QED Classic 79 Strand Speaker Cable

[nemo78]

I can't find a review for the QED Classic 79 Strand Speaker Cable at WHF, and I dont have any way to audition. Before I order this online (to be used for HT), does anyone know the history of this cable? is it some old discontinued/obsolete cable? How does it compare with say, Carnival Silver screen?

On Amazon, the QED Classic 79 Strand Speaker Cable White 20m Pack is £44.00 only, hence very tempting.

Thanks!

 

[andyjm]

QED 79 strand is how loudspeaker cables used to be before cable manufacturers discovered marketing.

2.5mmsq CSA, 79 strands of 0.2mm, in a 'shotgun' configuration. Good quality, and fine for anything except very long cable runs. Being a cable, it doesn't 'sound' of anything. How could it? its a cable.

If you want Hifi jewelry, you should go elsewhere, if you want a good quality, well specified cable it is ideal.

If price matters, TLC (an electrical factor) sells an identical cable, that has been tested and found to be of excellent quality. I would post a link, but this website confounds my best attempts. It is part number CA SPEAK79 and costs 59p per metre plus VAT. I have used this cable on many installations, and found it to be great.

www.tlc-direct.co.uk

 

[nopiano]

For home theatre, I recall QED did a thinner more flexible version, one with 42 strands. I used it fine with a 80wpc Denon AVR and some KEF1005s. You will only need something much better for a system of multiple full range speakers.

 

[gowiththeflow]

The only downside with the QED 79 strand, is the lack of any identifying marks for one or both of the wires in the shotgun pair. Well that was the situation when I bought a load of it about 15 years ago. I don't know if they've changed it?

It just makes it a bit awkward when connecting up, or fitting plugs, particularly on longer runs. It ends up with lots of double and triple checking to make sure a mistake hasn't been made.

Profile 79 strand http://www.qed.co.uk/speaker_cables/profile/qed_classic_79_strand_cable.html

Profile 42 strand http://www.qed.co.uk/speaker_cables/profile/qed_classic_42_strand_cable.html

 

[cheeseboy]

The only downside with the QED 79 strand, is the lack of any identifying marks for one or both of the wires in the shotgun pair. Well that was the situation when I bought a load of it about 15 years ago. I don't know if they've changed it?

It just makes it a bit awkward when connecting up, or fitting plugs, particularly on longer runs. It ends up with lots of double and triple checking to make sure a mistake hasn't been made.

nowt that a biro or marker pen can't fix at either end

 

[Electro]

For just a little bit more money you could buy Van Damme speaker cable which in my opinion is well worth the extra.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Van-Damme-HIFI-Series-Studio-Grade-Loudspeaker-Cable-2-X-2-5mm-268-502-000-/180665380494

I use the thicker 4mm version with my system and it is absolutely faultless in every possible way *smile*

 

[gowiththeflow]

The only downside with the QED 79 strand, is the lack of any identifying marks for one or both of the wires in the shotgun pair. Well that was the situation when I bought a load of it about 15 years ago. I don't know if they've changed it?

It just makes it a bit awkward when connecting up, or fitting plugs, particularly on longer runs. It ends up with lots of double and triple checking to make sure a mistake hasn't been made.

nowt that a biro or marker pen can't fix at either end

Indeed, (I tagged mine) but I'm sure you'd still have to double check to make sure you've identified the correct wire, before marking it, so you haven't done anything different.

I double, double checked just to make sure, but that's just me.

 

[Freddy58]

The only downside with the QED 79 strand, is the lack of any identifying marks for one or both of the wires in the shotgun pair. Well that was the situation when I bought a load of it about 15 years ago. I don't know if they've changed it?

It just makes it a bit awkward when connecting up, or fitting plugs, particularly on longer runs. It ends up with lots of double and triple checking to make sure a mistake hasn't been made.

Profile 79 strand http://www.qed.co.uk/speaker_cables/profile/qed_classic_79_strand_cable.html

Profile 42 strand http://www.qed.co.uk/speaker_cables/profile/qed_classic_42_strand_cable.html

That surprises me. I bought some for my old system some 25 years ago, and have just bought some for my new system. On both occasions there was a tracer (raised edge on one side).

 

[Xanderzdad]

I'm with Freddy. Whenever I've used it in the past, one wire had a raised ridge or line down its length. A very subtle indicator that was better than ugly writing I thought.

 

[gowiththeflow]

That surprises me. I bought some for my old system some 25 years ago, and have just bought some for my new system. On both occasions there was a tracer (raised edge on one side).

...Whenever I've used it in the past, one wire had a raised ridge or line down its length....

Thanks for that . Blimey, I hadn't noticed that in all those years (on second thoughts nearer to 20 + years than the 15 I originally stated).

That raised ridge is very subtle, so subtle that I missed it, but looks and feels more like molding flash. Even so it's a bit dubious as a means of identification IMHO and is obviously not foolproof, as this fool has just demonstrated !!!!!!

Cheers.

p.s. I can also second the recommendation for the VanDamme HiFi (UP-LCOFC). I'm using 5m x2 of the 6mm version at the moment.

.

 

[charlescos]

QED 79 strand is how loudspeaker cables used to be before cable manufacturers discovered marketing.

2.5mmsq CSA, 79 strands of 0.2mm, in a 'shotgun' configuration. Good quality, and fine for anything except very long cable runs. Being a cable, it doesn't 'sound' of anything. How could it? its a cable.

If you want Hifi jewelry, you should go elsewhere, if you want a good quality, well specified cable it is ideal.

If price matters, TLC (an electrical factor) sells an identical cable, that has been tested and found to be of excellent quality. I would post a link, but this website confounds my best attempts. It is part number CA SPEAK79 and costs 59p per metre plus VAT. I have used this cable on many installations, and found it to be great.

www.tlc-direct.co.uk

That TLC store cable is not copper-cu. it is CCA-copper clad aluminium. For what i is, CCA, it is not cheap.

 

[nopiano]

That TLC store cable is not copper-cu. it is CCA-copper clad aluminium. For what i is, CCA, it is not cheap.

Unfortunately, the person you replied to hasn’t visited for 5 years. I suggest you look at the date before resurrecting an old thread.

Welcome to WHF.

 

[Deleted member 201267]

Unfortunately, the person you replied to hasn’t visited for 5 years. I suggest you look at the date before resurrecting an old thread.

Welcome to WHF.

Do people not receive an email alert when they receive a reply in a thread such as this ?

 

[jjbomber]

Do people not receive an email alert when they receive a reply in a thread such as this ?

No, they get a red mark on the notifications bell on the top right of the page.

 

[charlescos]

Unfortunately, the person you replied to hasn’t visited for 5 years. I suggest you look at the date before resurrecting an old thread.

Welcome to WHF.

Thanks for the welcome. The thread appeared on a google search I did. Anyone can access it. As the suggestion of CCA would be a bad choice the next viewer will benefit from better information. The thread may be old but it´s out there.

 

[charlescos]

No, they get a red mark on the notifications bell on the top right of the page.

Incorrect. SR-91 is correct. You do get in your mail : "
SR-91 replied to a thread you are watching at What Hi-Fi? Forum.

QED Classic 79 Strand Speaker Cable
nopiano said:
....

 

[12th Monkey]

That depends upon how you set up your account. Generally speaking, forum policy is not to resurrect ancient threads.

 

[charlescos]

That depends upon how you set up your account. Generally speaking, forum policy is not to resurrect ancient threads.

How I set up my account? Please tell me more.
And about old bad information? It shouldn't be left without comment. If so it stands as accepted knowledge/advice

 

[12th Monkey]

How I set up my account? Please tell me more.
And about old bad information? It shouldn't be left without comment. If so it stands as accepted knowledge/advice

It's under the preferences section of your account - you can choose whether you receive email when a thread of yours is replied to.

It could also be argued that in flagging up an old post you may give previous opinions greater credibility, for better or worse. I don't think this is of Earth-shattering importance one way or the other, personally.

 

[Gray]

And about old bad information? It shouldn't be left without comment. If so it stands as accepted knowledge/advice

I agree.
Google often points searchers this way.
Far better that they're given the most useful information.
I say well done @charlescos.
I'll take your type of first-post rather than the types this place often gets 👍

 

[Friesiansam]

That depends upon how you set up your account. Generally speaking, forum policy is not to resurrect ancient threads.

It's usual on most forums to not resurrect old threads and, it's almost 8½ years since this one went dormant...

Also, if someone adds their own advice to an ancient thread, how is someone coming here via a search engine, going to know which advice is correct?

Best to leave dormant threads to their sleep.

 

[Gray]

....if someone adds their own advice to an ancient thread, how is someone coming here via a search engine, going to know which advice is correct?

Best to leave dormant threads to their sleep.

Surely better they get all advice, rather than be left with less useful (or worse, just plain wrong) advice.

I know this isn't Wikipedia, but imagine if posts there were left unchallenged - just because they're old.

 

[12th Monkey]

I know this isn't Wikipedia

Ain't that the truth.

My understanding is that old threads are generally discouraged from being added to is that most people who want information or views from the site do so by participating rather than because Google throws up something ancient. Bringing old stuff into the light of day therefore makes it more, not less visible.

 

[charlescos]

... Google throws up something ancient. Bringing old stuff into the light of day therefore makes it more, not less visible.

Although i started reading WhatHifi and other mags in the late 70s (I think I was 8 at the time) today google brought me here. Visibility is the most valuable asset a site can have and this forum -being open to all- , in my view, only benefits with more viewership.

 

[charlescos]

how is someone coming here via a search engine, going to know which advice is correct?

Only by fact checking and comparing info brought to light. That's up to the reader. Diverse, but with fundament, points of view are, to me, always welcome.