Home depot speaker cables
|
Bronze Member Username: Xxraiderxx1, Ga Us Post Number: 42 Registered: May-06 | my question is do you have to use the extenstion cord or can you use the wiring they use for house's its the same thing the reason i ask is becuase my brother is a electriction and can get me rolls of the house wiring for free? |
|
Gold Member Username: Timn8terSeattle, WA USA Post Number: 1035 Registered: Dec-03 | I don't see a huge problem. You can use many different materials, however, if you're looking for good, basic cable that's easy to work with Romex isn't the first thing I'd recommend. Solid copper core will work but it's not very flexible so it's a pain to work with. The basic requirements I look for is good copper, a good jacket to limit corrosion and good, tight connectors on the ends. A higher gauge wire (16AWG or better) will provide lower resistance and capacitance making life easier for your amp (usually)and not change the Q of your speakers. |
|
Gold Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 1719 Registered: Feb-04 | A higher gauge wire (16AWG or better) Don't you mean lower gauge (thicker)? |
|
Gold Member Username: Timn8terSeattle, WA USA Post Number: 1036 Registered: Dec-03 | Oops. Yes, of course. |
|
Silver Member Username: PraetorianCanada Post Number: 326 Registered: Dec-05 | Actually Pete, my fellow canucklehead, if you were truly embracing your roots, higher would make more sense to you than the Yankee-Doodles, metric gauge goes up in thickness!  |
|
Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 3653 Registered: Dec-04 | If it's free pull some 1-hot. |
|
Gold Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 1724 Registered: Feb-04 | I didn't even know there was "metric" for that! (Then again, I drive at 120 km/h but I'm 6'1" and 200 lbs. It's 23C outside but the pool is at 85F. What is mix!) |
|
Silver Member Username: PraetorianCanada Post Number: 327 Registered: Dec-05 | Heh, its true, when I say I am 193cm people look at me cross-eyed... less confused when I say 110kg... but everyone knows what 33C means... F'IN HOT! |
|
Silver Member Username: GamerdudeOntario Canada Post Number: 101 Registered: Apr-06 | like 32c in kitchener,ontario,canada adn we have NO AC but yea so like house wire for speaker cable didnt think would work to well maybe i;m wrong? |
|
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 8931 Registered: May-04 | . Look at the identification designation stamped into the outer dielectric of the Home Depot extension cables. Buy any similar bulk cable from Home Depot. Do not expect the same results using Romex or another extension or bulk cable from another company. The quality of sound you will hear is relative to the construction of the HD extension cable in particular. The Absolute Sound article which began this trend indicated Black and Decker also have a good quality extension cable at slightly higher cost. The Quad rep was using the B&D cable for his displays at various trade shows. This is what prompted AS to include a very inexpensive cable in their speaker cable survey. While not looking to engage in any dispute over the relative quality of various runs of copper, the HD extension cables are the ones to aim for. Other cables might give similar results, but my ears say other cables might not give similar results. Stick with the tried and true in this case. The cables aren't that expensive. A 25' extension cable will cost about $12 or less. That's about $0.50 a foot with plugs attached. If you really want to cheap out here, why buy decent equipment at all? In that case, stick with Bose. I think they still toss in some cheap zip wire. . . |
|
Silver Member Username: PraetorianCanada Post Number: 339 Registered: Dec-05 | The difference is that I would rather spend wisely. I don't mind investing in a piece of eqpt that is more expensive than a similar but lower quality component, but I do not want to pay more for the same or worse quality. This premise is still the same for the people that buy into the cables that cost 100$/ft and think it "improves" there system (and yes, I realise I am getting dangerously close to starting an argument we have all been through) they see it as an investment. I just choose to invest in other areas of my system. To me, the 12 AWG 8 or 9 n ofc stranded copper cables do as much and as little as I want them too. |
|
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 8932 Registered: May-04 | . If cables which cost less than a CD represent an unreasonable expense, buy the cheapest crap available and don't ask any questions. I don't mean to sound like a sh!t here, MC, but why did you ask? You'd already made up your mind any old cable would work OK. Your brother can get stuff cheap. Just what answer would have changed your opinion? Or were you just looking for some validation from someone else who doesn't think cables make a difference? If so, there's plenty to choose from in the archives. So, why ask? . |
|
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 8933 Registered: May-04 | . OK, you didn't ask. My mistake. Still, $12 is too much money? |
|
New member Username: Rainbow1616Post Number: 5 Registered: Jun-06 | Romex is a bad idea, solid coper does not tighten down as well as stranded, youll get a much tighter using the stranded copper wire. I use 12gage stranded lampcord myself and have done testing with expensive speaker cables and found absolutely NO difference. |
|
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 8948 Registered: May-04 | . How expensive? |
|
New member Username: Rainbow1616Post Number: 7 Registered: Jun-06 | I think its around 30 cents a foot, may be a litle higher at Home Depot |
|
Bronze Member Username: JawPost Number: 31 Registered: Mar-06 | Bought tulip bulbs, french doors (haven't ripped the casing out yet), toilet plunger and speaker cables at Home Depot. Everything was on sale 'cept the cables; still mangaged to save money on all. All work beautifully (except haven't ripped the casings out yet). |
|
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 8952 Registered: May-04 | . No, no, no. You said you compared them to expensive cables. How expensive were the "expensive" cables? |
|
Silver Member Username: PraetorianCanada Post Number: 344 Registered: Dec-05 | If you got a chance to read the other cable thread that parralled this one for a while, you would see that I have no qualms with 1$/ft etc. |
|
Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 3706 Registered: Dec-04 | Then, Mike, you should have no problem with hopping down the trail for a length of Liberty 4 conductor 14g cable. You can biwire or add a 2 circuit cable for a buck or less. It worked for me, in spades. Beyond that, what were the expenside cables you tried(repeat Jan's Q) |
|
Silver Member Username: PraetorianCanada Post Number: 349 Registered: Dec-05 | Why is everyone thinking this is my thread? First Jan and now you! It was JAW that compared them to some expensive cables not me. Now having said that, I did buy Monster "Ultra" terminated speaker-cables of the 2 meter variety when I was a complete noob, and those sounded no better - or worse - than the wire I use now (purchased at "Kent's"). Fortunately, I got to offload them for 75% of what I paid for them to a friend of mine who was hell-bent on having them. I originally was helping him look for eqpt and told him he should get the spool of wire instead of the Monster brand, but he would have none of it. He then offered to buy mine because they were "burned in" and I obviously did not care (still don't). So we were both happy. |
|
Bronze Member Username: JawPost Number: 32 Registered: Mar-06 | Who's on first, What's on second. It is Bob that compared them to expensive cables. I'm the guy with the french doors that hasn't ripped the casings out yet (not the casings on the cheap Home Depot speaker cables, but the wood trim casings for the french doors.) Oy. http://www.clodbooks.com/alfredeneuman.html Just padding my posts to be a Silver Member. |
|
Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 3712 Registered: Dec-04 | Where is Raider? Oh well,The Libertys are the way to jump oughtaa the cheapest stuff without incurring wrath. |
|
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 8954 Registered: May-04 | . "Why is everyone thinking this is my thread?" Hey, it's the thought that counts. We could have forgotten you all together like we've tried with a few of the hangers-on around here. But no such luck. Just when you think they've changed hobbies, they want to know which subwoofer cable is best. Yeeesh! . |
|
Silver Member Username: PraetorianCanada Post Number: 350 Registered: Dec-05 | LOL, so which subwoofer cable is best? |
|
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 8955 Registered: May-04 | . AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHH!! |
|
Bronze Member Username: SerniterPiscataway, New Jersey USA Post Number: 44 Registered: Mar-06 | LOL! |
|
Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 3715 Registered: Dec-04 | No, really. Cuz I wanna run my car sub off my computer. |
|
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 8957 Registered: May-04 | . In your home, I suppose?! Off a 12VDC power supply scavenged from a PC. |
|
Silver Member Username: PraetorianCanada Post Number: 352 Registered: Dec-05 | Damn Nuck, that's what I wanted to say... Uhhh... I want to use my computer speakers in a 5.1 set up directly off my TVs OTA channels... I am on a budget but want good sound! How do I do this? |
|
Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 8959 Registered: May-04 | . If you merely want good sound, you have it easy. It's when your tastes demand excellent sound (down to at least 16Hz and up to 125dB SPL) for $49 that you run into problems. . |
|
Silver Member Username: PraetorianCanada Post Number: 354 Registered: Dec-05 | ... so budget for 99$? |
|
Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 3720 Registered: Dec-04 | $99.95. Get the wires or Earl Shibe your car. You choose. |
|
Bronze Member Username: JawPost Number: 33 Registered: Mar-06 | What a relief; it's finally over. http://www.nytstore.com/ProdImages/NSAPNL1_large.jpg |
|
Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 3735 Registered: Dec-04 | Hey, I ain't on the floor yet, I havn't even opened the scotch! |
|
New member Username: Rainbow1616Post Number: 8 Registered: Jun-06 | Earl Shibe...I havent heard that name in years. *lmao* |
|
Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 3737 Registered: Dec-04 | Rigggt, I'll paint any speaker for just $99.95 |
|
Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 3738 Registered: Dec-04 | Before we get too far off-topic, I recommend aftermarket speaker wires beyond home depot stuff. The Liberty wire line is good stuff, cheap. If you are here looking for good wire, believer or not, here is my rec. And the stuff is less than $1 ft! If you will not invest $50 to find out for yourselves, then you are bush. |
|
Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 1563 Registered: Sep-04 | I wish I were rich. Then I'd just send you some reasonably expensive good wire... In this context I'm thinking expensive would be about £18/m or about $10/ft, the kind of stuff I use for surround speakers and centre. My main speakers have the really expensive stuff... Regards, Frank. |
|
Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 3763 Registered: Dec-04 | Frank I wish you were rich almost as much as you do!hahaha |
Main Forums
Today's Posts- Home Audio Forum
- A/V Receivers Forum
- Amps Forum
- Cassette Forum
- CD Players Forum
- CD Recorders Forum
- DAC & Transports Forum
- DVD-Audio & SACD Forum
- Equalizers Forum
- Integrated Amps Forum
- iPod Docks Forum
- MiniDisc Forum
- Mini Systems Forum
- Digital Music Systems Forum
- Phono Forum
- Preamps Forum
- Speakers Forum
- Subwoofers Forum
- Tuners Forum
- Home Video Forum
- Home Theater Forum
- Car Audio Forum
- Accessories Forum
- All Forum Topics