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Gear / Technical Help => Playback Forum => Topic started by: chase on November 08, 2003, 03:48:42 PM

Title: suggestions for building speaker cables
Post by: chase on November 08, 2003, 03:48:42 PM

just picked up a set of refurbished klipsch 4.1 promedia from klipsch.com for $130, great deal.  anyways, they charge $70 for the monster cable upgrade, which a buddy of mine has and it is nice, but i'd rather see if i can make my own cheaper, and possible better cable.  the cables that came with it suck.  i would need 4 cables, each terminating in a mono miniplug on one end and normal speaker connects on the other end.  any suggestions on which cable and mono miniplug manufacturers are the best?

also i have zero soldering experience but i assume that soldering a mono channel miniplug can't be overly difficult.

Title: Re:suggestions for building speaker cables
Post by: Nick in Edinboro on November 14, 2003, 05:56:22 PM

A lot of people use Cat5 wiring, you could even use extension cords..

Title: Re:suggestions for building speaker cables
Post by: MattD on November 14, 2003, 06:24:35 PM

http://www.venhaus1.com/diycatfivecables.html

That's what Nate (I think) is speaking of.

Title: Re:suggestions for building speaker cables
Post by: chase on November 14, 2003, 08:11:15 PM

never heard of using cat5, same stuff as ethernet eh?  is there any advantage to using cat5?  is it just cheaper or does it really send a better audio signal?

Title: Re:suggestions for building speaker cables
Post by: MattD on November 14, 2003, 10:14:00 PM

At that price point, both. You won't find cables that cost what Cat5 does that are likely to sound as good. However, there's definitely better stuff out there, but it all costs more.

This will be a project for me at some point, just not now.

Title: Re:suggestions for building speaker cables
Post by: Willie T. on November 15, 2003, 07:59:12 AM

thanks Matt

Title: Re:suggestions for building speaker cables
Post by: John R on December 09, 2003, 06:34:43 PM

do you really need to build anything?  i never use ends for speakers.  i feel better knowing the copper is in direct contact with the terminals.  just get some beefy cable, 14 or 12 guage.

jr

Title: Re:suggestions for building speaker cables
Post by: chase on December 11, 2003, 08:10:35 PM

unfortunately the klipsch promedia speakers terminate in a mono mini plug at each satellite but it shouldn't be too tough to solder.

Title: Re:suggestions for building speaker cables
Post by: Lil Kim Jong-Il on December 16, 2003, 07:31:13 PM

Quote from: MattD on November 14, 2003, 10:14:00 PM

At that price point, both. You won't find cables that cost what Cat5 does that are likely to sound as good. However, there's definitely better stuff out there, but it all costs more.

This will be a project for me at some point, just not now.

Before you build the CAT5s, search audioasylum for information.  Some amps become unstable with high capacitance cables when used in a long run.