Advice on new speaker cables for a beginner

[Bromiley]

Hi

I've recently bought some new B&W 685 S2 speakers. They are currently connected to my Denon AVR-1610. I do plan on upgrading the amp in the future but for now (due to budget resons) the Denon will have to remain.

At the moment I'm using some 20 year old cable that came free as part of a previous system. I'm wondering if my speakers/AVR would benefit from a cable upgrade. So far, I have the following cables on my list to consider:

-- QED 79 Strand

-- QED Original

-- Van Damme Blue

My budget isn't large which is why I'm thinking about the cables above.

I'd appreciate your thoughts, suggestions and possible alterternatives.

 

[bigboss]

I've got this for my setup.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/hi-fi-speaker-cable-20m-drum-white-n17ap

 

[bigboss]

I've got this for my setup.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/hi-fi-speaker-cable-20m-drum-white-n17ap

Link now clickable.

 

[lindsayt]

Give them a try, if you can do so on a minimal cost basis.

Keep an open mind. Your old cables might sound just as good as any new ones you try, to your ears in your system with your test tracks. Or they might not.

Try to keep the volume exactly the same when demoing one cable against another. And listen to the original, then the challenger then the original again. Or vice versa.

It's up to you if you do your demos sighted or unsighted with the help of a volunteer. If you do them sighted, keep as open a mind as possible. If you do them unsighted try to stay as relaxed and stress free as when you normally listen to music.

And don't take any notice of what anyone else says or thinks. Use your own judgement and intincts to keep the cables that are best for you.

 

[abacus]

2.5mm2 oxygen free copper (OFC) is all you need, which can be picked up from B & Q, Maplin’s etc.

If you really want to push the boat out, go for Van Damme as they are used by professionals in Film & Music Production Studios. (The ones that make the films & music you listen too)

BTW the cable Big Boss mentioned is the same as QED 79 strand, however it is cheaper as it doesn’t have a fancy name on it.

There are also many threads on WHF about speaker cables, so do a quick search for additional opinions.

Hope this helps

Bill

 

[TrevC]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nordost-Terminated-Speaker-Cable-Pair/dp/B008S8YJE4/ref=pd_sim_sbs_ce_7?ie=UTF8&refRID=06RV5CQ14N1VCAFBXCDY

A bargain. *dance4*

Seriously http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10m-Loud-Speaker-Cable-Oxygen-Free-OFC-4mm-532-Strand-/280936748402?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4169229572

Will sound identical to those above.

 

[spiny norman]

Every TrevC contribution to this forum sounds exactly the same.

 

[bigboss]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nordost-Terminated-Speaker-Cable-Pair/dp/B008S8YJE4/ref=pd_sim_sbs_ce_7?ie=UTF8&refRID=06RV5CQ14N1VCAFBXCDY

A bargain.

Nah, this is far superior and a bigger bargain.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Im ashamed of u BB. Clearly £108k is rediculous for 10m of wire but equaly clearly most people would make do with 4-5m hence this cable becomes a bargain. Stop scare-mongering and let us burn our small fortunes on fairy dust & snake oil

 

[TrevC]

Every TrevC contribution to this forum sounds exactly the same.

Thanks! It's good to be consistent.

 

[FennerMachine]

A cable of adequate thickness will likely sound the same as any other cable.

The freebie cable from your previous system, if anything like free cable I've used in past systems, may not be of adequate thickness. Van Damme of the 2.5mm variety is cheap enough to be worth a go.

 

[drummerman]

Nothing wrong with some experimentation with speaker cables.

Imho the one cable worth upgrading from cheap wire is VDH's CS122 Hybrid.

I appreciate this is not of interest to you at the moment so I would instead invest in some ferrite sleeves for all cables entering your amplifier.

Secondly I would probably get a Tacima mains block.

As and when you can afford to, buy better speaker cable.

 

[TrevC]

Nothing wrong with some experimentation with speaker cables.

Imho the one cable worth upgrading from cheap wire is VDH's CS122 Hybrid.

I appreciate this is not of interest to you at the moment so I would instead invest in some ferrite sleeves for all cables entering your amplifier.

Secondly I would probably get a Tacima mains block.

As and when you can afford to, buy better speaker cable.

Define better, in the context of a speaker cable. What are the ferrites for?

This is 6mm, so will do the same job as the VDH. Probably will be more flexible as well as cheaper.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10m-Of-6mm-High-Grade-HiFi-Loud-Speaker-Cable-Oxygen-Free-OFC-Low-Resistance-/270370467142?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3ef355ed46

 

[FennerMachine]

TrevC, could that make a difference over my 2.5mm cable?

 

[drummerman]

Nothing wrong with some experimentation with speaker cables.

Imho the one cable worth upgrading from cheap wire is VDH's CS122 Hybrid.

I appreciate this is not of interest to you at the moment so I would instead invest in some ferrite sleeves for all cables entering your amplifier.

Secondly I would probably get a Tacima mains block.

As and when you can afford to, buy better speaker cable.

Define better, in the context of a speaker cable. What are the ferrites for?

This is 6mm, so will do the same job as the VDH. Probably will be more flexible as well as cheaper.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10m-Of-6mm-High-Grade-HiFi-Loud-Speaker-Cable-Oxygen-Free-OFC-Low-Resistance-/270370467142?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3ef355ed46

Supression of EMI/RF. They don't cost a fortune.

I've used similar speaker cable to the one you show before (free from R/S) years ago and I ditched them quickly.

The combination of ferrite chokes, Tacima's, decent speaker and mains cables gave me better sound allround. It took some 'hash' away which irritated beforehand and images are more focused.

Not a waste of money and warmly recommended but if budget is tight I'd start with something like the Tacima and ferrites, then the speaker cable followed by mains cables, such as the 'Audiofriendly Silver Mains Cable', available for £15.

Good luck to the OP and don't let the usual bores put you off experimenting for yourself. Good luck

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Any harm in buying a few dozen ferrites. Slappin' em all over the spagetti?

 

[TrevC]

Good luck to the OP, and don't let the technically clueless fantasists persuade you to part with more money than you need to. Mains leads and ferrites, what nonsense. Mains leads have no effect on performance and a ferrite raises the inductance of a cable and can be useful if you have an interference problem, but are pointless otherwise.

 

[drummerman]

Any harm in buying a few dozen ferrites. Slappin' em all over the spagetti?

Not unless you are TrevC & Co., for which even spending £10 on any hifi related accessories is probably unthin(c)able

I use one on every cable leading into my amps (incl. mains and PSX-R's), interconnects, one one the Tacima's themselves and one inside my Sony STR-DB930 on the windings to the boards.

Arcam, Cyrus and others frequently do the same.

Has anything gone up in smoke? Have the components or cables imploded? Nop.

Has it made a difference? No idea but the combination of measures taken did although the Tacima made larger differences in some systems than others, never in a negative way it has to be said so even if you just look at it as a £25 mains block (a decent looking one at that) you can't go far wrong.

 

[Vladimir]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nordost-Terminated-Speaker-Cable-Pair/dp/B008S8YJE4/ref=pd_sim_sbs_ce_7?ie=UTF8&refRID=06RV5CQ14N1VCAFBXCDY

A bargain. *dance4*

Excerpt from the customer reviews.

5 stars: Was very excited by the prospect of this but actually found the price a bit low at the end of the day. I would have expected to pay at least twice this price for something of this quality.

Comment #2: I'm looking to sell the babies pushchair to raise the final few quid for the banana plugs!

 

[CnoEvil]

I would go with QED 79 Strand, Van Damme Blue or Linn K20 (ebay)....whichever you can get cheapest.

 

[TrevC]

TrevC, could that make a difference over my 2.5mm cable?

On a longish run, perhaps. It would have the advantage of knowing that you can fit it knowing any resistive losses that remain are not going to be audible.

 

[davedotco]

I have related the story of 'building' cables with Mathew Bond (founder and owner of Tara Labs) in his shop in Sydney before, but the experience has left me with a fondness for solid core cable at very modest cost.

Conventional twin and earth with a 27/30 amp rating will have cores of 2.5 sqmm and a 10m length (2 x 5m) costa about £10-12.

Strip out live and neutral, lightly twist together and you have the latest in 'solid core technology' for a pitance.

 

[Bromiley]

Thanks for the advice so far.

TrevC and bigboss -- I'll let you know which of those expensive cables I get if I win the lottery! However, I can get the QED 79 Strand shipped to Germany on Amazon UK for 21 GBP for 10 m. I think I'll give that a go. Amazon DE has the cable through 3rd parties at double the price!

My 20 year old 'freebie' cable seems to be 2 x 2.5 mm, so it will be interesting to see if the 79 Strand makes any difference.

I also have another question. I mentioned in the original post that for now I'm having to use my Denon AVR-1610 for stereo playback. As I'm sure you all know, with an AVR you normally calibrate the system with Audyssey. As I'm only using 2 speakers, is it worth running the Audyssey calibration or not? I'm not sure if AVRs have to be setup this way even for stereo.

 

[DocG]

I mentioned in the original post that for now I'm having to use my Denon AVR-1610 for stereo playback. As I'm sure you all know, with an AVR you normally calibrate the system with Audyssey. As I'm only using 2 speakers, is it worth running the Audyssey calibration or not? I'm not sure if AVRs have to be setup this way even for stereo.

I suppose you can switch the Audyssey calibration on/off. It could have good effect in some areas and screw up other aspects, so I suggest you try both with and without DSP, and make up your own mind. And report back what you think (please).

 

[bigboss]

No harm in running Audyssey. You will get to choose how many speakers you've connected.