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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
casosac
2 posts
 
b4icu 
Thanks for your time and your shares.
I admire and appreciate your knowledge, focus on data and a certain style in the answers.

Finally an approach to choose a cable that is not based on emotional shit, exotic names, sensations, lunar shielding processes but not even on '' the cable does not count for anything ''.
I am a civil architect with little experience in the audio field but I smell when a civil engineer or heat engineer, or electrical engineer is not wasting my time on my work with bullshit.
You are indicating a method, you are open to discussion and do not seem to be in a conflict of interest. Good boy!
I take advantage of your patience.
I am about to purchase a Luxman M-900 amplifier with Damping Factor 710.
The cables should be 2 meters long.
So on one side they must have a spade connection and on the other a banana connection (Dali Epicon 8 speakers).
So which section should I use in order not to degrade the good DF of my new amplifier?
Thank you so much for your attention.
Alessandro
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
So unless you use some cable with a twick, like MIT with a box or similar, getting thicker should not effect your sound.

Operative word being "should".

This comes up a lot. In fact it is your entire thread. What "should" be. What impurities, thicknesses, length, DF, on and on and freaking on, an endless stream of what you think "should" effect your sound.

Have you ever bothered to compare? To actually listen? To know, for a change, what "is"? Or is that too much to ask?
johnc5's avatar
johnc5
40 posts
 
Damping factor 1000 (D-sonic amp)
6 ft speaker cables
Magnepan .7 speakers

Thanks for recommendation!
audio2design
1,351 posts
 
Cool thread. When I agree with Miller (for different reasons) you can be sure there are issues. Thread is pretty much a sharing of delusions and inaccuracies.
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,865 posts
 
all tube amps....don’t have output transformers......better study up a bit before using the word “ all”......

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