Best speaker wire
Comments
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EndersShadow wrote: »I've tended to look at spending ~10% of the price of my gear on associated cables.
Meaning if my entire HT is about 10k of equipment, I should have about 1k TOTAL in cables connecting everything.
In general that gets me to the mid-fi level of my stuff. Then looking for used results in good deals on cables that are for what I have now as "end-game" as my wallet can afford.
I've spend years acquiring cables of all sorts as they went on sale and my wallet didnt take nearly the hit it could.
Some examples:
Powercables: Stock -> Pangea AC-9 & AC-14 -> PS Audio AC-3's
Interconnects: Stock ->Signal Cable Analog 2 -> MIT EXp2 -> Kimber Kable Hero
Speaker Cable: Monoprice 12 gauge -> MIT EXp2 -> Kimber Kable 8VS -> Kimber Kable 8TC (front L/R/C only)
HDMI: Stock -> Monoprice -> Audioquest Cinnamon
In general I've found as I moved up each provided a benefit, however moving higher up than I am now has a higher cost to benefit ratio than I AM comfortable with. Everyones wallet is diff, so someone else may go for it and thats cool, or someone else may not want to spend what I have either, which is ALSO ok.
In general it doesn't cost a LOT to get into better cables. You just have to be super patient for deals and slowly upgrade over time. The upgrades noted above have all been works in progress since I became a member hear over YEARS.
My fav brands for most to start with are:
Signal Cable*
Douglas Connection*
Blue Jeans Cable
Zu Audio (ebay only)
Moving up to the next mid-fi tier IMGO gets you to:
Wireworld (purchase from @Dskip)
Kimber Kable
PS Audio
MIT
*members here get 10% off with each vendor
Good stuff Dan. I particularly like the part I've bolded. That should be all that needs to be said to end a cable debate.Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.-John Wooden -
Any thoughts out there on Mogami W3103 bulk wire? Parts Express has it for $3.88 a foot.
I picked up 20 ft. to make a split SDA cable (Neutrik Connections from Dreadnaught to Speakers) so I can't comment on how good it is driving a set of speakers.
I will say it "looks" like a good quality, small strand OFC Copper, fairly pliable and easy to work with.
Works very well for what I use it for.
I use MIT S1 Shotgun Wires on my speakers, which I think is pretty hard to beat. Should be some on the Used Market that would be a good buy/choice.
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A question about these Audioquest speaker cables:
What is the hierarchy between these two models:
Type 8
Rocket 33
It seems, to me, that the Rocket 33 & Type 8 are very similar to one another as both feature long grain copper and perfect surface copper combinations. You have to step up to the Rocket 44 for a straight perfect surface copper cable.
The Type 8 & the Rocket 33 are similarly priced at Audio Advisor for a no frills bi-wire cable (actually, the Type 8 is just a little more expensive than the Rocket 33). @mantis ?
Rocket 33 is a double star quad cable. meaning it has 4 conductors in a spiral side by side.
https://www.audioquest.com/cables/bulk-spool-cables/rocket-series-bulk-spool/rocket-33
Type 8 will have one run of 4 conductors in a spiral configuration.
I couldn't find a raw picture but look at the link from audioquest and just one side of that cable. -
hey, are you calling me cheap
Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
Speaker Cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
Interconnects: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
Digital cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2 bnc, Tellurium Q aes, Silnote Audio Poseidon Signature 2 bnc
Puritan PSM156 -
"....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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don't believe a word skip and ron say
Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
Speaker Cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
Interconnects: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2, Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
Digital cables: Crystal Clear Magnum Opus 2 bnc, Tellurium Q aes, Silnote Audio Poseidon Signature 2 bnc
Puritan PSM156 -
don't believe a word skip and ron say
So no one else would ever say that about you huh? I think the entire lone star crowd might disagree
"....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963) -
For $300 you could get into a pair of Wireworld Mini Eclipse 8 ft bi-wire cables. Ed bought them but is returning them to get the longer set of single wires. This is OCC copper and a really solid cable. I'm not sure you'll get much cheaper quality OCC out there.
They're fantastic! I could even ship them direct. -
Rocket 33 is a double star quad cable. meaning it has 4 conductors in a spiral side by side.
https://www.audioquest.com/cables/bulk-spool-cables/rocket-series-bulk-spool/rocket-33
Type 8 will have one run of 4 conductors in a spiral configuration.
I couldn't find a raw picture but look at the link from audioquest and just one side of that cable.
So, the Rocket 33 is the "better" cable of the two?
Type 8:
Rocket 33:
Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10 -
Rocket 33 is a double star quad cable. meaning it has 4 conductors in a spiral side by side.
https://www.audioquest.com/cables/bulk-spool-cables/rocket-series-bulk-spool/rocket-33
Type 8 will have one run of 4 conductors in a spiral configuration.
I couldn't find a raw picture but look at the link from audioquest and just one side of that cable.
So, the Rocket 33 is the "better" cable of the two?
Type 8:
Rocket 33:
Flip a coin
I was wrong. I wrongly assumed it had half the conductors when in fact according to your pictures they both had 8 conductors and according to your pictures it says nothing about LGC conductors.
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Flip a coin
I was wrong. I wrongly assumed it had half the conductors when in fact according to your pictures they both had 8 conductors and according to your pictures it says nothing about LGC conductors.
Both feature a combination of LGC & PSC.Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10 -
Still does not change the fact that with short runs of wire, audio is very easily sent with very little degradation.
There is very little room for improvement.
Sure would be nice if you actually spoke from experience rather than parroting something you read and making a blanket judgment.
People are sharing their own experiences rather than making a blanket judgment. You should try it some time.
Cables matter, everything matters.
Monster is pretty much junk.
Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know.
H9
"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul! -
Cables matter, everything matters.
Monster is pretty much junk.
Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know.
H9
Ok. Now you rotten, enabling bastiges got me thinking about upgrading! I guess when I get home I'm going to have to measure for required length. Probably going to be 3 meters though. Ugh.Gustard X26 Pro DAC
Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)
There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus -
Still does not change the fact that with short runs of wire, audio is very easily sent with very little degradation.
There is very little room for improvement.
Sure would be nice if you actually spoke from experience rather than parroting something you read and making a blanket judgment.
People are sharing their own experiences rather than making a blanket judgment. You should try it some time.
Cables matter, everything matters.
Monster is pretty much junk.
Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know.
H9
I look forward to more of your astute and caring wisdom.
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For $300 you could get into a pair of Wireworld Mini Eclipse 8 ft bi-wire cables. Ed bought them but is returning them to get the longer set of single wires. This is OCC copper and a really solid cable. I'm not sure you'll get much cheaper quality OCC out there.
Not to thread jack but can you use the bi-wire as single by just stacking the terminals?Gustard X26 Pro DAC
Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)
There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus -
The biwire end has spades and bananas. My speakers only have a single set of posts, so each post holds a spade and a nanner. Wireworld uses screw-on ends, so they're easily interchangeable.For $300 you could get into a pair of Wireworld Mini Eclipse 8 ft bi-wire cables. Ed bought them but is returning them to get the longer set of single wires. This is OCC copper and a really solid cable. I'm not sure you'll get much cheaper quality OCC out there.
Not to thread jack but can you use the bi-wire as single by just stacking the terminals? -
Still does not change the fact that with short runs of wire, audio is very easily sent with very little degradation.
There is very little room for improvement.
Sure would be nice if you actually spoke from experience rather than parroting something you read and making a blanket judgment.
People are sharing their own experiences rather than making a blanket judgment. You should try it some time.
Cables matter, everything matters.
Monster is pretty much junk.
Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know.
H9
I look forward to more of your astute and caring wisdom.
I had drafted a response to you after you rebutted my previous post, but deleted before posting. I'm just not really interested in debating the matter. You have your opinion, and I have mine, and I'm happy to leave it that way. -
A few years ago I was reading on another forum. some quack was saying cables don't matter. Said he had over $25k in gear and only spent $200 on cables. What a waste of gear.
I am happy with my AQ type 4 as with my HDMI and interconnect cables.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 -
A few years ago I was reading on another forum. some quack was saying cables don't matter. Said he had over $25k in gear and only spent $200 on cables. What a waste of gear.
I am happy with my AQ type 4 as with my HDMI and interconnect cables.
That was me......
Sorry......my bad -
$25k in gear spread out over 17 states...Gustard X26 Pro DAC
Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)
There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus -
Still does not change the fact that with short runs of wire, audio is very easily sent with very little degradation.
There is very little room for improvement.
Sure would be nice if you actually spoke from experience rather than parroting something you read and making a blanket judgment.
People are sharing their own experiences rather than making a blanket judgment. You should try it some time.
Cables matter, everything matters.
Monster is pretty much junk.
Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know.
H9
I look forward to more of your astute and caring wisdom.
And your experience with cables is what again?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 -
Interesting video on MIT's patented multi-pole technology.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfksBBugqzY Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD. -
Still does not change the fact that with short runs of wire, audio is very easily sent with very little degradation.
There is very little room for improvement.
Sure would be nice if you actually spoke from experience rather than parroting something you read and making a blanket judgment.
People are sharing their own experiences rather than making a blanket judgment. You should try it some time.
Cables matter, everything matters.
Monster is pretty much junk.
Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know.
H9
I look forward to more of your astute and caring wisdom.
And your experience with cables is what again?
Actually we went into this a few years ago.
After I went on a very lengthy description of a blind comparison we did at my house at our own expense to even have others stay over, none were able to prove any of the claims they had made.
That caused a lot of anxiety among members here, and when I said we would do it again, at our expense, on this forum, no one stepped up or even was interested.
I think the ball is in your court.
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Still does not change the fact that with short runs of wire, audio is very easily sent with very little degradation.
There is very little room for improvement.
Sure would be nice if you actually spoke from experience rather than parroting something you read and making a blanket judgment.
People are sharing their own experiences rather than making a blanket judgment. You should try it some time.
Cables matter, everything matters.
Monster is pretty much junk.
Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know.
H9
I look forward to more of your astute and caring wisdom.
And your experience with cables is what again?
And your experience identifying cables when you are unaware of brand?
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Doubt it, I found the thread on one of my random google searches. I think it might have been on AVS forum but this guy was bashing everything and saying any HDMI cable over $5 is a waste of money at least he was using Monoprice 16AWG for speaker wire.
To each there own I guess.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 -
Still does not change the fact that with short runs of wire, audio is very easily sent with very little degradation.
There is very little room for improvement.
Sure would be nice if you actually spoke from experience rather than parroting something you read and making a blanket judgment.
People are sharing their own experiences rather than making a blanket judgment. You should try it some time.
Cables matter, everything matters.
Monster is pretty much junk.
Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know.
H9
I look forward to more of your astute and caring wisdom.
And your experience with cables is what again?
Actually we went into this a few years ago.
After I went on a very lengthy description of a blind comparison we did at my house at our own expense to even have others stay over, none were able to prove any of the claims they had made.
That caused a lot of anxiety among members here, and when I said we would do it again, at our expense, on this forum, no one stepped up or even was interested.
I think the ball is in your court.
The ball isn't in my court, I already won the game.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 -
I want to thank everyone that responded to my original question about speaker cables. I certainly learned a lot. I am first going to build a pair of cables to replace my old Monsters using Furez FZ124AS 12 AWG 4 Conductor. A 10 ft. pair will only cost around $40. I am hoping to hear some improvement. Then I'll take all of this knowledge I gained and keep my eyes and ears open for a deal on a good used pair cables by one of the big names. Like someone stated earlier...baby steps.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 -
I want to thank everyone that responded to my original question about speaker cables. I certainly learned a lot. I am first going to build a pair of cables to replace my old Monsters using Furez FZ124AS 12 AWG 4 Conductor. A 10 ft. pair will only cost around $40. I am hoping to hear some improvement. Then I'll take all of this knowledge I gained and keep my eyes and ears open for a deal on a good used pair cables by one of the big names. Like someone stated earlier...baby steps.
Keeping an open mind is all most of us suggest.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
