Speaker cable options, Audioquest, Black Cat and Canare


Hello,

I’m looking at the following speaker cable options. I have a longer need (15’ or 5m), and I’m looking at used Black Cat Copperzone, Audioquest Gibraltar and the budget Canare 4S11. My speakers are B & W 803n’s with a McIntosh mC352 amp. I won’t be able to audition the cables.

 

Thanks in advance!

troutking

I’ve owned Gibraltar’s, and can’t really speak to them…they carried the signal. They were fine, but expensive. When I rebuilt my system, I budgeted very little for cabling, on purpose. I’m now using Audio Art and Pine Tree Audio cabling, 1/4 the price of my prior cabling system (Shunyata/Audioquest) and couldn’t be happier.  Blue Jeans Cable is another many refer to, not sure if you’ve looked at them.

Canare 4s11 can be built as biwire which is what you’d want for the N803. They’re decent sounding cable. Not the last word in resolution but good enough to get by. 
Not familiar with black cat or AQ Gibraltar. 

I think as long as the cable is heavy gauge, 13 or better, and well made with good connectors that make a tight fit in your terminals, you’ll be fine. If you want to get performance and don’t care about the brand name and bragging rights, blue jeans canare or their 10 AWG Belden will suffice. As will 7 gauge worlds best cables ultimate bi wire. $175 shipped. Although more for a long run. I used the 7 gauge ultimate biwire between my Hegel 390 and 805’s, worked perfectly. Just for fun I tried a $1200 pair of rocket 88 bi wire, no discernible difference.

Thanks for the feedback!  Mefabyte, did you get spades for your 805’s, and if so, what spade size?

 

I’m using 17’ Canare 4s11 on my Maggie’s and it sounds great, bananas into speaker, bare on the amp end.

Happy listening

John

 

" If you want to get performance and don’t care about the brand name and bragging rights, blue jeans canare or their 10 AWG Belden will suffice. As will 7 gauge worlds best cables ultimate bi wire. $175 shipped. Although more for a long run. I used the 7 gauge ultimate biwire between my Hegel 390 and 805’s, worked perfectly. Just for fun I tried a $1200 pair of rocket 88 bi wire, no discernible difference."

I agree with you 100%. Belden, National Wire/Cable, Mogami (World Best Cables), Canare are actual manufacturers. All other brands are just resellers aka middlemen that buy cables from above manufacturers or import from China and you get to pay 10x more. So don't get fooled and waste money. Amazon is the platform you purchase your cables.