How much should I spend on speaker cable

[steve_1979]

Hello,

I'm a complete beginner to this home cinema thing and would like some advice on how much should I spend on speaker cable and should I use banana plugs? I've just bought a Q Acoustics 1010i 5.1 speaker package and a Yamaha RXV365BL Receiver which will be conected to my computer via an optical S/PDIF cable.

The front and centre speakers need about 3 meters each, one of the rear speakers needs about 5 meters and the other rear speaker needs about 10 metres. I am considering this Cambridge Audio Symphony 200 for £1.50 per meter. Is this any good? www.richersounds.com/product/speaker-cables/cambridge-audio/symphony-200/gale-symphony-200

 

[dave_k]

Go for the least expensive 79-strand copper wire you can find. I use QED Classic.

 

[Anonymous]

dave_k:
Go for the least expensive 79-strand copper wire you can find. I use QED Classic.

agreed! don't think you'd need anything super expensive.

 

[Anonymous]

Sounds daft i know, but try and keep them all the same length, but avoid coiling the excess cable.

 

[fayeanddavid]

rocky66:Sounds daft i know, but try and keep them all the same length, but avoid coiling the excess cable.

Certainly for the fronts and centre.

bit of a pain for the rears, and not quite so important in terms of balance for speech and left and right front steering

 

[hammill]

rocky66:Sounds daft i know, but try and keep them all the same length, but avoid coiling the excess cable.What is your rationale for this advice?

 

[JoelSim]

Really don't worry about the length of the cables, just buy what you need. I have 8m length on one speaker and 5m on the other and really it's perfect. For your system just go with reasonably thick OFC shielded cable from Maplins at whatever lengths you require.

 

[Anonymous]

hammill:rocky66:Sounds daft i know, but try and keep them all the same length, but avoid coiling the excess cable.What is your rationale for this advice?

From the professionals

http://www.richersounds.com/information/tips_topten

 

[hammill]

rocky66:

hammill:rocky66:Sounds daft i know, but try and keep them all the same length, but avoid coiling the excess cable.What is your rationale for this advice?

From the professionals

http://www.richersounds.com/information/tips_topten
I just read it. What a load of nonsense. They claim that "Signals take time to travel down a cable and even a delay of a fraction of a second can make an audible difference.
" which is hogwash. Signals travel down the cable at about 60% of the speed of light. 1m of cable will add a delay of 1/180000000 of a second. If the distance from your speakers to your head differs by 1cm it will make a difference of 1/30000 of a second and I doubt that even on this forum anyone thinks a 1cm difference in how far away speakers are is significant..

 

[JoelSim]

hammill:rocky66:

hammill:rocky66:Sounds daft i know, but try and keep them all the same length, but avoid coiling the excess cable.What is your rationale for this advice?

From the professionals

http://www.richersounds.com/information/tips_topten
I just read it. What a load of nonsense. They claim that "Signals take time to travel down a cable and even a delay of a fraction of a second can make an audible difference.
" which is hogwash. Signals travel down the cable at about 60% of the speed of light. 1m of cable will add a delay of 1/180000000 of a second. If the distance from your speakers to your head differs by 1cm it will make a difference of 1/30000 of a second and I doubt that even on this forum anyone thinks a 1cm difference in how far away speakers are is significant..

Oh come on Hammill, the OP had a 2m difference between his cables so it's only 1/90 millionth of a second, which surely must be detectable by all but those with the slowest metabolisms.

 

[hammill]

JoelSim:hammill:rocky66:

hammill:rocky66:Sounds daft i know, but try and keep them all the same length, but avoid coiling the excess cable.What is your rationale for this advice?

From the professionals

http://www.richersounds.com/information/tips_topten
I just read it. What a load of nonsense. They claim that "Signals take time to travel down a cable and even a delay of a fraction of a second can make an audible difference.
" which is hogwash. Signals travel down the cable at about 60% of the speed of light. 1m of cable will add a delay of 1/180000000 of a second. If the distance from your speakers to your head differs by 1cm it will make a difference of 1/30000 of a second and I doubt that even on this forum anyone thinks a 1cm difference in how far away speakers are is significant..

Oh come on Hammill, the OP had a 2m difference between his cables so it's only 1/90 millionth of a second, which surely must be detectable by all but those with the slowest metabolisms.

 

[richardw42]

Def have the plugs put on.

It makes a really fiddly job a breeze.

Unless you have surgeons finger half way through you'll wish you'd paid the extra for the plugs

 

[dave_k]

richardw42:

Def have the plugs put on.

It makes a really fiddly job a breeze.

Unless you have surgeons finger half way through you'll wish you'd paid the extra for the plugs

+1 to that!

 

[Crossie]

Have the plugs put on and don't worry about unequal lengths.