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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


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Showing 4 responses by millercarbon

millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
So unless you use some cable with a twick, like MIT with a box or similar, getting thicker should not effect your sound.

Operative word being "should".

This comes up a lot. In fact it is your entire thread. What "should" be. What impurities, thicknesses, length, DF, on and on and freaking on, an endless stream of what you think "should" effect your sound.

Have you ever bothered to compare? To actually listen? To know, for a change, what "is"? Or is that too much to ask?
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
How to select a good speaker cable:
1) Compare by listening.
2) Compare by reading what others heard by listening.
3) Right. As if. There are no other ways. Either you listen, or they do. All else is BS.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
These wires you make, have any of them been certified by the Kenjit Society?
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
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.

This is right out of Stereo Review circa 1970. Awful long time to still be fanning the flames for Julian Hirsch. Or are you just being thorough and decided to start your speaker cable research with articles from 50 years ago?

My guess is this is sincere, and genuinely oblivious of just how out of date this is: Half. A. Century.

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