Inexpensive Speaker Wire with Braided Covering

[ic-racer]

I just remodeled my basement listening room and want to replace my lamp-cord type speaker wire with some $20,000 wire 'look-alike.' I checked e-bay for some Chinese faux-expensive wire but found none.

Then I thought about just putting the lamp-cord type wire through a braided conduit. I found the site below with braided conduit that might look good. Does anyone have experience with this type of product used for its aesthetic value?

http://www.wirecare.com/braided-sleeving.asp

 

[interalian]

Tech Flex works well to disguise your wires as well as bundle cables. Go for it.

 

[N8Nagel]

^what he said. And there's really nothing wrong with a good 14 or 12AWG zip cord unless you have a seriously high end system; even then I suspect that any sonic "improvements" from expensive cables are debatable. The only good arguments I can think of for using anything else are a) aesthetics and b) abrasion resistance.

Edit: just thought of another one, c) rating for in-wall and/or plenum use, if you are concealing them.

If you go with techflex, finish the ends with heat shrink for a neat look.

 

[gadget73]

I've also used TechFlex over cables. Makes them look fancy. One set of interconnects I use were these fat AR video component cables that I got for peanuts at the flea market. They were just single cables, and looked very messy. Some TechFlex with a bit of heat shrink tubing at the end to anchor it all together makes them look like something I spent actual money on.

 

[Yamaki]

Ditto on the tech flex product. With some cable, cable pants (Monoprice), heat shrink, some cable block separators and good bananas you can come up with something like this for very little money:

 

[Poultrygeist]

Redneck Tech Flex

I use Decor Mesh Tube over "White Lightning Moonshine" speaker cables aka Walmart Woods Patio Cord.

The Decor Mesh Tube comes in every color imaginable and at a local craft store I bought 45 ft for $1.49. The metallic black and silver looks great over the White Lightnings. To get a nice finished look you'll need heat shrink to terminate the ends.

 

[nerdorama]

Ditto on the tech flex product. With some cable, cable pants (Monoprice), heat shrink, some cable block separators and good bananas you can come up with something like this for very little money:

Where did you get these? What are they called?

Thanks,
John

 

[ic-racer]

Thanks for the posts guys. Any rule of thumb for matching speaker wire size and sheath diameter?

 

[drtool]

 

[thedelihaus]

I have purchased plenty of great speaker cable used or when a line is being discontinued on Audiogon, eBay, and through my local dealer who takes it in on trade.

I then add my own lugs and outer braiding sleeves to protect it from possible nicks and just general protection. I also use heat shrink tubing to keep it in place.

Pretty easy to do. And plenty of speaker wire deals to be found out there, or a complete DIY route by buying, as you mentioned, lamp cord.

best of luck with your projects!