables is not a problem, I enjoy haveing a project to keep me out of trouble. I am not looking for to do this as cheep as possible, but I also don't want to unnecessarily over spend. If I were to find a great deal on an existing pair I would certainly concider them.
    Hafler DH220 Power amp Recapped
    Hafler DH110 Preamp Recapped
    Hafler Digital FM Tuner
    Virtue Audio M1 Piano CD Player
    Technics SL-1210-MK5 with a Rega Exact Cartridge
    Polk SDA1c's(Rebuilt XO's by Ben) RDO194 Tweeters
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,973
    The AQ type 4 cables mentioned above is a good budget cable. With SDA's, MIT works well, and all the brands with OCC copper. Just depends on the level of sound your looking for. Generally speaking, OCC copper is a step up from your regular oxygen free copper. When considering wire with the oxygen free label, especially under 100 or so bucks, you won't find that big a difference sound wise. Some oxygen free copper cables do have some variations, that make them slightly better sounding than others though. There's more to building cables than just slapping connectors on the end of bare wire. If your looking for the minimalist approach though, and on the cheap, that's the way to go then. I have found though, it's better to leave the cable building to people who know what they are doing, can measure things we can't. Trial and error come into play, the brands that sound good to your ears, synergy in your system, and can fit your budget. Buying used cables allows one to experiment more, with little to no loss of coin invested.

    Also consider your interconnects as well as the speaker cables, everything matters in the chain.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,485
    FYI Audioquest type 4 is long grain copper. Audioquest best is perfect surface+ copper
    Lots of good wire out there used like said is a good option be patient and keep eye's open
  • mrloren
    mrloren Posts: 2,465
    I got my AQ Type 4 off CL for $50 for 3 10'. It would take a lot for me to part with them. A tad better than the Doug's Furez.

    Doug's Furez cable is very good. A big step up from the Monoprice it replaced.

    Monoprice 12AWG, Not bad cable. Good for basic systems or people who don't want to spend a lot on cables. Amazon Basics and Cable Matters are all about the same.

    Walmart 14AWG Car audio speaker wire. OK don't laugh here. This is actually some decent wire for the price. It is OFC and works well for someone on a budget.

    Monster stuff, I find this to be #1 way over priced and way over hyped. I replaced mine in the 90's due to it turning green. Hint how I found the Walmart wire.

    Home Depot lamp cord well it just works but for the money see Monoprice

    The above is speaker wire I've used in my HT listed best to worse.



    When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
    Family Room:LG QNED80 75", Onkyo RZ50 Emotiva XPA3 GEN3 Oppo BDP-93,Sony UBP-X800BM. Main: Polk LsiM 705Center: Polk LSiM 704CFront High/Rear High In-Ceiling Polk 80F/X RT Surrounds: Polk S15 Sub: HSU VTF3-MK5
    Bed Room; Marantz SR5010, BDP-S270Main: Polk Signature S20Center: Polk Signature S35Rear: Polk R15 Sub: SVS SB2000
    Working Warehouse; Yamaha A-S301, Sony DVP-NS3100ES for disc Plok TSX550T SVS PB2000 Mini tower PC with 400GB of music
  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,197
    There is only one BEST speaker wire company and that is Audioquest period.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,598
    mantis wrote: »
    There is only one BEST speaker wire company and that is Audioquest period.

    What a joke.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."


    President of Club Polk

  • mrloren
    mrloren Posts: 2,465
    Everyone has there own opinion.

    AQ Type 4 has been the best speaker I have used. Is there better wire, most likely yes. Can I get 3 sets for $50 like I did off CL, doubt it.

    If someone wants to send me some wire to try I have no problems doing a blind test on my kids. They use my system as much as I do.
    When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
    Family Room:LG QNED80 75", Onkyo RZ50 Emotiva XPA3 GEN3 Oppo BDP-93,Sony UBP-X800BM. Main: Polk LsiM 705Center: Polk LSiM 704CFront High/Rear High In-Ceiling Polk 80F/X RT Surrounds: Polk S15 Sub: HSU VTF3-MK5
    Bed Room; Marantz SR5010, BDP-S270Main: Polk Signature S20Center: Polk Signature S35Rear: Polk R15 Sub: SVS SB2000
    Working Warehouse; Yamaha A-S301, Sony DVP-NS3100ES for disc Plok TSX550T SVS PB2000 Mini tower PC with 400GB of music
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,973
    mrloren wrote: »
    Everyone has there own opinion.

    AQ Type 4 has been the best speaker I have used. Is there better wire, most likely yes. Can I get 3 sets for $50 like I did off CL, doubt it.

    If someone wants to send me some wire to try I have no problems doing a blind test on my kids. They use my system as much as I do.

    If your only criteria for wire is cheap, then your spot on. My question to you would be....do you hold the same criteria for your other components ?

    You can get a Pre amp for a 50 too on Craigslist, why spend more ?

    When we start treating cables as a component in our systems, that's when thinks start to click. Too bad some don't see it like that.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • mrloren
    mrloren Posts: 2,465
    tonyb wrote: »
    mrloren wrote: »
    Everyone has there own opinion.

    AQ Type 4 has been the best speaker I have used. Is there better wire, most likely yes. Can I get 3 sets for $50 like I did off CL, doubt it.

    If someone wants to send me some wire to try I have no problems doing a blind test on my kids. They use my system as much as I do.

    If your only criteria for wire is cheap, then your spot on. My question to you would be....do you hold the same criteria for your other components ?

    You can get a Pre amp for a 50 too on Craigslist, why spend more ?

    When we start treating cables as a component in our systems, that's when thinks start to click. Too bad some don't see it like that.

    no and yes. I look for the best deal I can find. Garage sales, CL and estate/divorce sales are a good place to find good deal on good used equipment.

    No I doubt I would buy a $50 pre amp, at that cost it would most likely be junk.

    When I was amp shopping I was checking all the SoCal CL Adds and wound up spending the extra cash for new. I couldn't find anything good in my budget used.
    When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
    Family Room:LG QNED80 75", Onkyo RZ50 Emotiva XPA3 GEN3 Oppo BDP-93,Sony UBP-X800BM. Main: Polk LsiM 705Center: Polk LSiM 704CFront High/Rear High In-Ceiling Polk 80F/X RT Surrounds: Polk S15 Sub: HSU VTF3-MK5
    Bed Room; Marantz SR5010, BDP-S270Main: Polk Signature S20Center: Polk Signature S35Rear: Polk R15 Sub: SVS SB2000
    Working Warehouse; Yamaha A-S301, Sony DVP-NS3100ES for disc Plok TSX550T SVS PB2000 Mini tower PC with 400GB of music
  • K_M
    K_M Posts: 1,629
    Hermitism wrote: »
    K_M, that joke wasn't directed at you. I just felt this thread was deserving of a finger joke or two. The next time I tear my knee, which seems to happen often, you all can pile on the knee jokes!

    Pull my finger...

    Well, yeah I get that...but I am not blonde...brunette here!
  • I like brunettes, please send picture.
    The best way to predict the future is to invent it.

    It is imperative that we recognize that an opinion is not a fact.