Speaker cable

[bignige]

I am about to take delivery of a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 stand mounts which will be hooked up to my Audiolab 8000a amp.

Looking for advice on good speaker cables.

I will need approx 4m and 3m lengths.

 

[Jasonovich]

Ok let's whisper
There's nice kosher cables on AliExpress. My personal favourites are the faux Nordost cables.
Ok close the door behind you, quietly now, the hounds are sleeping, ssssssch, quietly, bye 😊

 

[Freddy58]

Ok let's whisper
There's nice kosher cables on AliExpress. My personal favourites are the faux Nordost cables.
Ok close the door behind you, quietly now, the hounds are sleeping, ssssssch, quietly, bye 😊

OY! 😁

 

[Shrek]

ssssssch Covid cable🤓 thread

 

[Shrek]

I am about to take delivery of a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 stand mounts which will be hooked up to my Audiolab 8000a amp.

Looking for advice on good speaker cables.

I will need approx 4m and 3m lengths.

let us know how the 12.1s sound i have the 12.3 .👍

 

[gasolin]

CANARE 2S11F,Sommer Cable SC-Meridian SP225P, Cordial CLS 225

 

[nopiano]

My advice is to buy 2 x 4 metre lengths, as nobody will want odd lengths if you sell them one day, and in the meantime you might have a nagging doubt that the system may not sound balanced with unequal lengths.

Van Damme HiFi 2.5mm or QED 42 strand is plenty for your needs.

QED Profile 42 Strand Speaker Cable - White

QED 42 Strand is an entry-level speaker cable that combines convenience and performance.

petertyson.co.uk

Van Damme UP-LCOFC 2.50mm Speaker Cable Terminated

Van Damme UP-LCOFC 2.50mm Speaker Cable Terminated is a twin axial cable made from 2 x 2.5mm ultra pure linear crystal oxygen free copper

compassaudio.co.uk

 

[Shrek]

You guys seem to use Ali Express ive never used them Jason put some pics on here in another thread of cassettes i liked the look of. What is the site like for delivery and quality just curious sorry to change the subject .

 

[gasolin]

easy to get quality cable for less than 10 euros pr meter i just want to avoid cable for only 10 euros total for the length you need

Micca spaker cable is also a good choice for not alot of money with plugs https://www.amazon.com/Micca-Copper-Speaker-Plated-Banana/dp/B06ZZ5HCTM?th=1

 

[giggsy1977]

Copper as opposed to Copper Clad Aluminum (CCA), nothing fancy. Cross Sectional Area of 2.5mm for that length and enjoy your music.

Van Damme Blue or Van Damme Hifi Cable (whichever is cheapest) are good cables and won't break the bank.

They will also sound the same as any other equivalent size copper cable, just cables I have used hence coming to mind.

 

[skinnypuppy71]

Linn k20....reasonably inexpensive and a good solid copper cable....my only advice for speaker cable is stay away from silver stuff....it can lend itself to a brighter sound.

 

[plastic penguin]

Atlas Equator.

 

[Shrek]

Why the price difference ?

 

[good_enough]

Multistranded copper cable of any description tbh. Multistranded because high frequency AC (that's music to you and me) suffers what's called the surface effect which means you want lots of surface. Copper because it's the VFM way of carrying current. Others here have mentioned Van Damme and that's as good as any - you'll find sellers on Ebay.

As we're on a cable thread (oh no here he goes) I might raise the question of banana plugs. My day job involves designing wifi networks among other things and rule numero uno would be to keep to a minimum connectors and joins in the RF path as at every material change one gets reflections of RF (cf VSWR if you're interested). That's also AC. AKA music.

So it's never been entirely clear to me why I should introduce an interface between cable and plug, and an interface between plug and socket when I can instead push my cable through the holes provided in the binding posts and screw well down, thereby having only one interface.

Just saying, and I'm happy with my kit sounding wired that way.

So anyway. Van Damme. Job's a good 'un. Banana plugs as you wish.

 

[Dave_]

No point in Hifi/boutique branded cables.... some bog standard 2.5mm² OFC cable is all that is required, especially in budget setups

 

[Jasonovich]

You guys seem to use Ali Express ive never used them Jason put some pics on here in another thread of cassettes i liked the look of. What is the site like for delivery and quality just curious sorry to change the subject .

It's alright, some vendors on the AliExpress selling portal are excellent others not so.
I've shopped for several years there, haven't had any issues.
I like it, some may be put off that it's Chinese.
You always find something that is difficult to find elsewhere.
eBay is best for customer protection, Amazon Okayish, AliExpress is a mixed bag. So there's a caveat here. Deliveries depending on supplier can take many weeks, some can deliver in seven days.
A lot of stuff are cheaper.
If you're shopping for the first time, shop SMALL and if it's your thing?
I also shop on Temu ha ha ha, 100% cotton shirts for twelve quid!!

If you shop on Temu you have more money to spend on HiFi 🤣
Ok not the correct answer, money saved, means you can take your missus to the restaurant more often.
I think that was a good recovery! 😀

￡42.89 | New Nordost Vahalla 7N OCC Copper Silver Plated Hifi Flat Loudspeaker Cable with Gold plated Y Spade Plug Speaker Wire

Neues Nordost Vahalla 7N OCC Kupfer versilbertes Hifi-Flachlautsprecherkabel mit vergoldetem Y-Spaten-Stecker-Lautsprecherkabel - AliExpress 44

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

a.aliexpress.com

All the best ☺️



Ps. These are the same cables as mine but this particular vendor is selling way too high. Look around for the same, you will find cheaper.

Hifi Nordost Valhalla 2-Referenzlautsprecherkabel OCC versilberte Lautsprecherleitung, vergoldet, abschließbarer Y-Spaten-/Bananenstecker - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

a.aliexpress.com

hifi Nordost Valhalla 2 Reference Speaker Cable OCC Silver Plated Speaker Line Gold Plated Lockable Y Spade/Banana Plug

I have other cables that are good.
Mogami, Gotham, Canare, Chord, AudioQuest, Van Damme (Blue and Black) and plenty generic

 

[twinkletoes]

As you need quite a run go to ebay and buy a 10meter spool of 79 strand QED for 20quid that will leave 2-3 meter spare if you need it in the future. OR you can get the 42 strand for 18 quid

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

I used QED79 for my main system (very happy); and also rate the blue and black Van Damme cables in whatever gauge takes your fancy. Terminate correctly, job done.

The inwall wiring (admittedly, only surrounds / casual listening speakers) is whatever the electrician carried that day ... so I expect fire rated and not much more.

 

[abacus]

Multistranded copper cable of any description tbh. Multistranded because high frequency AC (that's music to you and me) suffers what's called the surface effect which means you want lots of surface. Copper because it's the VFM way of carrying current. Others here have mentioned Van Damme and that's as good as any - you'll find sellers on Ebay.

As we're on a cable thread (oh no here he goes) I might raise the question of banana plugs. My day job involves designing wifi networks among other things and rule numero uno would be to keep to a minimum connectors and joins in the RF path as at every material change one gets reflections of RF (cf VSWR if you're interested). That's also AC. AKA music.

So it's never been entirely clear to me why I should introduce an interface between cable and plug, and an interface between plug and socket when I can instead push my cable through the holes provided in the binding posts and screw well down, thereby having only one interface.

Just saying, and I'm happy with my kit sounding wired that way.

So anyway. Van Damme. Job's a good 'un. Banana plugs as you wish.

If you connect direct to the speakers, it leaves the copper exposed which can corrode and cause problems.
Banana plugs seal the cable in and are way more convenient if you need to move them for any reason.

Bill

 

[nopiano]

Why the price difference ?

There are different versions of Atlas, and in your picture some are for speakers while other are interconnects - very different construction. Some sellers advertise per metre, others for the length they are selling!

You need to read the small print, as it we’re.

I like Atlas, by the way.

 

[Gray]

...So it's never been entirely clear to me why I should introduce an interface between cable and plug, and an interface between plug and socket when I can instead push my cable through the holes provided in the binding posts

I'm with you on the theoretical benefit of minimising interfaces.
But, anyone who's ever experienced the effects of oxidisation, will avoid bare connections - and OFC seems to try harder to regain its lost oxygen 🤪

Always OFC with (well sealed) gold plated bananas for me.

 

[Al ears]

I'm with you on the theoretical benefit of minimising interfaces.
But, anyone who's ever experienced the effects of oxidisation, will avoid bare connections - and OFC seems to try harder to regain its lost oxygen 🤪

Always OFC with (well sealed) gold plated bananas for me.

If going with the bare wire approach it's always best to solder the wire first.
Stops corrosion and means no odd wires sticking out and possibly shorting.

 

[Jasonovich]

If going with the bare wire approach it's always best to solder the wire first.
Stops corrosion and means no odd wires sticking out and possibly shorting.

That was very much what I use to do, then I solder drip on the carpet............ooooops!

 

[Al ears]

That was very much what I use to do, then I solder drip on the carpet............ooooops!

It's called tining and should not include the use of carpet... Or sniffing the resultant fumes. 😎
However, I very much doubt many newbies own a soldering iron.

 

[good_enough]

It's called tining and should not include the use of carpet... Or sniffing the resultant fumes. 😎
However, I very much doubt many newbies own a soldering iron.

I've got two, which probably shows my age.