Cable advice needed please!

[admin_exported]

Hi,

I have just purchased an Onkyo TX-SR607 amp and a set of Q Acoustics 1010i 5.1 speakers.

What speaker and subwoofer cable would you guys suggest I use? I keep reading that 'high quality' expensive cable isn't worth the outlay.

Any help/suggestions greatly appreciated, thanks!

Paul.

 

[8009514]

If you want a cheap initial solution then I would suggest having a look in Maplins. They have a decent range of speaker cable. The OFC 1.5mm and 2.5mm stuff isn't bad, and you an buy by the metre or on 10 metre reels. Use the thicker one for the sub-woofer. It'll get you set up without a lot of expense and you can always upgrade at a later date should you desire it.

 

[Steve Reichert PR Manager ArmourHome]

Hello Paul738,

Firstly, thank you for purchasing the Q Acoustics loudspeakers. We're very proud of them and I'm sure you'll be delighted by their performance for many years to come.

With regard to 'which cable to use?' I would recommend the new QED XT Evolution speaker cable for the front three (left, centre and right). It is £6.50 per metre and matches perfectly. For the rears you could either use the same cable, if the distances aren't too far and you can afford it, or do what most people do and use QED 'Silver Micro' which is priced at £4 per metre. It isn't quite as good, but frankly I doubt if anybody would notice (including me

).

I realize this could be regarded as blatant advertising, but as I was the 'golden ears' on the design team of both the speakers and the cables, I thought I might be allowed to get away with it on the twin grounds of 'special knowledge' and the fact that it's correct.

Best regards

Steve Reichert -- Armour Home (Q Acoustics & QED)

 

[Anonymous]

Steve,

thanks for your reply. someone else has suggested i use banana plugs or terminated ends (whatevere they are, im a bit of a novice!), is this advice correct?

many thanks

Paul.

 

[Steve Reichert PR Manager ArmourHome]

Hi Paul,

Banana plugs (now days more usually known by their correct name: 4mm plugs) are connected to the ends of speaker cables and fit into the holes of the speaker terminals on the rear of your speakers. They are very good from both a connectivity and convenience perspective and I have no hesitation in recommending them. However, decent ones will cost you at least a few quid each and you will need 10 of them, which starts to add up. To be honest, apart from losing the ease of plugging them in and out, there is little sonic disadvantage in simply using bare wire in the screw part of your speaker terminals -- and it's 'free'.

best regards,

Steve

 

[Gerrardasnails]

paul738:
Steve,

thanks for your reply. someone else has suggested i use banana plugs or terminated ends (whatevere they are, im a bit of a novice!), is this advice correct?

many thanks

Paul.

I agree with Steve about your front three speakers (they are the important ones for sound and deserve the better cable). For the rears, something like this will be fine.

http://www.audiovisualonline.co.uk/dynamic/eshop_products.set/ref/284/ixos-xhs133-super-flat-speaker-cable/display.html

And for your subwoofer,

http://www.audiovisualonline.co.uk/dynamic/eshop_products.set/ref/1456/fisual-subwoofer-cable-pro-install-series/display.html

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for you advice gents, very much appreciated!

One more thing you might be able to help me with. The centre speaker doesn't quite fit into my TV unit, and obviously having it sitting on the floor is no good to man nor beast...so, can anyone point me in the direction of a tall centre speaker stand that i could place behind my tv unit and basically have the speaker above the tv itself?

thanks again.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

paul738:
Thanks for you advice gents, very much appreciated!

One more thing you might be able to help me with. The centre speaker doesn't quite fit into my TV unit, and obviously having it sitting on the floor is no good to man nor beast...so, can anyone point me in the direction of a tall centre speaker stand that i could place behind my tv unit and basically have the speaker above the tv itself?

thanks again.

Could you not buy a floating shelf from Ikea to do the biz?

 

[Anonymous]

No, sadly not, the tv and unit stands in a bay window.

 

[Big Chris]

Sounds like you may be better putting your TV on top of your centre speaker. I'd buy some felt pads or similar to prevent the TV stand scratching the speaker.

It's not ideal, but can't see any alternative with it being in front of a window and all.

 

[Anonymous]

cant do that either, the centre speaker isnt substantial enough to support the tv. i have come up with another plan though, im going to look at getting the wall mount bracket and seeing if i can somehow attach it to the back of the tv with metal robs and bolt them into the holes used for wall mounting the screen ;-)

wish me luck! haha