OMG when did speaker cable get so expensive???
Discussion
with Bi wiring you are trying to decouple the effects of the passive crossover and the interaction between the frequency bands.
all with a piece of copper cable that is supposed to be a low impedance to pass all that wonderful power to the drive units....
I can apreciate it may make a little difference to the sound, and will be relative to the length of your cable runs.
all my stuff is active, so one piece of cable per driver (and that is with Isobarik's so it's six runs pear speaker cab ! - but they are only a couple of feet in legth, as the power amps are right next to the speakers)
Personally, I'd go for csa vs cost ratio - spend as much as you like, but it's a law of diminishing returns.
again, if you have a long run, then the cable thickness is important especially if you have high power amps, and like it loud !
all with a piece of copper cable that is supposed to be a low impedance to pass all that wonderful power to the drive units....
I can apreciate it may make a little difference to the sound, and will be relative to the length of your cable runs.
all my stuff is active, so one piece of cable per driver (and that is with Isobarik's so it's six runs pear speaker cab ! - but they are only a couple of feet in legth, as the power amps are right next to the speakers)
Personally, I'd go for csa vs cost ratio - spend as much as you like, but it's a law of diminishing returns.
again, if you have a long run, then the cable thickness is important especially if you have high power amps, and like it loud !
JustinP1 said:
Troubleatmill said:
Oxygen free copper is oxygen free copper.. Just make sure you have enough thickness/ strands ( e.g. Not bell wire )
I think the Randi organisation offered $1 Million for anyone who could tell the difference between speaker cables in double blind tests.
To date - no one has won the prize.
That should tell you everything you need to know.
If anyone does tell you they can tell the difference - ask them to apply to take Randi's test.
They won't - and if they did - they would fail.
When you actually look at how Randi defined his own test, it does not imply the same as you have stated.I think the Randi organisation offered $1 Million for anyone who could tell the difference between speaker cables in double blind tests.
To date - no one has won the prize.
That should tell you everything you need to know.
If anyone does tell you they can tell the difference - ask them to apply to take Randi's test.
They won't - and if they did - they would fail.
Randi's challenges are to prove the paranormal. His definition of that is something that cannot be shown with science or measurement. On top of that, the rules are that you have to do a 'pre-test' under their conditions, and if you succeed they then have total control over the rules of the 'real' test.
The amount of real tests were literally a handful. Additionally, to apply you have to have a current media presence and the backing of a reputable academic in the field.
So, for someone to successfully win $1m from Randi, a speaker cable listener would need to be someone with a media presence, and backed by an academic, in being able to hear something that cannot be measured.
As even similar looking speaker cables will perform differently with differing electrical properties, clearly, this is not applicable for winning the test.
That doesn't stop people with the belief that all speaker cables must perform the same way referring to the above though.
To the OP, I've got a system which cost upwards of £30,000 in total, as I am a sound engineer. I've got great speakers, however the rears are hooked up with cable which is a few quid a metre, if that.
In terms of impact, very little is sent to the rear channels compared to the front, and in any case, the sound is reflected around before it gets to your ear, as of course the cartilage of your ear is between your 'ear hole' and the speaker.
Save your money for something that makes more of an overall impact.
nelly1 said:
Roso said:
It became so expensive around the same time that people started paying for it. just get the cheapest sort and put the rest of the money towards good speakers.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nordost-Valhalla-Speaker...
Pah!http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nordost-Valhalla-Speaker...
http://www.russandrews.com/product.asp?lookup=1&am...
http://www.highendcable.co.uk/Nordost%20ODIN%20Spe...
http://www.thecableco.com/Product/Oracle-MA-X-Supe...
Roso said:
nelly1 said:
Roso said:
It became so expensive around the same time that people started paying for it. just get the cheapest sort and put the rest of the money towards good speakers.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nordost-Valhalla-Speaker...
Pah!http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nordost-Valhalla-Speaker...
http://www.russandrews.com/product.asp?lookup=1&am...
http://www.highendcable.co.uk/Nordost%20ODIN%20Spe...
http://www.thecableco.com/Product/Oracle-MA-X-Supe...
Pints said:
Once you've got the cable, don't forget you'll need to fit it. I'm still struggling to find a decent solution.
I wish I'd bought the self-adhesive backed cable.
New build - unfortunately the cinema room is the only room I am keeping from the old house. Buring cables in conduit and re plastering once the oak work is finished.I wish I'd bought the self-adhesive backed cable.
If you need to go under carpets then look for "Induction Loop Copper Foil Tape" at Canford Audio dot co dot uk. A 50m roll is about £50 ex VAT. Stick it down every few feet with a bit if gaffer tape, you peel back the plastic coating to terminate it.
If you just need round speaker cable look up MCS-LFH at Canford, £2 per metre for 2 core and it won't kill you if the house goes up in flames! If you are only running a 100w amp (real watts not imaginary Amstrad watts) then 2 core 0.75mm mains flex (2182Y) from your local electrical distributor will be fine.
Alternatively pay me £250 per meter for the same stuff and I'll rub a magnet over it and screw some banana plugs on the end :-)
If you just need round speaker cable look up MCS-LFH at Canford, £2 per metre for 2 core and it won't kill you if the house goes up in flames! If you are only running a 100w amp (real watts not imaginary Amstrad watts) then 2 core 0.75mm mains flex (2182Y) from your local electrical distributor will be fine.
Alternatively pay me £250 per meter for the same stuff and I'll rub a magnet over it and screw some banana plugs on the end :-)
V8A*ndy said:
Stranded 2.5 mains cable.
Seriously you won't be able to notice the difference.
This Seriously you won't be able to notice the difference.
There is no need for anything else. Some people need to take the back off their speakers and look at what some manufacturers use between the binding posts and crossovers.....it isn't anything more than this.Troubleatmill said:
Oxygen free copper is oxygen free copper.. Just make sure you have enough thickness/ strands ( e.g. Not bell wire )
I think the Randi organisation offered $1 Million for anyone who could tell the difference between speaker cables in double blind tests.
To date - no one has won the prize.
That should tell you everything you need to know.
If anyone does tell you they can tell the difference - ask them to apply to take Randi's test.
They won't - and if they did - they would fail.
I have said this before on an old thread here, and I will say again that I can tell the difference with quite a few different cables.I think the Randi organisation offered $1 Million for anyone who could tell the difference between speaker cables in double blind tests.
To date - no one has won the prize.
That should tell you everything you need to know.
If anyone does tell you they can tell the difference - ask them to apply to take Randi's test.
They won't - and if they did - they would fail.
I am not saying I could correctly identify every single one, but I did some listening tests and now have 3 different sets of speaker cable that I can quickly change depending on the type of music I want to listen to.
It is difficult to describe the differences without slipping into pretentious "HiFi speak", but 1 set is quite forward, bright, and has great clarity without sounding harsh. Another set has more bass and weight, and the other is bang in the middle and is perfect for when I have music playing in the background rather than a full on listening session.
I used to work for a cable company and had access to literally all manufactured cables, and for my tests I used custom made HiFi cables as well as domestic and industrial types, some with copper strands, some with screens, some with silver strands, and some I have forgotten about.
Once I had whittled down the choices I got a friend to change them when I went out of the room, and the differences were enough that I could correctly tell which was which.
Hardly scientific I know but it worked for me.
Zod said:
Roso said:
nelly1 said:
Roso said:
It became so expensive around the same time that people started paying for it. just get the cheapest sort and put the rest of the money towards good speakers.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nordost-Valhalla-Speaker...
Pah!http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nordost-Valhalla-Speaker...
http://www.russandrews.com/product.asp?lookup=1&am...
http://www.highendcable.co.uk/Nordost%20ODIN%20Spe...
http://www.thecableco.com/Product/Oracle-MA-X-Supe...
Gassing Station | Home Cinema & Hi-Fi | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff