• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

No debates: what speaker wires, cables or interconnects do you prefer and use?

firstly, my main system:

Pioneer SA-9800 amp
Marantz CD63 MKII K1 signature cdp
B&W DM2 transmission line speakers

I have experimented with several different speaker cables and have found that the best results achieved for my system/listening room/and personal taste is the old Hitachi SSX 102K LC-OFC speaker cable

(I bought a huge box of various used speaker cable off ebay ... these were from a guy who refurbishes old pubs/nightclubs and these are what he removed during building renovations)

the best interconnect that I have ever used, is a new acquisition and is called Silver High Breed Quintessence) ... these are handbuilt by a guy in London (£65 for a 1m length)

I posted some info on these on this site:
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=317475
 
12/2 romex makes great speaker wire

20-28 ga mil spec hookup wire is good for low level signals (high purity cu with a silver wash and teflon insulation)

where i come from quantum cable is used for almost everything...kunk
 
Blue Jeans Cable BJC-1 for RCA interconnects, Belden 1800F for RCA to XLR and XLR to XLR interconnects, and Cabasse loudspeaker cable for my... Cabasse loudspeakers. LS cables are very short, thanks to the monobloc amps being placed right near the loudspeakers.
 
Well... used to use like 10-strand per polarity generic wires for the speakers, then after my bookshelf JBL speakers were stolen, I used the wire I was using for them for our 22-year old Technics system (the one partially pictured here... http://a4.l3-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/107/0a6a769aac89a497fc4ab9df1e847c9f/l.jpg)... the wires dad picked out when they picked out the JBLs for me was single-strand per pole, kinda smaller gauge (guessing 16-20 gauge). The difference was night and day... nearly tripled the bass output and overall volume that the Technics cranked out.

The way I look at it... the old multi-strand wires probably has less capacitance per wire, but lost a lot of the power due to not every wire contacting the amp's speaker jacks or the speaker's jacks (a few get the the full power, but that full power gets spread to all the wires)... and the single-strands do, and carry the full power from amp to speaker, though they probably have higher capacitance.
I'd have to say I like the way the single-strand sounds much better, though it's also a little riskier (in my opinion) to the speakers... I can red-line the amp (according to the meter on the front of the amp) with the volume dial at about 3 with the right music.
Maybe someplace out there, there is like the ideal median between high-capacitance single-strand and low-capacitance, high loss multi-strand... maybe a liquid wire (mercury in a wire jacket) or doubling up on the single-strand (just another length of the same wire twisted together at the ends)... maybe less capacitance and like lower output to speaker (end up taking more on the volume dial to red-line the amp). If it's not out there, maybe somebody could release a line of wires like that.
 
Linn k 400,bi-wire speaker cable,waterhose appearance,great signal delivery though.Tandy gold patch interconnects-cheaper than few bannanas-more joy for my ears than some clearaudio wires.
 
Interconnects (digital, analog, analog video) Belden 1505A
Connections to powered speakers: Canare star quad
HDMI: probably Belkin
 
useing 18ga wire stranded copper from vacuum cleaners
i tinned the ends of the wires with 2% silver solder from radioshack.

for interconnects i make my own.
i prefer solid core wire
 
Recently upgraded some bulk roll 16 gauge standard stiff wire for pairs of
Acoustic Research 12 gauge terminated sets with gold pin connectors.
Very reasonably priced on ebay + free shipping.
2 X 15
2 X 5
PIONEER SPEC-2 amp to (4) Realistic Mach Twos

Wanted something better but with out the hyper price.
I am happy with them. Nice heavy duty looking, feeling but with great flexability.

Could not hear a difference sonically (I know thats not what this thread is about), but that was not the point.
I had been wanting to upgrade for sometime thinking my beefy amp should have beefy wire to my speakers.
 
I'm using Morrow audio SP4 speaker cables , Mac Palladium interconn. , Acrolink 6N-P4030 & Furutech FP-314Ag power cables ( DIY ).
 
I run premium line Monoprice cables, speaker wire and interconnects. No difference in sound as expected, but build is far superior to what I used to run which was whatever came with the units or cheap quality stuff from the store.
 
Using Monster Interlink 200, 300, 400, 400 II, CD, THX standard (audio) and THX coax digital, plus a couple of generic Toslinks. Speaker wire is Monster Z1R for my main rig (bi-amped, center and subs) with AR 16ga for rear channels, and Esoteric Audio 14ga for my living room setup.
 
I'm using some stuff that looks like Monster cable, but comes in a roll from Radio Shack. Got the roll at a garage sale. I solder it to banana plugs.
 
A mix of Signal cable, RS Golds, some rather splendid no names, and DIY for RCA cables.

For speaker wire I use Vampire, some cat-5e, some 12/3 extension cord, and some star braided silver plated copper.
 
HDMI Cables: Blue Jeans Cables
RCA: Blue Jeans Cables, Acoustic Research (Y-splitter for sub)
XLR: Emotiva
Speaker: King Cable (to the speaker/wall), Monoprice (In-Wall)
TosLink: Monoprice, Acoustic Research
Power: Emotiva
 
Back
Top Bottom