Opinion: A respectable starter speaker cable

Igo

I’ve really enjoyed the high end “Best Speaker Cable to date” thread in this forum. It has me surfing all over the web researching speaker cabling but my little ‘ol rig does not justify $250 speaker cable runs and my wallet can’t go that either. So…
What is a respectable starter speaker cable? (I can terminate) I’m not talking audio nirvana, just the first thing readily available that truly might make a difference. As you can see in my sig, my rig is the first leap above buying a receiver at Best Buy and I’ve made an entry level effort to clean up power with a Panamax Line Conditioner. Now, what’s the first real leap in speaker cabling? I'm betting that this leap will make a huge difference over leftover Rockford Fosgate wire from my car install.
Thanks a bunch in advance.

george daniel

I like Signal Cable,,you could do alot worse,, plus when you're ready to move on,,they are easy to sell.Good Luck

Hawkeye

I'd honestly try some 12 guage speaker wire from Home Depot or Lowes. It is cheap enough to discard if you don't care for it.

Gordon

heiney9

Canare 4S11 "star quad" is a great starter cable and easy to work with. Terminate how you like.

This is a great company to buy from also.

http://www.performanceaudio.com/cgi/search.cgi?search_for=canare

janmike

Grab some used cables here from respectable forum members. There are lots of good choices that fall into your price range. Good luck.

dkg999

+1 on the Canare 4S11 Star Quad recommendation.

NJPOLKER

Igo,
Let me tell ya, I ran regular ole speaker wire for a a long time. I bought a pair of Audioquest Type 4's and a set of Morrow audio cables/wires. As I remember I paid $60. for the Type 4's and $130. for the Morrows. Both are a HUGE improvement over the 16 guage wire. Anyone who tries to dispute wire/cable performance is a fool. Now for the costs!! Keep searching for deals here and Audiogon you'll find them eventually.
I'll save my thoughts as to which one performs better for another thread but one does out perform the other by a wide margin IMO
Drew

mantis

My wire of the year on a budget and I have proved it right in my own system is the Audioquest Flex series in wall rated 14-2. Currently I have my mains(Dynaudio Audience 82's) wired with it and I use them for 2 channel music. I have used it on the job and found it to be a really good sounding or non sounding cable. I like it a lot.
I found it at Crutchfield for sale and that price is awesome. I challenge any bulk cable at or slighty above hell go a lot higher and you'll be hard pressed to beat this wire.

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_703142250I/AudioQuest-FLX-14-2-14-Gauge-In-Wall-Speaker-Cable-250-feet.html?tp=1432

Gadabout

+2 on Canare 4S11 for a starter cable.

The place quoted above is cheaper than buying bulk from Blue Jeans Cable ($0.96 vs $1.05)

You might also look at Signal Cable's Ultra's - http://signalcable.com/ultraspeaker.html

If you want to terminate your own, look at DH Labs - T-14 cable. It is available in bulk for $5.50 a foot. http://www.silversonic.com/docs/products/T14.html

cfrizz

Blue Jeans Cable, Monoprice, will get you started at a reasonable price.

You might also want to check out Cambridge SoundWorks.

beardog03

AQ Type 4...

Audio Advisor has some good deals going on right now also..


Just my .02


"Cary" on

Igo

Mr Daniel, I beleive I might can go the price of these entry level Signal Cables. I have a Sony ES Receiver with the typical binders/connectors on back. Do spade terminations connect to these? Just by looking at them I'd have to say this is the direction I want to take. I have been using 12 and 14 awg Monster wire (just straned spool wire) for many many years as I did learn 20 or 30 years ago this was a huge step up from 22 awg radio shack wire.

Igo

Thank you Hawkeye but I'm on 14 awg Monster now and you are right. It is better than lamp cord for sure.

Igo

Now this looks like a price I can work with. Do you know if there is an article someplace about properly terminating this 4 strand wire? I am an industrial Maintinance tec and I ain't skeerd.

Igo

janmike wrote: »

Grab some used cables here from respectable forum members. There are lots of good choices that fall into your price range. Good luck.

LOL. I seem to be about one post too slow everytime an offering comes up. Cable gets snatched up quickly.

Igo

NJPOLKER wrote: »

Igo,
Let me tell ya, I ran regular ole speaker wire for a a long time. I bought a pair of Audioquest Type 4's and a set of Morrow audio cables/wires. As I remember I paid $60. for the Type 4's and $130. for the Morrows. Both are a HUGE improvement over the 16 guage wire. Anyone who tries to dispute wire/cable performance is a fool. Now for the costs!! Keep searching for deals here and Audiogon you'll find them eventually.
I'll save my thoughts as to which one performs better for another thread but one does out perform the other by a wide margin IMO
Drew

Mr. NJ, I keep seeing the Audioquest 4's posted here but when I look for them, they are $125 for an 8 ft pair. That's tall for an ES but I could go the price at the $60 you mention if I can find them. The ES I use is a very nice 7.1 receiver but I sudo bi-amp the front mains with the rear surrounds in a 5.1 configuration. It helps my justify using 5 speakers instead of 7. : ) but then I have to make two run each to the front pairs and I'll do the same for the center. Music is more important to me so the rears will continue to make due with 14awg Monster stranded wire.

Igo

beardog03 wrote: »

AQ Type 4...

Audio Advisor has some good deals going on right now also..


Just my .02


"Cary" on

beardog, gotta link for me on that? <as mastercard trimbles in tightly clinched fist>

beardog03

www.audioadvisor.com

800-942-0220

hope this helps

Igo

Thanks BD. I was there, just didn't find the sale. I'll look a little harder.

beardog03

I have the catalog that they send through the mail, and found that sometimes the deals in the book don`t show up online

Pg.69 in the catalog has the type 4, and Slates on sale.....slates up to 51% off, and the 4`s are on sale.

no frills cables in type 4 start at $89.95 (6 ft) to $$199 (20ft)
Slates ....$129 to $335 for cable pairs......Single cables are half that.......bi-wire sart at $144.99 to $360

they can do speacial runs also


no affil., of course

MLZ

Igo wrote: »

Now this looks like a price I can work with. Do you know if there is an article someplace about properly terminating this 4 strand wire? I am an industrial Maintinance tec and I ain't skeerd.

For Canare i followed http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=94203

FYI: 25 feet of 3/8 inch techflex covered about 21 feet of Canare (Techflex was just for looks but I liked it for $12.00)

beardog03

very interesting !

Thanks for the link

reeltrouble1

you should get Signal Cables, nice build quality.

RT1

TNRabbit

Blue Jeans is very good. If you're looking for cheap cheap, try www.monoprice.com

They sell some 12 guage that is decent.

wizzy

The best place I know of to get the Canare 4S11 is Westlake Electronics

$0.80/foot

http://www.westlake-electronic.com/item_detail/CAN10043/index.htm

wizzy

Chekc out this thread on making cables with 4s11

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=776636

steveinaz

I would look into the following; they all offer a good product at a reasonable price:
- Signal cable
- Blue Jeans Cable
- Monoprice

marvda1

here's some great prices on discontinued audioquest cables.
http://www.hcmaudio.com/hcm.asp

markmarc

Several quality value brands:
Zebra Cables
AudioArt
My Audio Cables
Blue Jean Cables
Plus a few forum members sell cables they build as well

Igo

Way better responce than I thought I'd get. I have many great starting places.
The last time I looked into cables I didn't have a really very good income. Up until this point I have done with the 14 awg Monster and it has served me well but I remember how much difference it made over the lamp cord stuff. I have to work many hours this week but I can't wait to siv through this stuff this weekend. Thanks so much everybody. I will look into everyone of these recomendations and I'll let you know what I go with and why I went that way and how it turned out.

gdb

Something to either inform or amuse you :
http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm#reviewdares

And... a couple of sources too:

http://www.usedcable.com/cgi-bin/TheCableCompany.storefront/


http://www.parts-express.com/webpage.cfm?webpage_id=3&CAT_ID=56&ObjectGroup_ID=601

Happy wiring