The Importance Of Quality A/V Cables And Connectors

team_canada

My question is, who makes the best A/V cables and wires from a cost/performance standpoint. I need to upgrade all my wiring (speaker, uadio, sub, component, optical, and i-Link).

I don't want to spend a fortune but I do want good quality as I know how important it is to have quality A/V cables and connectors.

Any help is greatly appreciated!!

neomagus00

i know two common names here are signal cable and blue jeans cable... and that most people very much dislike monster...

VR3

Signal Cable

www.signalcable.com

McLoki

team_canada wrote:

My question is, who makes the best A/V cables and wires from a cost/performance standpoint.

Your best bet would be to at least list your equipment that you have now and what are you trying to correct. Cables will sound different, but it is hard to say if they are better or not until we know what you are trying to correct.

What do you not like about the sound you are getting now?

Cables are more about synergy with the rest of your system better or worse compared to other cables......

Michael

team_canada

O.K., my system is as follows:

Receiver - Pioneer Elite VSX-56TXi
DVD/SACD - Yamaha DVD-S2500
Mains - Polk RTi70
Center - Polk CS400i
Surrounds - Polk R15
Surround Back - Polk R15
Subwoofer - Klipsch KSW10

I just upgraded my receiver to the Pioneer and I want to upgrade my A/V cables to match.

Holydoc

Which cables are you trying to upgrade, the speaker or the receiver to component or both?

team_canada

Everything Holydoc, speaker wires, subwoofer cable, component video, optical, coaxial. I will also need an i-Link cable for connection between the DVD player and the receiver.

Holydoc

Team_Canada,

Though my knowledge is very limited, I can profess that thin speaker wire should be avoided. I had 20 or 24 gauge wire running to one of my back speakers and it made the speaker sound stressed and weak. By applying a lower gauge (thus thicker) wire to them, I was able to get a clear, warmer sound. It was very apparent in the change of the sound since I had all but 1 of my 4 FXi3 with the thicker wire attached. The thin wired speaker was the only one that was weak sounding.

For my purposes, I used 10 gauge wire to the fronts and center:
http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/speaker/index.htm

And ran Monster cable to the rears and surround (probably 13 to 16 gauge). Anything less than that, I would definitely avoid.

Banana plugs are being used by me at the receiver end as well as at most speakers. The Monster Cables, I applied the connectors from Radio Shack and the BJ Cables were applied at BJ company.

Bottom Line: I am very happy with how my speakers are responding. I think I have done well in this area.

As for component to component attachments, there is a Cable Swap Program going on in this forum:
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14424

where members have being given their input on what sounds best to them. It is a good read and you will learn a lot about hook-ups. I know I have.

What I learned the most reading about that program is that it is a matter of personal preference and taste. Some cables sound better than others to one person while another person will favor an entirely different selection. The only way you can figure out what YOUR tastes are is through trial and error.

unc2701

+1 on blue jeans & signal. Cobalt isn't bad either & they have sales with major markoffs so you can pick them up cheap... but I'd still go with blue jeans or signal first.