Question Advice about new speakers cables

[Oxfordian]

Ref my previous post picture 3. £1 interconnect, standard mains and basic 500 strand speaker cables in use with Audionet’s WATT integrated amplifier at a RRP of £13k and ATC curved SCM40’s @ £3990. If these cables are good enough for a £13k amplifier and £4K loudspeakers then I feel they’ll also be more the good enough for components such as Hegel’s H95, Arcam Alpha 8, KEF Q35, etc. as listed in your signature.

Your advice is firmly etched in my mind, but my dilemma is that others indicate that there is an alternative route as there are differences.

Maybe my answer is to get some banana plugs off the internet and re-use the old cable that I had running from my Arcam to the KEF’s, it is at least 20 years old, it is a bi-wire cable, it has weird plugs at the amp end but there is no reason it shouldn’t work, and it’s called Sharkwire or something like that.

 

[Gray]

Tarnished silver is more conductive than copper oxide

Oh, that's OK then 😆 Great answer.
Seriously though, it's just easy enough to avoid either 👍

 

[Gray]

Maybe my answer is to get some banana plugs off the internet and re-use the old cable that I had running from my Arcam to the KEF’s

Good idea. I can recommend the Fisual banana plugs that I used, which have 2-screw fixings on each.

 

[Oxfordian]

Good idea. I can recommend the Fisual banana plugs that I used, which have 2-screw fixings on each.

Just ordered some, arriving tomorrow, so will have a play and see if I can get them on the old cable and then connected up and give them a good test against the QED cable the dealer has lent me.

Update Monday

Such a simple job, removed the Eurozone plugs added the Fisual plugs and now have the KEF’s running bi-wired from the Hegel, sounds absolutely fine, so thanks everyone for your suggestions.

I will try these old Sharkwire bi-wire cables on the ATC 7’s when they arrive hopefully at some point in June, with luck they will be just fine and save me some money.

 

[AJM1981]

Oh, that's OK then 😆 Great answer.
Seriously though, it's just easy enough to avoid either 👍

Spin it like a politician.

 

[Tinman1952]

Go for low resistance, which is all that matters with a speaker cable. Musicraft's suggestions.

“All that matters”…..? Well even Van Damme admit to the ‘skin effect’ so type of construction and the insulation is also important……

 

[Tinman1952]

Ref my previous post picture 3. £1 interconnect, standard mains and basic 500 strand speaker cables in use with Audionet’s WATT integrated amplifier at a RRP of £13k and ATC curved SCM40’s @ £3990. If these cables are good enough for a £13k amplifier and £4K loudspeakers then I feel they’ll also be more the good enough for components such as Hegel’s H95, Arcam Alpha 8, KEF Q35, etc. as listed in your signature.

Well I’m shocked but not surprised….
the phrase ‘don't spoil the ship for a ha’porth of tar’ springs to mind… 🤔

 

[nopiano]

Well I’m shocked but not surprised….
the phrase ‘don't spoil the ship for a ha’porth of tar’ springs to mind… 🤔

As does “don’t sweat the small stuff”!

 

[RoA]

Luckily I don't use speaker wires anymore.

I find them so ... 2010 😉

 

[TrevC]

“All that matters”…..? Well even Van Damme admit to the ‘skin effect’ so type of construction and the insulation is also important……

Nope, incorrect. The skin effect only applies to radio frequencies and all cables have insulation.

 

[Tinman1952]

Nope, incorrect. The skin effect only applies to radio frequencies and all cables have insulation.

‘Radio frequencies’? Er…I don’t think so…
As George Orwell might have said….All cable insulation is equal…but some are more equal than others…..🙂

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Your advice is firmly etched in my mind

Current store system is Denafrips Ares II > ATC SCA2 > Kinki Studio EX-M7 > Monitor Audio Gold 5G Gold 300 > JL Audio Fathom f112 v2. Basic 500 strand speaker cables are helping the EX-M7's ultra high current capability to energise 5G Gold 300's with supreme ease.



Basic cables simply allow the qualities of the recordings to shine through by enabling components/systems to breathe 🙂

 

[Tinman1952]

Current store system is Denafrips Ares II > ATC SCA2 > Kinki Studio EX-M7 > Monitor Audio Gold 5G Gold 300 > JL Audio Fathom f112 v2. Basic 500 strand speaker cables are helping the EX-M7's ultra high current capability to energise 5G Gold 300's with supreme ease.

View attachment 2513

Basic cables simply allow the qualities of the recordings to shine through by enabling components/systems to breathe 🙂

Yes I can see that…a bit like breathing through a straw…..😁

 

[TrevC]

‘Radio frequencies’? Er…I don’t think so…
As George Orwell might have said….All cable insulation is equal…but some are more equal than others…..🙂

Yes, at high frequencies skin effect is important, it isn't important at audio frequencies. You need insulation, but ordinary PVC is fine. Standard cheap thick stranded cables are the most suitable.

 

[TrevC]

Yes I can see that…a bit like breathing through a straw…..😁

If you use low resistance cables it's like breathing normally without a straw. 🙂

 

[robroy]

Hi,
I am waiting for my new Focal Aria 906 speakers to arrive, My amp is the Rotel A11 Tribute. Is there anyone that can advice me about how much to spend in new speaker cables or make any suggestions what to buy ? I am looking for a decent 2x2m cable set.
Thank you.

Speaker cable is just a piece of wire that carries a very low voltage signal which travels at the speed of light. It makes no difference what you use. As long as all terminal connections and connectors are properly made any decently made wire will do the job as well as any other would ! From that used for lighting, to that used for mains applications for instance. You don't even need the same length of wire to connect all your speakers to your amp etc !
At the speed of light '186,000 miles per second' two different lengths of wire will show no perceptible 'time-lag' at the speaker end.
Don't waste your money on expensive cables - just buy a good quality, well made cheaper version. That's all you need.

 

[Tinman1952]

Speaker cable is just a piece of wire that carries a very low voltage signal which travels at the speed of light. It makes no difference what you use. As long as all terminal connections and connectors are properly made any decently made wire will do the job as well as any other would ! From that used for lighting, to that used for mains applications for instance. You don't even need the same length of wire to connect all your speakers to your amp etc !
At the speed of light '186,000 miles per second' two different lengths of wire will show no perceptible 'time-lag' at the speaker end.
Don't waste your money on expensive cables - just buy a good quality, well made cheaper version. That's all you need.

….and the earth is flat and the moon is made of green cheese!
I don’t think you should present your ‘opinion’ as fact.

 

[Gray]

….and the earth is flat and the moon is made of green cheese!
I don’t think you should present your ‘opinion’ as fact.

In fairness to him Tinman, the bulk of what he said is factual.
The opinion he expressed, that cheap is all you need.....that will always be controversial, especially to those that have spent silly money and / or snobs.

With all the many videos on Youtube, you'd think, wouldn't you?, that there'd be at least one where someone would be demonstrating themselves (with the aid of an assistant) blindly identifying which cable they're listening to. You must admit it would be impressive and pretty conclusive evidence in favour of those that preach cable benefits as facts.
I'm not easily impressed, but that would certainly do it for me.

 

[Tinman1952]

In fairness to him Tinman, the bulk of what he said is factual.
The opinion he expressed, that cheap is all you need.....that will always be controversial, especially to those that have spent silly money and / or snobs.

With all the many videos on Youtube, you'd think, wouldn't you?, that there'd be at least one where someone would be demonstrating themselves (with the aid of an assistant) blindly identifying which cable they're listening to. You must admit it would be impressive and pretty conclusive evidence in favour of those that preach cable benefits as facts.
I'm not easily impressed, but that would certainly do it for me.

Not wishing to start an endless cable debate (God knows we’ve seen enough of those!) I just get a little annoyed by those with a simplistic view that all you need is any old copper cable…
High priced esoteric cables are a bit like ‘audio jewellery‘ and are just silly in my opinion…BUT all cables do not sound the same. We accept this for interconnects usually but not speaker cable…?
I would just finally add that some amplifier manufacturers regard the speaker cables as part of the amplifier circuit, so to say the capacitance of the cables is unimportant and that equal lengths of left and right channels don’t matter is simply incorrect.
Ok that’s my final comment 🙂

 

[Oxfordian]

Not wishing to start an endless cable debate (God knows we’ve seen enough of those!) I just get a little annoyed by those with a simplistic view that all you need is any old copper cable…
High priced esoteric cables are a bit like ‘audio jewellery‘ and are just silly in my opinion…BUT all cables do not sound the same. We accept this for interconnects usually but not speaker cable…?
I would just finally add that some amplifier manufacturers regard the speaker cables as part of the amplifier circuit, so to say the capacitance of the cables is unimportant and that equal lengths of left and right channels don’t matter is simply incorrect.
Ok that’s my final comment 🙂

I cannot get my head around this cable debate, for many a simple 79 strand copper wire wrapped in some material to hold it together is all that is required whereas for others the opposite is true and cables are capable of influencing the sound we hear depending on materials used and how it is all put together.

That cable manufacturers exist, have different cables even within there own ranges, suggests that there may be some truth that cables can influence sound, but it is such a touchy subject that it is almost not worth asking the question.

Once my new speakers arrive I will audition a few cables courtesy of my local dealer and compare them to my existing cables, the ones that sound the best will be the ones I use. And I am going to tell no one what I have chosen.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Electricity doesn't travel along cables at the speed of light - it's close, but most definitely not a 'fact.'

Having participated in (and started) cable threads, I have reached the conclusion that if you hear a difference (or believe that you do) and it's your money, who gives a stuff what anyone else thinks?

 

[abacus]

If you do research you will find there have been plenty of level matched double blind tests of cables done over the decades, and not one identified cable differences (Assuming the cheaper ones are good quality cables) beyond chance. (I have been to many over the decades)

As to different lengths, I can hear a difference if I know they are different lengths (A lot of users can) but as soon as you remove this knowledge with a level matched double blind test all differences disappear. (Assuming there are not metres and metres of difference in length)

Professional film and music production studios (Which let’s face it make even high end Hi-Fi sound mundane) do not use special cables (Unless when the contract to supply was put out to tender a high end cable manufacture bid the best price (Sold them no more expensive than the cheaper cables) to get their name in there) just good quality reliable ones.

Only a small minority of a minority interest group (Hi-Fi) believe cables (Providing they are of good quality) make a difference, which is why they sometimes get called the flat earthers of the Hi-Fi world, rather than the other way round.

The above is unlikely to change anybody’s opinion, but thought I would put it out there to give a balance. (As always if you do believe they make a difference then go right ahead and purchase whichever you prefer as it’s your money and no one should dictate how you spend it unless it is for something illegal)

Bill

 

[nopiano]

And I am going to tell no one what I have chosen.

Oh yes you are! 😉

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Only a small minority of a minority interest group (Hi-Fi) believe cables (Providing they are of good quality) make a difference

If you recall we did a poll a while back, and that wasn't the conclusion. I'm not saying the results represent 'fact', but that's not the point.

 

[Oxfordian]

Only a small minority of a minority interest group (Hi-Fi) believe cables (Providing they are of good quality) make a difference, which is why they sometimes get called the flat earthers of the Hi-Fi world, rather than the other way round.

If what you say is true then surely this small group of flat earthers could not sustain a cable industry all on their own?

If there is no difference in cables why are there so many different ones pitched at different price points for the consumer to buy?

Why does this basic is best argument not apply to interconnect cables, is the process of moving a signal from A to B via an interconnect not exactly the same as that of moving the signal from A to B in a speaker cable?

Is there a way that these differences or lack of difference can be demonstrated easily?

Please don’t get me wrong I’m not anti this or pro that, I’m just trying to understand where I sit in this battle of believers, if all I need is £25 of terminated speaker cable then brilliant, however if I need £150 of speaker cable then brilliant.

I don’t mind a reasonable cost, after all we pay a hell of a lot more for the main components than we do for any cables which are a comparatively cheap part of our set-ups.

So £150 for speaker cables in a system that has cost £4000 to put together doesn’t seem hugely expensive.