Home Depot Cable

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PolknPepsi
PolknPepsi Posts: 781
edited November 2005 in DIY, Mods & Tweaks
Home Depot Cable (electrical wire)

Does anyone use this stuff? I have checked out what our local store carries and it has the two wires inside but there is an extra ground running down the middle. Is this the wire to use or could the center 'ground' cause a problem?

I am anxious to try a cheap tweek like this but I just want to buy the right stuff.

..............Thanks.
Denon #2900, Denon stereo receiver, Conrad Johnson Sonographe 120 amp, Blue Jeans cables, and Klipsch RF-7's
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  • dpowell
    dpowell Posts: 3,054
    edited November 2005
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    What is the intended use? I assume you're not referring to the speaker cable HD carries?
    ____________________________________________________________

    polkaudio Fully Modded SDA SRS 1.2TLs + Dreadnaught, LSiM706c, 4 X Polk Surrounds + 4 X ATMOS, SVS PB13 Ultra X 2, Pass Labs X1, Marantz 7704, Bob Carver Crimson Beauty 350 Tube Mono Blocks, ADCOM GFA 7807 + 5400, Panasonic UB420, Moon 380D DAC, EPSON Pro Cinema 6050
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  • PolknPepsi
    PolknPepsi Posts: 781
    edited November 2005
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    It is 10-3 w/ground electrical wire, it comes in 25' and 50' rolls from their electrical dept.

    That's what I was thinking about trying but I don't need the ground wire running down the middle. Is this what I read about everybody using?

    Right now I'm using a couple runs to each speaker of Axiom finely stranded 12 gauge cable. I was thinking maybe I could hear a difference between solid and stranded cable.
    Denon #2900, Denon stereo receiver, Conrad Johnson Sonographe 120 amp, Blue Jeans cables, and Klipsch RF-7's
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  • dpowell
    dpowell Posts: 3,054
    edited November 2005
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    Hmmmmmmmmmm.. Never tried electrical wire. I am using the Home Depot 12gauge stranded speaker wire and don't have a problem with it.

    I don't think the extra ground wire would cause a problem. IMO, I would just cut off the ground wire at both ends once you strip the wire.
    ____________________________________________________________

    polkaudio Fully Modded SDA SRS 1.2TLs + Dreadnaught, LSiM706c, 4 X Polk Surrounds + 4 X ATMOS, SVS PB13 Ultra X 2, Pass Labs X1, Marantz 7704, Bob Carver Crimson Beauty 350 Tube Mono Blocks, ADCOM GFA 7807 + 5400, Panasonic UB420, Moon 380D DAC, EPSON Pro Cinema 6050
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  • candyliquor35m
    candyliquor35m Posts: 2,267
    edited November 2005
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    Sounds like a good idea. I've been buying the single 10 gauge stranded electrical wire from lowes/loews for $.21 ft but the 10x3 would look better. The sound is awesome.
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited November 2005
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    I noticed a nice improvement when I went from stranded wire to solid core AudioQuest Type IV cable. Same idea, just more pure copper.
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • PolknPepsi
    PolknPepsi Posts: 781
    edited November 2005
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    it was explained to me by a real electrician once or maybe it was an engineer, I can't remember......anyway I understand electricity travels around the outside of the copper not through it.

    Trying the solid wire does sound interesting.
    Denon #2900, Denon stereo receiver, Conrad Johnson Sonographe 120 amp, Blue Jeans cables, and Klipsch RF-7's
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  • ledhed
    ledhed Posts: 1,088
    edited November 2005
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    PolknPepsi wrote:
    it was explained to me by a real electrician once or maybe it was an engineer, I can't remember......anyway I understand electricity travels around the outside of the copper not through it.

    Trying the solid wire does sound interesting.


    Wait, so stranded may carry more signal than solid? Or would there be about the same surface area-might have to look in to that
    God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8
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  • McLoki
    McLoki Posts: 5,231
    edited November 2005
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    What you are referring to is called skin effect and yes stranded does carry a little more signal but only because the outside is not smooth.

    To have the effect you are thinking of each strand would have to be insulated (like cat-5 cable). The main thing that stranded gets you over solid is increased flexability.

    I am currently using 10-white from blue jeans cable ($.57 / foot) but will be interested to hear if you like the solid core better. (I don't know how feasable it would be for me with the decreased flexability - the 10-white is stranded and it is pretty stiff.....)

    Let us know how it goes...

    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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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited November 2005
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    I've heard the electrons get less confused traveling along the smooth surface. After listening I halfway believe it because the lower treble sounded less congested somehow. However, with the new cables I got (which are stranded but much more expensive) the congestion is not there either. Who knows...
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • ledhed
    ledhed Posts: 1,088
    edited November 2005
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    I'm using 12 from Blue Jeans-may have to try some solid on the cheap
    God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8
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  • PolknPepsi
    PolknPepsi Posts: 781
    edited November 2005
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    Time to pick up some Home Depot or Menard's 10-2 w/ground electrical wire this week.
    Denon #2900, Denon stereo receiver, Conrad Johnson Sonographe 120 amp, Blue Jeans cables, and Klipsch RF-7's
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,056
    edited November 2005
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    madmax wrote:
    I've heard the electrons get less confused traveling along the smooth surface. After listening I halfway believe it because the lower treble sounded less congested somehow. However, with the new cables I got (which are stranded but much more expensive) the congestion is not there either. Who knows...
    madmax

    This is kinda what my it makes no difference thead was all about. No one can really explain why better wires sounds better. No one can honestly explain what design works better and why. As all of you already know , wire is one of my passions. I joined other forums and it seems like wire is like a **** child or Taboo. I don't get it sometimes.
    I also work in the field and hear so many different companies claim why there cable is better then others. Audioquest puts damn batteries on there higher end cables and that alone bothers me. They call it DBS. Like Transparent and MIT with there network bricks, these companies find it nessary to add something to the cables to improve them or make them work the way there suppost 2. Kimber Kable to me seems to make the most sense as far as technical terms are concerned. they use twisting to make there cables reject noise. Makes sense and also higher level cables use better materials. Also makes sense.

    As far as the Romex thing goes, funny I have already tried it and found exaclty opposite of what I was suppost to find. I found the wires to be extremely bright and harsh sounding. We used short 7 foot lengths of Romex If I remember correctly it was 14 guage. Maybe 12 I don't recall it was a long time ago. I posted my results back then in here. I learned this from a high end audio video company owner who found romaexs design to be what you want in a speaker wire design. The solid core construction was suppost to be the ultimate way to transfer Speaker level signals. I found Monstercable to sound better in the demo I conducted.

    I'd like to read your findings after you try it. Romex is extremely cheap so demoing this shouldn't be a big loss.

    Dan
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,056
    edited November 2005
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    AS madmax mentioned , Audioquest is strongly into solid core wire. They believe this is the correct type of conductor to use for audio use. There as others change in copper quality as you go up there lines. then the batteries come into play with DBS. So solid core plus DBS in there minds is the way to go.

    Dan
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • gidrah
    gidrah Posts: 3,049
    edited November 2005
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    I have used the orange & black cable you speak of. The 3rd wire isn't really an issue. Just cut it short (pull back the outer sleeve if you want) and you're in business. I have heard that this wire sounds best when the direction is observed and you can read the printing from amp to speaker. I've heard it takes somw time to burn in (or use as an ext. cord first), but from my limited experience it sounded very full bodied. It wasn't great on the very highs and lows but I haven't gotten around to giving mine a real chance yet.
    Make it Funky! :)
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  • PolknPepsi
    PolknPepsi Posts: 781
    edited November 2005
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    For the few who may be interested in hearing ...

    I now have 10/2 with ground solid core copper electrical wire between my amp and speakers. It replaced Axiom 12 gauge fine stranded wire.

    Anyone looking for excellent but stiff speaker cable on the cheap I strongly recommend this stuff. The stiffness is really an advantage over the flexible for setup. Anyone who knows how to strip wire without damaging it shouldnt have any problems at all.

    This wire will not be going anywhere soon unless it oxidizes in a couple years or I find an extra $500.00 bucks laying around for some store bought cable.
    Denon #2900, Denon stereo receiver, Conrad Johnson Sonographe 120 amp, Blue Jeans cables, and Klipsch RF-7's
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  • PolknPepsi
    PolknPepsi Posts: 781
    edited November 2005
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    Axiom brand 12 gauge and Monster brand 12 gauge (their cheaper stuff)

    Funny thing about this is it cost me $11.00 bucks at Home Depot for some extra leftover from a big roll.
    Denon #2900, Denon stereo receiver, Conrad Johnson Sonographe 120 amp, Blue Jeans cables, and Klipsch RF-7's
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,056
    edited November 2005
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    PolknPepsi wrote:
    Axiom brand 12 gauge and Monster brand 12 gauge (their cheaper stuff)

    Funny thing about this is it cost me $11.00 bucks at Home Depot for some extra leftover from a big roll.

    Does price drive worth in the quest for better sound? I'm all for not paying to much for my mufflers and all but sometimes to get better you have to spend the cash.

    How does your HD wire perfrom?

    Dan
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • PolknPepsi
    PolknPepsi Posts: 781
    edited November 2005
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    It's the best I've ever had.

    I only mentioned the $11 because for less I paid about $40 'with' much labor.
    Denon #2900, Denon stereo receiver, Conrad Johnson Sonographe 120 amp, Blue Jeans cables, and Klipsch RF-7's
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,056
    edited November 2005
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    Nice well it's good to hear you made an inprovement

    Dan
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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