Couple of OCC Speaker Cable Options


I have found a couple of OCC speaker cables that I’m interested in buying and wanted to see if anyone here has any experience with either?

Xangsane fever grade 12TC OCC:

https://m.aliexpress.com/i/2255800337031169.html?gatewayAdapt=4itemAdapt

SKW OCC Speaker Cable:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07KF2S637/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=A2PY2KWZ9V4L1G&psc=1
 

128x128temmple

@maxima95 - I think my experience aligns with yours.  Smooth sounding with virtually no glare, but I feel like some of the details are not quite the same as with my BJC 10AWG cables. I think I’d agree that there’s less detail in the bass as well. 

The Micca 14 is dual parallel 14 gauge per leg.

In my experience they were smooth and had less glare.  Clarity was not a strong suit; nor was bass.  I also felt that something was missing.  Enjoyable female vocals though.

 

@lak Are the MICCA cables a star quad arrangement or are they dual 12 AWG wires?  Star quad arrangement is using two 12 AWG wires for red and two 12 AWG wires for black, to one speaker.

The Micca 14 cables are in my system and have replaced my BJC 10 AWG cables for now.  They are probably in the 30-40 hour range. I’m really torn about how they make me feel, but honestly cannot definitely describe how they sound in comparison. 
 

There’s a part of me that’s enjoying them because they seem to be a bit smoother, but they certainly didn’t add any clarity.  There seems to be a little less glare and I feel that they may be less fatiguing, but something also feels missing that I can’t put my finger on. 
 

I need to reinforce my expectation bias. What should I be hearing? LOL

@mceljo, as I mentioned in my first post on this forum, I just had to try those cables because I was watching a YouTube video that Steve Huff made and he spoke highly of that speaker cable. After a break-in on my cable cooker, sure enough, those speaker cables are darn good, especially for the price. No, they are not in my main system however I do use them in my secondary systems along with a variety of other speaker cables.

@lak - I just ordered two 6’ pairs of the Micca cables. I use a switch in my system so have to get two sets to cover from amp to switch and from switch to speakers. They will be replacing BLC 10AWG. Let’s see what $60ish can do…

 

Did you do the YouTube review that referenced them as being superior to Nordost Blue Heaven?

I am trying the Micca in my system currently and have two others that I am testing as well. For the money the Micca is great but it will not hold its own to higher end cables imho. I will report back once the 3rd cable arrives. 

@dekay  No II have tried the Miccas yet. I have a system I set up outdoors where I will likely put them to use one day. I live in southern Illinois and we do get warm days over winter. I am in process of moving into a new home. My main system is in place there in a dedicated room. Working through a system for the living room. 

I really didn't need a different pair of speaker cables. For the price I couldn't pass them up. 

temmple  & mesch:

 

Have you tried the Micca cables yet?

I like them but do not have a system suitable to review them in.

Aside from the mini-system the living room rig doesn't use a woofer or a tweeter (just and unaided wide band driver).

 

DeKay

 

Audio Sensibility in Canada makes nice OCC cables terminated with WTB connectors.

@dekay & @mesch

I'm glad you guys are giving the Micca 14 Gauge Pure Copper Speaker Wires an opportunity in your systems. I sware the $35 speaker cables sound more like speaker cables in the $900 range in my systems. They certainly don't look anything like they sound. They do require a good 20 hours or more of playing time as dekay mentioned.

@lak  Just ordered a set of the Micca cables for a secondary system. 

Will get back once tried out. 

The Micca 14 gauge sound pretty good (20 hours playing time).

They sound more like my solid core copper cable (47 Labs/Neotech than the stranded (Kimber/Canare) I’ve tried.

I’ll probably order another 6’ and a couple of the 12’ to have around.

 

Thanks Lak.

 

DeKay

Two more options just found. Worlds best cables and Ludic. Wonder how either would stack up next to the SWK linked above.

Lak:

Ordered a 6’ pair for the mini system we use in the spare bed/computer room.

Used Canare 4S11 for 6+ months (now trying Neotech 22 gauge solid Cu).

The setup (sans surge protector/power cord) cost less than $100 so $33 including tax seems about right.

-Sharp SD-EX111 integrated CD/tuner/amp was $75/closeout ($500 retail)

+Polk RT15i speakers were a $13.50 thrift shop find

Hilarious is that I’m using a BMI Whale power cord as it was the only spare I could find/locate.

PS: The Neotech is OCC.

 

DeKay

@grannyring; Great question LOL!

I just had to try those cables because I was watching a YouTube video that Steve Huff made and he spoke highly of that speaker cable. After a break-in on my cable cooker, sure enough, those speaker cables are darn good, especially for the price. No, they are not in my main system however I do use them in my secondary systems along with a variety of other speaker cables. I suffer from an illness where I can’t bring myself to sell equipment and gear that I like and my basement looks something like an audio store. Luckily my wife stays out of the basement...LOL ;-)

 

@lak 

Are you now using the Amazon speaker cables in your above link? Curious how they compare to your others. Thanks for the link! 

I've used SKW products before (interconnects). They're pretty good for what they are. I've not used their speaker cables, though.

Can't go wrong with Amazon. If you don't like them, return them.

The following speaker cables are giant killers and as hard as it may be for some to believe they sound great and best of all for less than thirty-three dollars. If you don't like the banana ends cut them off and install spades. You have to try them to believe it.

 

there are many usa or north american based value oriented cable makers that make good stuff, and provide some level of comfort that what they sell is legit at least in terms of what they say it is (and isn’t)

pine tree audio

blue jeans cable

nerve audio

zu audio

anti cables

audio envy

and so on... many threads on value cable offerings, search and easily find

 

On the Xangsane Kimber Kable 12TC copy.  For fun, I bought 6m of the wire and a set of all copper spades to make a Diy Kimber Kable copy just to see how it would sound.  Total cost = $60 US. I have to say they sound very nice  Deep clean bass, clear highs not fatiguing, and full mids on my system. Overall improved the sound on all levels.  Now I have not compared these to high end brand name cables yet.  Have a used pair of DH Labs on order and i’m waiting for some used Zavfino or Curious cables to come up to try. Also, i did use a SKW USB cable and there quality is very nice and a great value but moved on to an AQ chocolate that sounded much better. The search continues…

I agree with @jjss49 

If it didn’t work out, check out Zavfino Speaker Cables at zavfinousa.com. 

@jjss49 Thats what I was thinking as well. It really does look the part and I have seen a couple mentions in cable forum threads stating that they are very good. 

i personally would not trust ali express, even for purported high end copper speaker cables

they are so famous for being purveyors of made in china knock off stuff that looks the part but has been decontented in a myriad of ways...

I don't have any experience with either one but that Amazon one is the one I would try.   Certainly, given the insane pricing in the world of speaker cables, it is cheap enough to give it a try and see what you think.

I might just do that myself, and see if it is better than the 12 AWG Star Quad set up I have now.

BTW, years ago, I had a neighbor who had a very illegal CB transmitter which was also very noisy and had harmonic noise all over the spectrum.   It screwed up my stereo big time until I found a pair of 16 AWG coax cables.  That cured the problem completely.   All the other cables were coax, so I thought I would give coax speaker cables a try and it nailed the problem.   For reference, his transmit antenna was about 75 feet from my stereo. 

I make my own with OCC copper in Teflon from Partsconnexion.com and they sound great. Don’t know the ones you’ve linked to but Amazon Prime does returns...