Currently, I have a Cambridge Audio CXR200 that has a bi-amp feature on it. I have 1 channel going to lows, and 1 to highs for each side. So, 2 pairs of cables for each side.
I'd prolly have to go down the line on the cables if I had to buy 2 sets.... So, would I be better off with 1 set of nice cables with a set of jumpers, or 2 sets of lower down the line cables for them?
Reason I'm looking is, I have cheap cables currently, and was told a nice set of cables may open up my speakers (Wharfedale Reva-4 towers) and make them sound better.
To those who say cables do not make difference in the system: its is because your system is not good enough. E.g. If you put an Odin cable in a system of $5k, you would not hear the difference but in a system of $50k, it would be much noticeable.
belden 5000ue 12awg (true 12awg). PE insulation and OFC copper, twisted for low inductance. Cheap and way overkill for a 6ft length - it would be pretty much like no cable at all.
All other things being equal, the longer the cables the more important the quality/gauge. I wouldn't sweat too much for 6' cables. Any good 12awg copper cable should suffice.
Well OP you got every answer possible--they won't make a difference, they may make a difference, and they will definitely make a difference. FWIW it is a hobby...spend a little money and see what your ears tell you. No one else posting here is going to live with your system. BTW I agree with adg101 and akg_ca: better cables with jumpers rather than two sets of lesser cables. YMMV--as you can see from all the different opinions. Peace Al
I Introduced Kimber to one of our local brick and mortar shops back in the 80’s and they still carry them today. I’ve owned both the 4tc and 8tc and good cables but there’s so much better out there and one doesn’t have to spend a lot to hear it. Took in a set of Clear Day Cables double shotguns for them to listen to, which almost every system they have on the floor has 4tc and the Clear Days destroyed them and one of the employees there has gone to Clear Days at home and a couple other employees have pitched Clear Days to many regulars that hang out there who have purchased many from Paul. No one there thought the Kimbers were even close and one person there admitted that cables don’t make a difference... well now he does. Blows my mind a shop pushes something and has bought the product they can’t carry. I really like Kimber and know they have a great product line as I’ve owned and still own some. Someone with a system getting up there of the price of nice luxury car should look into Ray Kimbers better cables, I think.... bet Ray would say the same.
As far as what one should spend on cables based on their system really depends on the quality of components. The OP equipment is fine and no doubt better cables are going to improve their system, but yes do not go out and spend $2,000 plus on a pair of speaker cables. My speaker cables are around 21% of the cost of my speakers, CD player with IC and PC is almost 100% and my player shines with my cables and I believe it would improve with cables costing more than the player. My amp I’m around 33% with IC and PC. Dedicated circuits and receptacles will only help and really required when the cost of a system goes up and becomes more revealing or you get to a point you’re just throwing money out the window.
I've experimented with numerous cables and have come to the conclusion that ICs can make a huge difference, but properly sized speaker cables not so much, if any.
@elizabeth - you said 65k on your system but I find it hard to believe you would use a pair $125 speaker cable. Do you do 2 channel audio or is your 65k home theater? I have 15k Magnepans and roughly 25k in components and my cables including interconnects and speaker cable cost 14k. Not including power cords. It just doesn’t make sense and I’m from the world that if it doesn’t make sense it ain’t true. No disrespect.
Wow some of these answers are crazy. Speaker cables and interconnects are important to your system. It's like saying different tubes do not make a difference. Cables are important but they have to match your system. I am a Magnepan owner and certain cables do not work well with them. I did a demo with Transparent and Nordost, both fine cables but one made my system anemic and the other was a little to thin in the bass. I ended up choosing Tara Labs and they made everything come together. If you don't think cables matter then go buy some radio shack brand and see how your components and speakers sound.
Back to the original question; you are better with one better set with jumpers than two pairs of a lesser cables. Just use what you have for now and make some simple jumpers of your own with some decent cable which should outperform the cheap jumper strips that come with most speakers; if you don’t hear the difference with this first simple test then likely your system/speakers are not revealing enough that tweaks are very noticeable but probably sounds very musical nonetheless. Not everyone has great hearing or knows how to listen or what to listen for; for many of us it takes years to learn how listen to hear the differences between cables and tweaks. If you do hear the difference between making your own jumpers then experiment with some better cables but be smart on what you spend. You can find a lot of nice cables used or have some fun building your own - VH Audio is one of several places to buy bulk cable. As several have said here, you have to listen with your own ears and not too much to us. Have fun, good luck and Tweak away. More importantly enjoy the music.
I got them off Amazon for $15/pair. I bought them because they looked really nice, and were inexpensive. I know my speakers arent great, they're prolly not even good, but would better cables help them or no?
I don’t understand how good audio gear will produce finely detailed sound based on sensitivity to minute changes in the signal yet not be sensitive to differences in the electrical properties of various brands of wire unless "broken".
Again, as dill says, experiment and judge for yourself.
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If they do, there is something wrong with either the cables, the speakers or the amplifier" That is just silly talk, experiment and judge for yourself.
I agree with Shadorne that fancy cables will not make a difference other than to your bank account, nor wil bi wiring. If they do, there is something wrong with either the cables, the speakers or the amplifier. Fancy cables are just great money makers for the industry, with huge margins. Do make sure the cables are thick enough for the length that you are using.
What I meant is if you have bare ended wires, to try what I suggested. I can’t recommend stripping off cable ends if it’s not in your budget but if you’re of a mind to try, what I suggested is to use the positive cable end to connect to both positive speaker posts and the negative end to their corresponding speaker posts (using just one set of cables, not two).
Both pos and neg speaker binding posts should be directly above each other. Don’t cross them. All you’d be doing is using one cable to reach both of it’s corresponding posts. The length of bare wire needed should be no more than 3 inches to reach both terminals.
Try removing the speaker post caps and see how the eye of the post is oriented, and thread the cable through the bottom post and connect it the same way to the upper post. It makes for a clean and tidy connection. You’re basically threading two needles.
Thanks for the response, Nonoise... Do you mean strip the banana terminals off one side and split the positive and negative wires to both terminals on the speaker? Im sorry, this is all new to me.
If the bi wire posts on your speakers are easily accessible to fiddle with and you can use bare wire (no terminations) then you can leave enough bare wire exposed to reach both terminals. You can alway go back with a length of tubing, size up the exposed bits of wire, cut the tubing to length, slit it on the side, and fit it over the bare, exposed wire.
You'll be surprised at how good it can sound using only one cable. You'll eliminate the plated connectors (comprised of at least two different metals) and the jumper wire itself, which most likely will not be the same as your speaker cables, eliminating a lot of variables.
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