Need help buying new speaker cable


My Tara Labs Apollo speaker cable broke at the negative terminal end.  I will need to replace them.  What cables would you recommend?  I would like to know what cables out there would be comparable.  I would like to upgrade but they need to be affordable. A local dealer recommended Audioquest Robin Hood’s but they cost $2,000.  I just can’t spend that much money.  I am looking at Audioquest Rocket 88’s for $1,150.  Any ideas?  I would also like to know what the sound difference be compared to my Appolo’s?  I still have a difficult time you can hear a sound difference between one cable and another.  
128x128larry5729

Showing 1 response by oldaudiophile

@larry5729, I trust you know nothing starts a fight in an empty bar faster than a discussion about speaker cables, right? I guess I’m with elliottbnewcombjr on this one. If you like the cables you have, why not fix ’em? Otherwise, I would suggest you read the following:

The Best Speaker Cable | Reviews by Wirecutter (nytimes.com)

Do Speaker Cables Make a Difference for Audio Quality? (lifewire.com)

Using Measurements to Clear up the Cable Controversy (lifewire.com)

calmont-eng-wire-gauge.pdf

What Matters Most in Speaker Cables? | Audioholics

Top Ten Signs an Audio Cable Vendor is Selling You Snake Oil | Audioholics

I’ve listened to high-end systems (at least 3 to 4 hours each time and sometimes more) wired with AQ Robin Hood, Kimber Cable Ascent Series (can’t remember model), Transparent (can’t remember model but several thousand bucks a pair), Monoprice (12 gauge), Monstor (12 gauge) and AQ Type 4 within the last year. All of those systems sounded very, very nice. The only credible way to arrive at any conclusions about which cables will sound best, to you, is to try them under your own roof in your own system.

Good Luck!