What speaker cables for SET?

[Wes_in_VA]

FWIW, the silver wire Down Under us pretty pricey.

When I'm forced to shorten the distance between the speakers and my listening seat, I will definitely explore the world of silver wires. Until then, I'm having the Cat5e in my mind, or even single enameled copper coil again.

I like having the distance as long as possible, not to mention having nothing between the speakers.

These are a lot more important than having silver wires

I really liked Cat5 when I had my Aiko horns set up with the Zen. Actually, come to think of it, I don't think I've tried them yet with my OB's??? :scratch2:

 

[btol]

Ok I'm interested now too - saw some teflon insulated solid 20awg silver wire on the bay. Will regular ole ratshack solder suffice for terminating the wires or do you guys use silver or some other exotic solderwhat. Also, is it a bad idea to put both + and - strands in the same run of techflex?

 

[Poultrygeist]

FWIW,

The deleted post was from the inventor of the Hornshoppe Horns and the Truth preamp. He's not a regular here so I doubt he knew speaker wire debates are verboten on this forum.

 

[Tinkerbelle]

FWIW,

The deleted post was from the inventor of the Hornshoppe Horns and the Truth preamp. He's not a regular here so I doubt he knew speaker wire debates are verboten on this forum.

Ignorantia juris non excusat. The Rules are plainly posted and a member should first read the rules before commenting.

In addition, his parting post included comments on moderation and disrespect for the members and this site. So I am not sure the intended relevance of this post.

 

[davidro]

Won the speaker posts that PG recommended for U$11 shipped.

My crimping tool went broke. Would one of the cheapie stuff for network cables from China suffice for my needs?

Sent from my X10a using Tapatalk 2

 

[Billfort]

Are they copper (not brass)?

Just my opinion but the best binding post is no binding post and if you can't live with hard-wiring (I sure can't with every connection), sticking with the same material as the wire - copper or silver if you use that - is best.

 

[BadassBob]

Won the speaker posts that PG recommended for U$11 shipped.

My crimping tool went broke. Would one of the cheapie stuff for network cables from China suffice for my needs?

Sent from my X10a using Tapatalk 2

What are you crimping?

 

[davidro]

Are they copper (not brass)?

Just my opinion but the best binding post is no binding post and if you can't live with hard-wiring (I sure can't with every connection), sticking with the same material as the wire - copper or silver if you use that - is best.

Valid point but the connection tabs on the drivers didn't seem too sturdy...

What are you crimping?

cables, to strip off the insulation at the end.

 

[davidro]

I also have the Mundorf silver/gold wire for the connection between the drivers and the speaker posts. I hear each pair is about A$80.

 

[tube-a-lou]

I use Kimber Kable 8PR on my Tube amps, nice sounding cable and pretty inexpensive.

Tube

 

[for_p1]

Try this http://www.capitalcamera.com/nav/itempage.asp?itemid=19827 company that made it is long defunct, but product is still available. I used several rolls of it over last 15 years. Looks and works good.

 

[davidro]

Ok, so I bought some 'closed=cell' seal foam tape from Bunnings and re-did the drivers.

I had a pair of Mundorf solid-core silver/gold wire for the internal connection. Apparently $80 each cab. Used the speaker binding posts that PG recommended.

 

[Poultrygeist]

FWIW I stick the gasket tape to the rear edge of the speaker. Black foam tape is less noticeable.

I punch out some of the tape material where they mount so they can be aligned with the baffle pre-drilled holes

 

[davidro]

This tape was about as black as it gets among closed cell ones, PG.

I placed the tape on the pre-drilled holes when I was working on my AR speakers, but I don't feel I need to go all that Nazi about sealing with this design.

BTW, really enjoying my first foray into the OB

 

[Poultrygeist]

Weather stripping foam tape comes in black and white here in the states. No telling what y'all got down under.

With OB's it's not so much about the seal but the cushion the tape provides between the baffle and the speaker where vibration is most common.

 

[davidro]

They did carry black & white. But only limited to open cell ones as opposed to closed cell tapes. My choice was either what I used or brown....

Love the stage presentation of the OB.

 

[MikE]

DIY speaker 'cables' 24awg (5n) 99.999% pure silver / 20awg teflon 10' runs.

 

[unfairlane]

Thin wires will make your amp sound "thin". Remember; this is on the secondary low-current side, 0.5mm or 20awg is not enough to let the amp breathe and bloom.
Silver is a waist, teflon is a misunderstanding. 12awg copper is a minimum, solid off course. My friends tiny 2A3 SET into K-horns gave it`s best with 9awg solid copper. (be aware that a thick solid conductor will need a shorter "burn-in" to open up)
If you want to preserve the pure SET-sound then stay away from any fancy stranded, braided "hifi"-wiring. AND; do not twist the conductors, instead keep them apart, out of eachothers magnetic fields, like 2-3" apart*. (amp likes it and you will get a clean 3D)(*this is why some amps don`t "like" Goertz or other "low capacitance" cables)

Good luck!

 

[Pauln]

Anyone have any experience with this?
Cotton insulated 4N Silver
23 AWG @ $6.95/ft
29 AWG @ $2.50/ft

Jupiter

 

[Poultrygeist]

The white speaker cables you see connected to the Bottlehead 2a3 mono blocks are 16 gauge stranded copper ( cheap Woods power cords from Walmart aka White Lightning Moonshines ).

Nothing thin sounding about these cables which were the choice for Jim Dowdy's 30K GM70 SET at Horn Fest ( see earlier post in this thread ). I'd rather spend my money on tubes which make a difference I can hear.