Speaker and IC cable recommendations

[jakebragg]

Hello! I’m putting together my first somewhat decent stereo system and need some guidance in regards to selecting cables. So far I’m running a Tascam CD-200BT into an NAD D3020 V2, and shopping for some bookshelf speakers around the $200-400 range (Dali, Mission, Elac, etc.). I have no experience with this NAD amp so I’m not sure how high-quality I can get away with in terms of cables. I know I’ll have to shell out for proper products, but I’m not made of money. Seems like $200-300 range should be reasonable in terms of decent quality stuff without going beyond the means of what the amp/CD player can actually put out. I recently discovered Kimber Kable via Stereophile, but I’m not aware of much else here.

 

[Friesiansam]

In your position I would buy more modest cables, such as standard QED Performance and add unused cable budget to the speaker budget.

 

[Fidelity dom]

Personally id stick with qood quality but cheaper speaker cable, van damme make some great value cables that are used widely in the proffesional recording industry, you can pick up 2 ×3 m van damme blue with proffesionally heat shrink terminated bananna plugs for less than £50 a pair. You can also get great value interconnects made up with there cables from about £15 a pair. If you need shielding on the cables then something like chord clearway at £10 a metre is great value. I personally think that spending money on improving speakers is likely to have a far greater impact on the sound of your system........😁

 

[Gray]

In your position I would buy more modest cables, such as standard QED Performance

...I'd go more modest (costwise) than that.

 

[Gray]

I personally think that spending money on improving speakers is likely to have a far greater impact on the sound of your system........😁

No doubt about that whatsoever.

 

[Friesiansam]

...I'd go more modest (costwise) than that.

I don't know an awful lot about cable brands, QED was just the first that came to mind.

 

[Gray]

I don't know an awful lot about cable brands, QED was just the first that came to mind.

A wise choice too, decently made cables at none too stupid prices.
Whereas, earlier today I was reading this:

CrystalConnect van Gogh Interconnect Cable

This 'Art Series' is the first silver CrystalConnect offering curated by high-end specialists Crystal Cable. We hear the midrange interconnect. Spin-off or temporary re-branding, CrystalConnect is part of the same Crystal Cable company, led by Gabi Rynveld, that audiophiles have been familiar...

www.hifinews.com

Logic would tell the OP (and quite a few others) that this must sound better than cheap stuff.
But I'd be surprised if it actually did.

 

[RoA]

I recommend VanDamme. Good value. I have used Van Den Hul's CS122 in the past and liked it. Still reasonably priced for more expensive systems.

Basically any cables with 'Van' in it are good ...

 

[Gray]

Basically any cables with 'Van' in it are good ...

Or from the back of a van 🙂

 

[CheshirePete]

Hello! I’m putting together my first somewhat decent stereo system and need some guidance in regards to selecting cables. So far I’m running a Tascam CD-200BT into an NAD D3020 V2, and shopping for some bookshelf speakers around the $200-400 range (Dali, Mission, Elac, etc.). I have no experience with this NAD amp so I’m not sure how high-quality I can get away with in terms of cables. I know I’ll have to shell out for proper products, but I’m not made of money. Seems like $200-300 range should be reasonable in terms of decent quality stuff without going beyond the means of what the amp/CD player can actually put out. I recently discovered Kimber Kable via Stereophile, but I’m not aware of much else here.

I would use all the money for the best speakers you can afford and go super cheap on the cables, an Amazon basics IC should do the trick.

You can always upgrade the cables at a later date or even make your own, which is easy to do and super cost effective.

Don't waste money on cables, the differences are very subtle.

 

[abacus]

Go for 2.5mm sq OFC copper cable for the speakers, and for interconnects make sure the connectors are gold plated (To reduce corrosion) with good quality strain relief for the cables.

Amazon basics are good value, but if you want to go a bit more then Van Damme are used in professional music and film studios (The ones that make the music you listen to) and their equipment makes even high end HiFi look cheap.

Avoid anything made by HiFi cable manufactures as they just rip you off blind (Ask them to provide verifiable evidence of their clams and they go deaf) instead go to a professional music store.

Bill