oldbrowndog Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 Can anyone please point me to a thread here where the necessity of the high end speaker cable has either been debunked, or proven? I am about to install an Orb speaker selector to hook up one amp, to 3 sets of speakers, and dont really want to have high end cable for all 4 sets of runs I need to do.. but, hey if i see some good info to tell me getting something better than regular 18 gauge wire is necessary i'll go for it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 Might help if you tell folks what the rest of your system is, and what cabling you use now. For my part I'd say once a system reaches a certain level speaker and interconnect cables make a difference in audible sound. I made a pair of interconnects recently using a combination of a silver and gold blend wire and silver wire, they made a very audible change from the copper ribbon ones that were being used. (for me a positive one) My speaker cables are Lenahan Ribbon ones. But there are plenty that will say cables make little difference, and a handful that even say no difference. The only real way to confirm what is right or wrong for you, is to try different cables, see if you can borrow some different speaker cables from other members or some loaners from a hifi store. Just reading stuff will likely only leave you to follow a conclusion that you already lean towards now. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 And if you want good cables without spending a lot, maybe talk to Bill, who makes Bill's Cables, a member and sponsor here. 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cafad Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, oldbrowndog said: Can anyone please point me to a thread here where the necessity of the high end speaker cable has either been debunked, or proven? I am about to install an Orb speaker selector to hook up one amp, to 3 sets of speakers, and dont really want to have high end cable for all 4 sets of runs I need to do.. but, hey if i see some good info to tell me getting something better than regular 18 gauge wire is necessary i'll go for it.. The "debunked or proven" thread does not exist. Threads that try to debunk or prove such things tend to be hotly debated and rarely never really end in consensus. That's just the way it is. Expensive speaker wire is only really justified when measured against the value of the rest of your system. And the definition of the word "expensive" also varies from person to person. RG-213U wire makes good speaker cable (very low inductance which is a good thing for most amplifiers), is pretty cheap and is widely available too but it can be a bit of a bugger to terminate. 18 gauge sounds a bit thin to my ears, but without more info on your amp, speakers and the length of the runs I shouldn't really be saying even that. If you supply us with more information we could offer more detailed opinions. Edited June 20, 2021 by Cafad 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbrowndog Posted June 21, 2021 Author Share Posted June 21, 2021 Thanks for the feedback folks. I guess borrowing and trying with one set would be a good idea to see if i can hear a difference, and if not, stick to the regular. I have some Technics SE 9600 /SU 9600 amps & then onto the ORB switcher & then onto various different speakers: JBL 4344 / Coral Beta 10 / JBL Lancer 2 way / Altec 604G. anyway thats the basics, but i only have one decent set of cables, & i dont really want to buy 3 more unless it makes sense.. Will try and borrow one more set to just do from the amp to the orb & onto a set of speakers.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misternavi Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 I would just buy the most copper you can get for your budget- Thicker the copper the less resistance. Try a minimum of 14gauge. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 And embrace the muddy blur if it is too thick. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pim Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 (edited) Personal experience; Set my speakers up to the best position in the room. Lots of moving speakers, my head and chairs. Took at least a few months before I got it 100%. The improvement is phenomenal. Tried some speakers in a shop with my own amp and Blue jeans speaker cables. Once we had the speakers set up as good as we could we changed out the cables for $3000.- MIT speaker cables. Improvement 0%. Edited June 21, 2021 by Pim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbrowndog Posted June 21, 2021 Author Share Posted June 21, 2021 Quote Once we had the speakers set up as good as we could we changed out the cables for $3000.- MIT speaker cables. Improvement 0%. Hahahah, no horsesh*t wang! I had a feeling, but hearing it from someone who spent that much is interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davewantsmoore Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 15 hours ago, oldbrowndog said: but, hey if i see some good info to tell me getting something better than regular 18 gauge wire is necessary i'll go for it.. There is a lot of cheap rubbish. Something of good manufacture like Belden 5000 or Canare StarQuad can be had for ~$5 - $10 / meter. Your speakers are high efficiency designs, and so 18 AWG will be plenty, unless you are planning on summoning the police. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misternavi Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 10 minutes ago, muon* said: And embrace the muddy blur if it is too thick. Yeah those Atomic- photon-electrons will take there time reaching to the other side of the cable. You don't want to make it too easy for them . Make them work for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pim Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 Just now, oldbrowndog said: Hahahah, no horsesh*t wang! I had a feeling, but hearing it from someone who spent that much is interesting. I didn't buy them. Just tried them. Now, I'm not saying speaker cables can't change the sound, for better or worse, but what I am sure of that the time spent getting my setup right is a definite improvement, the cables, none to my ears. That makes it an easy choice. To be honest I've probably spent so much time on setup that, had I just worked overtime, I would have easily been able to afford the cables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pim Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 4 minutes ago, davewantsmoore said: There is a lot of cheap rubbish. Something of good manufacture like Belden 5000 or Canare StarQuad can be had for ~$5 - $10 / meter. Your speakers are high efficiency designs, and so 18 AWG will be plenty, unless you are planning on summoning the police. I think that's what mine are: Canare StarQuad. They cold welded the connectors. Not that I can hear an improvement but at least I know they won't fall off anytime soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
360Cisitalia Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 2 minutes ago, Pim said: I didn't buy them. Just tried them. Now, I'm not saying speaker cables can't change the sound, for better or worse, but what I am sure of that the time spent getting my setup right is a definite improvement, the cables, none to my ears. That makes it an easy choice. To be honest I've probably spent so much time on setup that, had I just worked overtime, I would have easily been able to afford the cables. Would be useful If you could introduce you system and listening environment. Very curious on cable topic. I always find different on speaker interconnect digital cables, but very resistance on the use on ethernet cable. But just got a not expensive hifi ethernet cable try on my system, difference is clearly heard. Will just another hot debated topic i guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 (edited) 20 minutes ago, misternavi said: Yeah those Atomic- photon-electrons will take there time reaching to the other side of the cable. You don't want to make it too easy for them . Make them work for it. That's an odd way to look at how electrical transmission works. Each to there own, I'm just working with my own personal experience after using 11awg Western Electric cable, was too thick for my system, and introduced a smearing. Edited June 21, 2021 by muon* typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 Well, looks like the OP will have found his cable argument, and didn't need links Also went as I predicted. 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pim Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 2 minutes ago, 360Cisitalia said: Would be useful If you could introduce you system and listening environment. Very curious on cable topic. I always find different on speaker interconnect digital cables, but very resistance on the use on ethernet cable. But just got a not expensive hifi ethernet cable try on my system, difference is clearly heard. Will just another hot debated topic i guess. Nope. I have no interest in cables whatsoever. Not when I still have lots of improvements to get in room acoustics and better speakers. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rock Puppy Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 (edited) If it's not too impolite a question, @oldbrowndog, what kind of price range would you be comfortable to pay per metre of speaker cable? People might have some views on cable that would be applicable. Edited June 21, 2021 by The Rock Puppy Poorly worded. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pim Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 7 minutes ago, muon* said: Well, looks like the OP will have found his cable argument, and didn't need links Also went as I predicted. Yeah, wouldn't you love to have a cable debate with a bunch of bikies? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 2 minutes ago, Pim said: Yeah, wouldn't you love to have a cable debate with a bunch of bikies? From my experience they prefer chains 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
360Cisitalia Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 8 minutes ago, muon* said: Well, looks like the OP will have found his cable argument, and didn't need links Also went as I predicted. It's always interesting to see people give a lot of claims on cables and try to persuade others without mention system component, listening environment. Some will ultimately refuse to try because based on the believe of useless of cables. Some will ignore all other factors to insist the other way and apply on every system. And the end of the day, this debate Will never end. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rock Puppy Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 Ah well, @muon*, at least there wasn't a second part of the question asking what would be the best cable termination: banana vs spade vs bare wire! 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rantan Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 11 minutes ago, muon* said: Well, looks like the OP will have found his cable argument, and didn't need links Also went as I predicted. These threads are nothing but predictable. There are those who do and those who don't and they are like parallel lines which never meet. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill125812 Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 2 minutes ago, The Rock Puppy said: Ah well, @muon*, at least there wasn't a second part of the question asking what would be the best cable termination: banana vs spade vs bare wire! I’m going to invent a bananaspade. That will stop the debate 4 1 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 (edited) 5 minutes ago, 360Cisitalia said: It's always interesting to see people give a lot of claims on cables and try to persuade others without mention system component, listening environment. Some will ultimately refuse to try because based on the believe of useless of cables. Some will ignore all other factors to insist the other way and apply on every system. And the end of the day, this debate Will never end. Yeah, and we still don't have that information that would help the OP. Edit: or budget that someone else mentions and that would offer even more help. Edited June 21, 2021 by muon* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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