Cyrus with non-bi-wire speakers

[admin_exported]

I note that What HiFi usually recommend Cyrus's own cables (interconnects and speaker) for use in a Cyrus system. Cyrus only make a bi-wire speaker cable so what is the best solution for a Cyrus system with speakers with only one set of terminals? Are there any online shops selling Cyrus cables?

 

[Anonymous]

bfw:I note that What HiFi usually recommend Cyrus's own cables (interconnects and speaker) for use in a Cyrus system. Cyrus only make a bi-wire speaker cable so what is the best solution for a Cyrus system with speakers with only one set of terminals? Are there any online shops selling Cyrus cables?

There's nothing different or magical about Cyrus wire. Use any thick, as thick as possible, multistrand cable on the speakers.

 

[chebby]

I remember someone recommending Naim NACA5 cables for Spendor speakers but also there is Chord Odyssey,

Odyssey (silver plated OFC) would seem to match the internal wiring of the speakers themselves ("Silver plated pure copper internal cables throughout" according to Spendor.)

 

[drummerman]

I believe cyrus'es speaker cabling used to be based on DNM's reson, a very good cable. But as always a good cable has to be matched to both speaker and amplifier so it's perhaps worth trying a few alternatives. If you go with cyrus'es product (DNM re-batch?) you at least know it has been optimized for the amplifier interface.

 

[Anonymous]

drummerman:But as always a good cable has to be matched to both speaker and amplifier

That is not the case, my friend. There is no such thing as matching cables to amplifiers or speakers.

 

[Anonymous]

I have Cyrus kit with ProAc 110 speakers. I single wire them using Belden 5000UP cable. I paid the princely sum of £2-ish/m from Mark Grant cables and terminated them myself, using Cyrus standard issue BFA plugs and locking bananas from Maplins. Please don't let the price put you off. This has the same, if not better, electrical characteristics than the recommended Cyrus speaker cable. I single wire as I prefer the sound. To me, bi-wiring creates an artificial airiness that becomes tiresome very quickly. I didn't notice any difference when replacing the stock jumpers in the speaker with a run of the same wire, so left the standard links in place.

The Cyrus speaker cable you mention can be separated to create two single runs of cable. In other words, if your speakers are 2m from your amp, rather than buying 2x2m, you buy a run of 2m instead. This will have four conductors, and by easily splitting them down the middle, you will have the quantity of cable you need.

If you search the internet, you will see plenty of online retailers. The other thing - I use Blue Jeans LC1 interconnects. These are again a fraction of the price of the Cyrus internconnects, but have the same electrical characteristics or better than the Cyrus. They are very well made.

I have tried silver coated Chord wiring on my system - it created a dreadfully harsh sound. My advice would be to just stick with the thickest, purest copper cable you can get, with the shortest runs possible. The Blue Jeans website gives a good run-down of the technical thinking behind speaker cables and interconnects. They also show you how to properly connect a locking banana to a cable - I didn't know how to do it before reading it!!

Lastly, I would stay away from any manufacturer that doesn't publish the technical specs of its cable.

 

[chebby]

 

[Anonymous]

Searching for stuff is half the fun! I hate the name Blue Jeans, but like the company and the products. Prior to reading the site, I just stripped the end off the cable, stuck it into the big hole on the side of the connector and clamped it that way. Lucky the Hi-Fi police didn't come round, or I'd have points on my license by now....