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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
vinylshadow
421 posts
 
Thank you b4icu.

The reason the speaker cables are 8 ft is the nature of the Straight Wire Crescendo cable. If you look up a picture, the cable is a thick, minimally bendable rope of a cable due to it’s foam/PTFE insulation and compression . But the main issue is where the right side monoblock is sitting in my equipment rack vs. the left side. There is a wall corner on the right side that the cable has to navigate around and the dealer/installer wanted to keep the cable lengths the same.

And yes, the interconnects between my Classe processor and Model 12’s are XLR.

I will be moving on to new speaker cables soon enough and will definitely want them shorter and more flexible. That is why I was looking at Vertere Acoustics as my analog rig, interconnects and mains cables are mostly Vertere. I’ve read "ideally" you want the same company’s wires and cables due to similar dialectics etc but the speaker cables may not apply to that.....

Again, with amps of a damping factor >100, if I went with 6’ cables, which AWG would you advise. Would that gauge be different for 2 meters(6.5')?
Thank you.
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
I got the Audioquest cables for free...my custom MIT BIWIRES are coming soon!  I’ve been through the mill and I’ve learned what works for me...and y’a can’t learn it from specs or graphs.  It ain’t that simple...too many variables.  The only fundamental difference I’ve heard in cables are with MIT....puts my rear quarters in the club man!  I can smell the whiskey and the sweat flying off Coltrane...sweet;)
b4icu's avatar
b4icu OP
553 posts
 
Mr. vinylshadow

The relation of a copper conductor (cable, wire) is:
R = ro x L (m) / S (sq. mm)
When R is the resistance (in Ohms),
ro is the copper constant conductivity value,
L is the length in meters and
S is the cross section in square millimeters. 
You may use the AWG
table: https://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm
For every 1/2 on length, that the cables is shorter, you can let also 1/2 on cross section, so the R will remain the same.
Why 2 meters?
Why not 1 m? (3') it's more than enough.
On 1 m you can go with #12 AWG.
For 2m as you ask for (!) is #9-10 AWG.
A DF of 100 is not much for monoblocks. A mediocre Japanese receiver of the 70's was 40! 
Follow my recommendations about eBay and Nakamichi banana plugs, you will end under $100.- for the best results.
The Nakamichi banana plugs can have up to an #8 AWG cable, without problems. The labor time is about 1hr. the results: excellent.




b4icu's avatar
b4icu OP
553 posts
 
Mr. Dave_b2
MIT use a small box along the cable. that has some passive components.
Look at it is some filter, if not a gimmick to charge you and doe nothing!
I opened once an MIT cable, they use HF antenna cables, with shield and solid middle wire. They are shorten at the ends.

Look at a cable that works with your DF and length. Pass me the information and I'll calculate for you the AWG. It's for free.
At least you will know what AWG you need. The brand providing it is insignificunt.
b4icu's avatar
b4icu OP
553 posts
 
Mr. tweak_1

The Wire World website information is irrelevant. 
Use an OFC cable that is flexible enough, with lots of thin strands, would be the best. For length: you need to say. The thickness for such length, is set by the Amp's DF spec.
All tricks as for skin effect, cable's geometry, cryo treatment, Bi-Wire, or any other of that long list (including Burn Ib (BI) are nothing but BS.
My suggestion, to use two separate (the red and black), and not a twin in one cable. That is the best for no Capacitance. 
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