HormusPeston
Active Member
As RaghuPB said, the copper alloy used in branded cables is 99%+ copper for almost all ETP copper, even in the cheapest junk wire that you can buy these days. A commonly used alloy (C11000), C11040 being a commonly available example -- there are others, each appropriate for its end-use -- is 99.9%+ Cu. Coolblue, being a manufacturer, might be able to supply us with the latest industry figures and standards. I'm not sure if oxygen-free copper (which is <10ppm vs. 100ppm in ETP?) offers any measurable benefit in audio equipment.
In my experience, the difference between cheap and branded cables is in the use of appropriate (standards-compliant) materials used in insulation, sheaths and jackets, and also in the manufacturing processes for cables that carry high-frequency signals-- e.g., consistent twists/metre for CAT5s, shielding density and types (foil, braid, spiral etc.) for coaxials, and so on.
A few incredibly boring people actually find this stuff exciting but there we are! I digress... None of these concerns apply to speaker cables. Finolex wire should do just fine. They make wire with transparent sheaths too if you want an old-fashioned aesthetic.
My suggestion is to focus on good end-termination practices -- use appropriate connectors and processes. This applies to all connections you would make while building a sound system and not only to speakers. Invest in a good ratcheted crimping tool (Jainson makes some excellent crimping tools or you could spend some extra coin for a Knipex) and appropriate end-ferrules. Use heat-shrink sleeves as needed. A wire-stripper makes working with shielded cables convenient and you should considering obtaining one of those too. While I am all for DIY (solder the ends and stick 'em in) improvisation, the convenience and reliability of a crimped connector is worth the coin.
Cheers,
~HP
In my experience, the difference between cheap and branded cables is in the use of appropriate (standards-compliant) materials used in insulation, sheaths and jackets, and also in the manufacturing processes for cables that carry high-frequency signals-- e.g., consistent twists/metre for CAT5s, shielding density and types (foil, braid, spiral etc.) for coaxials, and so on.
A few incredibly boring people actually find this stuff exciting but there we are! I digress... None of these concerns apply to speaker cables. Finolex wire should do just fine. They make wire with transparent sheaths too if you want an old-fashioned aesthetic.
My suggestion is to focus on good end-termination practices -- use appropriate connectors and processes. This applies to all connections you would make while building a sound system and not only to speakers. Invest in a good ratcheted crimping tool (Jainson makes some excellent crimping tools or you could spend some extra coin for a Knipex) and appropriate end-ferrules. Use heat-shrink sleeves as needed. A wire-stripper makes working with shielded cables convenient and you should considering obtaining one of those too. While I am all for DIY (solder the ends and stick 'em in) improvisation, the convenience and reliability of a crimped connector is worth the coin.
Cheers,
~HP
