Questions about speaker cables

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tanmayj

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Hi,

I'm looking for cables to connect my Polk TSi 400s to my Amplifier. I need 7 meters of cable - 3 m + 3 m for my Front L/R, and 1 m for my center channel.

Over the last few days, I've been looking up on the internet and dealers, and I have the following questions:

1) Is it really worth it to go for branded cables? For eg: Chord Carnival Classic is listed on profx.com for Rs. 380/m. At 1.8 mm diameter, it's roughly 13 AWG. If I buy 13 AWG off the streets, will the performance be DRASTICALLY different? I was getting a 12 AWG cable by a company called weldon for Rs. 120 in Lamington Road, Mumbai (need to check if it's OFC)

The point is, if we go in for similar specifications but unbranded cables, will the performance be drastically different than branded cables?

2) A friend recommended 12 AWG MX Cables. After 3 hours of searching on the Mecca for all things electronic in Mumbai - Lamington Road - I turned up - Nothing :(

Checked with 3 dealers of MX. They dont sell cables loose, especially with lower AWG numbers. I was getting a 14 AWG cable loose (by the meter). Nothing thicker than that. A 14 AWG MX cable (MX-890) costs something around Rs. 85/ m. Any feedback on this cable?

Anybody who has any info on where lower than 14 AWG cables are sold by the meter in Mumbai, please come forward.

3) There's a brand called 'Stackfine' which is a Taiwanese company - doing the rounds in Mumbai. They have 1.5 mm cables which folks were ready to sell loose to me at around Rs. 65/m. Any reviews?

Finally - any general suggestions on the topic.
 
Personally speaking, if you are running the wire less than 50ft, i'd recommend 16AWG, for 50ft or longer 14AWG. For your set up, i'd suggest 16AWG.

There is always going to be a difference in quality between Rs 60/m and Rs 380/m. What you must consider is whether the components can benefit from it. i.e the amp and the speaker. A high end component is most likely to benefit from a high end wire.

Similar specification cables can be different due to the grade of material used. With branded product you get clean and reliable termination points. This is often a problem with the cheaper stuff.

Will the difference be drastic? No, it won't. So go ahead and pick up the wire and start enjoying the HT set up. In some time you'll anyway want to buy another set of wires just to experience the difference yourself
 
Try Promedia which is at Laxmi Ind. Estate, Link Rd., Andheri (W)

They sell Draka speaker cables and yes they sell loose
 
Try Technoguru online site, I bought my Chord cables from them at a much lower price than profx. Speak to Pranab who is also a FM here.

On cables, I think costly cables have better shielding and lesser chances of getting oxidised with time thereby increasing their durability.
 
AnkurShahi80 said:
What you must consider is whether the components can benefit from it. i.e the amp and the speaker. A high end component is most likely to benefit from a high end wire.
Click to expand...

Would you think the Polk TSi 400s and Onkyo 616 (which I'm targeting for a purchase) are high-end enough to put in more money in the cable?
 
Spectra Cables available at Spectra Connectronics, Lamington Road is one option. Option two could be Belden available with Kiran Sales, on the same lane. Third option is MX cables. Try the big MX retail outlet in Laxmi Industrial Estate In Link Road, Andheri West. I have not tried any of these, only giving you options and directions. But I have tried Spectra unbalanced audio cable with Spectra RCA connector and Spectra RG 58 coax Cable with Spectra RCA connectors as SPDIF Cable. Both were decent, and one can't really complain for the price paid. I have also tried shielded power cables from MX with MX 3pin and IEC and I like it a lot- more than a 5000 rupee power Cable.

I also tried Draka balanced cable and I am not at all impressed.
 
Speaker wire is one area where you can try a simple experiment and see if you can tell the difference. Buy 6 meters of the "No Brand" 14 guage speaker wire that you are interested in. Form two 3 meter cables out of it. Connect these to the front two speakers. Play a known song repeated times and note all the details in the song. Now switch to a brand cable such as Audioquest Rocket 33- and see if you notice any richness in the sound, stage presence, detail in the music. This should be very apparent within the first couple of seconds. If it is not-- don't spend any more money. Your original 14 guage speaker wire is fine for your application.
 
I went down to Laxmi Industrial Estate, Lokhandwala Andheri W yesterday. Walked into the MX Showroom. They were willing to sell loose cable.

Picked up a 6 metre length of 12 AWG shielded OFC Cable @ Rs. 155 / metre. Details in the link below.

http://mx.tradeindia.com/mx-high-performance-oxygen-free-cable-speaker-cable-796084.html

Used it for Fronts and Center Channel.

Connected it, and there's a noticable difference in the sound. Cleaner sound (lesser noise) and sharper highs.
 
tanmayj said:
Connected it, and there's a noticable difference in the sound. Cleaner sound (lesser noise) and sharper highs.
Click to expand...

I just wanted to suggest, the characteristics that you rightly identify as different, in many cases may not be considered better by many. Sharper highs (as in the turned up high frequencies that one normally experiences in some systems) are usually not very realistic, although they are certainly command attention. Cables very rarely also make clearer sound, particularly not unless it is very high end systems that reveal changes in transparency. Rather than a previously muddy sound being clearer, perhaps it is the function of the high frequencies. Many people find this a characteristic of silver cable (as opposed to copper). I suppose what I am trying to say, in my experience, is that, as one FM mentioned earlier, look for a more full and tangible sound, extended highs (without being sharper but in providing more detail) and better low frequency extension.
At the end of the day, if you balance out your system to get the sound you enjoy then you have it right !
Hope this is of help.
 
Guys, which is a good place online to pick up cables. I will be shifting my home theater, so may need up to 50 feet or more.
 
There seems to a never ending debate on attaching sound quality to speaker cables. Anyway, I prefer to take a middle path where I believe that good or even a decent quality cable do reduce the de-gradation (I won't call it as upgradation) of analogue signals and at the same time there may not be any Return-on-investment beyond some point. When I refer the term "good/decent quality", it need not necessarily be indicating a costly cable. Again, how effectively the minimal degradation of the analogue signals getting translated to real time improvement in sound quality depends on system to system. I feel we can neither rule out the role of cables nor invest too much in search of perfection. Anyway, I know this is not the thread to discuss this, but just thought of sharing my thoughts.

Okay, coming back to the actual subject. From one of the threads, I got this DIY cable link.
Low-Inductance DIY Braided Hi-Fi Speaker Cables

From the link, it looks like one can easily make an economical and a very good DIY speaker cable. Being a novice myself, the mentioned process seems to be very simple as well. So I have a question - Why not go for that DIY method if that is so easy and economical ? Have anyone tried it and found anything interesting ? Experts can throw their comments on the mentioned DIY link
 
Staxxx said:
I just wanted to suggest, the characteristics that you rightly identify as different, in many cases may not be considered better by many. Sharper highs (as in the turned up high frequencies that one normally experiences in some systems) are usually not very realistic, although they are certainly command attention. Cables very rarely also make clearer sound, particularly not unless it is very high end systems that reveal changes in transparency. Rather than a previously muddy sound being clearer, perhaps it is the function of the high frequencies. Many people find this a characteristic of silver cable (as opposed to copper). I suppose what I am trying to say, in my experience, is that, as one FM mentioned earlier, look for a more full and tangible sound, extended highs (without being sharper but in providing more detail) and better low frequency extension.
At the end of the day, if you balance out your system to get the sound you enjoy then you have it right !
Hope this is of help.
Click to expand...

Thanks Staxxx, you have put it rightly. From the Internet link shared by Thad E Ginathom, I could relate to your point on sharper/bright highs to this paragraph.

Several speaker wire manufacturers make wire that has high capacitance yet almost none of them publish exactly what the capacitance actually is. Capacitance is of concern not so much that it could cause a possible high frequency rolloff but that it can affect the amplifier feedback and cause the leading edge of transients to overshoot. This in turn can make an audible difference in the system sound. It can make the sound brighter, which some audiophiles mistake as greater detail.
Click to expand...
 
shanmune said:
Okay, coming back to the actual subject. From one of the threads, I got this DIY cable link.
Low-Inductance DIY Braided Hi-Fi Speaker Cables

From the link, it looks like one can easily make an economical and a very good DIY speaker cable. Being a novice myself, the mentioned process seems to be very simple as well. So I have a question - Why not go for that DIY method if that is so easy and economical ? Have anyone tried it and found anything interesting ? Experts can throw their comments on the mentioned DIY link
Click to expand...

Can anyone share their thoughts for the above post I made ?
 
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