New member Username: CreedPost Number: 15 Registered: 01-2004 | well, my cousin recently just contact me and he is coming back from USA, since in my country, audio stuffs usually retails at high prices, i decided to ask him to buy me some cable for my hometheatre.. well, before this i've read a lot of articles regarding whether expensive cables really improve the sound quality, and i've read an article at http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_10_2/ultralink-CL414-cable-5-2003.html which teach us how to build a speaker wire using normal inwall speaker cable...and it still perform great....anyone tried this before.?.and if yes, what type of inwall speaker cable you guys recommend to do this.?.Ultralink, Monster cables (can easily find at ebay) or any other brand like IXOS.?. either buy the inwall speaker cable and combine the conductors...or i can buy some quality single cable wire from certain site, recently i came around a site (www.knukonceptz.com) and noticed that their speaker wire is reasonably priced and yet looks very promising...do you guys think using the inwall speaker wire better.?.or buying the cable from KnuKonceptz better.?. and i've read that when you are buying cable for your home theatre, don't bother whether its biwiring, just buy the better single run of wire, then connect the jumper (brass link) using the same wire, it will have some fabulous sounds...my cousin is coming back in 3 weeks time, now i have some times to decide exactly which speaker wire i am gonna purchase... i plan to get 3 10 feets cable for the front and centre, then 2 25 feets for the surrounds... and now i am using a cheapo subwoofer cable...does better subwoofer cable helps to produce some better bass.?. i knew i asked a lot of questions, but i'm really just a newbie that starting to enjoy home theater, hope you guys can guide me on purchasing the cables... or if you think of any other particular brand, please list it down for it...i'll definitely consider it if its of good quality...thanks a millions... |
New member Username: CreedPost Number: 16 Registered: 01-2004 | forgot to mention, before this i'm running a DIY FFRC CAT5 cable, but in just roughly few weeks, the copper seems to oxidize very fast, may be due to my country weather, that is why i am thinking of buying some good cable from USA...including the terminator (either banana plugs or spades...where is the good place to get it.?.) here is the KnuKonceptz wire site http://www.knukonceptz.com/productMaster.cfm?Category=Speaker%20Wire |
New member Username: CreedPost Number: 17 Registered: 01-2004 | http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3073925219&category=14966&ssp agename=STRK%3AMEBWA%3AIT&rd=1 how you guys think about this deal.?. |
New member Username: UnicronwmdPost Number: 54 Registered: 12-2003 | Honestly man, It is all just copper. I say get all 14ga and 12ga for anything longer then 40-50 feet. For speaker wire, just buy a good quality wire. NOTHING expensive. Here is what I bought and I am very happy with it!!! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3073217177&category=32811 It is "car speaker wire" but SOUNDS GREAT in my home theater. Now, for interconnects behind my electronics. I normally buy $40-$50 Monster Cables because then need good quality shielding. I noticed a VERY big difference going from red & white cables to Monster Cables. Shielded cable really help. |
New member Username: CreedPost Number: 18 Registered: 01-2004 | then what do you guys think about the KnuKonceptz Karma 12AWG speaker kable.?. it's 0.80usd per foot and i do think its quite reasonably priced, how does this compared to the SoundKing 12AWG wire selling by PartsExpress.?. because i saw AudioHolic suggested that SoundKing is quite good quality, will the Karma 12AWG better.?.since its 5N purity copper and yet have 294 strands, as far as i know, more strand will reduce receiver's load..is that correct? |
New member Username: UnicronwmdPost Number: 55 Registered: 12-2003 | I have heard more strands are better for higher frequencies because the higher frequencies travel on the outside edge of each wire. Just get a good quality wire and call it a day. I DO NOT research speakers wire because it is a waste of time. |
New member Username: UnicronwmdPost Number: 56 Registered: 12-2003 | Ok, I want you to do something man. I want you to open up your most expensive, highest quality speaker you have and tell me what kind of speaker wire is in there. MOST speakers have a "normal" 18-16ga wire. You only need larger 12-14ga wire for longer lengths of wire. |
New member Username: CreedPost Number: 19 Registered: 01-2004 | i got what you trying to say, thanks man...i think i'll just grab a 12awg cable and that's it...with some good termination |
RRRR Unregistered guest | Unicorn you obviously have no concept of what good or bad cable can do for a system. Gan, if you haven't bought your cable yet, pay some careful attention. Bad cable will completely ruin your system. No matter how good everything else you have is, it will make no difference if your cable does not match their quality. So first, so if you have some higher end speakers, get some high end cable. SImply put, no speaker, no matter how good, can play weel if its cable isnt just as good. So you should match. Second, there are cables that are better than others, furthermore but on a different note, there will be cable that sounds better to you than another set, regardless of price. My suggestion: Go and find a few different cables that match your range and try them all out, whether its at the store or whehter you can take them home for a day...do whatever. Thridly, I dont know your price range so giving you certain brands doesnt really help, but honestly, if your looking at cheaper cable, it doesnt merit a whole lot of research. Though some are better than others, you can get too much better in the long run. There is a reason they dont cost a whole lot, and it has to do with their proformance. Well, with all that said, I am not a particular fan of Monster Cable. Some people think the world of that cable, and it does have some ok stuff, but it cannot match any seroious cable. BUT the suggestion of Monster Cable for your system is not a bad one by Unicorn. Based your price range I wouldnt worry too much about bi-wiring, but let there be no question it does drastically improves your sound. Your idea about using a connection plate is interesting, but there is a reason it is not done. Biwirng is simply better. If your speakers are biwirable they must must be at least decent. WEll, I have said a lot, but maybe nothing too helpful, but just remember, the cable to a system is just as important as anything else. Anyone who knows anything about speaker systems will tell you the same thing. If you have decent speakers you should be prepared to spend some money. Dont be suprised to have to spend $10 a foot per cable. An note, that anyone with a good system will spend more like $50-$100 a foot for cable. And thats not uncommon at all. So am I saying? Take cable seriously. Get good cable if you have good speakers. Be prepared to pay a lot more if you want good cable. Finally...No matter what you have, I would suggest Kimber Kable. They are a very well known and respected brand from anyone who knows anything about cable. Look at their 4TC speaker cable. It is very good and somewhat inexspensive. On ebay or somewhere you may find a 10ft-20ft pair for $25-$75. Go to their website if you want to higher than that. Or lower. But thats only one brand, but still, it is very good and used by many. Its high end stuff, is considered to be the best there is. There are many others to look at. Take is seriously and in the end it will improve your system, Good luck! |
Anonymous | RRRR I agree with you for the most part about cable but disagree that Biwiring is simply better and that only good speakers have double post. There are very average bi-wireable speakers and some real quality speakers that cannot be bi-wired. Its all in the design of the cross-overs. In some speakers bi-wiring does have an effect but in others there is no sonic difference. |
RRRR Unregistered guest | I can agree to that..but please note that I said if a speaker is biwireable than it is decent...I did not say they were good. I suppose I should have been more clear. And you are also right, there are some very good speakers that aren't biwireable. I just did want to elborate on that point. Thanks for pointing that out though! |
New member Username: CreedPost Number: 21 Registered: 01-2004 | so how did those cables in Knukoncepts looks.?.my speaker is Mission M74 floorstand, the KnuKonceptz speaker seems like very good and with great price |
New member Username: KaffinePost Number: 11 Registered: 12-2003 | Copper is Copper. There are things they can do to make the sound cleaner, like making it OFC(Oxygen free copper), or shielding it, or increasing the strand count, but there isnt too much other than that. I think that RRRR got suckered into paying mucho $$$ for his cables, and is trying to justify his mistake. For $10 a foot, I would expect them to be magical. The most likely explanation is that the difference in sound is superfical, and they sound just that much more expensive to you because you paid that much. I would LOVE to see the science behind your claim RRRR. The reason that bi-wireing may sound better, is that you are adding more copper to the mix. That would provide a stronger signal to the speaker. My advice: Get some nice 12-14awg cable and, if you like, use some nice spades to terminate. Monster is pretty good, as well as SoundKing. |
Bronze Member Username: CreedPost Number: 22 Registered: 01-2004 | thanks a lot for your opinions, i have already decided on getting the Knukonceptz Karma 12AWG cable..which have 294 strand count...and 5N copper purity..thanks |
Bronze Member Username: StonePost Number: 25 Registered: 12-2003 | $10.00 a foot is not that much in the realm of upper end Hi-fi. The other day I was shopping for some Audioquest Type-4 (Which I would have reccomend for you Gan at $3.00 a foot) and saw the audiostore was selling some speaker cables that were $1000.00 a foot. |
Bronze Member Username: UnicronwmdPost Number: 70 Registered: 12-2003 | "$1000.00 a foot"? HaHaHa!!! There is no way I would buy that crap. That wire is perfect for you NAD freaks and your Theater Research speakers |
Anonymous | I think it pretty funny unicron trashes researching speaker wire, then turns around and recommends an overpriced, overrated product like monster cable. |
Bronze Member Username: UnicronwmdPost Number: 71 Registered: 12-2003 | I am glad you find it funny Anonymous If you reread my post, I NEVER recommended Monster Cables. NEVER!!! I only stated that I use them for MY interconnects in the back of my electronics just for sheilding. NOTHING MORE. I buy them because I don't have to search all over the place for other so called "high-end" cables. I buy them because I wanted cables with good shielding and I noticed a big difference when I used them. Monster Cable are not "high-end" cables but they work for me. Anyways, thanks for spelling my name right kid |