Speaker Wire

bopicasso
bopicasso Posts: 878
edited March 2008 in Speakers
Im thinking about upgrading my speaker wire. I currently am running 12 awg wire that I bought in a 50 foot spool for 28 dollars from a wire company. I was wondering if I upgraded to some audiophile wire would it make a big difference?

I was considering something like this:

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ddcablspkr&1209397268&demo&3&4&

I bought a line conditioner from them and love it!
Living Room setup: Pioneer Elite VSX-21TXH, Krell KAV 300i, PS Audio DL III DAC, Tyler Acoustics Taylo 7u, Dynaudio Audience 120C+, SVS 25/31PCI, B-P-T Clean Power Center, Ps3, Panny 50" S1 Plasma, Tekline speaker cables, Audio Art interconnects, and Pangea power cables.
Post edited by bopicasso on
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  • GlennJames
    GlennJames Posts: 29
    edited March 2008
    You might want to read this first: http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm
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  • wizzy
    wizzy Posts: 867
    edited March 2008
    "Big Difference" ?

    Probably not.

    Difference? Some will say yes, others will say no. Most people here will say yes, most people on certain other forums will say wire is wire - if the gauge is acceptable (which 12 is) and it is good quality copper, you're wasting money.

    If you have a friend of polkie nearby, maybe you could get someone to bring over a set of nice cables and do some semi-blind comparison. Have this person run the new wires and not tell you which is hooked up, listen to something for five minutes. Leave the room, have wires switched, listen again.

    Not scientific, but a little better than you doing it all yourself and knowing which wire is which. People have a tendency to "listen harder" when a wire they just spent $$$ on is hooked up, trying to tell if it sounds better. This can result in "hearing things you didn't hear before with the new wire" -- it could be the wire, it could be the "listening harder"
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited March 2008
    7.5 ga is a little much. What kind of gear are you using?
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • bobman1235
    bobman1235 Posts: 10,822
    edited March 2008
    GlennJames wrote: »
    You might want to read this first: http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm

    That website has been brought up a few times....
    Like, here, here, here, here, here, and here. Among others.
    If you will it, dude, it is no dream.
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  • bopicasso
    bopicasso Posts: 878
    edited March 2008
    I am running a Onkyo 805, Rti8s and a Csi3 as of right now. I am just looking to get the best performance.

    After reading that article, It seems like a big waste of money to buy better speaker wire.
    Living Room setup: Pioneer Elite VSX-21TXH, Krell KAV 300i, PS Audio DL III DAC, Tyler Acoustics Taylo 7u, Dynaudio Audience 120C+, SVS 25/31PCI, B-P-T Clean Power Center, Ps3, Panny 50" S1 Plasma, Tekline speaker cables, Audio Art interconnects, and Pangea power cables.
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  • Sami
    Sami Posts: 4,634
    edited March 2008
    bopicasso wrote: »
    I am running a Onkyo 805, Rti8s and a Csi3 as of right now.
    Stick to the cables you have. Use the money on other upgrades before worrying about cable.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited March 2008
    bopicasso wrote: »
    I am running a Onkyo 805, Rti8s and a Csi3 as of right now. I am just looking to get the best performance.

    After reading that article, It seems like a big waste of money to buy better speaker wire.
    I would take that article with a grain of salt.

    But with your current setup, I would stick with what you have or maybe consider something from SignalCable or BJC.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • bopicasso
    bopicasso Posts: 878
    edited March 2008
    I guess the best upgrade I could make overall would be a seperate more powerful amp.
    Living Room setup: Pioneer Elite VSX-21TXH, Krell KAV 300i, PS Audio DL III DAC, Tyler Acoustics Taylo 7u, Dynaudio Audience 120C+, SVS 25/31PCI, B-P-T Clean Power Center, Ps3, Panny 50" S1 Plasma, Tekline speaker cables, Audio Art interconnects, and Pangea power cables.
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  • Sami
    Sami Posts: 4,634
    edited March 2008
    bopicasso wrote: »
    I guess the best upgrade I could make overall would be a seperate more powerful amp.

    Maybe, maybe not. If you do, get something laid back for those bright RTi's. :)
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  • daboyz
    daboyz Posts: 5,207
    edited March 2008
    bopicasso wrote: »
    I guess the best upgrade I could make overall would be a seperate more powerful amp.

    Amen,brother.
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  • bopicasso
    bopicasso Posts: 878
    edited March 2008
    How do you like your adcom gfa 7400 daboyz?
    Living Room setup: Pioneer Elite VSX-21TXH, Krell KAV 300i, PS Audio DL III DAC, Tyler Acoustics Taylo 7u, Dynaudio Audience 120C+, SVS 25/31PCI, B-P-T Clean Power Center, Ps3, Panny 50" S1 Plasma, Tekline speaker cables, Audio Art interconnects, and Pangea power cables.
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  • Road Runner
    Road Runner Posts: 106
    edited March 2008
    There was just another thread on that whole thing:

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64898
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  • Atomic Turtle
    Atomic Turtle Posts: 39
    edited March 2008
    That 50-foot roll you're using now; is the jacketing on that cable clear plastic? If it is, I'd suggest ditching it. That type of cable is often prone to corrosion. I can't recall the exact details, but it's something about the way the plastic sheathing reacts with the copper. I'm sure I probably have that only about half right, but the point stands - that type of cable often develops an ugly green, gunky corrosion on the copper.

    Give Blue Jeans cable a look. I bought 50 feet of their Belden grayjacket 10 AGW last year... ordered it on the Thursday before Christmas, received it that Saturday - less than 48 hours later (no kidding!) on the busiest shipping weekend of the year. I'm very happy with it. Outstanding service, outstanding product, outstanding price.



    Blue Jeans Cable
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  • bopicasso
    bopicasso Posts: 878
    edited March 2008
    Yes it is clear plastic. Thanks for your advice.
    Living Room setup: Pioneer Elite VSX-21TXH, Krell KAV 300i, PS Audio DL III DAC, Tyler Acoustics Taylo 7u, Dynaudio Audience 120C+, SVS 25/31PCI, B-P-T Clean Power Center, Ps3, Panny 50" S1 Plasma, Tekline speaker cables, Audio Art interconnects, and Pangea power cables.
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  • daboyz
    daboyz Posts: 5,207
    edited March 2008
    bopicasso wrote: »
    How do you like your adcom gfa 7400 daboyz?

    Love it. It helps tame the brightness of the 8's and brings good bass as well. I can crank it up and the 7400 doesn't even start to sweat. Has definitely helped the center stage in HT. One of if not the best purchase I've made so far.
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  • daboyz
    daboyz Posts: 5,207
    edited March 2008
    Also, I use the Belden 5000UE for my rears and also wired my bro's whole house with it. Excellent cable.
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