Speaker Cables : Moderate priced


I am about to embark on upgrading speaker cables ( long over due ).  Currently use Tributaries 12 awg UL copper cable.  I need a long run for one speaker ( about 20 feet) and this has impacted the budget.  I hope to spend around 1500 dollars.  Looking for a musical tonally rich sound.  I am not a detail nut.

Looking at the usual options:  triode Wire, Audio Art Copper, Ice Age, Luna cables to name a few.

Wonder what the crowd has experienced in this price range; and open to new suggestions.

mdrone

+1 @kennymacc been using mine for well over a decade occasionally comparing to others w/no plans to change.

Trust me on this one.  Go on the used market and seek out a nice pair of JPS Labs Superconductor 3 speaker cables.  No need to look any further up the JPS Labs line or anywhere else.  The Superconductor 3 speaker cables are some of the best speaker wire, IMHO, at anywhere near what they retailed for and way beyond (and they were definitely not cheap retail).  With the Superconductor 3, you won't have to go any further or spend more.  The Superconductor 3 could be your end-game speaker wire (they certainly are mine).  Over the past 12 years, I've upgraded every cable in my system, including my most recent cable upgrades, and my JPS Labs Superconductor 3 speaker cables were the only cables that I kept.    

For long runs consider making them from Furutech FS Alpha 36 from VH Audio.  I did this using gold plated Furutech spades and they sound very good.

@mitch2 +1

that's a wise and solid advice. $1500 can be invested in a better source, preamp, etc. a much better ROI than the speaker cable upgrade 

Are these your current speaker cables? They have several desirable attributes such as the type of copper used, the gauge, and the dielectric material, i.e., 12AWG Long-Crystal Oxygen-Free Copper and PE dielectric. What do you expect to improve by switching to different speaker cables?  I doubt you would reliably hear a difference (much less an improvement) between your current cables and any of the suggestions here. I suspect there are other areas of your system where the $1,500 could have a greater (at least audible) impact on the sound of your system.

Back in November, you were interested in tinned copper in cotton speaker cables. Were you ever able to try a pair of those?

 

I would have a careful look at DHLabs cables. These are my goto budget cables and interconnects. Many folks will recommend them, top notch, reasonable cost.

Highly recommend Mogami as a primary cable.  My experience is they dont' subtract anything, while high-end speakers rely on some subtraction to create more imaging or detail.  Markertek has both single and quad types.

Mogami is the cable you use when you either sold your good cables and have the mogami as a backup to hold you over, or are listening to the system that’s on the level of mogami…low-fi or lower tier mid-fi. It has no place in a good system as it will limit its potential. 
I personally prefer Canare 4s11 speaker cables and Blue Jeans interconnects to any Mogami including Studio Gold. They sound fuller and more natural to me. 

Mogami  3103 or 3104 for speaker cables,  and 2549 for interconnects. Excellent quality and performance. 

Canare 4s11 is a good cable. Its fault is in omission. It’s not as extended and doesn’t have the separation and clarity of the AU24SX but it sounds decent.
I think Dueland might be a better choice.
https://partsconnexion.com/products/dual-dca12ga-2x12-awg-tin-plated-stranded-copper-oiled-cotton-speaker-interconnect-cable-black

Moving up the DIY chain would be the Neotech NES-3002 but it’s a pain to terminate ( need to be patient). Scroll to the bottom of the page. 
https://www.vhaudio.com/wire.html


Keep both left and right channels runs length identical

 

Life long DIYer, been running nothing but Canare interconnects for around 25 years and never bother with anything else, cheap to build, sound superb in mobile and home audio, single ended and balanced. I have never tried their speaker cables, just used the proper gauge of OFC and been quite happy but will have to give the Canare a try, cheap to build as well and I bet I like them just fine. I build my own speakers and can tune them to sound how I like, no need to spend big money to make my system sound different. I do prefer a neutral, balanced, smooth sound, why I normally use tube amps and AKM based DACs.

I think Mogami and Canare share some good attributes as pro audio gear that carry over to home audio. They seem to be low capacitance, well shielded cables that provide durable low noise connections in studio and live performance usesand are priced according to that market’s business to business value limits. In bulk for speakers they’re real bargains. I think I have only have about $500 total spent in cables and have enjoyed a significant improvement in my listening at a good price by shopping around outside the audiophile arena. I splurged a iittle on a 75 ohm coax cable between my DAC streamer and my un-powered preamp switch after I read a little bit about how to manage line level digital gain into older amps. Modern DAC output is a little hot compared to vintage amp line levels, it turns out :)

 

@chrisr 

Yes for sure. The Canare line is also available at BJC if I remember correctly.

@retrocrownfan ​​​​​@vernv . . . +1 and +1.

Plenty good, designed for what we use them for.

No need for anything else imho.  I would add canare to the short list.

Got excellent results using Mogami cables for speakers and interconnects. 3103 for speaker level and 2549 for interconnects. Mogami is popular in the recording studio and live performance industry.  My source was a pro-audio supply house.  I self terminated the speaker cable myself with high-spec banana plugs, purchased the interconnects pre-made.

Blue Jeans Cables for low money.

Iconoclast for mid level money.

Both are bargains in their price range.

@mijostyn - I'm a big fan of Kimber Kable as well.  +1

I have cables made to order by Schmitt Custom Audio Cable and use both James' Canare 4S11 and Reference 100 cables.  Super fast service, reasonable prices and located domestically here in Wisconsin.

Zavfino, DHLabs, Anti-Cables 3.1 OR 4.2 Flex.....or build your own with high quality bulk cable and a few screw on connectors, add heat shrink and voila

There is only one sane choice, Kimber Kable. You will have to be very patient if you want to terminate them by yourself. You have to strip up to 48 Teflon insulated wires for each cable, 96 for both. The 12TC is 8 gauge when you add up all the wire. Speakers are current driven devices. The best wires are the shortest you can fit with the largest gauge you can afford. The Kimber is special because of it's extremely low inductance. I do believe it is the lowest on the market. Everything else is marketing and sometimes it gets pretty silly. The advantage of making them yourself is that you can custom fit them to be as short as possible. This is one of the main advantages of mono amps right next to or behind the loudspeakers. There are thousands of speaker terminations. As long as they are well made and secure it makes absolutely no difference. I prefer locking banana plugs. I also solder all connections. 

Many people wind up choosing the best looking wires. I'm old school. All wires are ugly and all of them should be hidden. I even hide the amplifiers, all five of them. They are on a shelf directly below the speakers up against the ceiling in the work shop. All of them are balanced. 

If you’re looking for musicality, Duelund Coherent Audio makes both 12 and 10 gauge tin-plated copper in oiled cotton that sound great for the money. Pair with some rhodium-plated connectors and you’re in business. The $1500 price point won’t be a problem.

I agree with yyzsantabarbara ,if you can find on the net used Audience Frontrow, they truly are impressive cables. They sound warm,detailed and very live ,true to the ears experience.

 

Just to clarify;  I am unable to move the components closer to the speakers.

This is due to spousal limitations in the placement of furniture etc within the room.

Audioquest type 4, otherwise Auditorium 23's. They are , believe it or not, very similarly built/designed cables, the latter costing three times as much.

JPS Labs Superconductor 3 speaker cables!!! This cable has been around for years and is no longer being produced. But, I can tell you that these preform at such a high level of proficiency that they will make you question the need to spend more. And, for what the can be had for preowned, the superconductor 3 becomes an even greater value.  Phenomenal performers!!!  I just recently upgraded all the  cables in my system except for my JPS Labs Superconductor 3 speaker cables, which I’ve been using for almost 15 years now. Yes, I have brought in other cables for audition, but none of them were able to beat out the JPS Labs cables, especially for the money. I feel that my beloved speakers, and my beloved Superconductor 3 speaker cables are two of my greatest and wisest audio purchases in over 30 years in high end audio.

I have run long runs of very good and high quality single ended and balanced and both sounded great.

I would recommend an Audience AU24 SX. I am selling mine, but it is too short for most people, unless you have monos and even then, it may be too short. However, there is another seller on USAM selling the same cable at a longer length.  I think it is very good at the price that it is available for these days.

I am getting a used Audience FrontRow speaker cable on Monday for my Livingroom system. I also own a FrontRow speaker cable in my other office system. I like these cables more than the AU24 SX but they do cost a lot more.

 

After reading years ago, ... I chose to ’believe’ in the individual small strand concept of minimizing ’skin’ effect. Could be ridiculous at our short distance, but nonetheless

I was taught to keep speaker wires the same length, may be ridiculous at our lengths, nonetheless

I built my own using Cat 6 STFP Oxygen Free Copper. Sound as good as anything I have used or heard (I’m 75), but in any system, what are you hearing but the sum of it all.

I used two colors, one negative, one positive, crimped ends and attached expanding WBT type banana connectors.

Twist the two cables about 4 feet, tape, twist other direction about 4 feet, tape, keeps you from having to flip the entire length of the cable for every twist.

These are Cat 7, STFP, Oxygen Free Copper, each strand 23 awg (most are 26 awg). 8 x 23 awg = 14 awg.

Allow for slack both ends to make your life easy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+1 @ghdprentice especially if you can run a long balanced interconnect — then it’s a no brainer unless you don’t have a remote I guess. 

One way I cut the price of my cable down was buy a long single cable and then sent it out to be re-terminated. Instead of paying  $3k for the cables, I bought the single one (14ft) used for $500 and got it re-terminated for $130 by the company.

Have you considered locating your amp next to the speakers and using a long interconnect between the preamp. This is the traditional break strategy. Shorter speaker cables are preferred. 

Are you suggesting one cable will be much longer than the other?  I built my own, with cable bought from VH Audio.  I've not owned a better sounding cable.  Fits your budget and I think you will be surprised at how good they sound.

https://www.vhaudio.com/speakercables.html     Cheers.