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How to select a good Speaker Cable

Speaker cables do have a significant role in how our system sounds. Different cables sound different. 

So which one is the right one for you?

The Speaker Cable is an extension of the Amp. and not an addition to the speaker's load. It shall have a certain resistance (low) not to spoil the Amp's DF figure. As so, it can be calculated and there is a formula to do it.

The higher the Amp's DF, the lower the Speaker Cable's resistance shall be. As today SS power Amp's get DFs of 400 and above (Digital Amps go by thousands) the cable of 10 ft (3m) long, gets as thick as 0 AWG.

I can see your eyebrows elevates, when that thick cable is to be deal with. Most Speaker Cable makers skip it because of that. So most cables on the market (regardless of the look or price) are of 14-12 AWG. Way less that supposed to be.

Worst! no Speaker Cable maker, dealer or seller knows the answer, of what is the correct cable for your system. 

So most of us ended up, with a cables too thin for the task.

A conducted test, on this site, about a year ago as well as with some closer friends, shows a significant improvement with a calculated size cable over their previous cable. The results were all positive and preferred the calculated cable.

So, instead of asking: which of two brands, or two prices or two colors of Speaker Cable do I need, you should ask how thick of a Speaker Cable do I need.

I'll be happy to provide you the calculation, for who request it. All you need to provide is:

1). Length (Ft. or meter)

2). The Amp's DF figure.

Thanks


128x128b4icu

Showing 9 responses by dave_b

dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
You miss the point...it’s the journey I have enjoyed and with it followed first hand experience with a world of audio you could only dream of.  Question though, where have you posted the extensive work and commensurate array of equipment, including source material, with comparative analysis of other cables ($100 to say $10k).

dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
Good advice for the frugal!
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
How?  Try it. But since you asked...Audioquest Rocket 33’s are unbelievably great for the price and outperform many overpriced cables.  I’ve owned them...the overpriced stuff.  There is a place for some expensive cables, but for most Audiophiles Audioquest is more than good... they are a true value!!
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
I got the Audioquest cables for free...my custom MIT BIWIRES are coming soon!  I’ve been through the mill and I’ve learned what works for me...and y’a can’t learn it from specs or graphs.  It ain’t that simple...too many variables.  The only fundamental difference I’ve heard in cables are with MIT....puts my rear quarters in the club man!  I can smell the whiskey and the sweat flying off Coltrane...sweet;)
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
B4icu....you ARE the poster child for Specman!!  You have it all figured out...except for the whole good sound thing.  Enjoy whatever it is you hear 👂 
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
@b4icu Your DF calculation, while doing no harm and perhaps optimizing one aspect of making a proper connection, is overly simplistic and has no direct relationship to the effects the cable inherently impresses upon the net sound of your system.  To seriously think this is a panacea is laughable, bordering on delusional!  I have used such theories and cable experiments for the last 40 years.  I have also owned $20k cables.  One size does not fit all...on the other hand, having a very small minded solution to a complex problem is naive and misguided at best.
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
I agree there is no point in telling a flat lander that there is a third dimension.  FYI, already mentioned I tried many a such panacea touted as a remedy for the common audiophile.  Happy delusional listening 👂 
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
I have a vast experience with actually owning more equipment and cables in various houses than can be dreamt of by your small....anyway, I have a world of knowledge in me that can be applied to various issues pertaining to audio.  There are certain cables, for instance, that I have found to be more efficacious for the discriminating audiophile, which yield superior performance over a broad range of electronics and speakers.  Admittedly, conversing with someone who has apparently committed so much of their energy pursuing an appropriately small idea, commensurate with the amount of understanding expressed regarding the effectiveness and performance of audio cables, is a recipe for disappointment.  Enjoy the Lilliputian land of your own design and may the all and powerful DF yield rewards equivalent to the less than significant theoretical proposals you have made within this post.
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
Again, you miss the point...are you that dim?  I am fortunate enough to have played around with various setups over the years because it’s fun and illuminating.  They were all great systems and I fully enjoyed each and every one.  I am not trying to reach K2....I have been there several times over and love exploring new avenues.  With such a journey one experiences first hand, that which others only fantasize about or worse, claim they have a magic recipe born of a rather small perspective.  Does that help you understand?  I hope so...perhaps my large words, proper grammar and descriptive adjectives have made it difficult for you to follow along?  
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