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How to select a good Speaker Cable

Speaker cables do have a significant role in how our system sounds. Different cables sound different. 

So which one is the right one for you?

The Speaker Cable is an extension of the Amp. and not an addition to the speaker's load. It shall have a certain resistance (low) not to spoil the Amp's DF figure. As so, it can be calculated and there is a formula to do it.

The higher the Amp's DF, the lower the Speaker Cable's resistance shall be. As today SS power Amp's get DFs of 400 and above (Digital Amps go by thousands) the cable of 10 ft (3m) long, gets as thick as 0 AWG.

I can see your eyebrows elevates, when that thick cable is to be deal with. Most Speaker Cable makers skip it because of that. So most cables on the market (regardless of the look or price) are of 14-12 AWG. Way less that supposed to be.

Worst! no Speaker Cable maker, dealer or seller knows the answer, of what is the correct cable for your system. 

So most of us ended up, with a cables too thin for the task.

A conducted test, on this site, about a year ago as well as with some closer friends, shows a significant improvement with a calculated size cable over their previous cable. The results were all positive and preferred the calculated cable.

So, instead of asking: which of two brands, or two prices or two colors of Speaker Cable do I need, you should ask how thick of a Speaker Cable do I need.

I'll be happy to provide you the calculation, for who request it. All you need to provide is:

1). Length (Ft. or meter)

2). The Amp's DF figure.

Thanks


128x128b4icu
glupson
7,842 posts
 
b4icu,

What I really meant is that your previous, virtually identical, thread was long enough and, in the end, not useful enough to deserve repeating.

Most of the people who visited did learn that cable has to be too thick to be conveniently connected, has to be short, and that despite all the calculations you provide, it is always like that. Maybe you should dust that thread off by yourself and check what it came down to. An arm-thick cable and some, quite bizzare, methods how to connect it to equipment without damage.
b4icu's avatar
b4icu OP
553 posts
 
Sorry, there were quite a few who made a cable and posted very positive replies. A #0 awg, is more like your thumb rather your arm. A #4 awg is way less.
Is that is your excuse? I hope you don't want to hear such a say: "its  too thick to be conveniently connected", from your doctor before a surgery.
It is unaccepted. If so many pioneers could easily overcome that problem, all can. Bizzare? a thin cable, good for all, cost an arm and a leg, is  Bizzare!
Some methods were offered, practiced and successfully implemented.
If that is your requirement, just say so. 
grm
149 posts
 
Hello OP,

You asked for the specifications of my Amplifier, it's a Krell Vanguard driving a pair of Sonus Faber speakers rated at 8ohms.

The output impedance of the Amp is 0.075 Ohms 20hz - 20Khz.
The Damping Factor is 106 20hz - 20khz @  8ohms.

Thanks!
b4icu's avatar
b4icu OP
553 posts
 
I need the required cable length too. The speakers data (Load) is not required.
Thanks.
DF of 106 is relatively low...
grm
149 posts
 
Hi,

I am using 15' of cable to each speaker. Right channel 15' and left channel 15'. As I mentioned, I am Bi-Wiring my speakers. Each speaker has a run of Belden 10awg 1313A speaker cable for the low frequency driver and Audioquest 15.5awg for the high frequency driver, again all of them are 15' in length.

Thank you!
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