what do you all think of CAT 5 speaker wires?

I was moving around my garage set up this winter, and the speaker wires I was using(MIT I think) were frozen stiff. I had some extra CAT5 from my basement reno, so I gave them a try. They seemed to work fine. I can't see myself spending money on CAT5 for speaker wire.
 
i wouldn't call this cheap or inexpensive, by any means.
To do this properly youm need good Teflon coated wire.
I bought some 3 or 4 years ago, and a 1000 ft. roll was well over 400 smackers. Not for the faint hearted.
 
The teflon coated cat 5 is a fire rated cable that some communities require in new commercial buildings. Also, cat 5 is designed to move digital signals along it's path. With an analog signal, it gives no real advantage as far as low voltage, direct current is concerned. Just my two cents, mind you.
 
kirk57 said:
I am using CAT5 speaker cable in my AV system. I made these by braiding 6 pairs of strands together (NOT using the entire bundled CAT5 cable) This means taking the cable apart and separating the wires, and rebuilding it. This is a time consuming effort, but I was able to do it in a couple of hours.

Plenum rated CAT5 is preferred, because the insulation on the Plenum rated stuff is different from regular CAT5, and supposedly results in less capacitance. I measure the capacitance of my finished cable and it is less that the Kimber braided cable that I have on hand (the old gray and black stuff)

I'm also using CAT5 IC's, using a single pair of strands (plenum rated, again). While not as effective as other shielding techniques, taking care to cross the wires over at as close to 90 degrees to each other does help. I have had very good results with the ICs, and they surprised me by easily besting some AudioQuest Ruby cables when used between my DAC and preamp. I'm using some fairly good ($25 a set) RCAs from Parts Express for these ICs, so that might be a factor also.

When used between phono and preamp, there was some low level noise I could not eliminate, but only when using a MM cartridge. I did not encounter this problem when using a MC cartidge.

CAT5 is so cheap, it's easy to experiment and see what you think for yourself....
Click to expand...

I was introduced to CAT5 speaker cable more than 10 years ago. It was around that time I made my own. I used the Teflon coated. I braided up twisted pairs x three x three x three. I never tried it for IC's. I needed shielded cables because of a neighbors illegal CB linear amplifier. I was working in the computer field and had lots of spare cable.
 
Not impresses by cables. I tried it but it didn't sound differently. The braided ones from the lnk above my post look neat though.
 
I used CAT because I could get it really cheap and it is quality cabling.

I don't remember you call shielded CAT, but it does exist. (Used it at a nuclear fission plant were I worked for a while).

Cat 5 & 6 works beautifully as speaker cable here.
DSCF5963.jpg

Please mind the cable mess, I don't like it either. :S
 
Try it - I use a pair

BUT - BIG BUT...

Keep the POLARITIES apart. Do NOT cross-braid the conductors. I use a run of three CAT5 cables per polarity, twisted together. So in the end there are four separate cables for a normal stereo setup.

By braiding the conductors you create a capacitive load that is not good for most amplifiers.
 
As a desperate, temporary solution... cool.
As anything more than that until you can find some zip cord or speaker wire of a reasonable and appropriate gauge... inappropriate.

Remember, only you can prevent polarity reversal.
 
So what does CAT5 offer over zip cord again?

I mean it's fine and all as long as your amp doesn't complain about the capacitance. And yes, it is the capacitance and yes, length is directly proportional to the capacitance. I believe a careful study on the sonic impact is in order. I don't find it hard to believe that after spending a couple hours on measuring and braiding, one might be biased into liking the outcome.

I'd use it in an emergency, and I imagine that they might not sound worse than appropriate gauge of low capacitance, low inductance wire, but I doubt they would sound better.
 
Dave C said:
All this got me thinking and looking so I'll throw this in the fire.
http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/cables/diy-speaker-cable-faceoff
Since I built a 6 cable cat5 braid that I haven't tried yet I'm dying ti know what you think.
Click to expand...

If you think all cables and IC's sound the same, there's no need to respond.

This is what I experienced.

The ones I made needed around 50 hours of use to break in. They initially sounded like they were electrified barbed wire. That is, they sounded steely, spiky and "stiff?". After break in they sound slightly forward in the mids with slightly rolled off highs and very clean (not particularly deep) bass.

Agree with my impressions or not. The CAT-5's I made sounded very different after break in. Two of my friends noticed the difference and favorably commented. This was from two people who aren't into this hobby and had no idea any change in wire, IC's or gear had been performed.

Power amplifiers with a wide bandwidth output may have problems with the larger (more TP's) CAT-5.
 
JoeESP9 said:
If you think all cables and IC's sound the same, there's no need to respond.
Click to expand...
Are you the thread police?

JoeESP9 said:
This is what I experienced.

The ones I made needed around 50 hours of use to break in. They initially sounded like they were electrified barbed wire. That is, they sounded steely, spiky and "stiff?". After break in they sound slightly forward in the mids with slightly rolled off highs and very clean (not particularly deep) bass.

Agree with my impressions or not. The CAT-5's I made sounded very different after break in. Two of my friends noticed the difference and favorably commented. This was from two people who aren't into this hobby and had no idea any change in wire, IC's or gear had been performed.

Power amplifiers with a wide bandwidth output may have problems with the larger (more TP's) CAT-5.
Click to expand...
It's fine that you have your opinion too. To me this sounds like a job for the TOL forum, where people can resent science.
 
Machineghost said:
Try it - I use a pair

BUT - BIG BUT...

Keep the POLARITIES apart. Do NOT cross-braid the conductors. I use a run of three CAT5 cables per polarity, twisted together. So in the end there are four separate cables for a normal stereo setup.

By braiding the conductors you create a capacitive load that is not good for most amplifiers.
Click to expand...

Re; don't braid;

I use bog standard cable (1 cable, so 8 cat strands,) per speaker terminal (so two runs of CAT to each speaker).
I didn't open up the cable jackets and left the original 'pair' stranding in place.
I did twist the two cables together so I have one 'speaker cable'.
Should I worry about that capacative load? And the behind it theory if I should?
 
"So what does CAT5 offer over zip cord again? "

None other than higher current capability if you "bunch" 2 or more runs.
 
Machineghost said:
"So what does CAT5 offer over zip cord again? "

None other than higher current capability if you "bunch" 2 or more runs.
Click to expand...

??:scratch2: Hmmm...
12ga Circular mils =6529

CAT5 spec say's 24ga per conductor.
24ga Circular mils = 404
if you bunch 8 conductors, you get 3232 Circular mils. You would need to bunch 16 24ga wires to get near 1 12ga conductor.

You're not counting the insulation thickness, are you?
 
Jon_Logan said:
So what does CAT5 offer over zip cord again?

I mean it's fine and all as long as your amp doesn't complain about the capacitance. And yes, it is the capacitance and yes, length is directly proportional to the capacitance. I believe a careful study on the sonic impact is in order. I don't find it hard to believe that after spending a couple hours on measuring and braiding, one might be biased into liking the outcome.

I'd use it in an emergency, and I imagine that they might not sound worse than appropriate gauge of low capacitance, low inductance wire, but I doubt they would sound better.
Click to expand...

If you disassemble the cable and use the individual strands, you can get an idea of small gauge solid core wire can sound like. If you leave it in a bundle, it may be prettty capacitive. I don't know for sure, since I never measured the capacitance of the whole bundle. As I mentioned, I did measure the capacitance of the speaker cable I made.

If you don't think different type of cable materials and construction make any difference, that's fine. If you are curious, then this is a good way to experiment.
 
I have a set I made via TNT Audio's instructions, used them till recently when I heard about the capacitance thing. Switched to 12 ga. 'monster', heard no difference. Tried the IC's too, had hum issues.
 
Jon_Logan said:
Are you the thread police?


It's fine that you have your opinion too. To me this sounds like a job for the TOL forum, where people can resent science.
Click to expand...

Thread police? No. However, I am aware there is a large gulf between the sides in the wire and cable "discussion".

I'm a retired electrical engineer. I know there is no physics related reason for what I heard and hear with cables and other things. The question was raised and I attempted to answer it. I fully realize there are many who don't believe in some of the things others say they hear. Frankly, I'm usually reluctant to get involved in this sort of difference of opinion. However, the change I heard in CAT-5 after break-in was dramatic even to "non enthusiasts". I don't know if there is as dramatic a change with less TP's or any at all. I do know what I and others heard when using 27 TP's.

It's possible and maybe probable that my findings are partially a result of using electrostatic speakers. I don't know for sure. If someone wants to find out for themselves, making their own is cheap and listening to the results is free.

For those who report hum issues with the IC's, I'm not surprised. With unshielded IC's hum or RFI is always a possibility. IC's could be made using CAT-5 STP (shielded twisted pairs) and you could experiment with attaching only one instead of both ends of the shield.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom