How to select a good Speaker Cable

Dear Michael,

You are right, again.

0 AWG wire delivered yesterday.  Within two hours I had it installed in the system.  Each side is now driven by 2x0 AWG cable.  Best $67 tweak, yet.

Two steps closer to believing the performers are in the room.  New aural clues being processed by my tiny brain.  Resolution from 30hz to 16khz was improved.

In-room Pink Noise Real Time Analyzer graph unchanged.  Response curve is slightly jagged but flat.

I used a different type of cable for the second run (Welding cable linked above).  I was unable to source the cable used for the first batch of cables.  The new cable is more flexible and easier to work with.  It's OD is 9/16" and therefore the plastic hose clamps previous used did not work well.  Metal screw tightening hose clamps would work, but they are a bit cumbersome.  Consequently, I wrapped the cable ends with Gorilla tape to hold the walls of the insulation.  I then screwed a #12 1- 1/2" brass round head wood screw into the center of the cable strands to secure a #10 eyelet with a 3" 10 AWG tail crimped and soldered to it. Spades at one end and banana plugs at the other were installed to the eight tails for connection to the system. Exposed surfaces were wrapped with Gorilla tape pending the ordering and installation of heat shrink tubing.

The speaker cables are 5 feet long, not six. At the risk of being redundant, do your calculations suggest an additional one or two 0 AWG cables would further improve the performance of the system?  If you think further improvement can be achieved, I will be ordering another length of cable.

Again, thanks for the generosity of your time and talent.

All good wishes,

J

Hi Mr. keppertup

Congratulations. You really make me happy with your great news.
I wish to share that I also received my cables today (from the US). Slight delay of 2 days, due to COVID-19. No big deal.

The best way for you, would be to get two monoblocks of such high DF, and get a short as possible cable. Less than 10’’!

I need you to understand that the only parameter that matters, is the cables resistance vs. the Amp’s output resistance (Ro).
So the different type of cables has no significance. You are good.
As a cable’s resistance = to a constant, multiplied by length (in meters) and divided by cross section in mm2.
Just by short the length by half, you can gain the same on cross section.
5 feet = ~ 1,5m
It’s already 16 times #0 awg instead of 32 times.
But if you could get it down to 25 cm (6 times shorter), you could have it right with 16/6 = 3 times # 0 awg (DF = 8,000).

I’m sorry to inform you that Devialet main office let me down and answered only after another email and two weeks.

Enjoy.

For all others out there, you see I’m series and confident about my theory. It really works. One more happy guy.

Michael,

Thanks for the information and suggestion.  I am first going to install another 0 AWG set of cables to see if this improves performance, before considering the acquisition of another amp.

I high pass the amp output from 35hz.  The Magnepan MGIIIa's are flat to 40hz and fall off from there.  Moreover, the bass Mylar panel is a large area with very little excursion.  Consequently, perhaps the control of this driver is not as challenging as a cone driver with a long excursion attempting to reproduce sub 35hz frequencies.  Is the optimum DF as critical with this system?

Frequencies below 45hz are fed via the pre-out to a Velodyne FSX-12 that is "Servo Controlled" to limit excursion.  The pre-out and powered outputs includes Devialet's SAM software designed to limit cone breakup.  The speaker cable in this unit is probably 14 inches long.  I can not find a DF spec for it's A-B amplifier. 

Does any of this additional information alter your opinion of the ideal cables for this system?

Notwithstanding the fact that DF is supposed to benefit frequencies below 85hz, my observation is that adding 2x0 AWG speaker cables greatly improved mid and high frequency resolution.  This may be the result of the attenuation of bass and mid-bass excess excursion (boom). 

Current bass control sounds tighter and realistic.  It's measured in-room response is flat.

Unless you advise otherwise, I am willing to invest another $67 to see if it can get any better.  Plus, I like tinkering.  I will let you know if the next experiment yields diminishing returns.

Cheers

J

I built a cable this last Sat. 3 m long and #0 AWG thick.
Yesterday I demonstrated it. It was a nice and happy demo:
It replaced a #9 AWG, same length, connected to a Power Amp. with DF of 1,600.
The smile on this guy's face is there till now (a day latter). The sound improved significantly. The bass went lower and tighter. Like a subwoofer was added, just by exchanging the cables!
The mid and highs became crystal clear and balanced. The details increased, like if we focus a picture with a lense. The sound was much better and different from the original cable.
He asked to keep the cable for a week, to play with, and listen to more CDs.
The Guy has a collection of 18,000 CD titles! Most classical.

Michael,

Sounds similar to my experience.

I await delivery of what will become the third 0 AWG cable driving my speakers.

I found a clever way to couple two cables and a tail for use with a banana plug, see: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QZRKXSL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The above linked battery cable coupler comes with a clear plastic snap-on cover for insulation on four sides. The remaining open sides can be protected with electrical tape. I use a 60 amp ring lug terminal connector, secured to the battery post bolt with the lug positioned in the slot on the coupler. This lug is crimped and solder to a 6 AWG 2" tail that connects to the banana plug.

My third 0 AWG cable will be connected to the amp via a tinned wire tail inserted in the screw clamp connection on the amp. The bananas connecting signal to two of the 0 AWG cables are connected to same screw clamp. The screw clamp has a female banana plug connection at the end of the clamp tightening knob. This arrangement allows me to use two short tails per tap to reduce resistance.

At the other end of the three cables (total of six per side) I attach a 4 AWG 2" tail with a 30 Amp ring lug for connection to a terminal board that connects to the crossover.

I will let you know if the third cable install improves the sound.

The fun continues.

Very truly yours,

J