speaker wire (what the _uck)

larrykwiat · January 2003

I have a question for you guys. Obviously, speaker wire makes a difference on high end systems. I have a rm6200 satelite set with a psw-303 subwoffer. Total price paid was $450 dollars new. I am looking for speaker wire and need about 120 feet of the stuff. Most of my speaker connections other that my Yamaha htr-5560 are spring clips. My Yamaha has the screw type connectors.

What should I do in regards to getting speaker wire?

what guage? (the longest run is like 35 feet)

what brand? (monsterxp, radioshack)

what connectors? (if any)

Thanks in advance please provide complete solutions on what you would do....

Dr. Spec · January 2003

Home Depot or Lowe's "Woods" High Performance Speaker Wire - Made in the USA. 250 feet for $32 - 14 gauge or $52 12 gauge. For that rig all the quality you will ever need.

I love the banana plugs for convenience, not for sound quality. A speaker termination will help prevent corrosion though.

Dr. Spec · February 2003

Originally posted by ATCVenom
With the exception of lamp cord, I never ran into this problem of corrosion....

12 gauge is good, in fact it may be a bit too thick.. 14 should do perfectly for that rig.

I meant oxidation. Any copper will oxidize and turn green over time if exposed to the air long enough. Probably not a big deal, though, I agree.

Ditto on the 14 gauge - I use it all around for bi-wire on the front stage. Although I will be using 12 gauge on the f/x1000's since I'm not bi-wiring them and I've got a long run for one speak.

Tour2ma · February 2003

Ditto the above, but for a 30+ foot run Id go 12 gauge, if terminations can accept it.

Heres link to Lowes vs. HD experience I recently had. May help

http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7535

larrykwiat · February 2003

thanks for all your opinions. i think i get the idea. dont need to spend an arm and a leg for my setup. it looks like the 14gauge will do as my longest run is about 30 feet. i am going to try the woods from home depot. you guys know your stuff. thanks. it was hard for me to put everything into perspective being i have an entry level system. i would love to own something better but money can only go so far... thanks again

Tour2ma · February 2003

Originally posted by larrykwiat
I have a question for you guys. Obviously, speaker wire makes a difference on high end systems. ....

PS Larry - Many of us do not think the above is true, but may consider more expensive options for component interconnects worthwhile. "Hi-wire" appications when the voltages are considerably lower can logically make a significant difference.

In the case of speaker wire, the logic isn't there, and numerous double blind studies have documented that the difference, if any, cannot be heard. You can find any number of "debates" on this in the Club. My bottom line, if you pay enough you'll hear a difference; you'd feel stupid if you didn't.

Missed your termination question earlier. I have never tried anything except bare wire myself. Cut an extra few inches into each of your initial runs, and should you ever see oxidation is occurring you can just trim the ends off... wha-la... fresh wire... Adding any terminator just adds another connection to the signal path.

Your receivers spring connects are your weak link.

One other aside, in the relatively long runs you are planning avoid:
- AC power lines, altogether, if you can, but paralleling them for any length of run is especially to be avoided as the AC's associated magnetic field can induce a current in your speaker wire (even if it's MC).
- Coiling any excess speaker run DC current in a wire coil also induces a field. You may end up with excess if you keep all wire runs the same length, which I do for associated pairs in HT. Essential, probably not, but with Lowes wire its a cheap pre-caution, so why not?

larrykwiat · February 2003

Thanks again guys. For the rm6200/pws303 setup. I went to home depot and got 12 guage wire for the center speaker and the connection to the sub(I could not believe how thick that stuff is, be careful it is hard to hide). I then wired everything else up with the 14 guage from home depot. I do not know if the speaker wire made a difference but I can tell you the sound is very clear and my house is shakin....I was very impressed with this speaker setup. I paid 250 for the rm6200 and 200 for the psw303. For four hundred and fifty dollars this combo with my 320 dollar yamaha htr-5560 is a definite value play. I would highly recommend it to someone in the entry level home theater category. thanks again.

Tour2ma · February 2003

ATC,
Do I denote a hint of sarcasm there?

I'll give the "High-Wire" folk their due credit for not swooping in on larry and this thread.

Maybe we can all take a lesson from their behavior in this instance... maybe we can "all just get along"... maybe peaceful co-existence is possible between the MC devotees and we Woodsies.

NAAAAAAAAAAH..

dholmes · February 2003

I was raised on the belief that the cheaper the wire the more tin or other junk they used in it. I got a deal at RS on the 12ga wire which is ofc copper, I thought ofc was the way to go! 12ga is a pain to use & hide it also.

MxStYlEpOlKmAn · February 2003

i get one of the last words.......

******HD WIRE...........RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*****

MxStYlEpOlKmAn · February 2003

Tour....WTF IS PC? eh?

Tour2ma · February 2003

Heeeeee's Baaaaaaaack.........

Poll - lit - tac - lee .... Correctamundo lil' bud...

You skippin' Social Studies or is it more like "zzzzzzzzzzzzzz"

joe logston · February 2003

radio shack 12g wire is not bad at all, go look and see, i would not cheap out on interconnects, get the better ones.

i can tell the differance in interconnects, than i can from differant speaker wires.

goingganzo · February 2003

just look for a oxygen free cabble so it wont crode. what that means is the cabble has no oxygen inbetween it and the sheath. the mulit strand cabble has a greater croushon that a solid core wire. if you spend 20 or thirty bucks for some starter wire that will be good but you should look into some mid level wire. over time you will notice a differance.

HBombToo · February 2003

Originally posted by goingganzo
what that means is the cabble has no oxygen inbetween it and the sheath.

actually oxygen free copper is just that... oxygen free or "almost" free thus a reduction in the rate of oxidation. The smelting process is done in an oxygen free environment.

The insulation prevents arcing across the +/- but also does **** the oxidation rate because it seals the wire.

Hope this helps.

HBomb

speaker wire (what the _uck)

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