Best speaker cables

Gregm, the optimum length for a speaker cable is "as short as you can make it." The shorter the speaker cable, the less shunt capacitance, less series inductance, and most of all, less series resistance.

re: cable lengths. I heard that the optimum length, sound wise, is 128cm -- or multiples of same... anyone on to this?

You won't be able to listen to 2' cables before buying, but you could listen to 8' pairs, decide which particular cable you enjoy the most, and then order a 2' pair of that particular brand. I'd put Cardas, JPS, and Coincident on your list.

Yanomami, to expand on what Cornfed and Trcnetmsncom mean by audition is: Listen to some cables, get used to the sound they produce, then get another set of cables and put them in and compare the sound. At that point, decide which of the two you like better and move on to another cable. This can be a long and grueling process but the effort will pay off in the long run. Eventually you will put a cable in the system and instantly know "this is it". Keep in mind after listening to several cables it is probably wise to come back to the first one and give it another try. Dealers in your area should be willing to lend you different cables for auditions. If not, try the Cable Company (www.fatwyre.com) they carry most cables on the market and have a loaner program. Good Luck, Doug

There is some thought by some cable manufacturers that the sound of some designs degrades in shorter lengths (say less than 6' to 8'). The Mapleshade micro design is an example of this line of thought.

Hi Yanomani, What Cornfedboy meant by audition is... Listen to the cables for yourself in your system so you can make the right choice for you. Good luck, Tom

To Cornfedboy! Offcause it is 2 feet, but they are so short that many companies don't sell so short and what about box? What do you mean audition? Best regards

yanomami: do you really mean 2 inch cords? my bet is you meant 2 feet. do try to audition several pairs. you'll get all kinds of opinions here, which, in the long run don't mean squat 'til you hear for youself. i prefer cable from cardas, tara and fim, the patricular model depending upon your budget. BTW, you're likely to discover that a 2 foot pair will cost no less than a 4-6 foot pair, maybe even nore if they require custom termination. good hunting.