Preferred speaker cable

2

Comments

  • McLoki
    McLoki Posts: 5,231
    edited May 2008
    Currently using Blue Jeans Cable 10 White (belden wire - 10ga.) Works well, but have been thinking about trying some other cable just for the heck of it. (I liked their interconnects, then tried signal cable and liked the sound of them better. I have put an order in for some silver "pbj type" interconnects from Ben and will see how I like those.)

    All that to say I have not really tried any different speaker cable yet, so I guess it is about time to give some a shot and see what I think.....
    Mains.............Polk LSi15 (Cherry)
    Center............Polk LSiC (Crossover upgraded)
    Surrounds.......Polk LSi7 (Gloss Black - wood sides removed and crossovers upgraded)
    Subwoofers.....SVS 25-31 CS+ and PC+ (both 20hz tune)
    Pre\Pro...........NAD T163 (Modded with LM4562 opamps)
    Amplifier.........Cinepro 3k6 (6-channel, 500wpc@4ohms)
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited May 2008
    So the DH Labs stuff doesn't float anyones boat? The T-14/Q-10 get alot of good press.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • broncsrule21@
    broncsrule21@ Posts: 113
    edited May 2008
    Other.. I'm using Canare 4s11(bi amp style). First time I have strayed from Monster....Not regretting that at all!
    HT-- Denon avr-2808ci,Emotiva UPA-1s, RTi 10's, CSi A6, ERD-1 surrounds, Vizio P50, Yamaha yst-sw300, DVR hr21, 40g PS3, APC-h15

    Downstairs-- Denon avr-3300,Emotiva UPA-2, Toshiba 50" rear projection, Denon 2200 sacd, Emotiva ERM-1s, small Yamaha sub
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited May 2008
    I chose "Other" because I like mine. :D They use the Canare Starquad 4S11.

    Thanks for the shout-outs earlier friends!
    Jake
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  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited May 2008
    Those that have MIT Shotgun S1 have nothing. I've gone up two notches to the S3.

    :D
    _________________________________________________
    ***\\\\\........................... My Audio Journey ............................./////***

    2008 & 2010 Football Pool WINNER
    SOPA
    Thank God for different opinions. Imagine the world if we all wanted the same woman
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited May 2008
    Ricardo wrote: »
    Those that have MIT Shotgun S1 have nothing. I've gone up two notches to the S3.

    :D

    I'll do you one better... coat-hanger S3. Oh ya baby...
    Jake
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  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited May 2008
    Actually S3 is roughly 1/2 the price of S1; I wonder if the S1 sounds twice as good....naaah.
    _________________________________________________
    ***\\\\\........................... My Audio Journey ............................./////***

    2008 & 2010 Football Pool WINNER
    SOPA
    Thank God for different opinions. Imagine the world if we all wanted the same woman
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  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited May 2008
    For you MIT fans like to see a high end AudioQuest cable "Sky" compared to your MIT. I for one like what I heard from MIT, but don't like anything added in between my amp and source or speaker.


    Ok first shoot fired.


    BlueJean cables sound nice also use a lot of that 12g stuff in my walls feeding whole house in wall speakers, and my rear surrounds for my HT.

    Speakers
    Carver Amazing Fronts
    CS400i Center
    RT800i's Rears
    Sub Paradigm Servo 15

    Electronics
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 pre-amp
    Parasound Halo A23
    Pioneer 84TXSi AVR
    Pioneer 79Avi DVD
    Sony CX400 CD changer
    Panasonic 42-PX60U Plasma
    WMC Win7 32bit HD DVR


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  • mak99
    mak99 Posts: 362
    edited May 2008
    Long-time Kimber fan, primarily have 8TC for 2-ch system (bi-amped) and fronts of main HT system downstairs. Great wire and performance after break-in, though a pain to terminate yourself for WBTs if you don't have a quality automatic wire stripper!

    Ironically, I just switched out my cheap-o wiring on the den's HT front speakers with Blue Jeans Cable's Belden 10 gauge this past weekend. Definitely made a difference, the bass was a bit more present. The more I buy BJC products, the more impressed I am. Plus their office is literally a 15 minute drive from my office here in Seattle. Great people to chat with, and have stopped by on occasion to buy some new custom-length cables on the spot...worth the wait!
    Main HT:JVC DLA-RS45135" Elite Screens fixed frame, 1.1 gainMarantz SR7007 (operating as pre-pro)Emotiva XPA-1 x3 (L+C+R), UPA-7 (surrounds)Oppo BDP-103D/BDP-83Toshiba HD-XA2Panamax M5410 Pro x3Polk LSiM707s, LSiC706, 80 F/X-LS, 65-RTSeaton Sound/MCCA MFW "Turbo" + custom Dayton SA1000 sub amp (orig. AV123 MFW-15)Velodyne SMS-1I/Cs: MP 12ga/4-cond (fronts); MP 12ga (surrounds), MP HDMI (all sources), some BJC sprinkled thruoutHarmony EliteSalamander Triple 40 C/B* still need to sell older but mint gear!!
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,729
    edited May 2008
    Edited :D
    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

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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited May 2008
    I've had Audioquest Granite (and Type 4) in the past, and really liked them. My switch to Kimber was a shot in the dark, curiousity/boredom thing--and I ended up liking them better.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,201
    edited May 2008
    Whats funny about Audioquest speaker cables is that they all sound the same. With that being said, you can buy there entry level cables like type 4 's and have great cables for just about any level of speakers.
    When you go up to ladder, you get more but the clarity and response seems to retain the same sonic signature. If a wire has one. I feel right at home with Audioquest. There higher end cables really open up and allow you to hear everything your speakers can do. I never been disappointed with any of there products and I have Installed or owned them all now. Excellent quality excellent sound and time will tell on how well they hold up over the years.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited May 2008
    AQ definitely has a signature sound, IMO an extremely clear treble and somewhat laid back midrange and mid-bass. I think the solid conductors contribute to the treble clarity. Very good wires, I've got nothing but respect for them.

    AQ Type 4's are like Kimber 4TC, most people could buy either of these and never feel a need to upgrade later.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • Rivrrat
    Rivrrat Posts: 2,101
    edited May 2008
    Some 10ga stuff that I got with my 10b's in 85.

    12ga generic for everything else.
    My equipment sig felt inadequate and deleted itself.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited May 2008
    A thread that can actually just stay neutral and establish continued dialogue instead of cable wars? Wow.

    Kudos to those of you running generic and DIY based alternatives like Signal Cable, Heartland, BJC and others. I think that's just as cool as any other brand mentioned here. There are some big props to Frank and his crew at SC, that's for sure.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • NotaSuv
    NotaSuv Posts: 3,858
    edited May 2008
    steveinaz wrote: »
    For $1700 bucks, they better sing me to sleep.

    They better do more than sing me to sleep.... :)
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,986
    edited May 2008
    Cardas, Kimber, MIT again, cost no object. Can't beat SC for bang for buck performance.
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,184
    edited May 2008
    AQ CV-8's w/the 72v BP here. Very satisfied with the performance on two different sets of speak's. Still haven't had time to listen to the MIT T2's yet. Nice thread. ;)
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited May 2008
    Thanks Keiko, updated.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • mak99
    mak99 Posts: 362
    edited June 2008
    Keiko wrote: »
    BJC 12AWG Belden 5000UE. Not very pretty but no complaints for sound quality.
    .41 cents a foot @ the time I bought it IIRC.
    Up to a whopping 57 cents/ft now. ;) Still a great cable for the money.

    Their 10 ga is only 85 cents/ft, worth consideration for shorter runs. But the stranded wire is a hair too big for my RTi28's binding posts, so had to terminate with BJC's locking bananas.

    And understand your comment on BJC's beauty - er, lack thereof...
    Main HT:JVC DLA-RS45135" Elite Screens fixed frame, 1.1 gainMarantz SR7007 (operating as pre-pro)Emotiva XPA-1 x3 (L+C+R), UPA-7 (surrounds)Oppo BDP-103D/BDP-83Toshiba HD-XA2Panamax M5410 Pro x3Polk LSiM707s, LSiC706, 80 F/X-LS, 65-RTSeaton Sound/MCCA MFW "Turbo" + custom Dayton SA1000 sub amp (orig. AV123 MFW-15)Velodyne SMS-1I/Cs: MP 12ga/4-cond (fronts); MP 12ga (surrounds), MP HDMI (all sources), some BJC sprinkled thruoutHarmony EliteSalamander Triple 40 C/B* still need to sell older but mint gear!!
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  • McLoki
    McLoki Posts: 5,231
    edited June 2008
    The twist also makes the 10ga. almost impossible to fit under the baseboard... (Just an FYI)

    Michael
    Mains.............Polk LSi15 (Cherry)
    Center............Polk LSiC (Crossover upgraded)
    Surrounds.......Polk LSi7 (Gloss Black - wood sides removed and crossovers upgraded)
    Subwoofers.....SVS 25-31 CS+ and PC+ (both 20hz tune)
    Pre\Pro...........NAD T163 (Modded with LM4562 opamps)
    Amplifier.........Cinepro 3k6 (6-channel, 500wpc@4ohms)
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  • beardog03
    beardog03 Posts: 5,550
    edited June 2008
    I run Audioquest Bedrocks, but one day I will have MIT S1`s....

    all my I/C`s are `08 S1`s....they absolutely ROCK !

    IMO, MIT is THE BEST handsdown
    Cary SLP-98L F1 DC Pre Amp (Jag Blue)
    Parasound HCA-3500
    Cary Audio V12 amp (Jag Red)
    Polk Audio Xm Reciever (Autographed by THE MAN Himself) :cool:
    Magnum Dynalab MD-102 Analog Tuna
    Jolida JD-100 CDP
    Polk Audio LSi9 Speaks (ebony)
    SVS PC-Ultra Sub
    AQ Bedrock Speaker Cables (Bi-Wired)
    MIT Shotgun S1 I/C`s
    AQ Black Thunder Sub Cables
    PS Audio Plus Power Cords
    Magnum Dynalab ST-2 FM Antenna
    Sanus Cherry wood Speak Stands
    Adona AV45CS3 / 3 Tier Rack (Black /Gold)

    :cool:
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  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited June 2008
    Keiko wrote: »
    BJC 12AWG Belden 5000UE. Not very pretty but no complaints for sound quality.
    .41 cents a foot @ the time I bought it IIRC.


    I have some 600ft of that stuff running around in my attic to various locations in my house... Yes not very pretty looking but no one sees it, they just hear it. :)

    Speakers
    Carver Amazing Fronts
    CS400i Center
    RT800i's Rears
    Sub Paradigm Servo 15

    Electronics
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 pre-amp
    Parasound Halo A23
    Pioneer 84TXSi AVR
    Pioneer 79Avi DVD
    Sony CX400 CD changer
    Panasonic 42-PX60U Plasma
    WMC Win7 32bit HD DVR


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  • jbarbier
    jbarbier Posts: 9
    edited June 2008
    FWIW, I'm just a noob, and just starting out in audio, but I'm using generic 12 gauge speaker wire and cheap-o Radio Shack RCAs as I/Cs. Of course I'm just using a handed down NAD 3020a, and I just bought some Monitor 5s to replace the Bose (Series I) 301s I had been using, but I want to concentrate on getting nice components before concentrating on cables.
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  • daboyz
    daboyz Posts: 5,207
    edited June 2008
    Keiko wrote: »
    BJC 12AWG Belden 5000UE. Not very pretty but no complaints for sound quality.
    .41 cents a foot @ the time I bought it IIRC.

    The Belden 5000UE is a beautiful cable
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,203
    edited June 2008
    IXOS-Gamma Geometry. Nice balance, great bass extension, smooth and open. I had a friend try it with an older Sansui integrated and his rebuilt Dahlquist DQ 10's and it sounded dull and rolled off. Just goes to show there is no one cable/wire for everyone.

    IMO, for my set up these sound better than Ben's silver's. Go Figure. I tried real hard to like Ben's silver speaker cables but the IXOS have a better more solid presentation.

    image_product.height.650;width.650;modified.1203113407.IXOSXHS706S.jpg

    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!
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  • marvda1
    marvda1 Posts: 4,903
    edited June 2008
    i have had greg straley's reality speaker cables in place for a while and not had the urge to try any other. Audio Art sc-5 speaker cable is pretty good (designed by dh labs).
    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
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  • candyliquor35m
    candyliquor35m Posts: 2,267
    edited June 2008
    These are the best speaker cables I've ever heard ;)

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67722
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  • doctor r
    doctor r Posts: 837
    edited July 2008
    I have been using Zu cables for about two years. Started with the Julian and then moved up to the Wax. They are very complimetary between my EL34 tubes and my Monitor 7Bs.
    integrated w/DAC module Gryphon Diablo 300
    server Wolf Alpha 3SX
    phono pre Dynamic Sounds Associates Phono II
    turntable/tonearms Origin Live Sovereign Mk3 dual arm, Origin Live Enterprise Mk4, Origin Live Illustrious Mk3c
    cartridges Miyajima Madake, Ortofon Windfeld Ti, Ortofon
    speakers Rockport Mira II
    cables Synergistic Research Cables, Gryphon VPI XLR, Sablon 2020 USB
    rack Adona Eris 6dw
    ultrasonic cleaner Degritter
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  • RutgersFTW
    RutgersFTW Posts: 458
    edited July 2008
    I was using generic 12 gauge unterminated and was happy with it, but then I lost my jumpers and thought it would be cool to try some nicer cables. I started with a set of StraightWire Quartet cables which looked pretty sweet (huge jacket) and sounded nice, but... they added an awful lot of color to the sound. The highs were recessed, which was kind of nice, but the mids were fatter, which made music less involving. I found myself captivated and losing my train of thought while sitting on the couch and reading/typing less.

    So I moved up to Audioquest Type 4, hoping for less coloration and more sound. With these cables, the highs were back and in full force, but the lows and mids were still a little back row-ish. Back to the store with them!

    I now firmly believe that cables do make a difference, but in my very limited experience it's not a good one. Maybe if I were to spend several thousand dollars I'd find a cable that disappeared and let the music sing, but you know what type of cables do a pretty great job of transferring sound without excess coloration? That's right, regular **** speaker wire. I'm back to it and happier than ever.
    Currently listening to:

    Marantz SR5004
    Sony BDP-S370
    Apple TV V2
    Audio Technica AT-LP120
    Mirage CMD-5 x 5
    Bic H-100
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