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Really Dumb Question Re Speaker Cable

JPhendrick said:
Thank you! Is there upside/downside to just going bare wire on both ends? Found an old thread on here where the general consensus seemed to be that bare wire was preferred/optimal?

The Marantz receiver has spring clip connectors. Model Fives are binding posts it looks like?
Click to expand...

I compared bare wire with good quality spades and banana connectors and could not tell any difference in any of my 3 systems. I am currently using Mediabridge banana plugs in 2 of my systems and River Cable locking banana plugs in my main system. I like the banana plugs for ease of removal and reconnection when moving components.

These are the Mediabridge:

81WoMuC8GYL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

The River Cable locking bananas are more expensive (about 3 to 4 x more) than the Medaibridge and are used by Benchmark in their audiophile speaker cables but I could not tell any difference between them and the Mediabridge in any of my systems.

These are the River Cable locking banana plugs:

RIVBANANA8MM.jpg
 
100_5983.JPG
JPhendrick said:
Thank you! Is there upside/downside to just going bare wire on both ends? Found an old thread on here where the general consensus seemed to be that bare wire was preferred/optimal?

The Marantz receiver has spring clip connectors. Model Fives are binding posts it looks like?
Click to expand...
I made a little comparision pic for you.
look at the difference in contact with the metal strip
between the bare and soldered.

View attachment 2790230
 
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Lou G said:
I compared bare wire with good quality spades and banana connectors and could not tell any difference in any of my 3 systems. I am currently using Mediabridge banana plugs in 2 of my systems and River Cable locking banana plugs in my main system. I like the banana plugs for ease of removal and reconnection when moving components.

These are the Mediabridge:

View attachment 2790212

The River Cable locking bananas are more expensive (about 3 to 4 x more) than the Medaibridge and are used by Benchmark in their audiophile speaker cables but I could not tell any difference between them and the Mediabridge in any of my systems.

These are the River Cable locking banana plugs:

View attachment 2790213
Click to expand...

Just my opinion but those work best with stranded cable. The 2 piece (top) might not work at all with solid core, the bottom ones can be used with solid core, which I am doing, but I wonder how good the connection really is as it's just that tiny set screw holding the solid core in place.
I agree with the other who say use pure copper and not copper clad aluminum (CCA) wires.

OP mentions his crappy speakers. Seems that is one of the Marantz series that many people like?
Are all the drivers original? Maybe they need a recap?
Or maybe they just aren't pleasing to the OP's ears.
 
JPhendrick said:
Thank you! Is there upside/downside to just going bare wire on both ends? Found an old thread on here where the general consensus seemed to be that bare wire was preferred/optimal?

The Marantz receiver has spring clip connectors. Model Fives are binding posts it looks like?
Click to expand...

The only time I used bare wire, in recent memory, I didn't like the results. I did find that some solder on the bare wire helped.

Making a connection to the spring clips would be bare wire or wire with solder on it unless you wanted to upgrade those connections to accommodate a banana pluge. If there are binding posts on the Model Fives then I personally would use bananas for that connection.
 
goodolpg said:
Just my opinion but those work best with stranded cable. The 2 piece (top) might not work at all with solid core, the bottom ones can be used with solid core, which I am doing, but I wonder how good the connection really is as it's just that tiny set screw holding the solid core in place.
Click to expand...

I am using stranded cable. I am not sure how well the River Cable would work with solid core cable. In fact the Mediabridge will only work with stranded cable.
 
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goodolpg said:
Just my opinion but those work best with stranded cable. The 2 piece (top) might not work at all with solid core, the bottom ones can be used with solid core, which I am doing, but I wonder how good the connection really is as it's just that tiny set screw holding the solid core in place.
I agree with the other who say use pure copper and not copper clad aluminum (CCA) wires.

OP mentions his crappy speakers. Seems that is one of the Marantz series that many people like?
Are all the drivers original? Maybe they need a recap?
Or maybe they just aren't pleasing to the OP's ears.
Click to expand...
I bought them from an eBay dealer about 9 or 10 years ago, with as little knowledge then as I have now (in fact I just found a roughly 9 year old post I made on here asking for feedback on the quality of them - didn’t even remember that I’d done that). I don’t remember how they were listed as far as being original, etc. Nor would I know how to tell. But, I do know that it seems from what I’ve seen mentioned about them here and there over the years, they aren’t considered to be that great….

They’re not terrible, mind you. I’ve used them for this long. I’ve just never been……satisfied, let’s say. I feel like there’s better sound out there for me.
 
Lou G said:
You can start off with a basic 14 AWG or 12 AWG OFC cable and see how your system sounds. I prefer the 12 AWG but it may depend on what wire thickness your components will easily accept. There are many brands available on Amazon. One brand that is popular in Knukonceptz. It runs about $29 for 50 feet of 14 AWG OFC.
Click to expand...
I bought some in the red/bk color. I like it because it’s super duper flexible, lays nice and flat on the floor. I have also put proper binding posts on all my amps and speakers, and use 4mm banana pins for hookup.
 
Something like this will work with your Marantz.

71jHV5mursL._SL1500_.jpg
 
12 AWG is a complete waste of money....there is ZERO reason for that thick of cable in a 10 foot run. 16 awg is just fine. You will not hear any difference between 12 and 16 awg (with the same quality pure copper wire) in a 10 foot run, period.
 
Bodyblue said:
12 AWG is a complete waste of money....there is ZERO reason for that thick of cable in a 10 foot run. 16 awg is just fine. You will not hear any difference between 12 and 16 awg (with the same quality pure copper wire) in a 10 foot run, period.
Click to expand...
I have "mild to moderate" hearing loss in certain frequencies anyway, according to my doctor (too many years of loud concerts and dance clubs will do it) so I feel like there are definite instances where I most certainly will not notice subtle differences like that...
 
JPhendrick said:
I have "mild to moderate" hearing loss in certain frequencies anyway, according to my doctor (too many years of loud concerts and dance clubs will do it) so I feel like there are definite instances where I most certainly will not notice subtle differences like that...
Click to expand...

Even with perfect hearing, you would not notice any difference. The use of super thick cable for short difference home systems is useless. For a very high power system where the speakers drop to four or two ohm AND a 20 or 30 foot run super thick cable is needed. For a home system like most have, 14 awg is way overkill but still easy to work with. 16 is also more than one really needs but most of the pure copper wire starts in this size.

Also, most vintage equipment like your Marantz stuff was simply not designed for 12 awg cable.......14 is the absolute biggest that will fit easily.
 
My recommendation would be to go with the largest gauge cable your amp or receiver will accept. The cost differential between 12, 14, and 16 gauge is minimal and not a big consideration. As far as flexibility and ease of handling, my 12 gauge stranded OFC cable is no different than the 16 gauge stranded OFC it replaced. My 12 gauge is very flexible and easy to work with. The only difference is the thickness.

I don't know if the OP would be able to tell any difference between 12 gauge, 14 gauge and 16 gauge speaker cable on his system. All I can relate is my experience on my systems. I had been happily using 16 gauge OFC speaker cable for many years. About 20 years ago I decided to upgrade my connectors and at the same time I got a good deal on a 50 ft spool of 12 AWG OFC speaker cable, made in the USA (I believe it was about $20). I primarily got the 12 gauge speaker cable because the run in one of my systems was about 13 ft and I thought maybe heavier gauge cable in that system would be beneficial. I wasn't expecting any sonic improvements but when I installed the new cables, I was surprised at the improvement. The difference was primarily in bass output and dynamics. Even my wife noticed the difference immediately. I thought it couldn't be the cables but was probably due to the new connectors. So I replaced the old connectors on one set of the 16 gauge cables with the new connectors, after cutting off the old bare wires and stripping new exposed copper wire. The differences remained. I compared the two sets of cables with the new connectors on all 3 of my systems and in each case the 12 gauge produced better bass and dynamics.

By the way, the speakers in two of my systems are a nominal 4 Ohms and do drop down to between 2 to 3 Ohms. That may be a factor in the better bass with 12 gauge cables. However, the speakers in my 3rd system are nominal 8 Ohms and do not drop that low.

The KLH Model Fives that the OP ordered do go down to 3.5 Ohms, so possibly that may be a factor for heavier gauge cables.
 
A used integrated amp I bought a few years ago, NAD C 350, came with some heavy duty 10' speaker cables that when new would have cost over $200. I could not tell any difference between those and the 14 gauge ofc cable I had on hand. YMMV.
 
"So I bought these expecting to be able to run bare wire into them and that doesn’t seem to work. Did I misunderstood something?"

Bare wire or banana plugs, you have to unscrew them to use bare wire.
 
opnly bafld said:
"So I bought these expecting to be able to run bare wire into them and that doesn’t seem to work. Did I misunderstand something?"

Bare wire or banana plugs, you have to unscrew them to use bare wire.
Click to expand...

I think it just took me a minute to wrap my head around this one then I found a video. Am I crazy or is this how this goes?
 

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^^^Perfect^^^

Just be sure the stripped end that protrudes does not contact any other connector or the case of the unit causing a potentially catastrophic short.

I would recommend wrapping the connector with some electrical tape as cheap insurance
 
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