What Speaker Cable

[Jason36]

What speaker cable would people recommend for a Marantz PM6003 and CD6003 with Castle Richmond Speakers?

Just in case you hadn't gathered I have initially opted for the Marantz CD6003 to compliment the PM6003 amplifier, which I am sure will be a massive improvement over my 20+ year old Philips Player.

This is a stop gap change, pending a complete system overhaul later this year when we have moved house and I have a dedicated music room and funds available []

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hi Jason36

If your current speaker cables are 79 strand OFC then i'll suggest you carry on with them however if not they are not then look at some standard 79 strand OFC speaker cables as these will be more then good enough.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Jason36]

Hi Rick,

I'm note sure what the speaker cable is as its unbranded. I bought it 18 months ago from Moorgate Acoustics in Sheffield. It was already terminated at both ends and there is no writing on the cable. When you bend it however it holds it shape....so I am wondering if its solid core rather than strand?

I may see how it sounds when connected to the Marantz equipment. I think I paid £30.00 for 2 4 meter lengths as end of line stock.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Jason36:
What speaker cable would people recommend for a Marantz PM6003 and CD6003 with Castle Richmond Speakers?

Just in case you hadn't gathered I have initially opted for the Marantz CD6003 to compliment the PM6003 amplifier, which I am sure will be a massive improvement over my 20+ year old Philips Player.

This is a stop gap change, pending a complete system overhaul later this year when we have moved house and I have a dedicated music room and funds available

Jason, don't expect a massive improvement over your 20 year old player. I would expect a modest improvement at best.

 

[Jason36]

Thanks Gerard,

I am probably being slightly over optimistic regarding the improvement, but I do find that my 20 year old player, does tend to sound very muffled sometimes in the reproduction. I'm now trying to work out whether I would gain any benefits from upgrading my speakers. The Castles are 6 years old now and at the time cost £350.00. I am sure there are probably better speakers out there to match my Marantz kit.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Jason36:
Hi Rick,

I'm note sure what the speaker cable is as its unbranded. I bought it 18 months ago from Moorgate Acoustics in Sheffield. It was already terminated at both ends and there is no writing on the cable. When you bend it however it holds it shape....so I am wondering if its solid core rather than strand?

I may see how it sounds when connected to the Marantz equipment. I think I paid £30.00 for 2 4 meter lengths as end of line stock.

Hi Jason36

Fair enough however i personally wouldn't use solid core speaker cables with the PM6003/CD6003 as i feel it could sound a little loose and tinny.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Anonymous]

79 strand!!!!??? The Marantz and Castle are not high end, but why throttle them with that?

Try some Chord Rumour 2 (£11 per metre may seem high but it will survive many system upgrades), or even Wireworld Horizon (£4 per metre) would at least do justice to the system.

A system can be only as good as it's weakest link!!

 

[the record spot]

What makes you think 79 strand would be the weakest link though? I use 322 strand cable - cost me about 50p a metre for 10 metres and it's as good as the Audioquest Type IV it replaced. Open minds and all that...

 

[MUSICRAFT]

AlanNorak:
79 strand!!!!??? The Marantz and Castle are not high end, but why throttle them with that?

Try some Chord Rumour 2 (£11 per metre may seem high but it will survive many system upgrades), or even Wireworld Horizon (£4 per metre) would at least do justice to the system.

A system can be only as good as it's weakest link!!

Hi AlanNorak

DSP-Z11, PL100, SCM40, SPM3005, Nait XS, DM 2/7, Hiato, PL300, P1, Brio, PM-SC5500, X32, SIA2-150 MK2, NAP 200, PL300, Contour SC, RX6, RX-V3067, SCM11 etc. I use a mixture of standard 79/several hundred strands of OFC speaker cables (which cost very liitle) with these amplifiers and speakers. I've feel standard OFC speaker cables are simple and enable components to breathe

A shame that it took me years realize this even though i started with these standard cables

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Frank Harvey]

the record spot:What makes you think 79 strand would be the weakest link though? I use 322 strand cable - cost me about 50p a metre for 10 metres and it's as good as the Audioquest Type IV it replaced. Open minds and all that...
I've never got on with several hundred stranded cable - all the ones I've heard have been too warm sounding. I used to like many of the solid core cables that were available. Mission's ones always faired well - the old flat one with red writing on and their more recently discontinued one - especially the latter, when no system in our demo room (previous employment) sounded any good unless we used it! Bass was always loose with other cables, and a little too bright too. I used to like some of the Audioquest ones too.

As for Jason's dilemma - if it's temporary, just use what you have. When it comes to replacing he cable properly (if you're not happy with it), you can't really know what difference they're going to make intil you actually use them in your system. So your best bet is to loan borrow some cables from your local dealer and try them out to see which give you the desired effect. It's all very well us describing the differences you'll hear or whether or not they'll make a difference, but everyone hears things differently, so only trust your ears.

 

[aliEnRIK]

I personally recommend Van Damme UP-LC OFC (Fewer grains than OFC)

Cheap and far better than most cables under 15 quid a meter