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Gear / Technical Help => Playback Forum => Topic started by: Wes on December 15, 2003, 02:29:34 AM

Title: Speaker Cable recommendations
Post by: Wes on December 15, 2003, 02:29:34 AM

Its been a while, lots of new names on the list I see!  Just a little info for the folks I know.. My wife and I had our 2nd boy on November 12.  He's very healthy and good, especially at keeping us up most of the night.   8) I've also finished up school, at least until this summer when I will start working on my masters.  I've moved back to Jackson, MS, too.  Well enough about me..  Now the question..  Due to my new set up my speaker cables are no longer long enough.  I'm looking for some cables, probably not exceeding what I can get by selling my old cables ($500-$650).  I need 2 pair (one pair has to be ~15ft the other pair only ~3ft).  They'll be going between a Arcam AV-8 and B&W CDM-9s and N802s.  Purchases like this usually keep me up at night worrying and thinking about the MANY options.  I'd really like to hear some feedback from you guys.

thanks
Wes

Title: Re:Speaker Cable recommendations
Post by: Sean Gallemore on December 15, 2003, 05:44:24 AM

DUde, congrats on the new family member!

there;s some cable on [ulr=http://www.sonicsense.com/invntry.htm#poinv]sonicsense[/url] that is in your price range.

peace and good luck

Title: Re:Speaker Cable recommendations
Post by: Brian Skalinder on December 15, 2003, 08:16:44 AM

I run Canare 4S8 with bare wire ends, though I've been meaning to solder banana plugs on.  A whopping $0.41/ft at Markertek.  No, it isn't super-slick fancy-schmancy cable, but it sounds damn good IMO.  While I'm certain there's better cable out there for my application, I haven't gotten to the point where the diminishing returns are valuable enough to me (yet).

Title: Re:Speaker Cable recommendations
Post by: Brian Skalinder on December 15, 2003, 08:17:40 AM

Oh!  And congrats on the new addition!  Get some sleep...

 :cheers:

Title: Re:Speaker Cable recommendations
Post by: Lil Kim Jong-Il on December 15, 2003, 11:12:14 AM

I have MIT MH-750 II between my thiels and a CJ amp.  When I was using some tara labs cables the sound was harsh on the top end and the low end was not really full.  With the 750s the sound is very even and smooth along the entire range.

You can usually get a used pair of 15ft MH750 for about $300, but if you can/want to spend $500-600 I'd recommend getting a used pair of 750 shotgun biwires off of audiogon.  I have used MIT330 and now MIT330 Shotgun ICs and the shotguns do sound better.  

good luck

Title: Re:Speaker Cable recommendations
Post by: Wiggler on December 15, 2003, 04:25:12 PM

This HMC audio has audioquest cables at closeout prices some 50% off.  I have some that I purchased from them that I run to my 802's.
http://www.hcmaudio.com/homeimages/cc.html

http://www.audioquestcables.com/

Title: Re:Speaker Cable recommendations
Post by: Brian Skalinder on December 15, 2003, 05:09:26 PM

Quote from: Moke on December 15, 2003, 04:43:14 PM

I understand the lugs and spades, or banana connectors to be better than bare wire because they offer a greater surface contact area.
I asked this question to Analysis Plus when I purchased my spkrs and cables, and that is a paraphrase of what they explained to me.
My cables came terminated in gold T1 spades, and I have a pair of huge gold plated bolt down binding posts on the back of the each speaker and amp. So I can see where there is a greater area of surface contact this way.

rambling.....

bottomline Brian,.....
Get yourself properly terminated!

I'm going to try to find a link for a company with the kyndest of terminations. (wbt? a co. out of Utah...)
WBT Connectors (http://www.wbtusa.com/banana.html)

Cool, Moke, thanks for the link.  How's the crimping work - do I need any special tools?  Which of their plugs do you recommend?  My speakers have a little hole into which I currently insert my wire...and there's a screw that fills into the gap of the hole from the side as I tighten it.  Kinda like this:

  __
 /  \
|    |==== <--- screw, loosened
 \__/

  __
 /  \
|  ==|== <--- screw, tightened
 \__/

Do I just plug the bananas into there, or do I need to mount a receptacle (binding post?) into which the bananas will insert?

Title: Re:Speaker Cable recommendations
Post by: Weirdness on December 15, 2003, 07:10:36 PM

Try some Kimber 8TC.  Great sounding shit and not too outrageously priced.  

Title: Re:Speaker Cable recommendations
Post by: Nick in Edinboro on December 15, 2003, 11:08:39 PM

An issue of What Hi-Fi? mentioned some similar favorable reviews of ratshak cables, i could dig it up if ya wanted to know the model/item number they tested..  

Remember it foundly as I read the whole damn magazine while waiting in Kentucky while a friends Jeep was getting worked on after the Cinci Phish shows (what a nightmare)...!

Title: Re:Speaker Cable recommendations
Post by: nickgregory on January 12, 2004, 07:55:14 PM

Thanks to Brian, I actually got a set of Canare cables to replace my stock ones, and WOW...much better bass response, and much improved highs...I would recommend these to anyone!

Title: Re:Speaker Cable recommendations
Post by: scb on January 13, 2004, 09:52:53 AM

nordost?

Title: Re:Speaker Cable recommendations
Post by: 1st set only on January 14, 2004, 03:03:07 PM

anyone ever try this?

http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/star.html