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Thread: new loudspeaker cable

  1. #31
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    Belden 5T00UP 10ga speaker cable. Great stuff. Available form Blue Jeans Cable.

  2. #32
    Senior Member louped garouv's Avatar
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    i was using some home depot two conductor sheilded wire until i came across a local installer that was liquidating their inventory...

    now i am using mostly west penn....

  3. #33
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    Didn't Drew Daniels say that 10AWG stranded SO cord was all one needed?? I've been doing that for about 30 plus years now, even in the tiny JBL binding posts on my various JBL's, ( using soldered pins) and I'm not convinced anything will much improve the sound......I think he also mentioned using computer ribbon cable, and just stripping and twisting together the requisite number of conductors to get the desired AWG for your length of run. By the way, I recently wired in the left channel of my system with monster cable, and the right side with the exact same gauge of SO cord, and, listening in mono, and reversing channels (both beautiful functions of some of my older amps) I couldn't detect any differences.......All sounds good to me. By the way, I didn't buy the monster cable....just had it lying around from the demo of an old restaurant construction site.

    Am I missing something ??

    JBL #12

  4. #34
    Senior Member LowPhreak's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 3dbdown View Post
    ... By the way, I recently wired in the left channel of my system with monster cable, and the right side with the exact same gauge of SO cord, and, listening in mono, and reversing channels (both beautiful functions of some of my older amps) I couldn't detect any differences........
    You might hear differences between other cables. Comparing just 2 sets is not definitive.

  5. #35
    Senior Member BMWCCA's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 3dbdown View Post
    I couldn't detect any differences.......
    I'm gonna side with the JBL guy on this one. New hardware-store "speaker" zip-cord it is for me, using tinned tips in Pomona plugs at both ends (Crown amps).

  6. #36
    Senior Member Valentin's Avatar
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    There is a chapter in Philp newells book Loudspeakers for recording and sound reproduction about cable effects and configurations

    cable do have different electrical characteristics capacitance inductance impedance etc.

    there are some some changes that are provable and repeatable but dose are totally system related (reaction with type of speaker and amplifire and frequency) and if one cable works here it does not mean it will work everywhere.

    It also state that the differences are so very small and system dependent that are really difficult too distinguish.

    The sorter the length the better under 2 meters is impossible to distinguish between one configuration and another

    so keep your cables as short a s possible.

    I used too own audiophile cables today i use Canare 4s8 13gauge cable and sold all my quasi hifi stuff.

    good quality nice price

  7. #37
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    LowPhreak.....

    I'm not denying that I might hear differences among other cables...Not just 2 sets....What I am saying is that I don't think I'm going to hear anything BETTER. Gauge is gauge, capacitance is capacitance, and AC is AC.....So once the cables exceed the capabilities of all other wiring in the chain feeding them, at power amp levels, end of story as far as I have been able to tell.

    For what it's worth, I have, through the years, upgraded my cabling as respects pre-amp and Line level signals into the signal chain and power amp sections. I cannot argue that there were differences and improvements to be made there, and I have made them, and heard those improvements. Not for tons of money, mind you. Just judicious comparison both in the studio and at home. Personally, I now usually make my own signal chain cables, to great satisfaction.

    But once I'm out the back door, so to speak, I'm just not convinced that anything mysterious or esoteric makes a noticable difference in what I hear. Maybe all my other equipment is just GOOD to start with......Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about...Who knows??

    But I do know what sounds good to me. And even if my hearing has degraded due to old age and 3 years in no-man's-land on the flight deck of the USS Saratoga, it certainly still performs between 10 and 12 Khz.

    JBL #12

  8. #38
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    To the Forum....

    Some final thoughts....

    I just spent this week rebuilding the networks in my L65's, my 4430's, and my Alpha's. Nothing fancy...I just put new Solens in everything, and dumped the bypass caps wherever encountered.

    The difference in the L65's was stunning. The difference in the 4430's was breathtaking. Although I was expecting an obvious improvement in the mids and highs, I was totally unprepared for the huge difference in the woofer circuit of the 4430's. I wish you could all come hear my system, and leave the RTA's at home! It's nothing super fantastic compared to what many have in terms of components, but God it sounds great!

    I did all 6 cabinets for a total cost of $150 and about 6 hours of quality time. And I noticed the improvement instantly. No comparison or double blind needed, thank you.

    Now, I was happy with the sound before I did this. I am excstatic about the sound now. And I will probably be doubly impressed if I decide to charge couple the 4430's and build new LX30 CLS networks for the Jubals, for probably another $200.

    I'm still using #10AWG twisted pair speaker cables with all my runs being less than 10 feet long.

    So, my point is this: Even if I had $25,000, or $30,000, or even $50,000 to spend, it damn sure wouldn't be on speaker cables.......It would be spent on a wall of Everests, or 250ti's, or both, coupled with an ample supply of Macs, Crowns, Alephs, or in my case QSC's....you all know how I love them !!!

    But......At the end of the day, all those speakers would still be connected with #10AWG twisted pair.......

    Having said that, I will respectfully bow out of the Great Speaker Cable Debate.

    JBL #12

  9. #39
    Senior Member LowPhreak's Avatar
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    ^^ I guess we're in general agreement then, since as I said, I do hear improvements in cabling but I wouldn't advocate expensive cables. Of course, what determines "expensive" is subjective, but in my book a few hundred $$ MSRP is sufficient to get high quality materials & design.

    Spending $25k+ on cables, or remotely near that, is either hubris or stupidity IMO.

  10. #40
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    mite as well upgrade power cord too....
    6 footer ON SALE for only $1.4K
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  11. #41
    Senior Member Doc Mark's Avatar
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    Hey, Guys,

    Thought I'd toss in my two cents in this thread. I used to use nothing but 18 guage lamp cord for all speaker wire. Then, back in 1983, I worked in a stereo store in Minneapolis, and decided to buy some Monster Cable, as I got it at a massive discount. The night that I hooked it up, Sweet Bride asked me, "What did you do to the stereo? It sounds better". And, in truth, it sounded better to me, too. We both noticed an open sound that was missing when we used lamp cord. Cymbals, and other such things, had a much more natural decay, and I thought that the speakers sounded much better than before. I have no idea is 10 guage stranded cable would sound the same, but I'd guess that it would be very similar, if not identical. I soldered gold pins on the ends of all my Monster Cable, and that stuff has served for our satellites and subwoofer, and served well, since 1983. In the intervening years, I've seen all kinds of "wonder cables" come and go. But, we figure, why fix what ain't broke? Just my thoughts and experiences, and worth exactly what you paid to read them! Take care, and God Bless!

    Every Good Wish,
    Doc
    The only thing that can never be taken away from you, is your honor. Cherish it, in yourself, and in others.

  12. #42
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    Alumium wire?

    ...in the 60's the electrical code was changed in Florida allowing aluminum wire for 120 volt house current systems. Twenty years later they found out that alumium wire casues house fires!

    Anyway, I assume aluminum wire has an advantage over copper in that it has less resistence; right?

    Has anyone tried using alumnium wire for speakers?

  13. #43
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    Aluminum wire actually has greater resistance than copper wire. But it's a lot cheaper, and that's why people use it in construction. Unfortunately, it also expands and contracts at a much greater rate than copper. This results in the loosening of connections, and consequently creates heat at those connections. Additionally, it galls and corrodes quite badly, causing more loosening and more heat at the connections.

    Since circuit breakers respond to current flow rather than temperature, it is quite possible, and indeed quite frequent, that poorly maintained connections will allow aluminum wire to heat up to the point where it will catch fire, and it most assuredly can burn your house down. And the breaker will not protect your property.

    BTW, the order of best conductivity is : Silver, Copper, Aluminum, Iron, and Lead. Notice that Gold is not included....Gold is used on connections primarily for corrosion protection, and NOT for superior conductivity.

  14. #44
    Senior Member Valentin's Avatar
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    Electrical Conductivity (Sˇm-1)
    Silver63.01 × 106 Highest electrical conductivity of any metal

    Copper59.6 × 106

    Annealed Copper58.0 × 106 Referred to as 100% IACS or International Annealed Copper Standard. The unit for expressing the conductivity of nonmagnetic materials by testing using the eddy-current method. Generally used for temper and alloy verification of Aluminium.

    Gold45.2 × 106 Gold is commonly used in electrical contacts

    Aluminium37.8 × 106

    source wikipedia

  15. #45
    Senior Member jblsound's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 3dbdown
    I just spent this week rebuilding the networks in my L65's, my 4430's, and my Alpha's. Nothing fancy...I just put new Solens in everything, and dumped the bypass caps wherever encountered.

    The difference in the L65's was stunning. The difference in the 4430's was breathtaking. Although I was expecting an obvious improvement in the mids and highs, I was totally unprepared for the huge difference in the woofer circuit of the 4430's. I wish you could all come hear my system, and leave the RTA's at home! It's nothing super fantastic compared to what many have in terms of components, but God it sounds great!
    Well if you think using Solen caps are an improvement, you should hear the difference using Solens in a Charged-Coupled xo. I did a pair of L212s, I used 3 cards for each speaker (one for each driver) The cost was about $150/ea speaker, Got to use twice the caps @ twice the size, compared to the original xo.

    So, my point is this: Even if I had $25,000, or $30,000, or even $50,000 to spend, it damn sure wouldn't be on speaker cables.......It would be spent on a wall of Everests, or 250ti's, or both, coupled with an ample supply of Macs, Crowns, Alephs, or in my case QSC's....you all know how I love them !!!
    I'm with you on that one. I use 12ga from BJC, I forget how much /ft, but not much. I starting buying it after I'd bought a 30ft roll of Monster XP in RS, as I was setting up another sytem and was out of wire.

    That XP has a Magnetic Flux Tube running down the center, suppose to improve the highs, ya right! It made the highs sound harsh and brittle. So I got online and ordered the BJC and have been using it ever since.
    Living in the Land of the Sun

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