Recommended cables for HT setup
mee6
Posts: 13
Hi there,
It has been a while since I posted.
I bought some new Anthem gear for my Polk speakers and now on to the next challenge, hooking it all up.
My understanding is that for speaker wires for my center channel and my RTiA9s, I should be looking at 14 gague speaker wire. Does it matter what brand they are? Should I be looking at anything in particular ?
Basically same question for HDMI cables, power bars / surge protectors, I've seen a lot of folks recommend AudioQuest/Panamax.
And lastly, XLR connectors, worth it? if so what am I looking at when buying? Prices seem to vary for same length but not sure why..
It has been a while since I posted.
I bought some new Anthem gear for my Polk speakers and now on to the next challenge, hooking it all up.
My understanding is that for speaker wires for my center channel and my RTiA9s, I should be looking at 14 gague speaker wire. Does it matter what brand they are? Should I be looking at anything in particular ?
Basically same question for HDMI cables, power bars / surge protectors, I've seen a lot of folks recommend AudioQuest/Panamax.
And lastly, XLR connectors, worth it? if so what am I looking at when buying? Prices seem to vary for same length but not sure why..
- Speakers
- center — CSi A6
- fronts — 2 x RTi A9
- rears — 2 x RTi A3
- Ceiling — 2x RC 80i
- Subwoofer — SVS PB-3000
- Amplifiers
- Anthem A5
- Anthem A2
- Marantz AV-7704
Comments
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I would never use any speaker cable less than 12 gauge. Even if only lamp cord.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. -
The reason most people say go with Audioquest and Panamax is that it's very good stuff. I'd say stick to that plan.Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time. -
Have to throw out the supra Rondo, tin plated copper, super flexible. Sounds excellent and easy to work with. 13 awg, close to this coveted 12 awg being mentioned. 😜
I use their wiring throughout my ht, speakers, hdmi, ethernet, power, no issues or complaints!- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
The quality of the speaker wire matters more than gauge.
Here is what I've used in the last 5 years
#1 Audioquest type 4
#2 Doug's Furez https://douglasconnection.com/Raw-Speaker-Cable_c33.htm
#3 Monoprice/Amazon Basic 12awg.
HDMI
I only go with Audioquest
Interconnects (RCA)
Audioquest
Dougs
SVS Soundpath
I have no experience with XLR 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 -
If you were using douglasconnection what grade would be good starter cable (I.e., price per foot)?
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Do you price your speakers or AVR by the pound? Of course not, so why the hell do people think it's ok to price cables, which are a critical part of any system, by the foot!?!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 -
RTIA9's- use 12 gauge from the likes of Audioquest, Douglas connections, Signal cable.
Center you could use 14 gauge but don't go any less.
Subwoofer ??- You could use any brand cable, but Audioquest makes decent ones too.
Surrounds can be 14 or 16 gauge, since they are just ambient sounds.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 -
Do you price your speakers or AVR by the pound? Of course not, so why the hell do people think it's ok to price cables, which are a critical part of any system, by the foot!?!
Probably because with AV its a lot of feet to those small rear surrounds..........If you buy the best cord all around you will be spending 80% of your budget for the two speakers that do the least. I would recommend going the other way and budget 80% for better cables for the mains and center. For most any cheap 12 ga wire (including lamp cord) will be OK for the rears.
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pelhamplace wrote: »If you were using douglasconnection what grade would be good starter cable (I.e., price per foot)?
Furez 12AWG. great cable for the priceWhen 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
