Topic: Home Depot Cable

[nickgregory]

apparently in blind tests that The Absolute Sound did it matched up with some pretty high dollar cable...

audiophile grade companies must love that

[JeffK]

If you don't like the look of the orange cables... you could always grab some techflex to wrap em with.

http://www.partsexpress.com/webpage.cfm?&DID=7&WebPage_ID=161

Use that, with some heatshrink and terminators on the ends and nobody will ever see that you're using extension cords for speaker cables

I'm trying to decide right now between these HD cables or Canare.  Both are cheap, which is nice.

[1st set only]

I know in my local hardware shop they sell bulk cable. one of which i dont know what the original intent is but i would think it would be great for speaker cable. instead of 3 cables inside like an extension cable + - gnd, it has 4. which i think would be great for bi-amping/bi wireing.

the stuff is about 1 1/4" thick! Im sure home depo has this stuff as well and cheaper than 2 bucks a foot.

just a thought

[kenyon]

Wanted to give you guys a big ole thanks for the info on the Home Depot cables.  I grabbed a 25ft / 12 gauge set from the Depot today and tipped them with gold banana plugs.  The clarity is greater than the moster cable I'd been using.  Be good. 

Kenyon

[BobW]

Cable white papers from the world of rocket scientists, designing lossless cable designs for nasa;
http://www.analysis-plus.com/Pages/report981.htm

the design page;
http://www.analysis-plus.com/Pages/thedesign.htm

Right, but gross oversimplification of the issue.
Speaker manufacturers design and test output, which would compensate for all of the microcosmic variables.
By digging backward to things like the impedance vs. frequency we undo the design engineering and try to quantify
the unquantifiables.

I contend that a pair of drapes, or speaker spikes or dampening feet, or placement to wall/ceiling will always have a far more dramatic
affect than speaker cable, unless is it grossly inferior to 14 gauge zip cord.
Also, remember to tin the tips to prevent a stand of wire from shorting the terminals.

[Tim]

thanks for the cable tip Moke!

[BobW]

Some speakers and amps are much more affected by the impedance and resistance of the speaker cable.
I also suspect that you have "golden ears" honed from many years of acute listening.

I could not hear analog cable changes with my last system, the Dynaco speaks and Dynaco S.S. amp.
I tested with 28 gauge twisted pair vs. Monster cables vs. 12 Gauge zip cord.  Never dug into the esoteric stuff.
Also tried using heliax, a 50 Ω high power/high-frquency solid-line radio tower cable once, and couldn't hear it.

But your ears aren't mine and vice-versa (Moke breathes sigh of relief at not having 60 year-old creased earlobes)
Part of the fun of playback systems is the experimenting, the owning, and the knowledge that you toiled and fussed
to "get it just the way you like it."

One of these rainy Saturday afternoons, I'll have to go to an esoteric audio sales house and A/B top-end cables, just for hoots.

[pfife]

Anyone have any thoughts about using this stuff as inter-connects?

[ducati]

I doubt it would be a great IC as the demands on an IC are quite different--there just isn't as much current there.  I would think it would be too capacative to drive well.  Dunno, tho, try it and let us know what you think 

I made some ICs from romex years ago...  And they sucked.   

[jk labs]

I doubt it would be a great IC as the demands on an IC are quite different--there just isn't as much current there.  I would think it would be too capacative to drive well.....

in other words success depends among other things, on the beefyness and stablity of the stage driving the cable.

I can think of not a single reason for pushing IC series resistance below a few ohm: i.e. the conductors need not be thick.

When it comes to capacitance per yard I think the situation is opposite of what was just suggested: the further apart the conductors are the lower the capacitance.  If you do want to go to extremes get some 300 ohms antenna cable.  But don't use it for long runs, it has no RF shelding.     
 
 

[jk labs]

Cable white papers from the world of rocket scientists, designing lossless cable designs for nasa;
http://www.analysis-plus.com/Pages/report981.htm

the design page;
http://www.analysis-plus.com/Pages/thedesign.htm

Right, but gross oversimplification of the issue.
Speaker manufacturers design and test output, which would compensate for all of the microcosmic variables.
By digging backward to things like the impedance vs. frequency we undo the design engineering and try to quantify
the unquantifiables.

I contend that a pair of drapes, or speaker spikes or dampening feet, or placement to wall/ceiling will always have a far more dramatic affect than speaker cable, unless is it grossly inferior to 14 gauge zip cord.
Also, remember to tin the tips to prevent a stand of wire from shorting the terminals.

I totally agree on the latter. Try playing back a stable 13 kHz tone and test the effect of moving your head around.
Or wearing different sweathers when listening. etc etc. 


But I must ask what defines a "microcosmic" variable ?

And you claim in public that speaker manufacturers have designs covering the unquantifiable and so end up with designs that  _compensate_ for all microcosmic variables? 

[Nick in Edinboro]

So I went to home depot today with all intentions of picking up the HD-14 cable....  Then I saw the gobs of rolls of cabling they have tucked in the end cap of the isle and got curious.

Walked out with some Carol 14/2 outdoor power cable.  I've seen the brand in catalogs like Parts Express so I figured I'd just give it a shot.   30 cents a foot and I don't have to cut the plugs off.  It looks nice but I haven't  had time to plug them in yet (just going bare wire) and I'm about to hit the hay and don't wanna bother. 

Carol 14/2 SJ-002 ft-2 p-7k-123033 msha 300 volt something or other.  Black cabling and no ground cable. 


After reading on audio asylum I'm wondering if I should've bought the HD, but we'll see.  I'm only out $6 on the deal.

They sell it at Parts Express as well.

[L Ron Hoover]

I picked up the HD 12G (banana colored) to go with the new 3000. I figured it was the same as the 14G with more strands. It looks as though it's made in the same factory. It sounds real nice to me.

[pfife]

I really like my HD Cable.  Definately worth the small amount of $$$

[Nick in Edinboro]

I doubt it would be a great IC as the demands on an IC are quite different--there just isn't as much current there. I would think it would be too capacative to drive well. Dunno, tho, try it and let us know what you think

I made some ICs from romex years ago... And they sucked.

In terms of IC's, what makes a good canidate for IC cabling?  I have a good idea on terminations as per what is deemed High Quality but not sure what is considered "good" or "bad" when looking at interconnects in terms of construction/material/etc.